I think shooting pool has made me a better basketball player

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evergruven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm not very good at pool, nor basketball, but I'm aware of my game
recently I've felt a physical shift- a new strength/balance in my bridge hand
yesterday and today I shot hoops for two of very few times I've played all year
...and I shot about as well as I ever have. and I could feel it..I knew it was happening

when I think about it, several experiences I've had influence my pool game, and vice versa
it's fascinating how things dovetail and affect one another, in sports, in life overall
and I think it happens more than we think, but to realize it is pretty fun..

relate? thoughts?
 
From a physical factor relating to sports- I think that very good pool players need to possess superior final focus ability as well as a superior sense of timing- where the eyes, the mind and the body work together in a coordinated, rhythmic fashion. These abilities relate well to almost any sport involving a ball, puck, etc.- whether moving or stationery.
 
evergruven said:
I'm not very good at pool, nor basketball, but I'm aware of my game
recently I've felt a physical shift- a new strength/balance in my bridge hand
yesterday and today I shot hoops for two of very few times I've played all year
...and I shot about as well as I ever have. and I could feel it..I knew it was happening

when I think about it, several experiences I've had influence my pool game, and vice versa
it's fascinating how things dovetail and affect one another, in sports, in life overall
and I think it happens more than we think, but to realize it is pretty fun..

relate? thoughts?
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You posted this at 3:51 AM (EST)
you should be in bed sleeping😂😂😂😂
 
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There's definitely some crossover to other sports that require feel and touch. I've noticed that pool players are usually good at putting.
 
mikemosconi said:
From a physical factor relating to sports- I think that very good pool players need to possess superior final focus ability as well as a superior sense of timing- where the eyes, the mind and the body work together in a coordinated, rhythmic fashion. These abilities relate well to almost any sport involving a ball, puck, etc.- whether moving or stationery.
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This is depressing as I play no other sport well
 
bbb said:
You posted this at 3:51 AM (EST)
you should be in bed sleeping😂😂😂😂
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Before I moved to the current rural area we live in an old neighbor stopped by one evening and asked "did you know someone was playing basketball in your driveway at 3 AM?" I had to pretend that I was unaware of the situation as I was rather young at the time (mid 20's) and didnt want to get yelled at by my much older neighbor.
 
NathanDetroit said:
This is depressing as I play no other sport well
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Well there is a little known book on pool instruction " The One Minute guide to Playing Better Pool". 2006 by Patrick Scott Smith. Basically, possessing good stroke mechanics, a good pre shot routine, etc. etc. are all positives that help translate into to performing well at pool.

However, Patrick maintains that the very best players, most consistently exhibit extremes in sharpness of their final focus AND a body that reacts positively ( eye/hand coordination) at the precise moment ( timing) when eyes and mind agree on the correct focal point. He believes that this is the essence of great play- hard to argue with that.

It was Mosconi himself who said that he released his cue at the moment he was certain the correct focal point was locked - a sign that he was aware how important precise timing played in his success. Mosconi was also known to speak often about how important a sense of rhythm was to playing great pool - he understood how rhythm contributed to consistent correct timing.
 
I can relate. I don't play much basketball anymore, but just the other day I was shooting around with my son and made 43 free throws in a row. I'm certain that pursuing high level pool can hone your hand-eye skills for other games.
 
bbb said:
You posted this at 3:51 AM (EST)
you should be in bed sleeping😂😂😂😂
Click to expand...
fastone371 said:
Before I moved to the current rural area we live in an old neighbor stopped by one evening and asked "did you know someone was playing basketball in your driveway at 3 AM?" I had to pretend that I was unaware of the situation as I was rather young at the time (mid 20's) and didnt want to get yelled at by my much older neighbor.
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y'all got a line on me..I was shooting pool with the door open at 3am, my neighbor heard the balls clicking and complained😝😝🤦‍♂️
 
fastone371 said:
did you know someone was playing basketball in your driveway at 3 AM?
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He probably thought that was a more diplomatic approach than outright accusing you.

I wonder how my rifle marksmanship has improved, I need to test that out. I would expect pool to benefit other shooting disciplines more, aiming in pool requires visualization but the crosshairs of a rifle scope would seem to be a different sort of aiming. the point of impact is clearly indicated. I would guess the more dynamic disciplines would benefit.
 
I feel pool has helped my golf game quite a bit. Understanding how important mechanics and a pre shot routine are to the game goes a long way. Especially since I am new to golf.
 
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nicksaint26 said:
I feel pool has helped my golf game quite a bit. Understanding how important mechanics and a pre shot routine are to the game goes a long way. Especially since I am new to golf.
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Golf, like pool, is one of those games where nothing is happening until you decide to make it happen. It's easier to focus when you are in the middle of action, like basketball. In golf and pool, you have to wait around, then push out all the thoughts and then shoot.
 
tomatoshooter said:
Golf, like pool, is one of those games where nothing is happening until you decide to make it happen. It's easier to focus when you are in the middle of action, like basketball. In golf and pool, you have to wait around, then push out all the thoughts and then shoot.
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I was an All State athlete growing up, football and baseball. Reactionary sports were very easy for me and I was a natural. Not such a natural at pool or golf though. I really have to practice my game just to be decent.
 
nicksaint26 said:
I was an All State athlete growing up, football and baseball. Reactionary sports were very easy for me and I was a natural. Not such a natural at pool or golf though. I really have to practice my game just to be decent.
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There's so many times, I'm down on a shot and as the last stroke is moving forward a thought will pop in my head and make me miss. Focus it tough when there is nothing actively drawing your attention.
 
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