Tip when you’re just a little off …

[tim913]

An old guy used to give me lessons when I was younger and one tip I still use today. Some days I would be just a little off, didn’t know why, everything looked the same .. stance, stroke, etc. I just wasn’t feeling it!

He wouldn’t change anything major, just changed my grip from middle/ring fingers to index/middle fingers .. just enough to make me feel uncomfortable and make me play the next couple of racks that way.

He would then tell me to change back to my normal grip .. DANG! It was like returning to an old friend, back in my comfort zone, I was home and the balls were dropping and the CB was on a string.

Weird how that works!

 

[TheBasics]

tim913, Howdy;

A case of 'feeling different' so you could 'feel familiar' ??? Perhaps you were unconsciously
gripping differently and the forced change allowed you to find the regular grip? Just a "wag"
(wild a$$ed guess).

hank

 

[Patrick Johnson]

An old guy used to give me lessons when I was younger and one tip I still use today. Some days I would be just a little off, didn’t know why, everything looked the same .. stance, stroke, etc. I just wasn’t feeling it!

He wouldn’t change anything major, just changed my grip from middle/ring fingers to index/middle fingers .. just enough to make me feel uncomfortable and make me play the next couple of racks that way.

He would then tell me to change back to my normal grip .. DANG! It was like returning to an old friend, back in my comfort zone, I was home and the balls were dropping and the CB was on a string.

Weird how that works!

That's interesting.

Thanks,

pj
chgo

 

[pt109]

I slipstroke for a few shots.

 

[straightline]

An old guy used to give me lessons when I was younger and one tip I still use today. Some days I would be just a little off, didn’t know why, everything looked the same .. stance, stroke, etc. I just wasn’t feeling it!

He wouldn’t change anything major, just changed my grip from middle/ring fingers to index/middle fingers .. just enough to make me feel uncomfortable and make me play the next couple of racks that way.

He would then tell me to change back to my normal grip .. DANG! It was like returning to an old friend, back in my comfort zone, I was home and the balls were dropping and the CB was on a string.

Weird how that works!

Any thoughts on why that works for you?

 

[Chili Palmer]

I slipstroke for a few shots.

If I'm stressed or tense I will play fast and loose (slipstroke included) but, sometimes the opposite is needed. If I'm feeling froggy and doing stuff I shouldn't be doing then I try to bear down and re-focus on pre-shot routine to slow me down.

Any thoughts on why that works for you?

Heightened sensitivity came to my mind, interested in seeing what he says.

 

[tim913]

Any thoughts on why that works for you?

Only thing I can think of is it takes me out of my comfort zone for a couple of racks and feels really awkward to me. When I return to my normal grip everything feels like old times, comfortable again.
Some kind of psychological trick he would use and it worked for me.
Not sure why I get that way in the first place sometimes

 

[tim913]

I guess sometimes nothing feels right and if you’re forced to feel uncomfortable and awkward for awhile when you return then everything feels right

 

[philly]

I've heard it said to take a house cue off the wall for a while if you are "not feeling it."
Then go back to your player.
Sounds sort of like the same thing.

 

[Imotv8u]

I've heard it said to take a house cue off the wall for a while if you are "not feeling it."
Then go back to your player.
Sounds sort of like the same thing.

Sometimes I switch from my 19 oz z3 to my 21 oz cheap players stick and I get right on target. Maybe the extra weight keeps my stroke straighter if I’m tired?

 

[tomatoshooter]

I guess sometimes nothing feels right and if you’re forced to feel uncomfortable and awkward for awhile when you return then everything feels right

I had an art class and the professor made us draw an object left handed. The linework was a little sloppy but the overall shape was better. It forced us to consciously execute instead of thinking we knew what we were doing. I'm wondering if the grip change made you think about your shot instead of thinking "I got this" and being careless. Maybe like a sort of reset.

Another thing I think it could be is a placebo. I've thought about wearing several shirts to play. If I'm shooting poorly, "I can't shoot wearing this shirt, it's restricting my movement!" and take a layer off.

 

[tim913]

Sometimes just a small tip from someone who knows what they’re doing makes a huge difference.
In archery I was having trouble punching the trigger on my release causing a problem with my arrows grouping. I talked to a pro who had shot perfect scores indoors in Vegas and he told me one little trick that really helped with my groups.
He said don’t squeeze trigger with your finger .. lay finger across trigger and then pretend your finger is connected to your elbow and then pull back slowly with elbow .. no more punching, cool!

 

[maha]

if its a mental problem then find a mental fix, and if its a definable problem fix that.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Well your lucky the old guy gave you tips. Back in 1950 most of better player never gave tip, lessons, or bit of info.

Remember one of better players in 1960 who would have people wash his car, buy lunch for tiny bit of info.

He was just hustling them with his antics.

 

[chuckg]

I should try all of these fixes as my game is always just a bit off .
Chuck g

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

I should try all of these fixes as my game is always just a bit off .
Chuck g

Look in mirror ask am I Pro potential? If not live with being recreational player.

Enjoy Pool, most Professional die, and need donations to bury.

 

[Korsakoff]

If I'm playing at home, I put the cue I'm playing with back on the rack and get another one. Typically, my game improves immediately.

 

[Nine ... corner]

Kinda like the WTF transformation. In a match and not playing well and then decide to relax and say to yourself "WTF" and the tension leaves your body and you immediately become stronger.

 

[boogieman]

If I'm playing at home, I put the cue I'm playing with back on the rack and get another one. Typically, my game improves immediately.

I like to call it scrambling my brain. Different cue, different weight, different wrap, solid maple when I'm used to LD. It gets you back in quick.

Sometimes at home I'll put some really annoying music, or really fast/slow paced music. If you stop hearing the music you'll usually focus in on the game better. Little tricks don't make up for practice and fundamentals, but they can be a life saver for snapping you out of a funk.

 

[cjl0s]

Sometimes when I am struggling I practice banks for a rack or two and that seems to dial me in to regular shots...