Here's a hypothetical thread. Say you have 1 year in which to make the biggest possible improvement in your play. You are not allowed to hire an instructor, otherwise there are no limits on your time or money. How would you go about it?
How to maximize improvement
- Thread starter Straightpool_99
- Start date
Sorry to hijack, but Randy, how do you feel about Skype lessons be in person
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Thank you?
Right. You have unlimited table time. How do you spend it?
What level are you starting out at? If it's my current level, then I am drilling for a year on the areas where I'm weak (speed/ball control). This isn't hypothetical either haha, I have one year to level up to the point where I can compete in Wisconsin. I'm a high B/low A and have a year to come back and beat these guys.
So, I'm drilling my weak points. I'd be buying DVDs of drills/ common shots with position targets, etc.
If I'm an absolute beginner though, I'm buying nothing but name brand pool stuff. First a Predator with a 314, then a BK3, and a Predator shirt and glove with predator chalk because Iiiiiii knnnooowwww better equipment will make me a better player
You play the ghost and you keep track. Practice a few hours a day including racking and breaking. When you miss a shot or position, shoot it until you don't miss it anymore. Practice banks and kicks, two rail kicks, learn what line your cue ball will take off the rails. Know when to kick one rail or two.
Remember your defensive skills are almost as important to winning as your offensive skills. I see a lot of great offensive players, but except for pros, I see very few great defensive players. The best defensive players I've ever seen are Darren Appleton and Efren Reyes. Darren for making impossible to get out of safeties, and Efren for being able to get out of any safety without selling out. There is simply nothing you can't give them that they can't get out of or hook you with. Here is a link to a basic safety manual I made. Most players would be a lot more competitive just mastering this part of the game.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=389201
To learn position play, I recommend watching Alex Pagulayan. He is an absolute genius at making easy position. These are two of the best pattern players I've ever seen;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxknEWG_N74
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I notice your name is Straightpool - so it's a good thing to practice for knowledge and ball control, but rotation games will strengthen your shotmaking and traveling skills. I used to play a lot of straightpool but switched to rotation because it's more fun.
First.....get rid of any ego.
Second.....be brutally honest about your skill level.
Third......identify your weak areas and devolp ways to turn them to strengths.
Fourth.....practice at least 3-4 hours 5 times a week.
Fifth..... Have the commitment to do all the above.
The third step is the most important. Only you really know your weakness from competition. A good place to start is to keep track of the types of shots you miss during competition and the very first practice session after, those are the shots to practice first.
I had a issue using the bridge....notice th word had. I do several practice sessions using only the bridge.
And so on.
Championship level play is all about practice.
But then again....I'm a nobody banger.
Also this is the core principal of HAMB.
Second.....be brutally honest about your skill level.
Third......identify your weak areas and devolp ways to turn them to strengths.
Fourth.....practice at least 3-4 hours 5 times a week.
Fifth..... Have the commitment to do all the above.
The third step is the most important. Only you really know your weakness from competition. A good place to start is to keep track of the types of shots you miss during competition and the very first practice session after, those are the shots to practice first.
I had a issue using the bridge....notice th word had. I do several practice sessions using only the bridge.
And so on.
Championship level play is all about practice.
But then again....I'm a nobody banger.
Also this is the core principal of HAMB.
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Hire someone else to hire an instructor for you.
Place 4-6 HD video cameras around the table and 1 above.
Review all videos after each practice session.
Read this thread
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=397456
and determine your visual alignment then test it
http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/eyes.html#vision_center
Buy ZeroX videos from Tor Lowry start off with the Pattern Play Videos and master a Pre-Shot Routine.
Buy Dr Dave's 5 disk set Encyclopedia Of Pool Shots and learn cue ball angles.
Switch back to Pattern Play and practice until you can do all the drills.
Go play strong players.
Practice,
Go play strong players.
Practice,
Go play strong players.
Practice,
I think the best way to train would be consistent practice with either Dr. Daves B.U. or the P.A.T. test plus daily game play also, either competition with another or challenging yourself playing the ghost or trying to beat a straightpool #.
First thing I would do is ignore the rules and hire an instructor 
The next thing I would do is practice every day. I'd practice drills that are focus intensive. Drills like that not only improve your stroke, but also your position play, potting ability, how you pay in tournaments as well as money matches.
Finally I'd buy some Kamui chalk so everyone knows that I mean bidness
*edit* Ooooh no limits on time or money eh. Well I would have to buy a new house as I don't have room for a table here. I'd buy a Diamond Pro Am 9' (bet you thought I'd say 10') and get to work
The next thing I would do is practice every day. I'd practice drills that are focus intensive. Drills like that not only improve your stroke, but also your position play, potting ability, how you pay in tournaments as well as money matches.
Finally I'd buy some Kamui chalk so everyone knows that I mean bidness
*edit* Ooooh no limits on time or money eh. Well I would have to buy a new house as I don't have room for a table here. I'd buy a Diamond Pro Am 9' (bet you thought I'd say 10') and get to work
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Aloha
I think I would make a race to 100 wager with all the top pros in Europe and the U.S., including the best snooker players on the planet. $50,000 to the winner of each match, and a cool million to the player that beats me by the biggest margin over the course of the year. They would have to put up $500 to my $50,000, just to entice them into playing.
I figure there would be plenty I could learn in a race to 100, and theoretically I would not be hiring them.
Just my 0.002"
Aloha
Unlimited funds and time huh.
Buy a new house with room for a diamond bar box AND 10 footer, both with 760. Why the barbox some will ask? Because the east coast is pretty much dominated by bar boxes. Why 760 instead of 860? Because myself I find I do much better going from a fast table to a slower one, but have a hard time adapting to a table much faster then I'm used to.
Hire hot blonde to rack balls and reset balls for drills etc. I find I get wore down more by the resetting of balls in drills then from running the drills themselves. Plus you said unlimited funds so why not hire a distraction, it'll help with focus later on :grin:
Buy a motorhome and hire a driver. Find local tournaments to play in 3-4 nights a week at least. That's when I'm not at the major events of course. Motorhome is so I don't have to sit in the pool hall/bar between rounds when I'm not watching/studying other top players. I may be dead money at major events and maybe even a lot of the smaller one's but it's a good way to see how you stack up/rate, learn to deal with pressure, different playing conditions, etc.
The cameras around the practice table for review of fundamentals is a great idea. That way when you miss you can review why you missed. Did you line up wrong? Move? Turn your wrist? Etc.
Buy a new house with room for a diamond bar box AND 10 footer, both with 760. Why the barbox some will ask? Because the east coast is pretty much dominated by bar boxes. Why 760 instead of 860? Because myself I find I do much better going from a fast table to a slower one, but have a hard time adapting to a table much faster then I'm used to.
Hire hot blonde to rack balls and reset balls for drills etc. I find I get wore down more by the resetting of balls in drills then from running the drills themselves. Plus you said unlimited funds so why not hire a distraction, it'll help with focus later on :grin:
Buy a motorhome and hire a driver. Find local tournaments to play in 3-4 nights a week at least. That's when I'm not at the major events of course. Motorhome is so I don't have to sit in the pool hall/bar between rounds when I'm not watching/studying other top players. I may be dead money at major events and maybe even a lot of the smaller one's but it's a good way to see how you stack up/rate, learn to deal with pressure, different playing conditions, etc.
The cameras around the practice table for review of fundamentals is a great idea. That way when you miss you can review why you missed. Did you line up wrong? Move? Turn your wrist? Etc.
1) Go to an instructor
2) If you don't see an instructor, get "The Pro Book" and drill the shots until they are second nature.
3) Learn your stroke. Learn how to diagnose your stoke.
4) Play the ghost. Start with the three ball ghost. Move up to the next (4 ball etc.) ghost only when you can beat the ghost in a long race (race to 15 or better).
Good luck
2) If you don't see an instructor, get "The Pro Book" and drill the shots until they are second nature.
3) Learn your stroke. Learn how to diagnose your stoke.
4) Play the ghost. Start with the three ball ghost. Move up to the next (4 ball etc.) ghost only when you can beat the ghost in a long race (race to 15 or better).
Good luck
I'd buy a new house, boat and a couple of sweet rides (to help with my pool game, of course). Then I'd build a small pool hall next door with a fully-stocked bar with hot bartender ladies and invite the buddies over every night for drin.. I mean practice, serious practice.
Pray that you have supreme talent and a ridiculously hard work ethic. Because the instructor is the #1. If you don't have the talent, then you've lost the #2 also.
All of that aside. Play constantly. Watch the best. Read the best books. Put yourself under pressure. Be an honest, tough evaluator of your performance.
Work like everybody else is about to take it away from you.
All of that aside. Play constantly. Watch the best. Read the best books. Put yourself under pressure. Be an honest, tough evaluator of your performance.
Work like everybody else is about to take it away from you.