Help on consistency

karambolista

karambolista

noypi toits
Silver Member
I notice that there would be times that i would feel like I'm in the "zone" and then after a few racks it's gone. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed that I'm doing good and would start to think if my streak would end.

My question is, how do I achieve consistency?
 
karambolista said:
I notice that there would be times that i would feel like I'm in the "zone" and then after a few racks it's gone. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed that I'm doing good and would start to think if my streak would end.

My question is, how do I achieve consistency?
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If someone had a real recipe for getting into the "zone" he could make a fortune.

I think the best advice I've seen is to work on your weaknesses. Yes, this is boring, but if you raise the average of your game by fixing the parts that are not so good, even the bad days will be better.

Another suggestion is to work on your shot sequence -- the series of motions that you go through for each shot. Make it regular. Some go to the extreme of making each shot look choreographed, and maybe that's not too far while you're working on it.

I think the most important thing to realize is that much of pool is random, and sometime you'll make five hard shots in a row just by chance, and other times you'll miss five in a row. Some players will try to find something to blame for any dip in performance, and this often makes things worse.
 
Quite easy way to increase consistency is to add a small pause in the final backstroke. I might not work for all players, but it has helped me a lot.
 
If you read your question you will find the answer- After a few racks. You are losing your concentration. You are getting sloppy. You are letting your guard down and letting all of the distractions around you take control. It sounds as if you have all of the fundamentals and basics down now you have to work on keeping your focus.
 
nice response book

TheBook said:
If you read your question you will find the answer- After a few racks. You are losing your concentration. You are getting sloppy. You are letting your guard down and letting all of the distractions around you take control. It sounds as if you have all of the fundamentals and basics down now you have to work on keeping your focus.
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Try to focus on 1 ball at a time. Nothing else matters, Not shape, Not the shot you just made, not the short skirt on the girl on the next table. THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS WHEN YOU'RE AT THE TABLE IS, TO MAKE THE BALL OR PLAY THE BEST POSSIBLE SAFETY. The reason I put that all in caps is to remind myself to focus on that too. We all lose our concentration sometimes, but just remember to have fun and you will make a lot more balls. Don't think too much. Sam
 
Work on developing a more consistent 'pre-shot' routine -- a regular rythm in aproaching every shot -- to give yourself the best chance of seeing and feeling each shot as it comes up. Of course part of the pre-shot routine should be looking over the table carefully to set your specific goals for the shot. I haven't always adopted the technique of shadow marking the table to imprint into my mind where I want the cue ball to land for position, but I know I when I do that, it sure helps my position!

Try playing each shot like the first in a 'three ball drill' (where you plan three balls ahead; shooting the first to get to the proper angle on the second, so you will be able to make the third). I never played better than when I was using the three ball drill (or a variation thereof) regularly...
 
satman said:
Try to focus on 1 ball at a time. Nothing else matters, not the short skirt on the girl on the next table.
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Now I'm starting to worry about you...you don't seem to have your priorities in order. ;)
 
1 pocket said it all. Pre shot ritual. Make a checklist of things YOU ( do or want to do ) for every shot. A checklist will help coordinate your mental and physical rythms. Write it out.
Don P. :cool:
 
Do you think?????

drivermaker said:
Now I'm starting to worry about you...you don't seem to have your priorities in order. ;)
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When I'm playing, I'm playing. Not that I don't notice Driver, I just try to focus my attention on the shot until my turn is over. Then the distraction is nice relief from the game until it's my turn again. It's a stress reliever, so to speak. There's nothing wrong with noticing beautiful women, theres just no room for them in the middle of the shot. Hope i cleared that up. Sam
 
I think you've been given some very good suggestions in how to improve your consistency. This is something that has definitely improved my focus. I started imagining that I was a professional player. My concentration as well as consistency improved a great deal. It allowed me to almost completely block out everything other than the balls on the table.

Another area in which this has helped me is in my temperment at the table as well as away from the table. Pool is very much a mental game, and temperment is a very important aspect of it. When I first started playing pool I was short-tempered and easily frustrated. This really made pool and progress at it an uphill climb. Quickly realized this was not going to work if I wanted to become a better, more consistent player.

Today when I find myself struggling with inconsistency, whether it is ball pocketing or position play I use the method described in the first paragraph and find myself getting the most out of my abilities much more often.

Hope this helped
 
Donald A. Purdy said:
1 pocket said it all. Pre shot ritual. Make a checklist of things YOU ( do or want to do ) for every shot. A checklist will help coordinate your mental and physical rythms. Write it out.
Don P. :cool:
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One of my older pool friends told me to "write" my own book and I agree with him. I just keep on forgetting to do it. I'm going to try my best to do it from now on, I'll try to write my own pointers before I practice so that it would stick to my mind.
 
To be completely honest with you, the only way to become and remain consistent is to put hours and hours in practicing. By hours and hours I mean thousands. When strong players lose their consistency, it is usually because they have lost that 'inner drive' to practice for hours all day long every day. I've gone through this before. There was a period of time a few years ago where I would practice 8-12 hours per day (I was working at a poolhall), all I thought about was pool, and all I wanted to do was play. It really paid off. Then along came this girl, and that was the end to that. Even now that school is out, I still haven't found that inner drive to go and play all day again. I practice for an hour or two, and lose interest real quick, or lose my concentration. Once you reach a high level (I'm not saying you haven't, I don't know you) and you become consistent, you can maintain that level by practicing less than all day long, every day. 2-3 hours a day a few times a week can help you maintain a high level. For us amateurs, we need much more than that, even to maintain.
 
Orignally posted by LastTwo
Once you reach a high level (I'm not saying you haven't, I don't know you) and you become consistent, you can maintain that level by practicing less than all day long, every day. 2-3 hours a day a few times a week can help you maintain a high level.
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A well known snooker champion Steven Hendry has been practicing for most of his career six hours every day!! After two months of summer vacation it takes him 6 weeks to get back.
I've been off for 3 months since I've got pretty sick in february and now I see how hard is to get back on track.
 
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