natural ability?

Foolio

Foolio

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What is natural ability? What is your definition? I've heard people say player X has more natural ability than player Y, what is base for this? Would it be seeing the pattern, the aiming point, playing by feel? Is it possible to become a great player without it?!

Just curious what constitutes natural ability. Any response is greatly appreciated, thank you.

Alex T
 
Foolio said:
What is natural ability? What is your definition? I've heard people say player X has more natural ability than player Y, what is base for this? Would it be seeing the pattern, the aiming point, playing by feel? Is it possible to become a great player without it?!

Just curious what constitutes natural ability. Any response is greatly appreciated, thank you.

Alex T
Click to expand...

I think there is a lot of natural ability in ones stroke,and also how easy one picks up things (AS IN LEARNING).AND THERE ARE great players that dont have a lot of natural ability as a great shot maker,that will make that up in moveing the cueball better,and i mean easier shots all the time.and i also think some guys that dont have all the natural ability,become better grinders.the guy that learns to move the cueball better will always be shooting much shorter shots,and ill take him!
 
Motor skills, spacial comprehension and a great memory of shots and position.

Efren Reyes said that he studied all shots and results...even missed shots to avoid.
 
There are many people that have excelled in many sports without "natural ability". The key for them was hard work and dedication. An example would be like the guys and gals in school that make straight A's while not having to hit the books much VS the average student that has to study long hours to make the same grade. It can be done, but it will require a lot of discipline.
 
Natural ability

Natural ability is what some people are born with and it may be greater in only one area, some areas, or, although unlikely, all areas. Through hard work and dedication those of us who don't have it can excel to the level of those who do have it but only if they are lazy and undisciplined. Those gifted with natural abilities often take them for granted and rarely develop them to their full potential.
 
i think natural ability is what comes easy to you. i also believe that everyone has natural ability at something, its just finding out what that something is.:cool:
 
Natural Ability

To me the best way to describe natural ability as related to pool players is that for some of the truely gifted players the first time they steped up to a table It just made sense to them

The stroke is natural , the eye to hand coordination is dead on and patterns of shots are just clear pictures

as to where players like my self with little natural ability, I can study a spread for an hour and not see the best run out pattern that is glaringly obvious to one with a healthy dose of Natural ability

Thats not to say natural ability is a strict requirement to be a good player
Natural ability will only get you so far , I know players that have less natural ability than me ( and trust me I dont have much ) who are world beaters,

I guess it was like the first time Motzart sat down at the Piano and it just clicked into place thats natural ability
 
Fine motor skill and coordination, spacial comprehension, pattern recognition, and problem solving ability would IMO comprise "natural ability" Some of the things you either have or you don't.


:cool:
 
no no no, it's all about stroke. Most people don't have a completely straight stroke without lots of practice and continual practice.

But some players will just happen to have a naturally straight stroke without trying.

Me, I have a natural sweep in my stroke which I have to work to avoid.
 
You know natural ability when you see it. It usually jumps out at you. It's the pool player who takes a year off and runs his first game back.
 
I would need to see both players in their very early stages of play. Once they are playing for a few months it's hard to say which one has the more natural ability. To me most of the great players had the advantage of hanging with good players, someone in family owned a table or poolroom, they played better players many hours and gambled. All three and you probably have a champion IMO. Johnnyt
 
Foolio said:
What is natural ability? What is your definition? I've heard people say player X has more natural ability than player Y, what is base for this? Would it be seeing the pattern, the aiming point, playing by feel? Is it possible to become a great player without it?!

Just curious what constitutes natural ability. Any response is greatly appreciated, thank you.

Alex T
Click to expand...

I was not born with the natural ability and really had to work for it.
On the other hand my brother in law has not been playing for years on end and can pick the cue up whether it is a house cue or not, and play like a champion.
 
Foolio said:
What is natural ability? What is your definition? I've heard people say player X has more natural ability than player Y, what is base for this? Would it be seeing the pattern, the aiming point, playing by feel? Is it possible to become a great player without it?!

Just curious what constitutes natural ability. Any response is greatly appreciated, thank you.

Alex T
Click to expand...

It can't be defined. I have a friend who can be sitting at dinner and sketch something on a napkin and there it is, it's the waitress no mistake about it a perfect likeness. This can't be taught. The fundamentals can be taught but the actual skill can't be. It can be cultivated and improved and nurtured but you can't put something there that is not there in the first place. That is not to say someone with no talent can't be taught to reach a certain level of competence but the magic will never be there, nor the ease with which the truly talented preform. Often someone with limited talent can fool you and even be successful in their endeavor but once next to real talent the differences become clear. Lack of talent should never discourage one from their interest though. It is not always about being "The" best. Personal bests are more then enough to give one satisfaction.
 
I have to agree - you know it when you see it.

My sister hadn't played pool since she was in the Army 20 years ago and held her own against me and I've been playing for 5 years. Very disheartening...
 
Definitely not stroke!
In the later more skilled stages I would say Brains... Mapping tables and knowing how and when to play breakouts and safeties, and just managing the table... In the earlier novice stages I would say just having the eye to make shots other people dont normally make as fluent.
 
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