My game improved...not sure why

Cdryden

Cdryden

Pool Addict
Silver Member
Have you ever had that happen? I broke through a barrier Sunday and I'm not sure what I did that caused it. I was doing lots of drills that haven't really helped me. I struggled last league session winning 10 of 12 matches. ( I was never really on my game and playing felt difficult)

So Sunday I got my IPAT books back from a friend who had been borrowing them and I decided to work back through them start to finish. I got half way through the first book and decided to take a break and play some nine ball. All of the sudden my game was exceptional and effortless... for me anyhow. There isn't really anything in the 1st book that should have caused this change. I'm not trying to look a gift horse in the mouth but I want to know what I did so that I can repeat it.

Before when my game took a jump I could attribute it to learning a new strategy or better position play. Now I am seeing patterns so clearly that running out takes less effort and its almost like I'm just going through the motions to finish the game. I am able to decide what I want to do and just do it. I still miss here and there but even that doesn't seem like a big deal.

Tell me this will last forever. I am trying desperately to find a good money game while I am in this stroke.
 
Welcome to the quantum leap in pool. It only happens every so often but when it does you go from a C player to a B player overnight. Feels great doesnt it??? Quantum leaps happen after your game struggles for a fair bit and you need to make a change to your game. For example the last QUANTUM leap i had was back in 2002 in SF. Billy the Kid was helping me straighten out my stroke for a few weeks but nothing was happening or improving. My game only got worse until about 6 months later after struggling (got to stick with change my friend) with my new stroke all of a sudden.... BAM!!!!!!! I couldnt miss!!!! I was ready to take on the worlds best!!!! :lol:

It does feel really good to have such mastery of the cueball when this happens. Just to let you know your game will fall back down a bit (not much but a bit) but you will forever play at a higher level until you leap again. Enjoy it my friend :)
 
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Watching and discussing pool can really help your game too.

I think much of the game is mental and tied to our thinking process. Just spending a little time with a champion can net you a little "killa" thinking.

Think what's gonna happen, not what could happen. Then "just do it". :shocked:

Ray
 
I'm not quite sure I'm following this. You spent the day working on drills, and then had a great session playing? Is it possible it was just a great session? Or has this been a sustained improvement? We all have what is our average game. Some days we play better than our average, and some days we play below average. That is how we determine our "average". If you truely had a breakthrough in your game, your "average" will go up as well. The only true test is to evaluate your game over time, not just in one day.

Steve
 
pooltchr said:
I'm not quite sure I'm following this. You spent the day working on drills, and then had a great session playing? Is it possible it was just a great session? Or has this been a sustained improvement? We all have what is our average game. Some days we play better than our average, and some days we play below average. That is how we determine our "average". If you truely had a breakthrough in your game, your "average" will go up as well. The only true test is to evaluate your game over time, not just in one day.

Steve
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Yeah, this is what I am wondering... will it last. It has only been 3 days of solid play at a much higher level. In that time I have played at least 300 games of 9-ball, 75 or so of 8-ball and some straight pool. Time will tell if this is a sustained improvement or a fluke.
My question is why am I seeing things so clearly now? Patterns and safeties are so easy for me to spot compared to my norm. I am normally a A level player in my area but it has been difficult to maintain. When I was playing before I struggle with how I was going to get through the rack. Nothing came easy, even the simple 4 ball run outs were a struggle. I usually did accomplish the run out but I was constantly getting out of shape or doing things the hard way.

Now, every shot seems simpler. I know the answers without having to wrestle with the question. Do I do this or do I do that, that kind of thing would plague me before and mess up my game. Now I know what I want to do and how I want to do it before the balls stop moving. It's a great feeling that I hope lasts.

I have been playing this game on a regular bases for at least 22 years. I have had a few leaps in my time and was always aware of why. Never have I experienced anything like this. Dont get me wrong, I aint playing like Earl, but I feel like I have the pool knowledge and thought process of someone who has played at a high level for a long time.

Could it be that returning to simple mechanics spurred this break through? At first I would have said no way, but now I'm not so sure.
 
pooltchr said:
I'm not quite sure I'm following this. You spent the day working on drills, and then had a great session playing? Is it possible it was just a great session? Or has this been a sustained improvement? We all have what is our average game. Some days we play better than our average, and some days we play below average. That is how we determine our "average". If you truely had a breakthrough in your game, your "average" will go up as well. The only true test is to evaluate your game over time, not just in one day.

Steve
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By the way, I had been working on various drill for the last two years religiously and I didn't feel any real improvement. This wasn't just one day of practicing and I felt a change.
 
Based on that, I would suspect that your somewhat focused attention to fundamentals has allowed your mind to be free from thinking about them, and lets your attention go to the more strategic aspects of the game.

As an instructor, I am fortunate that teaching forces me to stay focused on fundamentals when I am demonstrating various things in class. The more I teach, the better my game becomes. It's not the teaching, it's the attention being paid to fundamentals.

Steve
 
pooltchr said:
Based on that, I would suspect that your somewhat focused attention to fundamentals has allowed your mind to be free from thinking about them, and lets your attention go to the more strategic aspects of the game.

As an instructor, I am fortunate that teaching forces me to stay focused on fundamentals when I am demonstrating various things in class. The more I teach, the better my game becomes. It's not the teaching, it's the attention being paid to fundamentals.

Steve
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yea, your probably right. Its surprising how one hand washes the other in relation to mind/body. I have been so focused on trying to improve I forgot how to just play the game. Now, my fluid play is back with the increased knowledge of when to do what and how ( if that makes sense!). Thanks for your input.
 
featherstroke said:
You're playing out of the cold, this makes it easier to connect. Other than that, I can't imagine jumping a quarter ball just on sheer reading of a few lines. Before I knew what good pool is, I was told by a knowledgeable person that there are 20ish steps to getting to shortstop plus levels. Now that I'm a little more aware, I can tell you that each step's time varies, but never within the time frame you stated.
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by time frame do you mean the amount of time I have been playing, 20 plus years? If not please explain, I feel I missed something or I didn't explain myself correctly.
 
I think he was referring to the "Bam" when it all came together. I jump up onto and then fall off the plateau quite regularly so I know it's in my head and not my mechanics. Sometimes I'll play lousy for hours and be down two or three sets and then not miss a ball for an entire double or nothing set at the end of the night. Where was that all night? If my brain would let me, I sure would like to be that runout machine from the first shot. I guess that's why I'm not a top level player. I married a damn counselor, perhaps it's time to ask her to fix me?
 
featherstroke said:
I re-read my post to try and find errors. Then I re-read yours.....what is IPAT?
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IPAT is the International Players Ability Test. Used more in Europe as a tool to gauge your ability and drills to improve it. There are 3 levels of IPAT books, beginner, intermediate and advanced.
 
JolietJames said:
I think he was referring to the "Bam" when it all came together. I jump up onto and then fall off the plateau quite regularly so I know it's in my head and not my mechanics. Sometimes I'll play lousy for hours and be down two or three sets and then not miss a ball for an entire double or nothing set at the end of the night. Where was that all night? If my brain would let me, I sure would like to be that runout machine from the first shot. I guess that's why I'm not a top level player. I married a damn counselor, perhaps it's time to ask her to fix me?
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LOL a councilor huh?
do ya think she will charge you?!?
 
Improvement comes in spurts. At times you will be dormant and hit a plateau and at other times you will see a jump in skill. Consistent time on the table is the base key factor.

You might not think going through those books and doing those drills are doing you any good at the time, but will reveal it's power at times when you least expect it. It takes time to absorb and digest things and that is probably what's happening to you.

I would say keep it up. You're getting there.
 
Yes, last season was my worst ever. This season has been my best ever, but there is more to my story. I started out playing my best games against the best players in my leage, but when playing lower skilled players I was playing just barely good enough to win (often requiring a bit of luck). Then I took a vacation, out of town and missed a week of pool. When I came back I sucked. 4 weeks straight playing abysimal pool. Then for the last 2 weeks, I'm back on the top of my game (not an A player, I still have a looong way to go) but I'm again much improved. The worst part of all of this is I don't know why I have good days and bad days, or on some days good games and bad games.
 
Cdryden said:
Yeah, this is what I am wondering... will it last. It has only been 3 days of solid play at a much higher level. In that time I have played at least 300 games of 9-ball, 75 or so of 8-ball and some straight pool. Time will tell if this is a sustained improvement or a fluke.
My question is why am I seeing things so clearly now? Patterns and safeties are so easy for me to spot compared to my norm. I am normally a A level player in my area but it has been difficult to maintain. When I was playing before I struggle with how I was going to get through the rack. Nothing came easy, even the simple 4 ball run outs were a struggle. I usually did accomplish the run out but I was constantly getting out of shape or doing things the hard way.

Now, every shot seems simpler. I know the answers without having to wrestle with the question. Do I do this or do I do that, that kind of thing would plague me before and mess up my game. Now I know what I want to do and how I want to do it before the balls stop moving. It's a great feeling that I hope lasts.

I have been playing this game on a regular bases for at least 22 years. I have had a few leaps in my time and was always aware of why. Never have I experienced anything like this. Dont get me wrong, I aint playing like Earl, but I feel like I have the pool knowledge and thought process of someone who has played at a high level for a long time.

Could it be that returning to simple mechanics spurred this break through? At first I would have said no way, but now I'm not so sure.
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Im experiencing this myyyself...starting to see the runs and the safes...im starting to notice flaws in other peoples strategy too..its so much fun! and im really starting to love this game more...
 
Maybe your just seeing the shots clearly.........

Cdryden said:
Yeah, this is what I am wondering... will it last. It has only been 3 days of solid play at a much higher level. In that time I have played at least 300 games of 9-ball, 75 or so of 8-ball and some straight pool. Time will tell if this is a sustained improvement or a fluke.
My question is why am I seeing things so clearly now? Patterns and safeties are so easy for me to spot compared to my norm. I am normally a A level player in my area but it has been difficult to maintain. When I was playing before I struggle with how I was going to get through the rack. Nothing came easy, even the simple 4 ball run outs were a struggle. I usually did accomplish the run out but I was constantly getting out of shape or doing things the hard way.

Now, every shot seems simpler. I know the answers without having to wrestle with the question. Do I do this or do I do that, that kind of thing would plague me before and mess up my game. Now I know what I want to do and how I want to do it before the balls stop moving. It's a great feeling that I hope lasts.

I have been playing this game on a regular bases for at least 22 years. I have had a few leaps in my time and was always aware of why. Never have I experienced anything like this. Dont get me wrong, I aint playing like Earl, but I feel like I have the pool knowledge and thought process of someone who has played at a high level for a long time.

Could it be that returning to simple mechanics spurred this break through? At first I would have said no way, but now I'm not so sure.
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Hi there,

Your just getting everything in line especially the eyes. As long as you keep doing what you are doing it should continue.

Good Luck Geno...........
 
Cdryden said:
By the way, I had been working on various drill for the last two years religiously and I didn't feel any real improvement. This wasn't just one day of practicing and I felt a change.
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Sounds like two years of hard work has made you an overnight success. ;)
 
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Try not worry about whether it will last, just play and focus on your game. If you put too much thought into the whys of your jump in form, you may think yourself into becoming out of stroke.

I've reasoned myself into a slump before. I was playing the best snooker of my life but at the same time some of worst pool I've played at my current level. It didn't make sense to me, I kept obsessing over it and the moment I had a bad day at the snooker table I went "aha I AM in a snooker slump too!". So instead of just letting that day go and coming back with a positive attitude I walked in hoping my game wouldn't be too terrible each day.

I started to break out of it when someone suggested that I stop obsessing over it and just focus on playing. Just focus on a smooth stroke and thinking my way through the racks.
 
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