My problem is mainly with my warm-up strokes. My old warm up was an arbitrary amount of short fast strokes, pause,then the final stroke. The new warm up is three fast strokes, one slow stroke and a pause then the final stroke. At first it seemed great but I slowly lost confidence and it's been about a month of playing a couple hours a night and it's not working. I went back to my old stroke and felt so much better. I know how important it is to have a methodical pre-shot routine. Should I keep at the new pre-shot routine or scrap it? Anybody have this problem and what did you end up doing?
I'm having a problem adjusting to my new preshot routine.
- Thread starter DRINKDUFF
- Start date
DRINKDUFF said:
then keep it a small number like 2 or 3 and once you ingrain that .. you won't count anymore.. it will just be habit..
and that's when you see the results.. after you have the habit.. not while you are learning the habit.. keep it short and simple and soon enough it will be automatic..
Fast stroke=fast eyes.
Slow deliberate strokes plus a pause at the beginning and last stroke =quiet eyes and smooth stroke.
Slow deliberate strokes plus a pause at the beginning and last stroke =quiet eyes and smooth stroke.
The first question to ask yourself is why do we do warm up strokes. The function of the warm ups is to determine two things...is your cue moving on a straight line in the direction you want it to go, and is the tip going to contact the cue ball where you want it to. I've found that two deliberate warm ups is usually enough to collect the information my brain needs. Once I have the information necessary, I have no reason to continue with them.
And yes, part of a pre shot routine should be just that....routine. The number should be consistent...just as a basketball player will always bounce the ball the same number of times before shooting a free throw.
Steve
And yes, part of a pre shot routine should be just that....routine. The number should be consistent...just as a basketball player will always bounce the ball the same number of times before shooting a free throw.
Steve
It takes a long time to adjust to major changes in your game--- pre-shot routine being one of them. It took me nearly 8 months before I felt really comfy in my adjustment.
Don't expect to make an adjustment and feel at home right away. It took Tiger Woods nearly 3 years to feel REALLY comfy with his swing change - don't think you'll be comfy in 2 weeks.
The most important thing is to NOT quit the adjustment. Accept the fact you'll play better your old way and that you're taking a temporary step back. You have to be at peace with it. Otherwise, you'll never improve. If you practice it well and with conviction, your two steps back will equate to 8 steps forward over time. Most people never experience that because they want immediate results...... no such thing.
Dave
Don't expect to make an adjustment and feel at home right away. It took Tiger Woods nearly 3 years to feel REALLY comfy with his swing change - don't think you'll be comfy in 2 weeks.
The most important thing is to NOT quit the adjustment. Accept the fact you'll play better your old way and that you're taking a temporary step back. You have to be at peace with it. Otherwise, you'll never improve. If you practice it well and with conviction, your two steps back will equate to 8 steps forward over time. Most people never experience that because they want immediate results...... no such thing.
Dave
Having set number of pre-strokes that you follow religiously no matter what is a mistake.
Easier shots require fewer while difficult shots more. This you can take it to the bank.
During routine like it was said above you are trying to get the cue to move straight and to hit right spot on cue ball, you are also trying to zero in on the shot. We are not machines. Don’t shoot before you feel it is right.
A few fast strokes seem to let the cue settle in your hand, helps to shoot straight.
Slow/short deliberate strokes help you to zero in on spot on the QB, accuracy.
More important than number of strokes is to have a pause either at the last address of QB or on the backstroke or both. This should be the same every time you shoot.
Easier shots require fewer while difficult shots more. This you can take it to the bank.
During routine like it was said above you are trying to get the cue to move straight and to hit right spot on cue ball, you are also trying to zero in on the shot. We are not machines. Don’t shoot before you feel it is right.
A few fast strokes seem to let the cue settle in your hand, helps to shoot straight.
Slow/short deliberate strokes help you to zero in on spot on the QB, accuracy.
More important than number of strokes is to have a pause either at the last address of QB or on the backstroke or both. This should be the same every time you shoot.
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pooltchr said:
I was playing pool with a friend last night and I commented upon the 15-20 short and fast warm-up strokes that he was taking.
Are this many warm-up strokes really needed? Shouldn't 1-5 warm-up strokes be sufficient?
I also suggested that he take slow warm-up strokes instead of short and fast warm-up strokes. Are there any advantages to taking short, fast warm-up strokes instead of slow warm-up strokes?
No, there is no advantage to short, fast warm up strokes. The real advantage comes with making your warm up swings exactly like your actual stroke. Too many warm up swings results in indecision on when to shoot. This can be somewhat mediated with a pause at the CB, before the final stroke...but 15-20 is totally unnecessary. A two or three warm up swing 'cycle' is most common in successful players. You may repeat this cycle (with a pause at the CB), when you're not ready to shoot, after performing it once. A very difficult shot may require several warm up cycles, to "feel" ready to shoot the shot.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
PoolSharkAllen said:
DRINKDUFF said:
How have you been practicing the routine? Doing drills? Throwing balls out and running them?
More importantly, you should be practicing alone to imprint this routine into your memory. Over and over and over.
If this is what you have been doing, then go out and play in a tournament somewhere, and forget all about the routine (2nd type of practice).
If the above scenario, practicing your routine by yourself, is not what you are doing (i.e. playing with friends, action, or tournament while trying to follow the routine), then you are messing it up.
Read "Golf is not a game of Perfect" by Dr. Bob Rotella.
I have a student that is also tasked at this time to be practicing his routine, but me thinks he is falling into the above scenario as well. You must excercise dicipline. Just my $0.02.