Holy crapola. I have always struggled with consistency. I tried the tempo drill combined with the no practice stroke drill. I was entirely skeptical. How in the hell can I ensure I am aligned without practice strokes?
I went with it. My wife was watching TV while I was practicing with the metronome clicking. "What's that noise?" Since I was a drummer, I needed only about 15 minutes with the cadence to internalize it. Then I turned off the app on the phone.
So all day today, sometimes 1/2 hour at a time, sometimes just one 6-ball ghost rack, sometimes using just a straight-in drill shot, I tried the tempo cadence, along with no practice strokes. I'd stand in front of the shot, determining where I wanted CB to end up. I'd line up the shot. I'd get down on the shot and start the cadence in my head.
I cannot profess to have made every shot. But my potting percentage was WAY up. My ability to run out 6-ball ghost drill was WAY up. I cannot explain it. The confidence in my shot making went up immeasurably. And all without practice strokes. It's liberating. For some reason, the cadence allows an unthinking, sub-conscious (unconscious?) ability to get aligned and then stroke as intended. Wow.
Hopefully, as has betrayed me before, this epiphany will be not be short-lived. I have tried things in the past with a modicum of success only to return to the table the next day or day after to find the effect was frustratingly temporary. But of all the things I have tried to replicate the "good sessions" so far this has been the easiest to replicate and invoke, as I tried racks in concentrated sessions; between phases of preparing dinner; between dog walks; and just walking up to the table to try a few three-ball runs. I only hope I can obtain this feeling tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.
For now I will play without practice strokes and see where it leads. TOTALLY counter-intuitive, but so far it works. I am not so naive to think this will be a permanent technique to make me more consistent, but it certainly is a step in the right direction. Thanks, CJ.