pool level hitting the ceiling.

Jimbojim

Jimbojim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Do you see your pool level sometimes not evolving as fast as it have always been? What do you do in these times, you take some time off? play against better players? do drills? Give me some insight please

Oh and by the way I live in the Montreal suburbs area and I am looking for some coaching by good players and passionate about the game.
 
You know, you'll always hit a ceiling. Only thing you can do is rough it out. There are times when you just can't put 2 and 2 together and then one day *BAM* it all clicks and you're shooting better than you were before. Only advice I can give you is to keep practicing and keep playing. If you're practicing and getting frustrated, step away for a little bit. You'll get more out of 10 minutes of focused practice than you will out of 2 hours of frustrating irritable practice. Practicing when you're irritated will only reinforce bad habits. The table isn't going anywhere. Take a break.

Good luck to you, man. I know how it feels to be stuck.
MULLY
 
Have you tried maybe playing a different game? I have no idea what you're regular routine is but I used to play 9-ball on top of 9-ball until I just got sick of it. I switched to straight pool and it's given me the desire to play again. More of a challenge. I'm not saying that I'm a fantastic 9-ball player, I'm just saying I got bored with the same old thing. Give it a shot.
MULLY
 
Jimbojim said:
Do you see your pool level sometimes not evolving as fast as it have always been? What do you do in these times, you take some time off? play against better players? do drills? Give me some insight please

Oh and by the way I live in the Montreal suburbs area and I am looking for some coaching by good players and passionate about the game.
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Only thing I can say about your situation: Patience is virtue! It doesn't take one month to dramatically improve you for being a prospect into an international pro. You have to find a great instructor that would teach you how to play the game well. I have been very unfortunate to not have an instructor and have to mannage to learn how to play the game by myself with books, videos, and elder players who have more experience that myself. It took me aproximately 3-5 years just to get my draw stroke to become alot more effective (but not as perfect as I want them to be). If playing Pocket Billiards (or pool :p ) is a mere bordem, go into other forms of billiards that would create effectiveness (i.e. Snooker or Carom). Playing against better players will only hurt you (unless you're the competitive type). Just think this: you are the only one at the table; nobody is watching you. Drills... sure, why not. But where to get them... is the question. Look for serarch engines online or talk to Mr. Bob Jewett he's a fancy at drills. There are others.. of course.

Make your games fun...
 
I actually took lessons a year ago with a pro. I took 4 or 5 of 'em and he basically told me ' I can't teach you anything more, you don't have any particular weaknesses from what I know...you just need some mileage...maybe we will see weaknesses in one or 2 years' and I have been practicing on my own ever since. I won a few tournaments and money matches but nothing big.
 
Jimbojim said:
I actually took lessons a year ago with a pro. I took 4 or 5 of 'em and he basically told me ' I can't teach you anything more, you don't have any particular weaknesses from what I know...you just need some mileage...maybe we will see weaknesses in one or 2 years' and I have been practicing on my own ever since. I won a few tournaments and money matches but nothing big.
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Well in that case, two things now:

1) Start packing your bags and head to the states (since it's said that the US is BIG on pool... which is true)

or

2) Get one of the instructors from the states as well (who and what is under your personal preference)

If your instructor says that you're pretty well off to a start into your destiny into pool then go for the extra mile. Are your jumps and massé good too?
 
Well, Im definitely not a pro yet by any means, I'm about an A I could say (or from what people have told me). What he meant is that my stroke + stance are fluid and that my strategy and patterns for running out are good. I just need to practice a lot to become more consistent and to get better.

I mostly play 9-ball and (on good days) I'm at a level where I can break and run on average 2 racks ( not every night and not in a row unfortunately) during a whole session of playing or I would consistently make runs of 5-6-7 balls. But I didn't notice a big change in the last month or so.

I really love the game and I want to become a pro no matter how long it takes because I want to do things right even if it takes years but is that possible that I am 'over-expecting' results from myself?
 
Jimbojim said:
I mostly play 9-ball and (on good days) I'm at a level where I can break and run on average 2 racks ( not every night and not in a row unfortunately)
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Ok, that's where you're going wrong a bit. IF I WERE YOU, I would try off and play this game called Straight Pool (a.k.a. 14.1 [fourteen point one], 14.1 continuous). This game will definately help you by learning the aspects of cueball control, clusters, speed control... the list goes on. If your run excells more than 30, then you're pretty much standard. Try to beat that record if you can. If 9-ball get dull, play Rotation with a friend as well. Rotation is nothing more than 9-ball except each numbered ball is its vallue. First to get 61 points is the winner. I'm off to sleep, will return with more responces tommorow...

Cheers
 
I would have to agree with Mully and Ricks advice by trying a diffeent game and especially straight pool. Apply all that you learned to a different game and you will become even wiser and learn more valuable shots/plays/positions. And if change of game does not work for your "ceiling", take a break or think of a different way to play your game of 9ball. Make it harder on yourself by always banking out or shooting combo's out or playing 3 foul rules on people instead of running out. Not to change your style, but a break from your typical style of play.

ez
 
Yeah, I could be wrong, but in my mind 14.1 is the game that takes you to the next level. The position play, the strategies, the cueball control......I just feel that there is no better game to learn from. Also, I find that if I play 14.1 for 2 or 3 weeks straight and then get into a 9-ball game that it's much easier. Position zones are huge, I find it easier to break open problem balls, shot making abilities seem to be sharper. Like I said, I could be wrong, but it works for me.
MULLY
 
you guys gave me the urge to play 14.1 now:D

I'll go read about the rules now and play tonight
 
what if you dont have anyone to play straight pool with? is there another good game to play? i try playing straight pool by myself but it sucks cause im working against my own mind and it just isnt the same
 
metallicarokerx said:
what if you dont have anyone to play straight pool with? is there another good game to play? i try playing straight pool by myself but it sucks cause im working against my own mind and it just isnt the same
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Actually, straight pool is one of the great tools for solitary practice. Just rack the 14 balls, set up the break shot of your preference, and start to work. If you mess up, set the situation up again and practice it as many times as you find necessary, re-rack the balls and start again. Keep track of how many balls you run in your sessions so that you can gauge your progress over a period of time.

One of the benefits of practicing straight pool is that to achieve long runs you must train your mind to achieve and maintain a state of relaxed concentration for long periods of time. And that's just the mental side! Straight pool softens out your stroke, develops shotmaking and position play, patterns, banks, combinatons, caroms and billiards--you name it, straight pool has got it! Playing straights is one of the single best steps you can take towards developing a solid game.
 
VIProfessor said:
Actually, straight pool is one of the great tools for solitary practice. Just rack the 14 balls, set up the break shot of your preference, and start to work. If you mess up, set the situation up again and practice it as many times as you find necessary, re-rack the balls and start again. Keep track of how many balls you run in your sessions so that you can gauge your progress over a period of time.

One of the benefits of practicing straight pool is that to achieve long runs you must train your mind to achieve and maintain a state of relaxed concentration for long periods of time. And that's just the mental side! Straight pool softens out your stroke, develops shotmaking and position play, patterns, banks, combinatons, caroms and billiards--you name it, straight pool has got it! Playing straights is one of the single best steps you can take towards developing a solid game.
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Tap Tap.. Well said!
ez
 
I wanna thank everybody for their input, I started to play straight pool to work on different strategies than 9-ball has to offer. I really like it and it requires a lot of concentration and consistency. I played 9-ball tonight with my room mate (he doesn't know 14.1) and I was actually better than the usual as I have discovered new strategies.

I may have pierced a hole through that ceiling:)

thanks again
 
Jimbojim said:
I wanna thank everybody for their input, I started to play straight pool to work on different strategies than 9-ball has to offer. I really like it and it requires a lot of concentration and consistency. I played 9-ball tonight with my room mate (he doesn't know 14.1) and I was actually better than the usual as I have discovered new strategies.

I may have pierced a hole through that ceiling:)

thanks again
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Good to see that straight pool is helping you out. Stick with it! I don't know if you have skilled straight pool players in your area, but seek them out if you can. One of the benefits of straight pool is that you are more likely to get a game with a very good player for cheap or even for free. People who play straight pool just love it that much! If you don't have the opportunity to watch and play better players, get your hands on some Accu-Stats tapes of straight pool matches. The play and the commentary will provide you with a wealth of knowledge about the game. You may also want to get Jim Rempe's tape "How to Run a 100 Balls". In terms of books, check out Ray Martin's 99 Critical Shots in Pool, Arthur "Babe" Cranfield's Straight Pool Bible, Phill Capelle's Play Your Best Straight Pool, and George Fel's Mastering Pool.

As I was rereading your original post, I was moved to point this out: What you are calling a ceiling can be better visualized as a plateau. In our pool development, we are riding a bicycle up a mountain that consists of a series of slopes and plateaus. Think of a plateau as the place where, depending on the quantity and quality of work you put in, you can gather speed and momentum to better climb the slope, pedal slowly and stay on the plateau for a long time, or coast and stay on the plateau forever.

During your plateau stages, you are improving various aspects of your game in what we may call quantitative development. That gradual and imperceptible process of learning and absorbtion, during which you may appear to be at a standstill or even going backwards, eventually culminates to cause a significant and perceptible shift, or qualitative development, in the level of your game. It's like boiling a pot of water--for a long time it would appear that nothing is happening, but...... The rest is obvious.

You'll have more plateaus and slopes to travel in your journey, and I wish you the best.

Peace,
VIProfessor
 
VIProfessor said:
Good to see that straight pool is helping you out. Stick with it! I don't know if you have skilled straight pool players in your area, but seek them out if you can. One of the benefits of straight pool is that you are more likely to get a game with a very good player for cheap or even for free. People who play straight pool just love it that much! If you don't have the opportunity to watch and play better players, get your hands on some Accu-Stats tapes of straight pool matches. The play and the commentary will provide you with a wealth of knowledge about the game. You may also want to get Jim Rempe's tape "How to Run a 100 Balls". In terms of books, check out Ray Martin's 99 Critical Shots in Pool, Arthur "Babe" Cranfield's Straight Pool Bible, Phill Capelle's Play Your Best Straight Pool, and George Fel's Mastering Pool.

As I was rereading your original post, I was moved to point this out: What you are calling a ceiling can be better visualized as a plateau. In our pool development, we are riding a bicycle up a mountain that consists of a series of slopes and plateaus. Think of a plateau as the place where, depending on the quantity and quality of work you put in, you can gather speed and momentum to better climb the slope, pedal slowly and stay on the plateau for a long time, or coast and stay on the plateau forever.

During your plateau stages, you are improving various aspects of your game in what we may call quantitative development. That gradual and imperceptible process of learning and absorbtion, during which you may appear to be at a standstill or even going backwards, eventually culminates to cause a significant and perceptible shift, or qualitative development, in the level of your game. It's like boiling a pot of water--for a long time it would appear that nothing is happening, but...... The rest is obvious.

You'll have more plateaus and slopes to travel in your journey, and I wish you the best.

Peace,
VIProfessor
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Someone lent me that Ray Martin's book. I really liked the way you were explaining things in your post. You made things pretty clear to understand and I like that.

Have a good day and shoot good pool:D
 
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