What Got You To The Next Level?

For me, there was a couple things.

1. Practice... I know everyone will say that, but it's true. The only thing I would add is always try to practice with a purpose. I've found that if I try to practice when I'm not mentally into it, I tend to do more damage than good. 1 hour of good practice is better than 2 sloppy hours.

2. Watch, talk to, play, ask questions of top players. I was fortunate when I first started playing leagues, I played with two very strong players. I watched, listened and learned. They taught me shots, defense, how to pattern racks, and probably most importantly for me, attitude. It was always difficult to tell from them whether they were up big or down big. From that, I learned how to keep a level head no matter how the match is progressing. For me, it was probably the best lesson I've learned.

I actually had a player tell me once after a match that he was thrown off his game because he noticed that no matter how well he played, I never seemed concerned. I had never thought about it before, but obviously he did.
 
Natural Talent! My natural ability has made me the D player I am today :D

Seriously though, like everyone else has basically said, it's not one thing. It's a combination of everything you listed. If I had to pick one thing that's helped my game, it would be my willingness to watch, listen and learn from anyone. Given, I've learned a lot more from better players, but I've also come across good info from players of my ability.
 
A few extra points ...

There is no 'Bad Luck', simply miscalculations. Every roll and hit on a Pool
table can be proven with mathematics and physics.

Consistency is spelled with an 'e' not 'a'. Get yourself a $5 Websters since
you can not do a spell check at certain times on a computer. You will
sound more intelligent if your words are spelled correctly.

I don't know if the guy that started this thread is looking for knowledge
or 'the answer' to being good in Pool. It is like anything, you have to
apply yourself, you have to use your brain (most shooters just get up
and shoot without thinking about what they are doing - That's why
the majority never exceed a level 5), and you always have to address
the areas of the sport where you are weak, and overcome them.

As far as being good in Pool, the answer lies within you. You are the answer to your being good in Pool. How good you will be in Pool depends on
how well and how much you apply yourself to the sport.
 
Snapshot9 said:
There is no 'Bad Luck', simply miscalculations. Every roll and hit on a Pool
table can be proven with mathematics and physics.
Click to expand...

I understand your point but, it sounds like you've never been titty-hooked or caromed off of three balls to scratch in the side when it's hill-to-hill for $$$.

And not to change the subject, gamble against better players. Most of them don't require that you bet a whole bunch. It gives them action and you can learn from them and yourself.
 
Let Me Clarify What I Mean By Bad Luck:

i accept my failure on missing position when it happens after i have pocketed a ball. whether i miss by 1/2" or 15", i am the one that hit the cue ball there, and am the one responsible. when i start shouting out loud that the "Laws Of Physics Dont Apply To Me" i am just making excuses. no doubt about it, everyone knows that.

however, i am talking, for the most part, about the bad luck i have off of the break shot. so many times just no chance, horrible rolls, very difficult spreads, snookered by a 1/2", etc, etc. thats when i feel like its just plain bad luck. i know it happens to everyone, but so much of the time i just feel like i am 100 x worse than any other player in terms of getting a decent spread.

DCP
 
Playing in Tournaments until I finally won one and realized that I could win after all that practice time. Confidence.

Once I learned to:
TRUST what I was doing (form all the practice drills and practice games)
ACCEPT the results (no matter what that result was for any shot) no dwelling on the past, focus only on the present and future. The past shot is over.

AND finally;
Fulfilling the committment to go through my PRE-SHOT routine for every shot.

Then I got old, legs went, eyes shot and no stamina.

The 3 sure signs of old age;
1. your eyes go
2. your memory goes
3. I forgot this one...
 
this past week I have been playing my best pool. I did minor corrections to my stroke, i corrected the way i stroked the ball when the Q ball is on the rail.. (one type of shot i usually missed) i make sure of my angles now and im landing the Q ball where i want it to be.. i even corrected my break. it smashes the rack with control. where as before i could smash the rack or opt for control. all in all i let my stroke do everything now besides read the table and recognize the critical shots in the rack. and because of all that.. even my safties are better now.

yeaaa.. i was the one that posted a while ago about the slump i was in. it lasted a good 2-3 weeks. now im glad im over it. :D
 
I mean Hunger as in - If I missed, I didn't eat.

catscradle said:
Interesting response. Do you mean literally wondering where your next ham & cheese sandwich was coming from, or merely a competitive "hunger" to win?
Click to expand...

The question asked in this thread is -
What Got You To The Next Level?

For me (I'm not recommending this), it was when I was a young pool player and "On The Road". There was many times that if I missed & lost, I slept in my car & didn't get to eat that night.
I soon realized that the winning & managing of money was MORE important than being the BEST pool player. I also learned that the better I played, the customer base got larger. My first goal was TO WIN! To win, I had to get better.
Catscradle - I have never been that fond of "Ham & Cheese" but I sure do appreciate a nice juicy 24 oz, dry aged, and prime, Porter House Steak. (Medium, Please).
Gotta go - I'm gettin hungry.

TY & GL
 
I practised the exact same shot for one hour daily for a year. After that exercise did I start to learn true cue ball control.
 
Want to get to the next level? Learn to create opportunities at the table.

Players who can run out are a dime a dozen. The winners are the ones who also learn to create opportunities to run out. The way you do that is with your break and with your moves game (defense/kicking/two-way shots).

Develop a solid break and a rock solid moves game and you'll start beating those who only run out as well as you do on a consistent basis.

In short, learn how to beat your opponent to the shot, because you can both run the table.
 
sjm said:
Want to get to the next level? Learn to create opportunities at the table.

Players who can run out are a dime a dozen. The winners are the ones who also learn to create opportunities to run out. The way you do that is with your break and with your moves game (defense/kicking/two-way shots).

Develop a solid break and a rock solid moves game and you'll start beating those who only run out as well as you do on a consistent basis.

In short, learn how to beat your opponent to the shot, because you can both run the table.
Click to expand...

I agree with this 100%. Kicking and safety ability are what separates the good from the great, as well as having a solid break. Watch a couple of 3 cushion videos and this aspect of your game will soar.

In terms of the other question I've never taken a lesson, and never read an instructional book nor watched an instructional video (well okay, I watched Grady's 'only kicks' video) but I have devoted hours and hours to watching matches. Everything I've ever learned has been either from watching pro matches on video or from watching good players live.
 
sjm said:
Want to get to the next level? Learn to create opportunities at the table.

Players who can run out are a dime a dozen. The winners are the ones who also learn to create opportunities to run out. The way you do that is with your break and with your moves game (defense/kicking/two-way shots).

Develop a solid break and a rock solid moves game and you'll start beating those who only run out as well as you do on a consistent basis.

In short, learn how to beat your opponent to the shot, because you can both run the table.
Click to expand...

This may be true but DCP's problem is mental, it is the first part of #5.

DCP I have actually told you a few times on this board what your problem is and how to fix it. You need to approach the game from a totally different state of mind then you currently are. I know this because I was once the headcase that you are now, tons of natural talent and a hot head and mental weakness getting in the way of my beating those people I should. Little things got me down, pressure got me down, the game never got to flow from me the way it should and those top players in the city that I knew I was as good as when it came to skill could beat me consistently only due to me mental weakness.

Your understanding of the physical aspects of the game are likely solid, you have practiced alot, you have gone to coaches, you have watched alot of pro matches at least on TV and for all I know live as well, you also have the hunger and drive to get better, that is pretty obvious.

#5 is your problem, and it is only the mental toughness aspect of it, without chaging your approach to the game competition is simply going to drill you and discourage you. Going out there and getting your ass kicked by people with less skill and more mental toughness then you is not going to help your game, you cannot play through this kind of problem and expect it to go away. You will keep losing and keep shooting far below your skill level and making terrible mistakes and bad shots at key moments and losing. I played with this type of problem for years and my skills got better but the problem of mental toughness never did, my skills got to nearly the same level as the top players in the city and yet my game was many steps below because my approach to the game was riddled with negative reinforcement instead of the confident ease with which the top players approach the table.

Everything I have said is theoretical. The above wont help you work through the rut, it is only there to tell you what is the problem, the cure, well I took years to get through it and I have the key that could set you off if you heard what I had to say. Coaching on the mechanical aspects of the game are meaningless, what you need to figure out is the mindset of a champion, the mental approach, and that is something that few pro's can or even would teach. It is not mechanical skill that makes the pro's as good as they are, tons of guys have phenomenal mechanical skills and never make it to that level, it is all mental approach.

Email me at Lyonspride@hotmail.com if you want to hear what your problem is and therefore fix it. I dont want to post it here, it is basically one of those things that when you learn it you dont really want to scream it from the rooftops because it is pretty important information on what it truely takes to reach the top and beat the other guy. Pro's teach the mechanical aspects of pool to everyone because it is meaningless, that is a small part of pool and they can rest assured that the person they teach is never going to come close to beating them because the true important part of the game is not in the mechanical aspects that so many have virtually mastered, it is in the head where champions are different.

I know you went to a coach, what I am offering is ten times as useful as any coach will teach you because most of them live in the mechanics of the game, and that is a pretty small part of the game. Given a couple weeks I could have you on the road to beating virtually anyone, winning all your local events and looking at a race to 11 against anyone in the world as actually possible to win no matter who the opponent. You are not going anywhere until you figure out the proper mental approach.
 
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OldHasBeen said:
The question asked in this thread is -
What Got You To The Next Level?

For me (I'm not recommending this), it was when I was a young pool player and "On The Road". There was many times that if I missed & lost, I slept in my car & didn't get to eat that night.
TY & GL
Click to expand...

That was what I noticed about all the guys I knew that made it to the "next level". I was never that hard up so never made it. Well, a few times I lost a little weight. There were no books that I knew of at the time and lessons were given freely in slience. Just watch and pay up.
 
Yesterday I watched 4 Pool Video Tapes, (self instruction) today I played for CRAP. Forgetting everything I learned, or relearned from those Tapes.

My MIND was NOT 50% on my Pool Game. Where it was I do not know, but like I said played VERY BAD. Pool is a Game that requires 110% CONCENTRATION....
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Let Me Clarify What I Mean By Bad Luck:

i accept my failure on missing position when it happens after i have pocketed a ball. whether i miss by 1/2" or 15", i am the one that hit the cue ball there, and am the one responsible. when i start shouting out loud that the "Laws Of Physics Dont Apply To Me" i am just making excuses. no doubt about it, everyone knows that.

however, i am talking, for the most part, about the bad luck i have off of the break shot. so many times just no chance, horrible rolls, very difficult spreads, snookered by a 1/2", etc, etc. thats when i feel like its just plain bad luck. i know it happens to everyone, but so much of the time i just feel like i am 100 x worse than any other player in terms of getting a decent spread.

DCP
Click to expand...


Why is a bad spead on a break considered bad luck? I would think bad breaking and try to find something to fix. Be it the speed of the break, the cue ball position, my stance, length of my hands apart. Whatever it may be.

And you can always play a push and leave a difficult shot or difficult position based on the shot for the next ball. Or a leave if you can't get out. Not every rack is a rack you should try to run after all.
 
Learn any way you can. Reading, Watching, Doing.

Build confidence by practicing. Practice with the focus you would have when you're playing in a match. If you don't practice at a higher level, you won't compete at a higher level.

Practice: And I don't mean by just beating balls around the green. Set up PROGRESSIVE drills. Start with straight in shots in the middle of the table. Mark the spots where the balls lay so you can set it up and do it again, and again, and again. Then PROGRESSIVELY move the cue ball .5 - 1 degree from where it was (marking the table "metally"). Rinse/repeat. Left and Right. Use the diamonds on the table to "mark" your spots.

Set up Rail shots, and progressively change the attack angle. Set up Combos, and progressively change the attack angles. Set up Bank shots (short/long, close/far from rail), and progressively change the attack angle. Do those same drills with varying modifications to High/Low/Left/Right on the cue ball (do it in 8ths of a tip). Etc... etc... etc...

Learn that when you walk into a room in which the table is in, assess the environment. Take a moment to sniff the air. Is it humid, dry, moderate? Look over the table(s). Are they clean, well kept, dirty? What's the weather like outside? Are the tables close the door where the weather can effect them?

These are just some of the things that go through my mind.

Learn how to read a table by playing on every table you can play on, whenever you can play on them. Environment is the key factor to your "off" days, and it's usually due to the fact that you're playing on a foriegn table, or have other things on your mind. If you do have other things on your mind, either push them aside and focus, or just don't play.

Learn that every table is different, and accept that fact. Adjust accordingly to the environment in which you're playing in. Some tables have responsive rails and slow felt. Some tables have mooshy rails and fast felt. Some have mooshy rails and slow felt. Some... (i'm sure you can fill in the rest)

Everytime I walk up to a table I haven't played on in my life, I only use the cue ball to practice with for the first 30 minutes. Because, that's the ball I want to control. If I don't know how it's going to react off the rails/felt, then I'm just an average schmo banging balls. In tournaments, most of those factors are minimalized, but they are still there.

There's a TON more info that I could give, but it's best that you try and learn on your own. You need to burn your own logic into your brain for it to stick so that you WILL become a better player.

P.S. Mental focus, always.
 
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Do the road and take your bumps like every descent pool player out there. Not the whole U.S. but go out get seasoned. You get stale staying in one place, playing the same players on the same tables.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
(snip)
however, i am talking, for the most part, about the bad luck i have off of the break shot. so many times just no chance, horrible rolls, very difficult spreads, snookered by a 1/2", etc, etc. thats when i feel like its just plain bad luck. i know it happens to everyone, but so much of the time i just feel like i am 100 x worse than any other player in terms of getting a decent spread.

DCP
Click to expand...

What kind of a vision is that to hold? Serious question.

Jeff Livingston
 
ARM9BALLER said:
Do the road and take your bumps like every descent pool player out there. Not the whole U.S. but go out get seasoned. You get stale staying in one place, playing the same players on the same tables.
Click to expand...


I`m not sure he even goes out and plays anyone. His posts are usually about trying to break and run on his home table. I have never saw an actual opponent mentioned.
 
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