Help please, I can always take advice and criticism

[FranCrimi]

Hi. I am only a "D" player, recently dropped from a D+ to a D. I'm also just a "3" in APA. I recently set up my I Phone toward the table when I practiced. No specific rotation, just trying to make balls.
I can use some advice on my stroke, stance, bridge, etc and anything else I'm either doing right or wrong. Here is the video which I uploaded to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAziSvpipkU

Jeff, I'm going to give it to you straight. Here's what I'm seeing. It's your attitude. You want to be a better player but you're not yet willing to do the work. I can see it in your manner at the table and the way you move balls around by smacking them with the shaft of your cue.

There are no short cuts to improvement. Breaking bad habits is tough; and takes a ton of self-discipline. I don't know what conversations you've had with Holden but he's an extremely knowledgeable guy. If you do what he tells you, I guarantee that you will improve.

I'm in New York also, and feel free to send me a PM if you want a pool lesson, but don't contact me unless you are willing to work.

 

[decent dennis]

Just "Wow"!

 

[tim913]

You need to spend some time with an instructor to straighten out some of the fundamentals. The advice given so far is sound, but would not do you any good if someone is not there making sure you're practicing the correct way. It does take a lot of work, and most players do not want to put in the work. Find an instructor, and then someone at a higher level to play with who can keep you moving in the right direction.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

You can take criticism, you say? Well, then you're ugly, too.

Playing pool well is mostly about playing pool, and a lot of it.
Give yourself time. Play as much, and as often as you can, and try to always play someone that is better than you are.
Learn all the games. Especially One Pocket. A solid game of One Pocket can help you play the others.
Quietly watch good players play. You'll learn a lot from them, and in time you'll find yourself anticipating their next shot.
Just like the chicken versus the egg, you can't begin life fully developed, but with hard work and persistence, you'll have your time as a good pool player.

 

[Johnnyt]

Get a good pre-shot routine and use it on every shot. You should have your aiming point on OB BEFORE you get down to shoot. You might use an instructor a time or two. He or she can put you on the right track. Johnnyt

 

[pocket]

Jeff, I'm going to give it to you straight.

He did ask for it but...

Here's what I'm seeing. It's your attitude. You want to be a better player but you're not yet willing to do the work. I can see it in your manner at the table and the way you move balls around by smacking them with the shaft of your cue.<snip><snip>

Not sure how you came to that conclusion.

 

[cuenut]

* Get a tighter belt!!!!!
* No CONSISTENT pre-shot routine. You are all over the place from shot to shot.
* Your stance is not solid. When you are down on a shot, if someone were to bump you from the side, you would probably stumble out from your stance.
* Jab shot vs. stroke.
* Keep your head down on the shot until your stroke is complete. Not unlike golf, if you look up during your stroke you will probably be watching a bad shot.
* Take your time. You don't get points for finishing a game quickly unless you start playing speed pool.
* Get an empty and dry water, cold drink, etc. plastic bottle and lay it flat on the table. Stroke through the opening and try to consistently hit the bottom of the bottle without touching the sides of the opening, or at least have a tip travel distance of at least 4-5 inches. When you are comfortable with doing it consistently, get in your stance and do it with your eyes closed until you can do it 7-8 strokes in a row. Then I am confident it is not your stroke!

 

[poolguy4u]

My thought...you might be a really good player pretending to be a lousy player.

This is a great idea to get comments from others.

Making America great again...LOL



:thumbup:





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[Cameron Smith]

Hi. I am only a "D" player, recently dropped from a D+ to a D. I'm also just a "3" in APA. I recently set up my I Phone toward the table when I practiced. No specific rotation, just trying to make balls.
I can use some advice on my stroke, stance, bridge, etc and anything else I'm either doing right or wrong. Here is the video which I uploaded to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAziSvpipkU

Jeff, you are getting a lot of good information here. Only thing I will add is, take each problem area one at a time. Work on that one area for a few weeks until the change feels natural.

When you start working on your stroke, start by just focusing on either a smooth transition from back swing to forward stroke. Or you can focus on follow through and freeze for 2 seconds on every shot. Both of these things will result in a smoother stroke, but focus each area individually. It seems like it would take longer this way, but it's very challenging to fix several problem areas at once.

Currently I am working keeping my chin on the cue throughout the entire stroke to ensure that my head isn't moving. I am focusing on this one thing, and am not overly concerned with potting the ball in practice. A successful shot is keeping the chin on the cue and I try to do this at least a 100 times in succession. Once the change feels natural, and the change is actually a worthwhile adjustment, the balls should start going in more often.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

America is great again. It happened early last Wednesday morning. :smile:

 

[Straightpool_99]

I am seeing:

1. Rushed strokes.
Your stroke timing is way off. You are jerking, jabbing and starting the stroke inconsistently. Some times you take no real practice strokes at all.
2. Steering the ball. You are moving the cue to the side in an attempt at influencing the path after contact. Sadly this movement can start prematurely and mess up your stroke. I also do not believe that people who do this have a really solid stroke. Your stroke should be like on rails. It should feel like effort, and unnatural to move your cue off line! The cue wants to go straight. It's we who throw it off line.
3. I get that the idea of your video was to just show your shooting form, but you inadvertently showed a bit of lazyness. You should never planlessly bang balls like this. It builds bad habits that will creep into your game. Players who do this often become what I call "monospeed" players. They play certain shots at a very limited range of speeds and englishes, which cripple their finesse game and makes them work less on stroke smoothness. That's my interpretation of it, anyway.

I'm not going to recommend drills etc like I normally do. I recommend finding the smoothest, best quality player you possibly can and play them as much as possible. After they completely destroy you (which they should if they are what I recommended), you should analyze what they do that you cannot do. Then try to work on those things. You can't just plop down on the table and expect great results. Get a little bit angry and really work on redeeming yourself in your next encounter. Practice with a purpose, not just to look good.

This may not be true, but you play a bit like someone who hasn't got quality opposition in your everyday play. Your style looks a bit lazy and lacksadaisical. You don't look like someone who had to sit down for fifteen minutes after missing an easy shot. But that is the reality of playing someone REALLY good. That's what we want to do to others. Unless you have unreal talent, that takes work and dedication. Typically when people start working on consistent psr and stroke timing, they look very rigid and mechanical, and some of them suffer some setbacks. Don't let that discourage you. The improvement will come when it's all natural to you.