What do you do?
- Thread starter sunnyday
- Start date
That is why they put bars in pool halls!
what else is there to do?
sunnyday said:
what else is there to do?
You will get lots of differing views and what is right for me might not be right for anyone else but here goes...For me...
1. It is a horrible idea to just screw the cue and start playing.
Warming up is fundamental to virtually all sports and pool is no different.
My warm up routine for matches involves shooting NO shot that I can possibly miss. All I care about is getting the kinks out...getting to FEEL my stroke and to test the table for speed.
It also might get in your opponent's head if he never sees you miss.
2. I have a set list of my Magic 7 Core Fundamentals. I won't get into what they are for me because they might not be right for anyone else.
So, just make your own. When you are in dead stroke just take note of your stance, your bridge length and FIRMNESS (lots of players get lazy and have sloppy, loosey goosey bridges...grip pressure..."finish position" i.e. where your grip hand ends up in relation to your body on your normal stroke...
The list could go on and on but there is one thing that should be on everyone's list...feel ROCK SOLID STEADY throughout the entire stroking process all the way to the finish position and THEN SOME.
Most matches are LOST by unforced errors...not won with spectacular shots. And most shots are dogged due to a lack of focus/dedication to EACH shot or because of body movement or both.
A repeatable stroke is a physical/mechanical process that should be identical from one shot to the next and is highly subject to being broken down into component parts.
So, bottom line, if you have a conscious awareness of what those components are, the only reason to be "out of stroke" for more than a shot or two, is purely mental. You have somehow lost confidence...are in a bad mood for one reason or another...and often for no apparant reason at all.
On those days, all I do is just FORCE myself to care only about ONE thing....the next shot. Hell with winning. When your are down 7-1 in a race to 7 you can STILL make ONE shot...the next one and can win ONE rack...the one you're shooting in.
Regards,
Jim
1. It is a horrible idea to just screw the cue and start playing.
Warming up is fundamental to virtually all sports and pool is no different.
My warm up routine for matches involves shooting NO shot that I can possibly miss. All I care about is getting the kinks out...getting to FEEL my stroke and to test the table for speed.
It also might get in your opponent's head if he never sees you miss.
2. I have a set list of my Magic 7 Core Fundamentals. I won't get into what they are for me because they might not be right for anyone else.
So, just make your own. When you are in dead stroke just take note of your stance, your bridge length and FIRMNESS (lots of players get lazy and have sloppy, loosey goosey bridges...grip pressure..."finish position" i.e. where your grip hand ends up in relation to your body on your normal stroke...
The list could go on and on but there is one thing that should be on everyone's list...feel ROCK SOLID STEADY throughout the entire stroking process all the way to the finish position and THEN SOME.
Most matches are LOST by unforced errors...not won with spectacular shots. And most shots are dogged due to a lack of focus/dedication to EACH shot or because of body movement or both.
A repeatable stroke is a physical/mechanical process that should be identical from one shot to the next and is highly subject to being broken down into component parts.
So, bottom line, if you have a conscious awareness of what those components are, the only reason to be "out of stroke" for more than a shot or two, is purely mental. You have somehow lost confidence...are in a bad mood for one reason or another...and often for no apparant reason at all.
On those days, all I do is just FORCE myself to care only about ONE thing....the next shot. Hell with winning. When your are down 7-1 in a race to 7 you can STILL make ONE shot...the next one and can win ONE rack...the one you're shooting in.
Regards,
Jim
B!tch, moan, cry, make excuses, shark my opponent, try short racks, and hook my opponent if the object ball is more than 1 foot from the hole.
You mean there are other options than these?
Honestly, I'll try less english, slow down, and play safe on shots even if I know I can pocket the ball, but might get hooked.
You mean there are other options than these?
Honestly, I'll try less english, slow down, and play safe on shots even if I know I can pocket the ball, but might get hooked.
Sunny,
maybe you were too pumped? Sometimes we can get too into it and that throws our game out of whack. I would take a quick bathroom break and get some fresh air.
Tony
maybe you were too pumped? Sometimes we can get too into it and that throws our game out of whack. I would take a quick bathroom break and get some fresh air.
Tony
Best thing to do is just not let it get to you. Dog a shot? Shake it off. Dog another? Shake it off again. Over the years I've found that lingering over the missed shots only makes it worse. You're going to get bad rolls. You're going to have bad days. Just let it go and it'll come back sooner than you think.
MULLY
MULLY
sunnyday said:
Change cues. Even try a house cue. I kid you not.
aggree with Jay and bud green
Actually I do this, grabbing a house cue often works. Bud Green mentioned the other thing, simplify your game as much as possible. Take one shot at a time focusing solely on that shot too.
The serious answers have been given so many times I couldn't resist suggesting plan "B" if none of the above options work, grab your favorite beverage and sit the night out. Sometimes we just aren't geared to play pool and we don't know why.
Hu
jay helfert said:
Actually I do this, grabbing a house cue often works. Bud Green mentioned the other thing, simplify your game as much as possible. Take one shot at a time focusing solely on that shot too.
The serious answers have been given so many times I couldn't resist suggesting plan "B" if none of the above options work, grab your favorite beverage and sit the night out. Sometimes we just aren't geared to play pool and we don't know why.
Hu
Gregg said:
I agree.have a beer relax. your game will arrive shortly
jay helfert said:
This is true.. good job Jay. I sometimes grab a house cue when I'm doing something goofy. Cures my twist of the wrist, and usually they are shorter, so when I grab my own cue, I get some muscle memory back.
jay helfert said:
Morro changes shafts. I've seen him do it multiple times during the course of a match. Maybe I should see if Tim can make me a few new shafts and start trying that tactic myself!!
I don't know if they make cases that can carry enough shafts for me to actually get through a tournament though.
Jimmy M. said:
Morro needs a pit crew when he plays.
Steve