I feel good!

Tonight was APA league night and my (8 Ball) team was playing at a location that we had not previously visited. The table was a Dynamo bar box with the dreaded oversize cue ball and slow cloth.

My opponent had been spraying and praying all night long and getting ridiculously lucky with the slop shots. He was on the hill and I needed four. He broke, came up dry and I ran out on him. I broke next, made two and ducked; he fouled and I got BIH and ran out. I won the next one after he fouled off of my safety and again I got BIH. The next one was a break and run for me and I won the match.

What was remarkable to me is that unlike the typical "dead stroke" or "zone" experiences I've had over the years this was a deliberate, aware, and analytical experience. I sized up the table every time and knew what I had to do, and in what order and just willed myself to do it.

I have been experiencing this new heightened level of awareness and competency in execution for the past six days. I feel as though my game has been elevated to a much higher level than ever before. No pressure, no fear, just good sharp thinking and precise outcomes.

My regular 8 ball sparring partners (barbox and 9ft) are all high level players, some are APA 6 and 7's, some are TAP 6's and 7's, some are money players or tournament players and I have been whooping on all of them in both league and non-league play...and damn it feels good! There's even one neighborhood APA 7 who ducks me at every chance..he just doesn't want any part of my game, LOL.

BTW, I owe a debt of gratitude to Scot Lee who taught me how to develop a consistent and reliable stroke.:bow-down:
 
works both ways

Sometimes we don't consciously break things down, we see the pattern and execute it. Other times we sort through every detail and carefully execute each part one step at a time. Hard to say which is best, it can depend on how we are feeling at the moment. It sounds like focus is bringing your game to a new level. Enjoy it and congratulations on your new level of play!

Hu
 
Sometimes we don't consciously break things down, we see the pattern and execute it. Other times we sort through every detail and carefully execute each part one step at a time. Hard to say which is best, it can depend on how we are feeling at the moment. It sounds like focus is bringing your game to a new level. Enjoy it and congratulations on your new level of play!

Hu

Thanks Hu! You hit the nail right on the head about the focus factor. I thought I was well focused before, but now it's like a laser. It's just me and the table, nothing outside of that distracts me.

Again, thanks for the encouragement! :smile:
 
Have you had a change in medication , lately? If so , kindly
share it with us.:dance:
 
Thanks for sharing.
When you know all of the shots, it's the all important stroke that makes the shot.
 
Good on ya! I know the feeling you mean. A lot of people talk about 'going unconscious' but when I'm playing great pool it's with lots of analyzing and "sweating the small stuff". I think you're finding the same thing. It's not just winging it and hitting every ball pure and getting automatic shape from years of subconscious experience. When you're extra careful and analytical, all the shots are easy because they really ARE easy, not because you got Lazer Telescope Vision all of a sudden.
 
Congrats to you Jerry!
When I read your post, it reminded me how the pros can concentrate for so long and hardly ever take any shot for granted. I don't think most people understand how much real concentration there is in pool, if it's to be done right.

Sounds like you've done this for so long that it's started to become second nature to you now!

Be good to the game and the game will be good to you!

Have fun my friend!
 
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