The distant rumblings and ramblings of a pool nut.
- Thread starter boogieman
- Start date
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
Oh this game. 
For the last 2 weeks if I have ANY thought in my head I miss the shot. Good, bad or indifferent. I come down on line correctly but if I think it looks off and adjust (or not) I miss. If I think "yep It's in" or "everything is correct" or "should I play as a 2 way" I miss. It's probably a good thing as it's instant punishment for not going into execution mode.
It doesn't help that I have to tolerate pain and that basically screws 50% of my attention span, which is hot garbage on a good day.
I talked with my very smart wife about my frustrations and she told me I need a PSR. Well, I do have one but thinking/discussing I realized I forgot the last step of simply breathing out to shut my head up and release tension from my body. Make the decision while up, breath out, let the brain quiet while exhaling and go into execute mode. That was my PSR, not talking obvious stuff like chalk and such, just the important things. I don't want a lengthy PSR as it literally zaps my focus and I look like a trained monkey if I follow too many steps.
When I'm in my finest form I basically look at the tip with the cue upright and apply chalk. This is kind of my moment to clear my head and signal it's time to play. Walk around and get a good visual on ball positions. Make the decisions while standing. Get behind the CB, breath out and get into stance.
Sometimes in pool you can get away with a lot of stuff before it bites you. I'm now in a part of my pool journey where I literally got bit instantly. It's terribly frustrating but it's probably good to have instant punishment for doing it wrong.
It about drove me crazy because I kept thinking my aim must be off, my fundamentals must be off, stroke, etc. It was a real hard one to diagnose, it was literally just thinking when I shouldn't be.
I've also miscued more in the last 2 weeks than I have in a year. Probably 6 or 7 times which is a crazy amount. If I'm indecisive I miscue. That should have been my clue to realize to quit with the head stuff while down on a shot. My confidence level took a real beating. I won't say slump but man this past few weeks has been a tough one to fade. Now that I figured out the issue I've started playing about at the level I did before. Confidence is rising slowly again. What a wild game. 
For the last 2 weeks if I have ANY thought in my head I miss the shot. Good, bad or indifferent. I come down on line correctly but if I think it looks off and adjust (or not) I miss. If I think "yep It's in" or "everything is correct" or "should I play as a 2 way" I miss. It's probably a good thing as it's instant punishment for not going into execution mode.
It doesn't help that I have to tolerate pain and that basically screws 50% of my attention span, which is hot garbage on a good day.
I talked with my very smart wife about my frustrations and she told me I need a PSR. Well, I do have one but thinking/discussing I realized I forgot the last step of simply breathing out to shut my head up and release tension from my body. Make the decision while up, breath out, let the brain quiet while exhaling and go into execute mode. That was my PSR, not talking obvious stuff like chalk and such, just the important things. I don't want a lengthy PSR as it literally zaps my focus and I look like a trained monkey if I follow too many steps.
When I'm in my finest form I basically look at the tip with the cue upright and apply chalk. This is kind of my moment to clear my head and signal it's time to play. Walk around and get a good visual on ball positions. Make the decisions while standing. Get behind the CB, breath out and get into stance.
Sometimes in pool you can get away with a lot of stuff before it bites you. I'm now in a part of my pool journey where I literally got bit instantly. It's terribly frustrating but it's probably good to have instant punishment for doing it wrong.
It about drove me crazy because I kept thinking my aim must be off, my fundamentals must be off, stroke, etc. It was a real hard one to diagnose, it was literally just thinking when I shouldn't be.
I've also miscued more in the last 2 weeks than I have in a year. Probably 6 or 7 times which is a crazy amount. If I'm indecisive I miscue. That should have been my clue to realize to quit with the head stuff while down on a shot. My confidence level took a real beating. I won't say slump but man this past few weeks has been a tough one to fade. Now that I figured out the issue I've started playing about at the level I did before. Confidence is rising slowly again. What a wild game.
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
Drills:
They are utterly boring. I'd rather do them a couple times then organically work on those shots while playing solo. That way I can also practice other aspects and actually enjoy shooting. Any balls that get close to the "drill" layout become mini practice sessions, I'll try to get shape on them naturally but if I have to I'll move the CB to a more drill like position. I don't know that I'd recommend that for everyone but I like it.
I'll often study 3 or 4 shots from a pool book or something and practice them this way. If they start feeling interesting I might actually set up the drill and work on it for a few minutes before racking again. On something similar to a corner drill I'll set them up with the extra stripes after I break a rack of 9B and then try to shoot them after the 9. In some cases, if I get out of line in 9B, I'll allow the use of the drill balls to get back into good shape on the next ball as long as I complete the drill (play shape off the last drill ball).
They are utterly boring. I'd rather do them a couple times then organically work on those shots while playing solo. That way I can also practice other aspects and actually enjoy shooting. Any balls that get close to the "drill" layout become mini practice sessions, I'll try to get shape on them naturally but if I have to I'll move the CB to a more drill like position. I don't know that I'd recommend that for everyone but I like it.
I'll often study 3 or 4 shots from a pool book or something and practice them this way. If they start feeling interesting I might actually set up the drill and work on it for a few minutes before racking again. On something similar to a corner drill I'll set them up with the extra stripes after I break a rack of 9B and then try to shoot them after the 9. In some cases, if I get out of line in 9B, I'll allow the use of the drill balls to get back into good shape on the next ball as long as I complete the drill (play shape off the last drill ball).