What do you do when you suck???

snipershot

snipershot

Go ahead.....run for it.
Silver Member
Ive played pool almost every day,(and I mean really played like at least 2-3 hours minimum) for the last 5 months and I have had some real peaks and valleys. When I feel like Im not stroking the ball, I do a couple of shots that help me get my feel back. One is a max force-follow with an excessive amount of inside to go with it. Its not real hard, but it forces me to focus, and if I dont stroke it, I either miscue like a mother, or it just kinda duds on me, lol. The other is a similar idea, except its a max draw with a side dish of outside. Anyhow, my question is, what do you do when you feel like you are pokin instead of strokin.




Joe
 
snipershot said:
Ive played pool almost every day,(and I mean really played like at least 2-3 hours minimum) for the last 5 months and I have had some real peaks and valleys. When I feel like Im not stroking the ball, I do a couple of shots that help me get my feel back. One is a max force-follow with an excessive amount of inside to go with it. Its not real hard, but it forces me to focus, and if I dont stroke it, I either miscue like a mother, or it just kinda duds on me, lol. The other is a similar idea, except its a max draw with a side dish of outside. Anyhow, my question is, what do you do when you feel like you are pokin instead of strokin.




Joe
Click to expand...

i do what i can to follow all the way through and stroke as smooth as possible. a buddy of mine says he tries to make sure his forearm slaps his chest when he finishes his stroke
 
I first recognize I'm in a bad way and I don't arque with it, I go with it, allow myself to freefall to a neutral area, I float there for a minute and examine the zone, then I play my way out of it.
good luck
 
I go back to the "Mother Drills" as presented in Randy G's "Pool School". Especially "Mother Drill #1" will smooth out my stroke.
 
Stop thinking about all the things you should be doing and just let the shot go. Shoot every shot like you're going to make it. Micheal Jordan missed a few but he never shot a shot like he was going to miss it. He always had the long follow through and extension.
 
It has taken me well over two years to regain a stroke near to what I had in my youth. I took a 20+ year layoff from pool.
What do I do when I feel like I'm pokin instead of strokin? I make sure I stay down and exaggerate my pause and follow through. I try to imagine I'm Karen Corr. She is I think a very good example of proper fundamentals.
 
I usually cuss, increase my blood pressure, get frustrated and keep playing. I recently went through this for one reason or another. After I snapped out of it I used it as a learning experience for the next time.
 
Unless you want to be fluid bonded, don't swallow, spit and rinse. If Listerine isn't strong enough, use Betadine. Next time remember to use a dental dam. Oh wait, wrong forum, never mind.

Practice the mother drills. Video tape yourself, while muttering all the steps for proper form and shot.

Set up a ratio of practice/play time. For example 30 minutes of practice, followed by 1 hour of play time. Practice is when you do drills and focus on your fundamentals. Play time you can work on strategy or just enjoy yourself and don't be conscious of shot making.

Talk to an instructor, and perhaps pay for a refresher lesson.

Hopefully, you will regain your stroke and this experience won't leave a bad taste in your mouth.
 
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snipershot said:
Anyhow, my question is, what do you do when you feel like you are pokin instead of strokin.
Click to expand...

If you know the problem you have self critiqued well, and can make changes to improve. Everyone even BABE Ruth had BAD DAYS. Everyone know of his Home Run Record, but he struck out a lot to make the record.
 
snipershot said:
Ive played pool almost every day,(and I mean really played like at least 2-3 hours minimum) for the last 5 months and I have had some real peaks and valleys. When I feel like Im not stroking the ball, I do a couple of shots that help me get my feel back. One is a max force-follow with an excessive amount of inside to go with it. Its not real hard, but it forces me to focus, and if I dont stroke it, I either miscue like a mother, or it just kinda duds on me, lol. The other is a similar idea, except its a max draw with a side dish of outside. Anyhow, my question is, what do you do when you feel like you are pokin instead of strokin.




Joe
Click to expand...

find a good player to work with you it will cost you.
if you want to get good its worth it
 
This is REALLY good advice! In a room full of poolplayers, if you ask the question of who LIKES to practice (real, disciplined practice...not just shooting balls, or playing the ghost), it is likely that few, if any, will raise their hands. Why?...because we poolplayers don't like to practice with discipline. It's either difficult (frustrating), or boring. Neither lead to productive use of time.

Now...that said, it is important to reward yourself, after putting in some dedicated, disciplined practice, with some play time (let's face it, that's why you went down to the poolroom, or downstairs on your own table, anyway). Ctyhntr's suggestion of serious practice, followed by "fun time" playing, is the best example of how to approach improving your pool game!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

ctyhntr said:
Set up a ratio of practice/play time. For example 30 minutes of practice, followed by 1 hour of play time. Practice is when you do drills and focus on your fundamentals. Play time you can work on strategy or just enjoy yourself and don't be conscious of shot making.
Click to expand...
 
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no comment !

Scott Lee said:
This is REALLY good advice! In a room full of poolplayers, if you ask the question of who LIKES to practice (real, disciplined practice...not just shooting balls, or playing the ghost), it is likely that few, if any, will raise their hands. Why?...because we poolplayers don't like to practice with discipline. It's either difficult (frustrating), or boring. Neither lead to productive use of time.

Now...that said, it is important to reward yourself, after putting in some dedicated, disciplined practice, with some play time (let's face it, that's why you went down to the poolroom, or downstairs on your own table, anyway). Ctyhntr's suggestion of serious practice, followed by "fun time" playing, is the best example of how to approach improving your pool game!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

i remember what happened the last tim i tried to give someone advice.

but anyway scott i was wondering in you ever took off that thing on you tube WHERE SCOTT LEE MISSES WITH BALL IN HAND !!! :rolleyes:
 
Joe...One of the reasons most of us have serious ups and downs in our pool game, is because we don't have the diagnostic tools, to figure out what we're doing "wrong", that is causing us to play poorly one day, and really well the next. As was posted, an easy way to learn those tools, is to take a lesson from a qualified instructor (make sure the instructor uses video review, as part of the lesson). When you know how to figure what's going on internally, mentally or physically, with your "process", you can successfully 'self-correct' your errors or mistakes, immediately, at the table...as opposed to feeling 'lost' (like you are now), and struggling with finding a solution!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

snipershot said:
Ive played pool almost every day,(and I mean really played like at least 2-3 hours minimum) for the last 5 months and I have had some real peaks and valleys. When I feel like Im not stroking the ball, I do a couple of shots that help me get my feel back. One is a max force-follow with an excessive amount of inside to go with it. Its not real hard, but it forces me to focus, and if I dont stroke it, I either miscue like a mother, or it just kinda duds on me, lol. The other is a similar idea, except its a max draw with a side dish of outside. Anyhow, my question is, what do you do when you feel like you are pokin instead of strokin.




Joe
Click to expand...
 
oldzilla...Gee, thanks for pointing that out! :rolleyes: Pretty difficult for me to remove something I didn't put up there. Also, take into account, that it was ONE GAME of pool, it was late at night, and I had already imbibed quite a few cocktails, when this took place (plus we were just screwing around, having fun, on the AzB table, at the DCC). If there is anybody out there who has never missed, with B-I-H, I'd like to meet them. I've personally seen Efren, Earl, and several other top tier pros, do exactly the same thing (sometimes at very crucial points in a tournament match...I saw Rempe miscue (and jump the CB over the OB into the pocket), on the final 9ball, to win a tournament once). The CB and OB were only a foot apart, and a foot from the pocket. The truth is, if you're honest with yourself, probably all of us have done that at one time or another. The key is to be able to not do it very often! :D

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

oldzilla said:
but anyway scott i was wondering in you ever took off that thing on you tube WHERE SCOTT LEE MISSES WITH BALL IN HAND !!! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
 
Scott Lee said:
Joe...One of the reasons most of us have serious ups and downs in our pool game, is because we don't have the diagnostic tools, to figure out what we're doing "wrong", that is causing us to play poorly one day, and really well the next. As was posted, an easy way to learn those tools, is to take a lesson from a qualified instructor (make sure the instructor uses video review, as part of the lesson). When you know how to figure what's going on internally, mentally or physically, with your "process", you can successfully 'self-correct' your errors or mistakes, immediately, at the table...as opposed to feeling 'lost' (like you are now), and struggling with finding a solution!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...


Excellent post Scott.

This is one of the more valuable things I gained from the lesson with you.

Since that time, I have been able to drag out my "A" game pretty much at will. Yes, there have still been a slump here and there, but I have the ability to diagnose the problem and remedy it in hours instead of days.

-Bryan
 
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