The Pleasure of Small Motions

[ChicagoJoe]

I also recommend the inner game of tennis.

People that have read both, did you find they contradicted each other at all? I've got the pleasure of small motions, but haven't read it yet.

 

[bdorman]

The ideas presented in Pleasure of Small motions are good, but the writing is horrendous. The author suffers from a common malady: he has material that can be communicated well in 30 pages -- but he can't sell a 30-page book -- so he drags it out (that's putting it kindly) for 120 pages.

He went on and on about "here's the problem" but never offered a solution or practice steps to overcome the problem.

I literally had to fight myself to continue reading it. That was no Pleasure.

 

[duckie]

This thread us a prime example of what works for one may not for another.

There are a few movies that have help guide me on to playing better pool, understanding the mental aspect more.

One is the Last Dragon

Another is the Legend of Bagger Vance.

The opening of Enter the Dragon

And a few more.

For me, there was a transistion in thinking that happen after a lot and I mean a lot of practicing and playing.

It went from why do I miss, to why do I still miss. There was a point I realized that there was no reason for me to miss because of skill or execution anymore.

The issue became all between my ears. Not letting "It" to happen. This is now my goal, to get out of the way and let "It" happen.

 

[galipeau]

I'm a huge fan of taking things that work for you and leaving the rest. I had commented in a similar thread recently about Max Eberle's Zen Pool. I have found one or two of his chapters interesting and valuable, but as a whole, there was no cohesive philosophy. It was easy to read as every chapter was in bite size chunks.

I am a couple chapters into "Pleasures of Small Motions", and while it's a bit wordy and loquacious, I did enjoy the ideas presented about motivation. I will continue it and see what other nuggets of information I can pull.

Lastly, ElCorazon seems to be a big proponent of the Tennis book. I haven't read this, but it would seem to me that Tennis, Fooseball, and other sports are reaction based. Pool is not. For those of you that read both, do you think this impacts the philosophy behind "Inner Game of Tennis"?

 

[ElCorazonFrio]

I'm a huge fan of taking things that work for you and leaving the rest. I had commented in a similar thread recently about Max Eberle's Zen Pool. I have found one or two of his chapters interesting and valuable, but as a whole, there was no cohesive philosophy. It was easy to read as every chapter was in bite size chunks.

I am a couple chapters into "Pleasures of Small Motions", and while it's a bit wordy and loquacious, I did enjoy the ideas presented about motivation. I will continue it and see what other nuggets of information I can pull.

Lastly, ElCorazon seems to be a big proponent of the Tennis book. I haven't read this, but it would seem to me that Tennis, Fooseball, and other sports are reaction based. Pool is not. For those of you that read both, do you think this impacts the philosophy behind "Inner Game of Tennis"?

Read the tennis book. It lends itself very well to pool precisely because pool is so strategic.

As an aside, The Inner Game of Tennis was such a phenomenon across so many disciplines that several more books have been written specific to other pursuits.

http://theinnergame.com/products/books/

 

[DaveK]

.....
Lastly, ElCorazon seems to be a big proponent of the Tennis book. I haven't read this, but it would seem to me that Tennis, Fooseball, and other sports are reaction based. Pool is not. For those of you that read both, do you think this impacts the philosophy behind "Inner Game of Tennis"?

Gallwey more recently wrote Inner Game of Golf, which I ownbut have not yet read. I suspect it more closely aligns with the pool stroke. It also may help to know that Gallwey was a tennis pro/teacher, so it makes sense that his initial interest was in tennis.

There was a thread here with an interesting link, to a Youtube video of a Gallwey lesson to non-tennis players. It is fascinating, although the production quality is not great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gowpi51pNE

Dave

 

[GoldCrown]

I am finally at the point where it has become mostly mental to take it to the next level.

Mostly mental. For me that would be concentration & getting my pocketing skills consistent. Mastering those 2 things is confidence. Confidence is the mental edge. Knowing you can win or come back is everything. I never had success reading any book.
Small Motions did not make any sense to me what so ever. That's just me. Having played with you ....you have the ability to run out and seen you do so. Take your time and concentrate on every shot. Every shot is the most important shot in the game. Work on that one shot that blew the run. Did you rush, lose concentration, take the wrong shot, jump up?
Personally you are a hard worker, great competitor and have a lot of unexposed talent....
work with an instructor... your level well jump up. You have a lot of heart at the table.... work with a pro...they would enjoy having you as a student. You are more than willing to practice and learn. And if you go that route I'll take the breaks cause I'm going to need them.

 

[philly]

Mostly mental. For me that would be concentration & getting my pocketing skills consistent. Mastering those 2 things is confidence. Confidence is the mental edge. Knowing you can win or come back is everything. I never had success reading any book.
Small Motions did not make any sense to me what so ever. That's just me. Having played with you ....you have the ability to run out and seen you do so. Take your time and concentrate on every shot. Every shot is the most important shot in the game. Work on that one shot that blew the run. Did you rush, lose concentration, take the wrong shot, jump up?
Personally you are a hard worker, great competitor and have a lot of unexposed talent....
work with an instructor... your level well jump up. You have a lot of heart at the table.... work with a pro...they would enjoy having you as a student. You are more than willing to practice and learn. And if you go that route I'll take the breaks cause I'm going to need them.

Thanks for the compliments and encouragement. I'm going to read the book and see if it offers me anything. Hope you are getting out of the clubhouse and getting to the poolroom. I think you play your best when you have you have intense competition. It's a picture perfect Thanksgiving day up here. Happy Thanksgiving Gold Crown. Keep you head down and run all eight in your pocket.