hitting the ball harder

[FranCrimi]

Great point. Over thinking is part of my M.O., far beyond pool.

Its difficult for me, since I cant play and practice as much as I'd like. So I read. And think.

Disengage brain. But, but, but....

Thanks

I know how you feel. I like to analyze and study things too, but sometimes it can be debilitating if you're not ready for it.

Remember this: It takes a certain amount of experience in order to ask the right questions. It also takes a certain amount of experience in order to know which answers to accept and which ones to discard. Experience comes from hitting balls. Yes, it's that simple.

Hit balls first. Ask questions later.

 

[TheThaiger]

Thank you for your concern and help, Tim.

The youtube videos are quite good, thanks for linking them. I am curious how they apply to my initial concern. And Mr. Potts doesn't use a snooker stance, what's up with that?

Don't worry, I wont be spending much time viewing JBs videos. I got a chuckle out of you including them.

As always, you are fun interacting with.

Potts does have a snooker stance, although he exaggerates it a bit. Locking the back leg is what makes it a snooker stance.

I linked the Potts video because it's a good one generally and copied the wrong one from Barrow's - this one covers stance. Like I said in the earlier post, a solid foundation is incredibly important when using power. Stand solid, stay still.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFMWcwH-6o8

And I agree with Fran - have a broad outline of what you want to achieve and HAMB it. Don't worry about grip and stuff for now. Find the middle of the CB and hammer it until you feel more confident. It will come. Don't forget, despite what the aiming morons may tell you, the ball you have to hit sweetly is the CB, so concentrate on that. Own the mother.

 

[BasementDweller]

I think you're putting the cart before the horse. I don't know if you saw the study I posted about the pottery class. Here's a brief synopsis: The teacher broke the class into two groups. He asked the first group to just focus on quantity and make as many pottery pieces as possible. He asked the second group to focus on quality and to produce one perfect piece.

The end result was that the group that focused on quantity produced a better piece in the end. The quantity group pumped out pieces and learned from their mistakes along the way in order to produce better pieces, while the quality group spend eons of time spinning their wheels analyzing ahead of time what might be the best way to go about it, and in the end produced an inferior piece.

Get the picture? Don't worry so much. Just get out there and hit the balls at a harder speed and see what you get. Stop analyzing so much after every miss. Analyze after 500 misses, not 3 misses.

I thought the pottery class study was an excellent post. I can't remember if I chimed at the time but I'm glad you mentioned it again.

I think all too often in the quality vs. quantity debate people go way overboard on the quality side. EVERY SINGLE championship grade player spent ridiculous amounts of time playing pool. Dennis Orcullo still practices for up to 8 hours a day! There is no way this 8 hours that he plays can be actual PERFECT practice, if you know what I mean.

Sometimes just plan old simple brainless repetition is the key.

- Brainless Repetition is the Teacher

 

[justadub]

This has been great stuff, folks.

Here's something that has aggravated me for a while now. When I go the table for the first time that day, I throw a couple balls out to hit, to loosen up. I might hit 6-10 this way, before actually starting.

I generally will hit them very well. Quite firm, too. It feels right.

Damndest thing is a cannot reproduce that feeling later. Frustrating. The search continues.

Thanks again, gang

 

[BeiberLvr]

This has been great stuff, folks.

Here's something that has aggravated me for a while now. When I go the table for the first time that day, I throw a couple balls out to hit, to loosen up. I might hit 6-10 this way, before actually starting.

I generally will hit them very well. Quite firm, too. It feels right.

Damndest thing is a cannot reproduce that feeling later. Frustrating. The search continues.

Thanks again, gang

Try this next time you're playing alone.

Set up a straight in shot, corner to corner. Start with the OB a diamond from the corner it's being made, and the CB at the center of the table. Shoot 10 draw strokes, and try to draw the CB back to the opposite corner. Don't worry if you aren't successful each time. You just want to shoot the shot a total of 10 times, no more, no less. Make note of any misses or shots where the CB didn't respond well.

Now, go do something else for 30 minutes or so. Drills, 9ball ghost, 14.1, whatever.

Afterwards, do the drill again. Rinse and repeat.

Once you get to the point where you can successfully make the ball and draw your CB back at least 8/10 times. Do the whole thing over again, but move the CB back a little (no more than a diamond).

 

[CJ Wiley]

after all, that's the primary target....the cue ball.

....understanding the exact hand action is a big advantage when it comes to precisely hitting the cue ball.....and after all, that is the primary target....the cue ball.

It's been a while since I brought my troubles to you folks, here I am again

It's always been a problem, but last night it really began to annoy me more than usual. I am quite accurate when hitting the ball softly. Playing "tap tap" as we call it. With a decent table layout, I can play in that style and be fairly successful.

Of course, I can't count on that. There will always come a time when I have to hit the ball more firmly, in order to get position. Or the shot simply requires it. Especially playing 9-ball. I get away with it more playing 8-ball, heh heh. I do play on 9-footers, so I need to get around the table sometimes...

Sadly, my accuracy goes WAY down when I have to hit harder. I'm certain that its related to gripping too tightly, back stroke too fast, not focusing on where I need to hit the cue ball, and a host of other maladies.

Is there a simple drill, or series of drills that can help me increase the power of my stroke with accuracy?

(The usual disclaimers apply: I know I should see an instructor, I know I will need to spend serious time with real practice, etc etc.)

Thanks for your help.
Bruce

 

[FranCrimi]

This has been great stuff, folks.

Here's something that has aggravated me for a while now. When I go the table for the first time that day, I throw a couple balls out to hit, to loosen up. I might hit 6-10 this way, before actually starting.

I generally will hit them very well. Quite firm, too. It feels right.

Damndest thing is a cannot reproduce that feeling later. Frustrating. The search continues.

Thanks again, gang

You're experiencing what all athletes experience at some point during their developmental stages in their sport.

Actors experience it too. I've learned more about pool by working with actors than I have in much of my career. When they're studying for a role, they don't have as much time as they would like in order to experiment and find their way. So, they use techniques that enable them to latch on to how something feels. They are well trained in bringing that feel on demand in front of the cameras. It's not easy. It takes mental practice.

When I went to a sports psychology seminar, I asked the instructor to autograph his book for me. He wrote: "Be the best actor you can be."

 

[CJ Wiley]

"fake it til you can make it"

You're experiencing what all athletes experience at some point during their developmental stages in their sport.

Actors experience it too. I've learned more about pool by working with actors than I have in much of my career. When they're studying for a role, they don't have as much time as they would like in order to experiment and find their way. So, they use techniques that enable them to latch on to how something feels. They are well trained in bringing that feel on demand in front of the cameras. It's not easy. It takes mental practice.

When I went to a sports psychology seminar, I asked the instructor to autograph his book for me. He wrote: "Be the best actor you can be."

"fake it til you can make it"