Practicing One Shot?

[DrCue'sProtege]

ok, does this happen to anyone else, or just me? you miss a shot during a rack, and you go back and practice it. and practice it, and practice, practice, practice, etc, etc, until you have it the best you can get. then, in the next few racks, or few days, you have this shot, and miss it. even after you have practiced it a bunch.

guess my question is, can you practice a shot over and over and over again, and still NOT be able to make the shot?

DCP

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

ok, does this happen to anyone else, or just me? you miss a shot during a rack, and you go back and practice it. and practice it, and practice, practice, practice, etc, etc, until you have it the best you can get. then, in the next few racks, or few days, you have this shot, and miss it. even after you have practiced it a bunch.

guess my question is, can you practice a shot over and over and over again, and still NOT be able to make the shot?

DCP

Well, much can depend on the shot and the reason why you might be missing but can definately be the case.

When you miss a shot and decide this is something you should practice because it will come up again, you're in ideal settings. There's no pressure, nothing on the line. It's just you and the table. In competitive situations, all of these shots are just slightly different. That isn't to say that your practice is all for naught. On the contrary, it's practice that gives you confidence and confidence is the seed for conquering competitive situations but keep in mind, there's no way to simulate competition. Either you're competing or you're not.

Needn't worry. Your approach to overcoming your weakness is correct. You just keep at it and eventually, you'll come to realize that there's little difference between what you can do in practice and what you can do when all is on the line. In fact, there may even come a day when your best pool will only be present when the pressure is on.

 

[vapoolplayer]

ok, does this happen to anyone else, or just me? you miss a shot during a rack, and you go back and practice it. and practice it, and practice, practice, practice, etc, etc, until you have it the best you can get. then, in the next few racks, or few days, you have this shot, and miss it. even after you have practiced it a bunch.

guess my question is, can you practice a shot over and over and over again, and still NOT be able to make the shot?

DCP

depends on the shot.........there are some that just aren't realistic.

all the others............just pay more attention. could also be that you don't adjust well to different balls, tables.......etc etc.

making a shot on your home table a million times is different than doing it everywhere else.

also take into consideration how much time you spend on the shot at the practice table and how much time at the game table.

do you shoot faster playing than in practice............do you get a little nervous playing?

when you're playing a game and the shot comes up, do you ask yourself "am i going to miss this time?"

all of these things play a factor............i'd say the confidence part is the root of it..........

some good advice i recieved one time, actually from keith not too long ago........he told me to "just make the &$&#(# ball"

 

[vapoolplayer]

Well, much can depend on the shot and the reason why you might be missing but can definately be the case.

When you miss a shot and decide this is something you should practice because it will come up again, you're in ideal settings. There's no pressure, nothing on the line. It's just you and the table. In competitive situations, all of these shots are just slightly different. That isn't to say that your practice is all for naught. On the contrary, it's practice that gives you confidence and confidence is the seed for conquering competitive situations but keep in mind, there's no way to simulate competition. Either you're competing or you're not.

Needn't worry. Your approach to overcoming your weakness is correct. You just keep at it and eventually, you'll come to realize that there's little difference between what you can do in practice and what you can do when all is on the line. In fact, there may even come a day when your best pool will only be present when the pressure is on.

damn, great minds think alike jude..........wish i knew you were giving the same answer i was........would have saved some typing..........LOL

VAP

 

[DaveK]

ok, does this happen to anyone else, or just me? you miss a shot during a rack, and you go back and practice it. and practice it, and practice, practice, practice, etc, etc, until you have it the best you can get. then, in the next few racks, or few days, you have this shot, and miss it. even after you have practiced it a bunch.

guess my question is, can you practice a shot over and over and over again, and still NOT be able to make the shot?

DCP

Sorry to answer a question with a question, but do you change your shooting and/or pratice cues a lot ? That might cause some inconsistancies. Try using the same cue for the next 6 months at least, then you can judge improvement after practice. Otherwise you may just be missing with the lucasi/predator when you practiced a shot with the jacoby. This could be your problem here :

i usually play with different cues, but at this point in time i have yet to enter any big time tournaments. when i pick up my bag at night to go to my table and play just whatever strikes me as the cue i want to use is the one i play/practice with for that night. my choices are:
Nova
Jacoby
Lucasi w/Predator Shaft
Cuetec
DCP

Dave

 

[vapoolplayer]

Sorry to answer a question with a question, but do you change your shooting and/or pratice cues a lot ? That might cause some inconsistancies. Try using the same cue for the next 6 months at least, then you can judge improvement after practice. Otherwise you may just be missing with the lucasi/predator when you practiced a shot with the jacoby. This could be your problem here :




Dave

thats a good point........especially if you're switching from a predator to a non predator.........when i owned one, i saw major differences. that will definitely screw up your shotmaking.

VAP

 

[lewdo26]

I think you should "compete" with yourself on the shot you missed. See how many shots you missed today, and try to beat it tomorrow. It is never going to substitute for competition, but it is a bit better than dull repetition.

Another issue is to come up with a 'diagnosis', as others have said. WHY are you missing that particular shot. Then you may isolate a weakness to work on. Working on that weakness may not involve that shot at all, until you can come back to it with some confidence.

That being said, DrCueProtege, the situation you described happens to me ALL the goddam time, so why am I even up here pretending to give advice?

 

[sjm]

ok, does this happen to anyone else, or just me? you miss a shot during a rack, and you go back and practice it. and practice it, and practice, practice, practice, etc, etc, until you have it the best you can get. then, in the next few racks, or few days, you have this shot, and miss it. even after you have practiced it a bunch.

guess my question is, can you practice a shot over and over and over again, and still NOT be able to make the shot?

DCP

If you missed it because of a bad stance, bad grip, bad alignment, or poor stroke mechanics, repetition may not be the answer to your problems. Repeating the shot without correcting your overall techinque may not solve anything. Just some food for thought.

 

[greenkill]

It also depends on what type of position you are trying to play on the current shot. Different english can affect the object ball's path. More than likely when you go back to practice that shot, you are just shooting the ball to make it, when you are playing a game, you are thinking about cue ball position and making the shot. You may have to adjust your aim because of whatever english you are putting on the ball.

 

[StatMan]

It also depends on what type of position you are trying to play on the current shot. Different english can affect the object ball's path. More than likely when you go back to practice that shot, you are just shooting the ball to make it, when you are playing a game, you are thinking about cue ball position and making the shot. You may have to adjust your aim because of whatever english you are putting on the ball.

Exactly what I was thinking, don't just practice making the shot, set the table up the exact same way and practice getting out (or at least to the next ball) from where you are.

 

[scottycoyote]

maybe its just me but i dont think ive ever had to practice and practice and practice one shot just to make it. If its that hard of a shot i would probably practice the safety i would shoot instead.
Its funny but i will see people practicing some crazy shot all the time when they cant make 3 balls in a row.....not saying thats the case here, just a funny observation

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

maybe its just me but i dont think ive ever had to practice and practice and practice one shot just to make it. If its that hard of a shot i would probably practice the safety i would shoot instead.
Its funny but i will see people practicing some crazy shot all the time when they cant make 3 balls in a row.....not saying thats the case here, just a funny observation

There's this one shot I can't make. I just can't remember what it was.

 

[StatMan]

Its funny but i will see people practicing some crazy shot all the time when they cant make 3 balls in a row

And if you tell them they should play a safety, they ask you "what has football got to do with playing pool?"

 

[lewdo26]

And if you tell them they should play a safety, they ask you "what has football got to do with playing pool?"

Or worse yet, they'll think you're implying something about their sexual orientation.

 

[StatMan]

Or worse yet, they'll think you're implying something about their sexual orientation.

Yeah, I can just picture the guy putting a rubber over the "tip" and rolling it down the "shaft".

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

Yeah, I can just picture the guy putting a rubber over the "tip" and rolling it down the "shaft".

Okay, I think I speak for all of the heterosexuals in the forum who ask that we not travel down this road! Seriously, there are two women (JAM & Marrisa) and about 60 men. The only place with worse odds is prison so let's keep the sexual innuendos to an absolute minimum.

 

[StatMan]

Okay, I think I speak for all of the heterosexuals in the forum who ask that we not travel down this road! Seriously, there are two women (JAM & Marrisa) and about 60 men. The only place with worse odds is prison so let's keep the sexual innuendos to an absolute minimum.

Sorry ladies!!