How do I take the next step?

softshot

softshot

Simplify
Silver Member
I have nights..1 or 2 a month when I am playing Pro quality pool nailing my shots nailing my leaves. In winner breaks I never leave the table... It's there... I KNOW for a fact that I have the skills they show up way too often for it to be a fluke.

But I have many more nights when I am "ok" I play pretty well, but not good enough.

I know I have it in me, but I don't know how to bring it out when I need it. it comes and goes of its own free will. When I'm ON I'm ON!, but when I am off I'm just "ok"

How do I get over the hump??
 
softshot said:
I have nights..1 or 2 a month when I am playing Pro quality pool nailing my shots nailing my leaves. In winner breaks I never leave the table... It's there... I KNOW for a fact that I have the skills they show up way too often for it to be a fluke.

But I have many more nights when I am "ok" I play pretty well, but not good enough.

I know I have it in me, but I don't know how to bring it out when I need it. it comes and goes of its own free will. When I'm ON I'm ON!, but when I am off I'm just "ok"

How do I get over the hump??
Click to expand...

Play people for money who are just as good or better than you. You'll either lose your money or learn how to bring your game. Usually the first is followed by the second.
 
softshot said:
I have nights..1 or 2 a month when I am playing Pro quality pool nailing my shots nailing my leaves. In winner breaks I never leave the table... It's there... I KNOW for a fact that I have the skills they show up way too often for it to be a fluke.

But I have many more nights when I am "ok" I play pretty well, but not good enough.

I know I have it in me, but I don't know how to bring it out when I need it. it comes and goes of its own free will. When I'm ON I'm ON!, but when I am off I'm just "ok"

How do I get over the hump??
Click to expand...

MENTAL TOUGHNESS...for sure! (which includes)

1. I know for a fact that Allison doesn't "just" want to win...she wants to beat your brains out. She wants to "bagel" you. If you win a single game, she doesn't like that AT ALL!

2. Super-human concentration on and an ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT TO EVERY SHOT...ESPECIALLY THE EASY ONES!!!! Tiger always talks about commitment.

3. REAL and not "faked" CONFIDENCE and yes, that is an aspect of mental toughness. There are players who have total confidence in themselves but shouldn't. That is faked confidence. But the true champion REALLY BELIEVES that they can't be defeated without being outrolled by their opponents and ACTUALLY expect to win every match. Deep down they know that they can't bring their A Game every time but THIS time they KNOW they will!

You can control #1 just by developing that attitude.

You can drill for #2 (see below)

But #3 simply comes from winning most of the time due to 1 and 2.

CONCENTRATION DRILLS

1. Roll out 15 balls..totally cosmo..no problems. Take BIH and just run the table...straight pool...but nevermind playing shape for a break shot...just run out. Clearly, you will have 15 simple shots due to such small CB shape distances and pocket choices. How many racks can you run that way?

Less than you think I suspect...BECAUSE YOU GET BORED WITH ALL THOSE EASY SHOTS...and then you miss one...or miss simple shape.

2. Bert Kinister's down the rail drill. OB 1 diamond above the right side rail a thumb off the rail and the CB 1 diamond below the rail, also a thumb off.

Shoot with the speed and tip position that permits the CB to run through the OB and occupy the position it left. You need to add that condition because it distracts you from merely aiming and shooting.

Forget about whether you succeed in running the CB through..but just TRY.

How many balls in a row will you pocket before missing (usually by rattling it)? 10? 20? 50? Won't EVER miss?

Prepare for a shock. Why? Because you WILL get bored. And don't think you don't get bored in matches. You're in your third match of the weekly tournament. One more and you're in the semis. You haven't missed a shot. Your break is working like a monster so you are playing 7 ball most of the time with little dink shots.

Now, you're up 5-3 in a race to 7. You have a 7 ball cosmo layout and you start thinking about the hogans on the girl at the bar...or how good the next brew is going to taste when you drill this guy and then OOOOPS!

Who let the dog out!!!!!!

They only way to fix that is to expand your "boredom envelope." And to do what Tiger says he does on EVERY SHOT....mentally say the word "commit."

Trouble being, you probably won't for the same reason that I don't do it all the time...and when I figure out what that reason is...I'll let ya know!

(-:

Regards,
Jim
 
av84fun said:
BECAUSE YOU GET BORED WITH ALL THOSE EASY SHOTS...

Regards,
Jim
Click to expand...

You might have something here though I don't get bored with easy shots and keep shooting them, I get bored and attempt the hardest shots on the table just to see if I can make them. I make my share of them but its not always the right shot.

perhaps I need to add a challenge night to my practice routine one day to go nuts and try all those out of this world never play it for money shots.
 
softshot said:
You might have something here though I don't get bored with easy shots and keep shooting them, I get bored and attempt the hardest shots on the table just to see if I can make them. I make my share of them but its not always the right shot.

perhaps I need to add a challenge night to my practice routine one day to go nuts and try all those out of this world never play it for money shots.
Click to expand...

REALLY I wouldn't do that. Forget about dogging it for a minute.

Maybe you already know but if not keep track of the TYPE of decent percentage shots that you tend to miss most often.

For me it includeds long say, 15 deg cuts down the rail with the OB a ball from the rail. There seems to be an optical illusion or something that makes me hit those shots a little thin.

Or maybe it's inside english shots that have to be struck hard. Whatever.

OK, say you miss your Most Missed But Shouldn't Have shots 10% of the time. So, out of 100 shots, you miss 10.

But the ISSUE is that such shots come up A LOT.

OK, so you practice THOSE shots and cut your miss percentage in half. Now you are missing 5 out of 100.

Now, think about those hail marys that have a probability of going 1 time in 5. So you practice and you DOUBLE your percentage and get up to 2 in five. Cool.

BUT that kind of shot only comes up ONCE in 500 whereas, your Most Missed shots come up 20 in 100 or 100 in 500. See that math.

So, in 500 shots your most missed come up 100 times and with practice you will miss 5 instead of 10 for a 5 shot gain.

With the hail marys, you only GET 1 in 500 and you are STILL a 3-2 underdog to make it so your net gain is LESS THAN ZERO.

There is just HUGE leverage in practicing the Most Missed and besides, in the vast majority of cases when you face a hail mary the thing to do is duck and leave your opponet safe or leave HIM the hail mary!

(-:
 
av84fun said:
MENTAL TOUGHNESS...for sure! (which includes)

1. I know for a fact that Allison doesn't "just" want to win...she wants to beat your brains out. She wants to "bagel" you. If you win a single game, she doesn't like that AT ALL!

2. Super-human concentration on and an ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT TO EVERY SHOT...ESPECIALLY THE EASY ONES!!!! Tiger always talks about commitment.

3. REAL and not "faked" CONFIDENCE and yes, that is an aspect of mental toughness. There are players who have total confidence in themselves but shouldn't. That is faked confidence. But the true champion REALLY BELIEVES that they can't be defeated without being outrolled by their opponents and ACTUALLY expect to win every match. Deep down they know that they can't bring their A Game every time but THIS time they KNOW they will!

You can control #1 just by developing that attitude.

You can drill for #2 (see below)

But #3 simply comes from winning most of the time due to 1 and 2.

CONCENTRATION DRILLS

1. Roll out 15 balls..totally cosmo..no problems. Take BIH and just run the table...straight pool...but nevermind playing shape for a break shot...just run out. Clearly, you will have 15 simple shots due to such small CB shape distances and pocket choices. How many racks can you run that way?

Less than you think I suspect...BECAUSE YOU GET BORED WITH ALL THOSE EASY SHOTS...and then you miss one...or miss simple shape.

2. Bert Kinister's down the rail drill. OB 1 diamond above the right side rail a thumb off the rail and the CB 1 diamond below the rail, also a thumb off.

Shoot with the speed and tip position that permits the CB to run through the OB and occupy the position it left. You need to add that condition because it distracts you from merely aiming and shooting.

Forget about whether you succeed in running the CB through..but just TRY.

How many balls in a row will you pocket before missing (usually by rattling it)? 10? 20? 50? Won't EVER miss?

Prepare for a shock. Why? Because you WILL get bored. And don't think you don't get bored in matches. You're in your third match of the weekly tournament. One more and you're in the semis. You haven't missed a shot. Your break is working like a monster so you are playing 7 ball most of the time with little dink shots.

Now, you're up 5-3 in a race to 7. You have a 7 ball cosmo layout and you start thinking about the hogans on the girl at the bar...or how good the next brew is going to taste when you drill this guy and then OOOOPS!

Who let the dog out!!!!!!

They only way to fix that is to expand your "boredom envelope." And to do what Tiger says he does on EVERY SHOT....mentally say the word "commit."

Trouble being, you probably won't for the same reason that I don't do it all the time...and when I figure out what that reason is...I'll let ya know!

(-:

Regards,
Jim
Click to expand...
This is all god stufff but.
Inconsistancy is the issue. Inconsistancy is usually traced back to fundamentals. Have a qualified coach analize your game. There's a bunch of them on this forum.

Ever wonder why a champion can step to the table cold and after a long layoff and still shoot the lights out? Answer - They are so set in their ways it doesn't matter how long the layoff.

There's something or things that's fundamentally flawed or simply inconsistant. Let somone show you what those are and tighten them up.
 
softshot said:
I have nights..1 or 2 a month when I am playing Pro quality pool nailing my shots nailing my leaves. In winner breaks I never leave the table... It's there... I KNOW for a fact that I have the skills they show up way too often for it to be a fluke.

But I have many more nights when I am "ok" I play pretty well, but not good enough.

I know I have it in me, but I don't know how to bring it out when I need it. it comes and goes of its own free will. When I'm ON I'm ON!, but when I am off I'm just "ok"

How do I get over the hump??
Click to expand...


Meet with me this Summer. We will put some Centergistics into your game. Looking forward to working with you this August.....SPF=randyg
 
av84fun said:
MENTAL TOUGHNESS...for sure! (which includes)

1. I know for a fact that Allison doesn't "just" want to win...she wants to beat your brains out. She wants to "bagel" you. If you win a single game, she doesn't like that AT ALL!

2. Super-human concentration on and an ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT TO EVERY SHOT...ESPECIALLY THE EASY ONES!!!! Tiger always talks about commitment.

3. REAL and not "faked" CONFIDENCE and yes, that is an aspect of mental toughness. There are players who have total confidence in themselves but shouldn't. That is faked confidence. But the true champion REALLY BELIEVES that they can't be defeated without being outrolled by their opponents and ACTUALLY expect to win every match. Deep down they know that they can't bring their A Game every time but THIS time they KNOW they will!

You can control #1 just by developing that attitude.

You can drill for #2 (see below)

But #3 simply comes from winning most of the time due to 1 and 2.

CONCENTRATION DRILLS

1. Roll out 15 balls..totally cosmo..no problems. Take BIH and just run the table...straight pool...but nevermind playing shape for a break shot...just run out. Clearly, you will have 15 simple shots due to such small CB shape distances and pocket choices. How many racks can you run that way?

Less than you think I suspect...BECAUSE YOU GET BORED WITH ALL THOSE EASY SHOTS...and then you miss one...or miss simple shape.

2. Bert Kinister's down the rail drill. OB 1 diamond above the right side rail a thumb off the rail and the CB 1 diamond below the rail, also a thumb off.

Shoot with the speed and tip position that permits the CB to run through the OB and occupy the position it left. You need to add that condition because it distracts you from merely aiming and shooting.

Forget about whether you succeed in running the CB through..but just TRY.

How many balls in a row will you pocket before missing (usually by rattling it)? 10? 20? 50? Won't EVER miss?

Prepare for a shock. Why? Because you WILL get bored. And don't think you don't get bored in matches. You're in your third match of the weekly tournament. One more and you're in the semis. You haven't missed a shot. Your break is working like a monster so you are playing 7 ball most of the time with little dink shots.

Now, you're up 5-3 in a race to 7. You have a 7 ball cosmo layout and you start thinking about the hogans on the girl at the bar...or how good the next brew is going to taste when you drill this guy and then OOOOPS!

Who let the dog out!!!!!!

They only way to fix that is to expand your "boredom envelope." And to do what Tiger says he does on EVERY SHOT....mentally say the word "commit."

Trouble being, you probably won't for the same reason that I don't do it all the time...and when I figure out what that reason is...I'll let ya know!

(-:

Regards,
Jim
Click to expand...

Wow, great post. Just to make sure I'm understanding your wording, in that Kinister drill, you've got the CB and OB 1/2" off the same long rail, one diamond above and below the side pocket, respectively?

-Andrew
 
The problem with asking this question on a forum like this is you don't know the speed of some of the people giving you advice.

Don't know if this will help, but this guy is a champion. If you haven't seen the video it is worth watching, even if you don't play straight pool.

Ray Martin: Once you learn to handle that cue ball and pocket balls then it's all up here (points to his head). More so now than what it is before. It's mental. Depends on your personality too. Some guys can't handle it. Some guys will make the effort and will say "I'm going to conquer this". That's all your individual personality. That's why there is only a handful of champions. The other guy blows up and throws his cue stick across the room, says the hell with this, bangs on something. That guy's never gonna make it. He can't handle it.

You gotta learn to take your mistakes. So I went of the balls bad, so I wound up down at the end of the table. Shoot the next one and get back in line. It's the mental aspect.
 
To take it too the next level and compete you need combination of everything! strong mental aspects of the game, Safety, kicks,banks, run outs etc etc working hard in practice is the first step. some coaching can help to give you another perspective into your game for possible improvements and general advice. Theres quite a few good drills out there which can help. Im sure theres a few are posted through out the forum somewhere.

For me straight pool is the best way to practice, have to focus so much more than playing 9ball or 8ball. straight pool hones your CB control, playing patterns and consistency as you cant take any ball for granted! plus your not going to worry a bit in 9ball if you make 2 balls on a break and your havin too run 7 balls when ur used to running x10s+ more! will help in playing patterns for clearances in 8ball too. Moving up too the next level you also need to know how too win under pressure!!! I think this is the ultimate thing cause without this your not going to win anything major!!! think about playing serious matches against very good opposition on a regular basis. this will teach you to take your chances when you get them and grind out results when needing too, in the long run doing this will greatly help your tournament play!! hope that helps a bit

Peace R114
 
Focus, focus, focus.

A trick to help you focus: I choose one thing to focus on intently (for me it's usually being more precise about where I'm hitting the cue ball) and pretty quickly that focus expands until I've got my whole game in focus and my attention is glued to my game.

It slips. You have to practice keeping it, just like pocketing and position play.

pj
chgo
 
softshot said:
I have nights..1 or 2 a month when I am playing Pro quality pool nailing my shots nailing my leaves. In winner breaks I never leave the table... It's there... I KNOW for a fact that I have the skills they show up way too often for it to be a fluke.

But I have many more nights when I am "ok" I play pretty well, but not good enough.

I know I have it in me, but I don't know how to bring it out when I need it. it comes and goes of its own free will. When I'm ON I'm ON!, but when I am off I'm just "ok"

How do I get over the hump??
Click to expand...

Start playing tournaments and just "gut" it out. You'll find out what you're made of, and if you have a chance to be a pro. Nothing like trial by fire!
It's important to see how you handle pressure.

Start with the Regional tours, good players and not too expensive to compete. Go for it dude!
 
alstl said:
The problem with asking this question on a forum like this is you don't know the speed of some of the people giving you advice.

Don't know if this will help, but this guy is a champion. If you haven't seen the video it is worth watching, even if you don't play straight pool.

Ray Martin: Once you learn to handle that cue ball and pocket balls then it's all up here (points to his head). More so now than what it is before. It's mental. Depends on your personality too. Some guys can't handle it. Some guys will make the effort and will say "I'm going to conquer this". That's all your individual personality. That's why there is only a handful of champions. The other guy blows up and throws his cue stick across the room, says the hell with this, bangs on something. That guy's never gonna make it. He can't handle it.

You gotta learn to take your mistakes. So I went of the balls bad, so I wound up down at the end of the table. Shoot the next one and get back in line. It's the mental aspect.
Click to expand...

I think I'll ask him if he has any more advice on this the next time I see him.
 
pool

softshot said:
I have nights..1 or 2 a month when I am playing Pro quality pool nailing my shots nailing my leaves. In winner breaks I never leave the table... It's there... I KNOW for a fact that I have the skills they show up way too often for it to be a fluke.

But I have many more nights when I am "ok" I play pretty well, but not good enough.

I know I have it in me, but I don't know how to bring it out when I need it. it comes and goes of its own free will. When I'm ON I'm ON!, but when I am off I'm just "ok"

How do I get over the hump??
BECAUSE IT IS NOT MENTAL, IT IS MAKING MISTAKES USING A FLAWED AIMING METHOD. YOUR OWN.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
av84fun said:
MENTAL TOUGHNESS...for sure! (which includes)

1. I know for a fact that Allison doesn't "just" want to win...she wants to beat your brains out. She wants to "bagel" you. If you win a single game, she doesn't like that AT ALL!

2. Super-human concentration on and an ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT TO EVERY SHOT...ESPECIALLY THE EASY ONES!!!! Tiger always talks about commitment.

3. REAL and not "faked" CONFIDENCE and yes, that is an aspect of mental toughness. There are players who have total confidence in themselves but shouldn't. That is faked confidence. But the true champion REALLY BELIEVES that they can't be defeated without being outrolled by their opponents and ACTUALLY expect to win every match. Deep down they know that they can't bring their A Game every time but THIS time they KNOW they will!

You can control #1 just by developing that attitude.

You can drill for #2 (see below)

But #3 simply comes from winning most of the time due to 1 and 2.

CONCENTRATION DRILLS

1. Roll out 15 balls..totally cosmo..no problems. Take BIH and just run the table...straight pool...but nevermind playing shape for a break shot...just run out. Clearly, you will have 15 simple shots due to such small CB shape distances and pocket choices. How many racks can you run that way?

Less than you think I suspect...BECAUSE YOU GET BORED WITH ALL THOSE EASY SHOTS...and then you miss one...or miss simple shape.

2. Bert Kinister's down the rail drill. OB 1 diamond above the right side rail a thumb off the rail and the CB 1 diamond below the rail, also a thumb off.

Shoot with the speed and tip position that permits the CB to run through the OB and occupy the position it left. You need to add that condition because it distracts you from merely aiming and shooting.

Forget about whether you succeed in running the CB through..but just TRY.

How many balls in a row will you pocket before missing (usually by rattling it)? 10? 20? 50? Won't EVER miss?

Prepare for a shock. Why? Because you WILL get bored. And don't think you don't get bored in matches. You're in your third match of the weekly tournament. One more and you're in the semis. You haven't missed a shot. Your break is working like a monster so you are playing 7 ball most of the time with little dink shots.

Now, you're up 5-3 in a race to 7. You have a 7 ball cosmo layout and you start thinking about the hogans on the girl at the bar...or how good the next brew is going to taste when you drill this guy and then OOOOPS!

Who let the dog out!!!!!!

They only way to fix that is to expand your "boredom envelope." And to do what Tiger says he does on EVERY SHOT....mentally say the word "commit."

Trouble being, you probably won't for the same reason that I don't do it all the time...and when I figure out what that reason is...I'll let ya know!

(-:

Regards,
Jim
Click to expand...
I like this post. I think I can use this.
 
randyg said:
Meet with me this Summer. We will put some Centergistics into your game. Looking forward to working with you this August.....SPF=randyg
Click to expand...

I am very much looking forward to it :-)
 
kildegirl said:
softshot said:
I have nights..1 or 2 a month when I am playing Pro quality pool nailing my shots nailing my leaves. In winner breaks I never leave the table... It's there... I KNOW for a fact that I have the skills they show up way too often for it to be a fluke.

But I have many more nights when I am "ok" I play pretty well, but not good enough.

I know I have it in me, but I don't know how to bring it out when I need it. it comes and goes of its own free will. When I'm ON I'm ON!, but when I am off I'm just "ok"

How do I get over the hump??
BECAUSE IT IS NOT MENTAL, IT IS MAKING MISTAKES USING A FLAWED AIMING METHOD. YOUR OWN.
Click to expand...


So, I'm guessing you're a pro?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
3kushn said:
This is all god stufff but.
Inconsistancy is the issue. Inconsistancy is usually traced back to fundamentals. Have a qualified coach analize your game. There's a bunch of them on this forum.

Ever wonder why a champion can step to the table cold and after a long layoff and still shoot the lights out? Answer - They are so set in their ways it doesn't matter how long the layoff.

There's something or things that's fundamentally flawed or simply inconsistant. Let somone show you what those are and tighten them up.
Click to expand...

Excellent points. Without solid mechanics the player is an accident waiting to happen. I was just commenting on how, after acquiring great mechanics, the GREAT ONES become so, against others with equally sound mechanics.
 
I've had this same feeling for awhile also.

I've started doing the "throw the 15 balls out, run out drill" alot. If I miss before the the end of the 15th ball, I start over.

This way I have a count of how many balls I run before I miss. Also, before I start over, I reflect on why I missed that last shot. I kinda keep a record of that.

I've notice several reason for missing and started working on those areas. At first, it was very humbling.....one, two balls, miss, repeat......one, two , three, miss,......sure was a eye opener on my true skill level.

From reflecting on the misses, I found five reasons......
Distraction, not focusing fully on the task at hand,
Just plain bad aiming
Poor speed control
Poor position play
Wrong pattern play/shot selection

Knowing these has helped me. Couple of nights ago.....I ran my first 15. I have also notice, I make more balls before I miss. I practice only on tight tables. By tight, I mean you can not place two balls in the jaws of the pocket.

Knowing that I can do 15 is a confidence builder. Since the first one, I have one another and I get down to fewer balls before I miss. It was the last few balls on the table that made be realize how important shot selection and position play is.

The other thing I have done is play more tournments, mostly 8 ball or straight pool. Not a big fan of 9 ball. Ive lost and won too many games based on luck.

Its a real commitment that is needed to move on. I recently quit a job cause it was cutting into my playing. Now, playing is the THING in my life.
 
kildegirl said:
softshot said:
I have nights..1 or 2 a month when I am playing Pro quality pool nailing my shots nailing my leaves. In winner breaks I never leave the table... It's there... I KNOW for a fact that I have the skills they show up way too often for it to be a fluke.

But I have many more nights when I am "ok" I play pretty well, but not good enough.

I know I have it in me, but I don't know how to bring it out when I need it. it comes and goes of its own free will. When I'm ON I'm ON!, but when I am off I'm just "ok"

How do I get over the hump??
BECAUSE IT IS NOT MENTAL, IT IS MAKING MISTAKES USING A FLAWED AIMING METHOD. YOUR OWN.
Click to expand...

I admire your tenacity regarding aiming and it is certainly a core skill, but if you can't control the speed and direction of the CB then you will get into positions from which no aiming skill can save you.

In addition, all the aiming skill in the world won't help much if you don't have a highly repeatable stroke and you won't have one if you don't have an array of other skills.

Finally, you can have ALL of the above skills but lack MENTAL toughness and be doomed to dog shots for a sell out. The MENTAL aspect of ANY sport is not only a core skill but is what, in fact, distinguishes champions from the also rans.

Regards,
Jim
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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