I don't feel anything...

[tonythetiger583]

So I've just started my first pool league in October and I've been practicing at minimum 3-5 days a week (not including league night). The league is barbox and I'm starting to notice that when I play my best game, I can't feel any sort of tension in my body. My hand's barely gripping the stick and everything is going in at pocket speed. I'm also almost getting over being too chicken to NOT try and power table long draw shots.

I notice the problems really creep into my game when I try and put some juice on a shot I feel requires juice. But the game I enjoy playing most is when everything is gently rolling in (except for the few times I accidentally come up short).

Long story short, how far can I get in terms of skill if I just focus on playing light pool with zero tension in my body?

I usually focus on having zero tension, aiming, and keeping as low and level as possible with my bridge arm as straight as possible.

 

[naji]

So I've just started my first pool league in October and I've been practicing at minimum 3-5 days a week (not including league night). The league is barbox and I'm starting to notice that when I play my best game, I can't feel any sort of tension in my body. My hand's barely gripping the stick and everything is going in at pocket speed. I'm also almost getting over being too chicken to NOT try and power table long draw shots.

I notice the problems really creep into my game when I try and put some juice on a shot I feel requires juice. But the game I enjoy playing most is when everything is gently rolling in (except for the few times I accidentally come up short).

Long story short, how far can I get in terms of skill if I just focus on playing light pool with zero tension in my body?

I usually focus on having zero tension, aiming, and keeping as low and level as possible with my bridge arm as straight as possible.

Ensure your backward swing is going back straight and slow as if you are drawing or tracing a straight line with a pen, no matter what the shot speed is.

 

[victorl]

You can play with zero tension and do almost anything on a pool table, including power draw. Just look up Francisco Bustamante on youtube.

 

[Double-Dave]

So I've just started my first pool league in October and I've been practicing at minimum 3-5 days a week (not including league night). The league is barbox and I'm starting to notice that when I play my best game, I can't feel any sort of tension in my body. My hand's barely gripping the stick and everything is going in at pocket speed. I'm also almost getting over being too chicken to NOT try and power table long draw shots.

I notice the problems really creep into my game when I try and put some juice on a shot I feel requires juice. But the game I enjoy playing most is when everything is gently rolling in (except for the few times I accidentally come up short).

Long story short, how far can I get in terms of skill if I just focus on playing light pool with zero tension in my body?

I usually focus on having zero tension, aiming, and keeping as low and level as possible with my bridge arm as straight as possible.

Everybody likes the (usually 8-ball) games where everything is out in the open and you can just
play gentle stop shots on everything, the problem is this only happens every once every 10 games or so.

It is great to know your limitations, but thru practice you want to push your limits further.
Not being able to play with more then just a little juice and just a little speed severely limits
you shot selection. Espescially on a bar table where there are not many long shots you want to
be able to run out way more then just the wide open tables.

gr. Dave

 

[3andstop]

First that came to my mind is, you should read The Inner Game of Tennis. I think it would be a big help, and you would enjoy it.

 

[IamCalvin06]

You would have to be perfect...

In theory if you were able to always get on the proper side of the ball then the majority of your shots would be rolling forward or stop shots.

Reality is your first shot to get in line is probably not gonna be on the right side to get shape.

Balls could be in the way of a forward rolling cueball.

I see it every where I go. There's always a player who almost refuses to learn to play with the whole cueball. They prefer the rolling cueball and pocket speed. If you limit yourself to this then you will end up just like them. Only getting out when the perfect layout presents itself.

You're more likely to end up
A. Hating tighter tables bc you will be used to slopping balls in pocket speed
B. Giving up ball in hand on straight type shots bc you want to slow roll a ball instead of hitting a stop shot. Ending up not getting a rail.
C. Looking like an oxymoron, Huge build guy dinking balls around like they're made out of eggs.

Don't be a big guy playing pool with eggs. Get a stroke and understand how to use it!

Paid for by the ad counsel for a roll off free game. :wink:

 

[tonythetiger583]

In theory if you were able to always get on the proper side of the ball then the majority of your shots would be rolling forward or stop shots.

Reality is your first shot to get in line is probably not gonna be on the right side to get shape.

Balls could be in the way of a forward rolling cueball.

I see it every where I go. There's always a player who almost refuses to learn to play with the whole cueball. They prefer the rolling cueball and pocket speed. If you limit yourself to this then you will end up just like them. Only getting out when the perfect layout presents itself.

You're more likely to end up
A. Hating tighter tables bc you will be used to slopping balls in pocket speed
B. Giving up ball in hand on straight type shots bc you want to slow roll a ball instead of hitting a stop shot. Ending up not getting a rail.
C. Looking like an oxymoron, Huge build guy dinking balls around like they're made out of eggs.

Don't be a big guy playing pool with eggs. Get a stroke and understand how to use it!

Paid for by the ad counsel for a roll off free game. :wink:

I actually err on the side of preferring to draw whenever I can. I'm just kind of amazed at how lightly you can hit a long shot and still draw it back the length of the table.

 

[PaulieB]

I'm also almost getting over being too chicken to NOT try and power table long draw shots.

Sorry, but honestly, other than the needed break out shot here and there, every shot should be a stop shot or a couple of inches here and there position shot. If suddenly you need a power draw table and a half length shot, then you really F'd up your game and should not be thanking yourself for making the position...you should be berating yourself for HAVING to make that shot...

 

[Black-Balled]

Sorry, but honestly, other than the needed break out shot here and there, every shot should be a stop shot or a couple of inches here and there position shot. If suddenly you need a power draw table and a half length shot, then you really F'd up your game and should not be thanking yourself for making the position...you should be berating yourself for HAVING to make that shot...

That only applies to shots you leave yourself...

 

[Straightpool_99]

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