Name Your Top 3 Recurring Bad Habits in Pool

I've worked out my fundamentals pretty well...walk into the shot, preshot routine, pulling the cue back slowly on practice strokes, pausing at height of backswing. This all helped me improve dramatically lately...but...I still occasionally jump up on a shot that I'm not confident in. Seems every time I miss a ball..I realize I'm standing straight up. When I focus on staying down its amazing how much better I play. I'm now wearing a rubberband on my wrist when I practice...if I stand up....POP!!! Pain makes one remember to do the right thing.:D
 
1) Smoking

2)Rushing my Pre-shot routine

3) Tendency to watch the path of the cueball, instead of watching the OB falling into the pocket.
 
Stones said:
I only have one really really bad habit and I've had it since I was sixteen:

Walking through the door of a pool room.

My mother, ex-wife and a lot of ex-girlfriends will be happy to tell you what a bad habit it is. LOL

Stones
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That is NOT a bad habit & don't let anyone convince you otherwise!;)

As for me:

1. Relaxing on easy shots.
2. Dry breaks.
3. Taking too long on a shot.

Oh! Number 4...Taking my foot off my opponents throat when I've got them down. I just really hate spit on my shoes!!;)
 
chilli66 said:
That is NOT a bad habit & don't let anyone convince you otherwise!;)

As for me:

1. Relaxing on easy shots.
2. Dry breaks.
3. Taking too long on a shot.

Oh! Number 4...Taking my foot off my opponents throat when I've got them down. I just really hate spit on my shoes!!;)
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PM me buddy...I can cure #2.:D
Edited to add: I now hate to use the word "cure"...reminds me of someone else.:rolleyes:
 
Varney Cues said:
PM me buddy...I can cure #2.:D
Edited to add: I now hate to use the word "cure"...reminds me of someone else.:rolleyes:
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I know the cure, but I've still got the same problem I had last year! One day!!!! I hope!
 
chilli66 said:
That is NOT a bad habit & don't let anyone convince you otherwise!;)

As for me:

1. Relaxing on easy shots.
2. Dry breaks.
3. Taking too long on a shot.

Oh! Number 4...Taking my foot off my opponents throat when I've got them down. I just really hate spit on my shoes!!;)
Click to expand...

I didn't say I thought it was a bad habit! LOL

Stones
 
1...forgetting to step into the shot (body aligment)
2...playing shots im not 100% confident with (i know in advance 80% of the shots i'll miss)
3...concentrate from the 1st game of the 1st rack on the first match, and choking.
 
1. jumping up on shots
2. tight grip (let the cue do it's job! d*mn it).
3. no pre-shot routine

in any order, all are menace.
 
My three biggest problems are:
1. Accelerating my cue to quickly on the final stroke.
2. Not following thru and coming to a finish.
3. Not taking my time, overall.

About three weeks ago I had a chance to have all these things pointed out to me and a new plan in place to eliminate these from my game. It is not easy though as evidently I've had these problem for 20+ years. I guess being aware of them though on each shot and having a standard preshot routine is helping.
 
-Looking at the cue ball too much when down on the shot (and thus not aiming enough)

-Jabbing at the ball on my final stroke

-Dropping my elbow/tip raising up, esp. when stretching across the table
 
I took a video of myself last night playing out an 8 ball rack so I can answer this easily unfortunately.

1) Picking my head up right after I shoot
2) Having a loose grip before the stroke but tightening up upon hitting the ball. I couldn't believe it when I saw it...but the proof is in the pudding, or the video as it were.
3) Not consistently going through my PSR.
 
1. Shooting to hard for the circumstance.
The more difficult the shot the more likely I am to hit it porportionately too hard.

2. Failing to "KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID"!
Again the more difficult the shot the less likely I am to keep it simple and I sometimes totally over complicate the situation or try to make a very hard shot instead of just playing safe.

3. Over confidence to the point of arrogance.
I need to accept my skill level as what it is and play within those limits while I work on and eliminate my weaknesses in practice.:cool:
 
axejunkie said:
-Looking at the cue ball too much when down on the shot (and thus not aiming enough)

-Jabbing at the ball on my final stroke

-Dropping my elbow/tip raising up, esp. when stretching across the table
Click to expand...

1)Learning to play 8-ball from axejunkie.

2)Losing sight of the pocket when aiming (I look at the CB and the OB and figure out a line of aim without ever really looking at the line to the pocket; so sometimes I hit exactly where I aim and still send the OB to a rail).

3)Getting down and locked into position hastily once I decide what shot I want to attempt, rather than taking time after that decision is made to really look at and internalize the cut angle, and back up and walk into the shot with proper body alignment.

-Andrew
 
If I hadn't played for a week or so I'd shoot too hard, use too much English, and not follow through. The soon as I lost a couple of bucks it all came back to me...including the couple of bucks...most of the time. Johnnyt
 
1. is dogging the 9 ball after running out to it.
2. is pace, i start to increase my playing speed which is a big problem.
3. is focus, from 1 stroking balls to getting up on my shot

These are my 3 biggest problems and they make me play at least 2 balls worse.

The funny part about it is they are all related problems.
 
1) allowing my team mates to twist my rubber arm into going outside for um... herbal suppliments prior to playing a match
2) not doing my preshot routine (see 1)
3) not lining up right (see 2)
 
1. Not keeping the "killer instinct" throughout the entire match
2. Not giving enough attention to those shots you can scratch on.
3. I got rid of my third habit. It was torn and tattered. Wore it as Sister Frieda on Halloween.:D
 
1. Rushing. I don't get in a rhythm and will get down to the last balls of a runout and do something stupid because I don't take a few extra seconds to make sure everything is right. When I'm more deliberate I play better.

2. Pre-shot routine. I'm not good about consistently executing a pre-shot routine.

3. Taking the time to strategize. Sometimes I just want to rely on my shotmaking ability and not think the rack through, thus causing mistakes by not playing the proper percentages. These are little - yet HUGE things!
 
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