Other than experience what tools have helped your game?

Playing with and watching the PROS

Nothing has been as influential as watching the PROs closeup and playing at their BEST.

Books, videos and instructors are great... but seeing how it done at the professional level... is what helped me the most.
 
AdChalk said:
I curious to what tools have helped your game? Now, I'm not talking about one on one instruction.

I know there are all kinds of videos out there from Buddy Hall, Grady Mathews, Kid Delicious etc. Books are a great resourse too! Was tool is your favorite and why?

Even though he is a little quirky, I like the Grady Mathews videos and have learned a lot with them (especially the focus on the wall part). I also like the book "The 99 critical shots in pool" (there are several shots in here I have used over and over).

......... I am a POOL FOOL! LOL
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The biggest improvement I have seen in my game has been from going through some Bert Kinister tapes. His long shots and workout tapes especially, mighty X drill also, are the ones I have watched and followed the most.

For videos, probably tapes of Buddy Hall and Nick Varner have tought me the most, along with commentary.
 
For working on your break I recommend the BreakRack. I've also gained knowledge from being a part of the AZ community. Thanks everyone.

TommyT
 
jay helfert said:
I would say that developing personal maturity will enhance your overall game as much as anything else you do. You MUST have good self control to play well over a period of time. Staying calm is HUGE in pool!

One other thing that is rarely mentioned but also very beneficial is watching good players play and observing how they do things and execute shots. Developing an understanding of their thought process is very good as well. Why and when do they shoot certain shots, safety vs. shooting away for instance.

And better yet, find a good player with a style (and size) similar to your own to emulate.
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Very True Jay. I watched Zimmerman, Doherty, Louie, Tourangeau , Atwell, and many others for years and I still do. These guys are always teaching me. Even when they dont know they are teaching.;) Well, they probably do know because I am always studying them at every opportunity.:)
 
ShootingArts said:
John Schmidt's first video is also a favorite of mine. His running commentary on what he did, why he did it, and sometimes what he should have done make it a valuable glimpse inside the mind of a top player. Still haven't bought his second DVD, my loss I suspect.

Hu
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Got a chance to play against John for a couple hours when he was in Dallas. Great player and funny as well. He showed me a few shots that I didn't know at the time and they have been in my arsenal ever since. He also showed me some things in my patterns that he thought could be better. I'd love to be able to play pros all day. It was nice to have someone sit there at his level and examine my play and style.

-J Chao
 
My Suggestions

I thought this was a good question and wanted to come back to it when I had more time (that's right now).

For 8ball:
Phil Capelle's Play Your Best 8 Ball immensely helped me (I think it's the main reason I became a Master player). I love 8ball and know the game very well b/c of that book.

For 9ball:
Lately, I have REALLY enjoyed watching the AWESOME Player Review Match between Buddy Hall and Grady Matthews (from Accu-Stats). Sands Regency Open, June 1992. To hear Grady and Buddy explain their own shot selections and why each others shots were good or bad is eye opening for me. I watch it about once or more a month, especially before a big tournament. I've been doing this about 4 months now. :)

I highly recommend it, just as I do Phil Capelle's book on 8-ball.

Of course, what Jay said is Golden. :)
 
jay helfert said:
I would say that developing personal maturity will enhance your overall game as much as anything else you do. You MUST have good self control to play well over a period of time. Staying calm is HUGE in pool!

One other thing that is rarely mentioned but also very beneficial is watching good players play and observing how they do things and execute shots. Developing an understanding of their thought process is very good as well. Why and when do they shoot certain shots, safety vs. shooting away for instance.

And better yet, find a good player with a style (and size) similar to your own to emulate.
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Man, I KNOW I can make that cut!
 
The TOOL that helped me the most was the Stroketrainer. It got my stroke arm, bridge hand and eye in sink all at one time. With out a good stroke most say it is very hard to get good. That along with the Monk DVDs, Mike Siegal perfect 8 & 9 ball run out and watching a ton of videos and reading lots of books. just to name a few things. O, having a few pros stop in every now and then makes a huge difference also. Hours among hours of practice. you can never learn to much in this game.
 
AdChalk...I'm curious why you don't consider one-on-one instruction a tool? Books and videos are good tools...however, they cannot replace, nor be valued more than quality instruction. Try to ask a book or video a question! I'm still waiting for the book or video (including mine) that can offer up a personal video analysis of a potential student's stroke!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

AdChalk said:
I curious to what tools have helped your game? Now, I'm not talking about one on one instruction.

......... I am a POOL FOOL! LOL
Click to expand...
 
Lots of good replies here, especially the ones about accu-stats and maturity. Ill add one tool that hasn't been mentioned: The Breakrak. I have used one and it allows you to practice the most important stroke in most pool games, the break. You dont have to rack the balls and can take hundreds of breaks a day, easy. You can practice 1/2 and 3/4 speed breaks, practice postion with the cueball, practice breaking from different positions, you name it. I was told that SVB used one and so does the Kaiser.

Using it is hard on your table though, as the cueball leaves white dots all over the table as it lands off of each break. The other negative is if you have shoulder problems like I do, you cant use it alot without pain, but thats not really a negative on the product, just me.
 
Yeah,,,,i Would Have To Say Mentoring From A Pro,,,,,,,,,

I Was So Incredibly Lucky To Have ''eddie Taylor'' There In His Final Weeks Talk Me Thru So Many Things,,both In Pool And Life,,,,,,,,

His Video Is A Wonderful , Wonderful Tool.informative, Educational And So Very Entertaining,,,,,,,,,

Dealing With Eddie Taylor In Pool Was Comprable To Dealing With Paul Newman In Acting,,,,,,,,,

The Charm And Class Was Abundant In Both,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,!!!

I'll Bet They're Lagging Right Now As Thiis Is Being Read,,,,,,,,,,,
 
Three things for sure.

One, I practice in front of my video camera (10 minutes) and then review my workout as an outsider. Doing my Mother Drills are critical.

Two, teaching along side other quality Instructors (SPF Family) has kept my personal game very sharp.

Three, weekly SPARRING with Claude (my teammate and friend) keeps me humble and hungry..........SPF=randyg
 
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