QStickMagician
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What have you personally found to be the best item, or items. Like training devices, dvd's, personal instruction, books, or? To help you personally improve your pool game?
What have you personally found to be the best
- Thread starter QStickMagician
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I personally had great success watching Accustats videos and lots of practice on the table. Not just watching the videos, but studying them. Patterns, safties, kicks, etc..... will add to your arsenal and make you a stronger player.
But, everyone is different and will respond to different education and training.
Russ.........
But, everyone is different and will respond to different education and training.
Russ.........
Exactly! Pat Fleming's Accustat tapes are an incredible learning tool. You must study the tapes, remember patterns, safeties, etc...don't just watch them and expect to play better. I even go so far as to pause before the shot and ask myself what would I do here...then hit play & either you were right or you just learned something. Plus you normally have 2 champions in the booth telling you what & why they'd do on every shot. If these tapes don't make you play better...you don't truly want to get better!poolhustler said:
lesson 9
1. read everything you can find and watch all the accustats
and pick up some of bert kinister's tapes.
start with fundamentals even if you think your stroke is
good enough
2. get a lesson from the best instructor you can find
3. find someone who kicks your ass up and down the table
and play with them every other day.
on the off days find someone better than the first
someone and play with them until you're beating them,
then find someone better
4. repeat lesson 2 as often as possible
5. don't lose, ever.
1. read everything you can find and watch all the accustats
and pick up some of bert kinister's tapes.
start with fundamentals even if you think your stroke is
good enough
2. get a lesson from the best instructor you can find
3. find someone who kicks your ass up and down the table
and play with them every other day.
on the off days find someone better than the first
someone and play with them until you're beating them,
then find someone better
4. repeat lesson 2 as often as possible
5. don't lose, ever.
I've learned a great deal from watching Accu-Stat videos and watching professional tournaments in person.
I watch the way in which the player strokes through the cue ball, holds the cue, what english they use, how soft they cue the balls,...mimicking the greats of the game has helped me significantly.
I will never approach their level of play, but I will use anything I can gleam from them to help me improve. For examples, check out my channel on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=mosconiac&p=r
Of all of the players out there, I would love to obtain Jon Kucharo's stroke & break. I will never achieve the latter, but I hope to come close to the former some day. I was lucky enough to watch Jon as he developed and I have that robotic stroke etched in my brain. He had a confounding mix of robotic nature (precision) with quick practice strokes yet the softest of touch...until he unleashed on the break!
I watch the way in which the player strokes through the cue ball, holds the cue, what english they use, how soft they cue the balls,...mimicking the greats of the game has helped me significantly.
I will never approach their level of play, but I will use anything I can gleam from them to help me improve. For examples, check out my channel on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=mosconiac&p=r
Of all of the players out there, I would love to obtain Jon Kucharo's stroke & break. I will never achieve the latter, but I hope to come close to the former some day. I was lucky enough to watch Jon as he developed and I have that robotic stroke etched in my brain. He had a confounding mix of robotic nature (precision) with quick practice strokes yet the softest of touch...until he unleashed on the break!
I would definitely recommend getting some lessons. Getting feedback on your shots, on what you did as opposed to what you think you did is an eye opener. Different types of shots have a particular feel a good instructor can explain and show you the way.
He has to be a high caliber player, shooting !!!smoothly!!! is not something an ‘A’ player will teach.
I like Cappelle's books "Play your best pool" series.
After that practice, practice, practice.
He has to be a high caliber player, shooting !!!smoothly!!! is not something an ‘A’ player will teach.
I like Cappelle's books "Play your best pool" series.
After that practice, practice, practice.
Item that helped my game
I played pool for years without a specific aiming system. I used the best guess method and I didn't do too badly, but I got to a point and I couldn't get any better. A friend of mine and I worked on an aiming system which gave me specific points to aim at and I switched to predator shafts to cut down on deflection and those 2 changes helped my pool game more than anything i've ever done.
QStickMagician said:
I played pool for years without a specific aiming system. I used the best guess method and I didn't do too badly, but I got to a point and I couldn't get any better. A friend of mine and I worked on an aiming system which gave me specific points to aim at and I switched to predator shafts to cut down on deflection and those 2 changes helped my pool game more than anything i've ever done.
His Trick Shot DVDs Are PERFECT For Skeet Shooting Practice
Nothing worked better than Fast Larry's training DVDs. I used them under two of the legs on the pooltable and it is finally level and doesn't wobble any longer...
Doug
( If I'm Lying, I'm dying )
Seriously, Instructional tapes & DVDs can help your game... imo
QStickMagician said:
Nothing worked better than Fast Larry's training DVDs. I used them under two of the legs on the pooltable and it is finally level and doesn't wobble any longer...
Doug
( If I'm Lying, I'm dying )
Seriously, Instructional tapes & DVDs can help your game... imo
1)lessons with a personal instructor
2)98cent notebook and pen to keep in my cuecase and use as a pool journal
2)98cent notebook and pen to keep in my cuecase and use as a pool journal
I'm with the Cornerman on this one--again! Accu-stats has made all the difference in the world in terms of developing my game. Nick Varner, in speaking of the value of Accu-stats pointed out that what it took him ten years to learn, by trial and error and getting beat by better players, can now be learned in a matter of a year or two thanks to the combination of world-class play and stellar commentary. (The stellar commentary part is mine. I can't imagine referring to himself in such a self-congratulatory way.)
But think of it. How many people get to watch two champions play while having Buddy Hall, Grady Matthews, Danny D, and Nick Varner sitting at your side and whispering in your ear about each shot and how it should be played, or about the dynamics of the match and the importance of maintaining focus and making the right decisions? And all of this is seasoned with road stories, historical tidbits, and the rich, fascinating patter picked up over decades of the road. Priceless!
But think of it. How many people get to watch two champions play while having Buddy Hall, Grady Matthews, Danny D, and Nick Varner sitting at your side and whispering in your ear about each shot and how it should be played, or about the dynamics of the match and the importance of maintaining focus and making the right decisions? And all of this is seasoned with road stories, historical tidbits, and the rich, fascinating patter picked up over decades of the road. Priceless!
As for the commentary on ACCUSTATS, if you can, go back a few years so that you get the stuff that is PRE Jim W.
That guy has singlehandedly killed my desire to watch anything with him uttering the slightest PEEP!
Heck, half the time he's not even talking about the shot and what to do.
Go for the Grady/Incardona or any of the stuff with the old timers where they DISAGREE with each other.
Half the time, they are arguing over the proper way to hit a shot or get position to the point where they actually cover a lot of options that one might not come up with on their own.
That Jim W. is a total waste of space, and does absolutely NOTHING to teach viewers anything about the game except to show them that he is an idiot.
If you get videos with him, your relying on Incardona and the pool play at hand. You learn more with Jim W. OUT of the booth.
That guy has singlehandedly killed my desire to watch anything with him uttering the slightest PEEP!
Heck, half the time he's not even talking about the shot and what to do.
Go for the Grady/Incardona or any of the stuff with the old timers where they DISAGREE with each other.
Half the time, they are arguing over the proper way to hit a shot or get position to the point where they actually cover a lot of options that one might not come up with on their own.
That Jim W. is a total waste of space, and does absolutely NOTHING to teach viewers anything about the game except to show them that he is an idiot.
If you get videos with him, your relying on Incardona and the pool play at hand. You learn more with Jim W. OUT of the booth.
Agreed-
If you get videos with him, your relying on Incardona and the pool play at hand. You learn more with Jim W. OUT of the booth.
All of the videos I have (mostly 14.1) have Grady, Varner, Staton, Ervolino, JJ, and others who really know the game and let you know not only what the player is doing, but why. They also go into details on the finer points of the matches they review. I luckily do not have a single video in which I have to listen to JW.
If you get videos with him, your relying on Incardona and the pool play at hand. You learn more with Jim W. OUT of the booth.
All of the videos I have (mostly 14.1) have Grady, Varner, Staton, Ervolino, JJ, and others who really know the game and let you know not only what the player is doing, but why. They also go into details on the finer points of the matches they review. I luckily do not have a single video in which I have to listen to JW.
Player review tapes are the best. They watch the tape with you and tell you what they were thinking and why they did what. I have one with BillyInc where he misses the 1 in the side with ball in hand.
Of course instruction from a good, professional instructor (like Scott Lee) is great. And, of course, careful watching of Accu-Stats videos and instructional videos can be very helpful. But no one yet has given you the "old school" answer - play for enough money that it stings a bit if you lose! OK, I know that was not politically correct, but I am on my second pre-dinner drink, so what can you expect? In fact, in observing many players progress, or not progress, in pool skill, the most common element I have noticed is that the ones who make the most and fastest progress are the ones who frequently play under pressure, either tournament pressure or the pressure of playing for money. Hope this helps.
BillPorter said:
I can't disagree with you at all there! Because of geographical isolation from the pool world, opportunities to play people at my speed require travel since Spanish Pete moved back to New York and Trini moved to Orlando back in 2002. As such, under the best of circumstances, the opportunity to play serious games comes once every few months, instead of just about every day. My development has definitely been retarded as a result, and I often turn green with envy when I'm on the forum with you guys! I wonder where my game would be if I was up there with all you killers!
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Watching video of yourself
Professional instruction has been mentioned and from what I understand Scott Lee uses video of his students as part of the instruction. I have yet to use video to critique my pool game, but in other sports that I have been a student, I found watching video of oneself to be a invaluable learning aid. IMO critiquing video, including slow motion of yourself, by yourself or better yet with the expertise of an instructor would be the best way to diagnose and correct any flaws in your stroke mechanics. Then repeat the process as many times as necessary until you get it right.
Steve
Professional instruction has been mentioned and from what I understand Scott Lee uses video of his students as part of the instruction. I have yet to use video to critique my pool game, but in other sports that I have been a student, I found watching video of oneself to be a invaluable learning aid. IMO critiquing video, including slow motion of yourself, by yourself or better yet with the expertise of an instructor would be the best way to diagnose and correct any flaws in your stroke mechanics. Then repeat the process as many times as necessary until you get it right.
Steve