in a slump, what made the biggest difference in your game?

Pushout said:
This^ When you come back to the game, by all means, take up Straight Pool. It helps all games, regardless of what the hard core 9 ball players say. You'll need either instruction to get started or some books/videos but it will be well worth it.
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He's soooo right!

How in the world you can avoid being bored out of your mind for 8 months is amazing to me when you are playing that mindless 9 ball. I'd have been drooling out of the side of my mouth after enduring 2 days of practicing that game.

You said you've gotten better, ok. stop painting by number and open up your creative juices. You make the decisions, you decide the patterns, develop a soft touch, intricate positions, and then set a goal for yourself in terms of high run.

Absolutely play straight pool.
 
This question has been asked before (as has most every other question, as well), and you'll, doubtless, get a variety of different responses.
Personally, I don't really have slumps, rather a bad day now and then, but were I to get into a funk that lasted awhile I'd probably take a few days off. Go play a round of golf. Walk the dog (if I had a dog). Or, see if the girlfriend wanted to go do the wild thing.
Welcome to the forum, by-the-way. Asking questions here is a good thing, and don't get angry if some smart-ass mentions doing the wild thing with his girlfriend. :)
 
Celophanewrap said:
I know that one of the popular opinions is to say play people better than yourself. I've tried that and what I get from that is I become a better racker, unless it's a lesson type or Q and A situation. As lessons can be costly, one thing I do is after a few days away I'll get back to examining and practicing fundamentals. No detail is to small, everything from how I take my cue out and put it away to the mental side of the game. For instance, I discovered a while back that I don't play so good after I've eaten. So prior to that I was having dinner with my family and then going to play and getting schooled. I figured this out and things returned to normal, still getting schooled, but not as bad or as often. I find that I play better in warm weather, so during the Colorado winter the mental side of the game is very important to me, if I'm not in the right frame of mind it don't go so well. In your case you were recently in an accident, it's likely that you've had to change up some things physically and that's throwing you off. You'd always like to compete to stay sharp but that may not be all there is to it. Have a look at the fine print, you may spot the problem
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excellent advice, after awhile i do find i stop thinking about the small stuff, and miss incredibly easy shots, then realize my stroke on or stance on the last shot was lazy, and i have been wondering if the accident has changed things for me, it caused tissue damage on the right side of my chest, and even though the pains gone my sloppy break remains, maybe after a few days off i'll try back to basics drills, how often do you all reccomend playing to stay sharp? maybe limit myself to couple hour sessions 3 times a week instead of 30 minutes to and hour every night?
 
fastone371 said:
When you guys suggest straight pool do you mean like Fargo or real 14.1 with the set up ball to break and stuff?:confused:
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Real 14.1, otherwise known as Straight Pool. The book "Play Your Best Straight Pool" by Phil Capelle is a great place to start. Later on his book/DVD combination "Break Shot Patterns". Jim Rempe's "How to Run 100 balls in Straight Pool" DVD is available from Accu-Stats, I think.
Fargo is an excellent practice game, also.
 
Slim Limpy said:
First, let me begin by saying that I and I alone am the only one on AZBilliards truly qualified to respond accurately and adequately to this question. For I, and I alone, am the only one here who, somewhat like yourself I fear, has been in a pool playing slump my entire pool playing life!
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technically that makes you most adequate for being empathetic, seeing as how im looking to get out of a slump advice from those not in a forever slump seems most practical:grin-square:

i cheated and got back to the table already (no work today, so had to shoot) and tried some straight pool and back to basics, slowed down a bit, while i still made mistakes that should never be made, i enjoyed playing some straight very much and started getting my cuts back in shape, its especially fun for combination shots, i will take the next few days off though while i have work to occupy me
 
poolguppy said:
excellent advice, after awhile i do find i stop thinking about the small stuff, and miss incredibly easy shots, then realize my stroke on or stance on the last shot was lazy, and i have been wondering if the accident has changed things for me, it caused tissue damage on the right side of my chest, and even though the pains gone my sloppy break remains, maybe after a few days off i'll try back to basics drills, how often do you all reccomend playing to stay sharp? maybe limit myself to couple hour sessions 3 times a week instead of 30 minutes to and hour every night?
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I have never found playing as unproductive as when I just don't feel like it. I used to try to force myself to play and practice when I didn't feel like it or when there were other things on my mind, in general that turned out to be a waste of time, energy, beer...
You have to seek inspiration where you can find it. I love watching those videos of Efren Reyes work his magic, then I focus 100% on my time at the table, kinda try to do what he does. I have found that practice breeds practice. While I'm working on something, without exception I find other things that need attention.
Sometimes after an event that I've been pointing to, my table time might slide for anywhere from as few days to a month. I do try to get to the table at least every couple of days or so, even if it's just to hit a rack or two for 20 or 30 minutes or even on my lunch hour. But when you have a passion for something, and you're having a good time, and you just feel like it, that's a good feeling. Play as often as you can and as often as you want to, try not to force yourself. I try to keep my hand in pool every day though. If I don't play, I clean and wax, or shape my tip, I clean my case, I read, I troll on AZB. I believe that passion, practice, and play have many faucets, time at the table is just one of them
 
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Celophanewrap said:
I have never found playing as unproductive as when I just don't feel like it. I used to try to force myself to play and practice when I didn't feel like it or when there were other things on my mind, in general that turned out to be a waste of time, energy, beer...
You have to seek inspiration where you can find it. I love watching those videos of Efren Reyes work his magic, then I focus 100% on my time at the table, kinda try to do what he does. I have found that practice breeds practice. While I'm working on something, without exception I find other things that need attention.
Sometimes after an event that I've been pointing to, my table time might slide for anywhere from as few days to a month. I do try to get to the table at least every couple of days or so, even if it's just to hit a rack or two for 20 or 30 minutes or even on my lunch hour. But when you have a passion for something, and you're having a good time, and you just feel like it, that's a good feeling. Play as often as you can and as often as you want to, try not to force yourself. I try to keep my hand in pool every day though. If I don't play, I clean and wax, or shape my tip, I clean my case, I read, I troll on AZB. I believe that passion, practice, and play have many faucets, time at the table is just one of them
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As an amateur, there's nothing better that going and watching play, at a pro event. Johnston City got me going. DCC could easily do the same for others.
 
poolguppy said:
Hey my name is Skyler, new to the forums. Always loved to shoot pool, did the poolhall thing for awhile but that gets expensive and didnt help my game a whole lot playing once a week, i had finally found my dream table on craigslist, a mission style dark cherry Golden West table 1 inch slate, simonis felt, bought a decent cue, played a lot, and my game improved drastically, now its about 8 months down the road and im in a slump again, most my friends don't want to come play anymore, and when they do its kind of boring and hard to take it seriously and get into the game when i know i'll have plenty of chances to get back to the table if i make a mistake because none of them are great players, i mix it up sometimes and go shoot at our small town bar, but thats getting boring quick, and lately even my shot in practice has gone downhill. So how many of you have experienced this wall:banghead:? im a good shot, i understand pool well, my leaves need help, my break sucks ever since a car wreck 3 months back that injured my chest. Is competition a wallbreaker? has doing tournaments upped your guys' game or should you have your game up before you enter one? Im sure i would get my ass handed to me, but maybe thats what it will take to improve?
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Back to basics, incorporate "focus" in your practice, really know where the problem is, and compete on as high a level as you can afford. Keeps you on the learning curve.
 
Celophanewrap said:
I have never found playing as unproductive as when I just don't feel like it. I used to try to force myself to play and practice when I didn't feel like it or when there were other things on my mind, in general that turned out to be a waste of time, energy, beer...
You have to seek inspiration where you can find it. I love watching those videos of Efren Reyes work his magic, then I focus 100% on my time at the table, kinda try to do what he does. I have found that practice breeds practice. While I'm working on something, without exception I find other things that need attention.
Sometimes after an event that I've been pointing to, my table time might slide for anywhere from as few days to a month. I do try to get to the table at least every couple of days or so, even if it's just to hit a rack or two for 20 or 30 minutes or even on my lunch hour. But when you have a passion for something, and you're having a good time, and you just feel like it, that's a good feeling. Play as often as you can and as often as you want to, try not to force yourself. I try to keep my hand in pool every day though. If I don't play, I clean and wax, or shape my tip, I clean my case, I read, I troll on AZB. I believe that passion, practice, and play have many faucets, time at the table is just one of them
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you bring out a good point, i do often force myself to play when im really not in the mood for it or have nothing else to do, and video's of efren usually get me in the mood to play too! i will have a big tv on the wall soon in my pool room, and will probably stream some tourney video's while shooting, btw since everyone is mentioning good practice games they do, here's one ive been doing, dont know if it has a name, but basically rack all 15, break and shoot all 15 down in order, and works like golf score, any stroke after 15 counts as one, so you run them all you get 0. you shoot poorly you get a higher score, its tough, best ive gotten is 2 so far
 
ok guys, no doubt about it, competition is key, got a text from my uncle telling me to grab my stick and come play some pool at the bar, show up and he texted because a couple league guys were passing through, and for the first time ever in non practice, i ran the table on em...twice, and the only times i lost were dumb little mistakes that will be worked out of my game in the future
 
poolguppy said:
ok guys, no doubt about it, competition is key, got a text from my uncle telling me to grab my stick and come play some pool at the bar, show up and he texted because a couple league guys were passing through, and for the first time ever in non practice, i ran the table on em...twice, and the only times i lost were dumb little mistakes that will be worked out of my game in the future
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There you go! With success in competition against better players comes confidence. Your weaknesses are highlighted against your very best efforts, so you can see them easier and figure out how to correct them for next time. This takes a fearless attitude and will take you far. And it's a WHOLE LOT more fun than playing the ghost or doing pattern drills. ;)
 
You might also try playing 1 Pocket.

If you have a local senior center with tables, you should be able to find some competition. Also check with the various local lodges (Elks, Eagles, etc.) which should dig out a couple more decent players.

You can also get some action by starting a local league of partners 8 ball or get some three person teams to compete on a regular basis.

Another option is to find a couple of other players to put together a cheap $5 monthly tournament.
 
When I was in a slump...I took 6 months off. Best thing I ever did.:smile:
 
slumps are usually caused by something on your mind that you may not even be aware of. It lessens your concentration and focus..............

I find drinking helps................. LOL

Kim
 
I can feel your pain about not having any real competition, I am currently having to play in a place like that also. What I have done is when I play someone else I try my best to run the table even though I know I will several more times at the table. I have found it makes me really focus, my game picked back up when I started that type of play.---Smitty
 
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