My bad habits.......

bhale

bhale

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've got 3 that i've been fighting or years. They don't happen on every shot or even that often but they keep coming back to haunt me.

1. Death grip on the cue. I'll know it as soon as the cue ball moves and i'll most always miss the shot. High, low, left or right hit on the cue ball doesn't matter, it just happens. Once every 200 shots or so.

2. Looking at the pocket. I'll get down, line up on the cue ball, sight my line of aim to the object ball, back to the cue ball for a few strokes, draw back as i transfer my eys to the object ball (this is normal and correct for me) and then as i start my stroke my eyes shift to the pocket. Ball takes off for parts unkown.

3. Follow through spasms. It's like i'm steering the cue ball with the butt of the cue. Not drastic but just enough to screw things up, almost like my preshot routine was flawed and i'm making a last minute "fix" to make the shot.

I know i do these things and normally it happens just once in any given session but at best i'll make the ball and leave myself bad position or worst it'll cost me the game. Then i scold myself and my overall game takes a turn for the worst.

Am i the only one? Do you have similar moments of mental DUH and how do you stop it?

Brian <====== dummie
 
Correct and Perfect one thing at a time.If it was easy, we'd all
be pros.I always go by the Motto "I'd rather be great at one thing
then to be good at ten."Bad habits are hard to break but if you
don't like them,perfect them!
 
"Steering" is probably my most common habit/flaw. It happens when I don't trust my "set" position, but I continue with the shot anyway thinking "It'll be close enough to make it." So, really, it's a consequence of lining up poorly.

Which is a symptom of not having the discipline of standing up and realigning when something doesn't "feel" right.

I'm getting better at it, and now catch myself far more often than I don't... but it's still an issue I need to consciously monitor when I'm struggling.
 
My worst bad habit is not standing up and starting the PSR over again when I"m down on the shot, and it just isn't right when I'm ready to shoot the ball.

It's like I don't want anyone to know I've screwed it up, so I'd rather miss the shot.

No, you don't need to say anything, I know. Insanity.

I KNOW I'm going to miss it, and I shoot anyway. It used to not hurt so much, but lately I've been playing much stiffer competition, and many times a miss = a loss.
 
tenzip said:
My worst bad habit is not standing up and starting the PSR over again when I"m down on the shot, and it just isn't right when I'm ready to shoot the ball.

It's like I don't want anyone to know I've screwed it up, so I'd rather miss the shot.

No, you don't need to say anything, I know. Insanity.

I KNOW I'm going to miss it, and I shoot anyway. It used to not hurt so much, but lately I've been playing much stiffer competition, and many times a miss = a loss.
Click to expand...

I agree, happens to me a lot. Especially when I notice some people happen to be watching. I gotta keep reminding myself that making the shot is what counts, not how you look doing it.
 
tenzip said:
My worst bad habit is not standing up and starting the PSR over again when I"m down on the shot, and it just isn't right when I'm ready to shoot the ball.

It's like I don't want anyone to know I've screwed it up, so I'd rather miss the shot.

No, you don't need to say anything, I know. Insanity.

I KNOW I'm going to miss it, and I shoot anyway. It used to not hurt so much, but lately I've been playing much stiffer competition, and many times a miss = a loss.
Click to expand...

I can't tell you how many times I've pulled the trigger on a shot that I knew was going to be a miss. I usually realize it on my next-to-last or last practice stroke and I don't have what it takes mentally to stop myself from shooting the shot anyway. I have the same problem on the bowling lanes. I will start my approach, not have the correct/usual footwork in synch, and I will continue on and throw the ball anyway, usually with a poor result.

I wish I could find a way to make myself stop doing this (without the need of hypnosis :embarrassed2:).

Maniac
 
Aaaaahhhhh !!!

Once in a while on a shot with high and english I twist my wrist inwards towards my body. Usually results in a miss and a desire to kill something right then and there.

Instead I just slump back in my chair and swear to never do it again.

Yah right!

grrrrrr
 
These hitches have now become part of your focus, usually when confidence is low.
Redirect your thoughts to push them out of your mind, try focusing on breathing or a keyword, whatever it takes to get your mind on the right track.
 
And here’s your answers:

1. Once every 200 shots or so is not indicative of a fixable reoccurring problem. So it goes into the your human category.

2. Focus, Focus, Focus…it’s as easy as that but can you do it on every shot…only you will know.

3. Your spasms is your semi conscience self that can see how your conscience self is out of alignment and refuses to accept the semi conscience advice so semi conscience tries to fix it at the last moment but fails. Sticking to your psr should build confidence but if it is flawed the part of you that knows is trying to show you the flaw. So maybe back to the drawing board with your psr to figure it out.

And yes I have many bad habits but thank God there not all in billiards.
Ps.
Brian I could be wrong but your no dummy. I hope.
:thumbup:
 
jodacus.......same problem here, even swearing i will never do it again....that doesn't work! :frown: also, after 3 or 4 hours of shooting i fail to keep my eye on the OB resulting in a miss of course....swearing i will never do that again! :angry: old habits are hard to break!
 
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