Just a note from the Woodshed. I've been extremely busy at work and home over the past month and a half; only lurking here for a short period each day. I've decided to become the "anti-DCP", and after my lessons with Mark Wilson this past summer, I have been intensively practicing (almost NO playing) every spare minute at home. This has not exactly endeared me to my wife, but, what the heck, the kids are all in college now - it's time to freakin' learn how to play pool.
I've basically been doing the "Power Shot" drills to the exclusion of almost all else with the goal of refining and ingraining a decent and extremely precise stroke. These drills require about 45-60 minutes of intense concentrated practice, twice a day. I've completed 60 repetitions in 39 days of practice. It took 48 sessions of tinkering before I finally refined stance, grip, and stroke to its final form (close to perfect I hope), and will take a good 28 more sessions to ingrain.
As a note to DCP, through many slight modifications of stance I did not find any that seemed natural at first, and I found none that did not quickly become comfortable (though I avoided extreme positions that were painful in any way). I also am JUST IN THE PAST FEW DAYS feeling that I am on the right track; my stroke right now is better than I ever dreamed it would be. I also will tell you that it was extremely embarrassing playing pool in Peoria with J.Barretta, SJM, Zeeder, and Chef Jeff with a new, unrefined stroke (very early on in the process, probably only 70-80% of my previous speed); but that it is DEFINITELY worth working through the hard work and embarrassment to improve the precision and repeatability of your stroke. Of course this is after several lessons with Mark and Jerry over a year, so the adjustments become smaller and smaller; but the rewards seem to become greater and greater.
As another note, I've "played" NO pool except for 4 games of straight pool with a local top player (I won 3 out of 4). I've broken zero racks of 9-ball, and have runout zero times (and don't plan on trying). I have had zero bad breaks. My table plays PERFECTLY (except that as the cloth is aging it is getting ridiculously hard to cut a ball down the long rail into a corner pocket - and I'm loving it). I have thrown zero balls through my wall (haven't even felt like it). I'm still playing with the same cue as when I started 3 1/2 years ago, and I am planning on buying zero new cues. I am still using the same tip as when I started, and I plan on trying zero new ones this year. My game is so much better than a year ago I can't even believe it, and I give all the credit to Mark W., Jerry B., Danny D., Grady M., and my 2 local pro friends.
So long, I'm back to the Woodshed - straight pool league begins in 2 weeks and I've got a LOT of practice to do.
I've basically been doing the "Power Shot" drills to the exclusion of almost all else with the goal of refining and ingraining a decent and extremely precise stroke. These drills require about 45-60 minutes of intense concentrated practice, twice a day. I've completed 60 repetitions in 39 days of practice. It took 48 sessions of tinkering before I finally refined stance, grip, and stroke to its final form (close to perfect I hope), and will take a good 28 more sessions to ingrain.
As a note to DCP, through many slight modifications of stance I did not find any that seemed natural at first, and I found none that did not quickly become comfortable (though I avoided extreme positions that were painful in any way). I also am JUST IN THE PAST FEW DAYS feeling that I am on the right track; my stroke right now is better than I ever dreamed it would be. I also will tell you that it was extremely embarrassing playing pool in Peoria with J.Barretta, SJM, Zeeder, and Chef Jeff with a new, unrefined stroke (very early on in the process, probably only 70-80% of my previous speed); but that it is DEFINITELY worth working through the hard work and embarrassment to improve the precision and repeatability of your stroke. Of course this is after several lessons with Mark and Jerry over a year, so the adjustments become smaller and smaller; but the rewards seem to become greater and greater.
As another note, I've "played" NO pool except for 4 games of straight pool with a local top player (I won 3 out of 4). I've broken zero racks of 9-ball, and have runout zero times (and don't plan on trying). I have had zero bad breaks. My table plays PERFECTLY (except that as the cloth is aging it is getting ridiculously hard to cut a ball down the long rail into a corner pocket - and I'm loving it). I have thrown zero balls through my wall (haven't even felt like it). I'm still playing with the same cue as when I started 3 1/2 years ago, and I am planning on buying zero new cues. I am still using the same tip as when I started, and I plan on trying zero new ones this year. My game is so much better than a year ago I can't even believe it, and I give all the credit to Mark W., Jerry B., Danny D., Grady M., and my 2 local pro friends.
So long, I'm back to the Woodshed - straight pool league begins in 2 weeks and I've got a LOT of practice to do.
Last edited:
What makes it worse is the fact that I had even signed up to play in the Pro-Am...lol. I had to borrow my friends crooked McDermott with a horribly shaped tip. Oh well, I've shamed myself such that I will have to carry cues with me everywhere from now on in the off chance that I may run into someone from this board!