I enjoy and learn things from watching the pro's playing. I also believe some of them use a bit of negative psych on their opponent. I'm ok with that as it is a "big boy" game at that level. Johnny Archer, what a talent and he seems like a real gentlemen that loves the game. Is every table he plays on dirty, he constantly picks at the felt. Alex Pagulyan, the perennial crowd favorite, he starts and stops and walks around the table and then repeats. Dennis Orcolo is similar with the down on the shot a few times then back up. Earl Strickland, probably the best 9 ball player ever, those tantrums, wow! Maybe he can't help it. SVB and his attention to the rack. The pointing to where the cue ball should of went when things went wrong is common now. I think much of this is designed to put stress on their opponent, or it relieves some of their own stress. Maybe I'm wrong. Pool is one of the few games where the show of emotion is usually subdued, so they have to let stress out some where.
Watching the pro's...
- Thread starter Ak Guy
- Start date
Watching the Pro's
Dig it AK Guy. I took last session off specifically just to watch the pros (YouTube) and learn more about the mechanics of playing and seeing the table. I took that time to also apply in practice what I learned. I have to agree that I did notice that almost all of the pros have some physical behavioral pattern that has the potential to get in the head of their opponent. I learned, in that regard, that you don't have to flop and twitch at the table to distract the other guy. It's all about maintaining you composure and of course just being a bad-ass pool player. I'm still not running racks but I am concretely 3 balls better than I was before I left and am making more technical shots with better cueball control all due to taking the time to study the pros at the table. It ain't the DCC here in the French Quarter League, but life is good. Thanks YouTube.
Dig it AK Guy. I took last session off specifically just to watch the pros (YouTube) and learn more about the mechanics of playing and seeing the table. I took that time to also apply in practice what I learned. I have to agree that I did notice that almost all of the pros have some physical behavioral pattern that has the potential to get in the head of their opponent. I learned, in that regard, that you don't have to flop and twitch at the table to distract the other guy. It's all about maintaining you composure and of course just being a bad-ass pool player. I'm still not running racks but I am concretely 3 balls better than I was before I left and am making more technical shots with better cueball control all due to taking the time to study the pros at the table. It ain't the DCC here in the French Quarter League, but life is good. Thanks YouTube.
There's a lot to learn from watching the pro's and I don't mean all the little quirks.
I like to see if I can guess how someone will shoot a shot, who knows some if it might
actually rub off and become part of my game.
I like to see if I can guess how someone will shoot a shot, who knows some if it might
actually rub off and become part of my game.
Watching the pros is a great way to learn especially concerning pattern play and decision making.
That being said there are many pros that have unorthodox strokes and it isn't always the best idea to try and emulate them. Efren and the Philippine players come to mind specifically. The reason their stroke is so successful is because they have the time and practice behind it to have correct timing every time.
That being said there are many pros that have unorthodox strokes and it isn't always the best idea to try and emulate them. Efren and the Philippine players come to mind specifically. The reason their stroke is so successful is because they have the time and practice behind it to have correct timing every time.
Efren's stroke isn't too unorthodox despite having an extreme loose grip. Bustamante's stroke on the other hand is not something to emulate - side arm, cue comes out of bridge, doesnt aim center ball, etc.
Efren drops his elbow a ton. However he has correct timing so it doesn't affect anything adversely.