Williebetmore said:
DCP,
I think you should forget about the lessons....UNLESS you are planning on changing your approach to improving. The lessons from the gurus are valuable only if your practice approach is diligent with stringent adherence to the lesson. Your practice should be regular and intense; focused on your weaknesses; with documentation included to monitor the progress. You must have a solid, repeatable, pressure resistant stroke as your first goal; work on more advanced material is practically wasted if done before your stroke is "grooved." Such practice is painfully dull at times (??most times for most people??), and you will have WAY less time to "run racks"; but improvement is inevitable.
If you are seeking a magic bullet; forget it...only a SERIES of lessons will do the trick.
There are only 2 ways to learn high level pool....the slow, difficult, and expensive way.....or the slow, difficult way. Lessons with the gurus is the cheapest way and will be way less expensive than gambling with the champs. There is no easy way. JMO.
well, now, lets see, where to begin..........
i didnt take several lessons from Tom "Dr Cue" Rossman, Diana Minor, and Mark Wilson just for the heck of it. i still go back through and listen/watch the Rossman tapes, still go through the material Diana Minor and Mark Wilson gave me.
this is why i still work on stroking through the coke bottle, stroking over the rail where the wood/cloth meet in a straight fashion, still watch Kinister's 60 minute workout tape(s) and Bob Byrne's workout tapes, still diagram shots on my own to practice that i missed, still watch all the ESPN and Accu-Stats tapes all the time, have gone to several Pro tournaments (BCA and WPBA Peoria), still spend hours at the table practicing, still seek advice on here (and use it in spite of what some think), went out and bought a Gold Crown IV after having
three other tables, have bought and sold many cues (playing, jump, break), still work with Tucker's 3rd Eye Trainer, still use the Elephant and Rempe training balls, still come up with my own ideas as to how to work on various weaknesses, still shoot the cue ball down into the long rail all the time and try and have it return to hit my tip, still video myself at times, still use mirrors at times..........the list goes on and on with regards to what i've done to try and make myself a better player.
and i probably will agree that i am somewhat guilty of wanting to try my hand at "Breaking And Running Out" more than what i should. however, i went from being a beginner/novice several years ago to be able to run multiple racks nowadays on good days.
however, along those lines, i have been seriously thinking about devoting myself to a stringent practice regimen, starting in the very near future. i am thinking i might even post a new thread on what this practice routine will consist of. this new practice regimen will consist of various ideas/drills obtained over the years from my trio of "Gurus", that trio consisting of Rossman, Minor, and Wilson. it will also include bits and pieces from the Kinister and Byrne teaching tapes.
as far as the latest lesson, well, just not sure i want to spend the $$$ yet. i realize it couldnt hurt, and i keep asking myself why not since the posters on this forum all seem to rave about this instructor's abilities.
DCP
