Practice- drills, books, videos, schools?

[Majic]

I was considering a skipping over this message again because your question is one that kinda hurts because I want to provide you with answers and, for a couple of reasons, can't. It will eventually be in a forthcoming book, but who knows when that will be. Been having deal after deal fall through since going out of business in 1997.

If and when I ever do get back into publishing billiard books again, books on fundamentals will not be among the first few printed. Though they happen to be the ones I consider most needed, they will almost certainly be several times tougher to get done. That's mainly because it will go so much against a great many agreed-upon things that will require so much more in the way of explanations, which is mainly because it is so much harder to teach students who are already quite convinced about less workable tech.

There is something I can do that may help you somewhat. My advice is to not be at all concerned about which is your dominant eye! I won't go into detail on the subject but I hope you'll trust that I do know what I’m talking about. I know what you may now be thinking; but that is what so many teach! However, I can't help what others teach.

As for understanding why, that would take more than just a little bit of explaining, probably a couple pages would do it. A guy named Bob Fancher once wrote a paper about the subject of dominant eye that largely supports what I've just told ya. You can probably search the internet for Bob Fancher and then find what he has written on that particular subject.

My personal opinion is that even he doesn't really, fully understand the "whys" behind the subject of dominant eyes, but he certainly explained a lot about results of various tests.

Hope you'll simply trust me on this one,

Eddie Robin

Thanks for your advice and I appreciate your honesty. I have seen one of your books on one pocket a few years ago. Loyd Welcome was showing it off at the locaL pool room before he went to Vegas with it to add autographs. And I have been lookng for a reasonably priced copy of the book since. Black market prices are high.:wink: Have you considered E-books? Thanks again.

 

[Rack'em jay]

RACK'EM JAY: What dates did you attend CUE TECH Pool School?

Dec. 2007

 

[okinawa77]

In order to run 10-15 racks, you have to have total control of Whitey.
You said you can run out if the run out is there.
Well, they run out even when the run out isn't there...because they are creating the run out table.

When you have an open table, the run out is there.
Pro level players will take tables with clusters and use key balls to break those clusters out and create the run out table.

That alone will elevate your game.

For me, str8 pool aka 14.1 and Rotation (15 ball) is what I practice in order to work on my cue ball control. You will find in these 2 games, being out of position...even half a ball's width....can end your run.

This is just me 2 cents.
Keep in mind I am in the same boat you are in.
I've only been playing steady for 4-5 years (APA7 in both 8/9 ball).

 

[pooltchr]

Your post is to the point and excellent advice. I am curious, what in your opinion is a superior aiming method?

I know this question wasn't directed toward me, but I would like to throw this out for consideration. The superior aiming method is whichever one works for the player. Pool players are individuals, and individuals have different ways of thinking. Some people have strong visualization skills, and the ghost ball method works very well for them. Others find the contact-contact method works. And still others find some form of CTE the most effective. The key is to find which method works best for the individual, and work on developing it to fit your game.

One size fits all just doesn't work for teaching pool.

Steve

 

[Majic]

I know this question wasn't directed toward me, but I would like to throw this out for consideration. The superior aiming method is whichever one works for the player. Pool players are individuals, and individuals have different ways of thinking. Some people have strong visualization skills, and the ghost ball method works very well for them. Others find the contact-contact method works. And still others find some form of CTE the most effective. The key is to find which method works best for the individual, and work on developing it to fit your game.

One size fits all just doesn't work for teaching pool.

Steve

Right. I was just trying to see what had Eddie had to say about this subject, since it is the most contested subject that I have seen on AZ, and Eddies lead on the dominant eye theory was suprising to me. Have a wonderful day!!

 

[Spimp13]

One thing I would caution you on is to not use the "I am a 7 in APA" as a guideline on how well you shoot. Granted you can't move up any higher in 8 ball, but that is not an accurate measure on how well you shoot because it is really not extremely hard to get to that level. I am not meaning to bring you down because obviously there is a confidence that comes with being at the top level of the league which of course helps a lot with your shooting, but just wanted you to not get on that thinking level. Just my 2 cents...some great posts on this thread.

 

[poolfoole]

One thing I would caution you on is to not use the "I am a 7 in APA" as a guideline on how well you shoot....I am not meaning to bring you down because obviously there is a confidence that comes with being at the top level of the league which of course helps a lot with your shooting, but just wanted you to not get on that thinking level. Just my 2 cents...some great posts on this thread.

What's wrong with using your APA skill level as a reference to how well you play? I think it's a great point of reference to describe the speed at which you play.

Granted you can't move up any higher in 8 ball, but that is not an accurate measure on how well you shoot because it is really not extremely hard to get to that level.

There are plenty of skill level 2 and 3 players who would have an extremely hard or impossible time going up to a SL 6 or above. Not true.

 

[Spimp13]

What's wrong with using your APA skill level as a reference to how well you play? I think it's a great point of reference to describe the speed at which you play.



There are plenty of skill level 2 and 3 players who would have an extremely hard or impossible time going up to a SL 6 or above. Not true.

I have to respectfully disagree. I believe it is a misconception to use a # in a league to determine how well you play. An example might be so if I am a 5 and you are a 4 I am better then you and supposed to beat you every time because I am a higher number and therefore am a better player? Now there is of course a difference with someone who is a 3 and a 5 or even a 5 and a 7, but people get too much in this mindset that that determines the better player or because you are this # this means you shoot this good or that good. You can use it as a start, and maybe a goal for moving up, but don't read into it too much in my opinion. I disagree with your second statement as well. I have coached for several years and I believe there are some small steps that can help a 2/3 become a 4/5 and then the next level a 4/5 to become a 6/7. Once again this is just my opinion, maybe the professional instructors can shed more light on this?

 

[pooltchr]

I have to respectfully disagree. I believe it is a misconception to use a # in a league to determine how well you play. An example might be so if I am a 5 and you are a 4 I am better then you and supposed to beat you every time because I am a higher number and therefore am a better player? Now there is of course a difference with someone who is a 3 and a 5 or even a 5 and a 7, but people get too much in this mindset that that determines the better player or because you are this # this means you shoot this good or that good. You can use it as a start, and maybe a goal for moving up, but don't read into it too much in my opinion. I disagree with your second statement as well. I have coached for several years and I believe there are some small steps that can help a 2/3 become a 4/5 and then the next level a 4/5 to become a 6/7. Once again this is just my opinion, maybe the professional instructors can shed more light on this?

I agree. I have seen an APA3 work up to a 7 in about 18 months. He was one of my earliest students, and he put the time and effort into mastering every aspect of his game. I would work with him for about an hour, and he would put in another 30 hours just working on the one thing we did that week.

Also, the skill levels are all reletive to the other players in your division. In a strong division, players will generally be ranked a little lower just because of the level of competition they face week after week.

Steve

 

[poolfoole]

I have to respectfully disagree. I believe it is a misconception to use a # in a league to determine how well you play. An example might be so if I am a 5 and you are a 4 I am better then you and supposed to beat you every time because I am a higher number and therefore am a better player? Now there is of course a difference with someone who is a 3 and a 5 or even a 5 and a 7, but people get too much in this mindset that that determines the better player or because you are this # this means you shoot this good or that good. You can use it as a start, and maybe a goal for moving up, but don't read into it too much in my opinion.

I SL5 is a big favorite to beat a SL4, provided that neither player is a sandbagger and both players have 20+ league matches. The 5 is usually the better player and will usually win the match. The skill level does exactly what it's supposed to, which is to describe the speed at which a player plays. High skill level players play better than low skill level players. I play better now as a SL7 than I did as a SL6.

I disagree with your second statement as well. I have coached for several years and I believe there are some small steps that can help a 2/3 become a 4/5 and then the next level a 4/5 to become a 6/7. Once again this is just my opinion, maybe the professional instructors can shed more light on this?

Players can definitely get better if they get in some regular, productive practice time and play on a regular basis. It's just not extremely easy like you originally implied.

 

[Spimp13]

I SL5 is a big favorite to beat a SL4, provided that neither player is a sandbagger and both players have 20+ league matches. The 5 is usually the better player and will usually win the match. The skill level does exactly what it's supposed to, which is to describe the speed at which a player plays. High skill level players play better than low skill level players. I play better now as a SL7 than I did as a SL6.

Players can definitely get better if they get in some regular, productive practice time and play on a regular basis. It's just not extremely easy like you originally implied.

You get people too much thinking about #s then you might get people discouraged because they are only a 3/4 instead of a 5/6 etc or even if I am a 4 then I can't beat a 6 or am not supposed to beat a 6. That is a poor mindset if you ask me and it solely places the emphasis on the #. Yes you might get people motivated too but I don't think the trade off is worth it based on that thinking. Sure you play better the higher you get up there in skill level, but saying you are a 7 so you play like this or that is not a true test of ones shooting and is not fairly accurate. I have seen people that are "7"s that in my opinion are not that skill level...but they have played in league for years, or went on a quick hot streak, does this mean it is an accurate measure of their overall ability? I implied that a person would practice on a regular basis which is my fault, but there are some little things that can make a person shoot A TON BETTER. I have done it myself and seen other people do it. Once you get to a point where you have a bridge and can make some balls confidence becomes huge in getting better or "moving up" in APA. There are little things which people take for granted that can improve someones game tremendously hence moving them up in handicap.