What is the one thing you did that improved your pool game a lot?

[ShootingArts]

great information!

The english isn't perfect, but as good or better than that most of us use on a pool forum.

The advice is absolutely first class and while I understood what you meant in your first post you did an excellent job of further explaining it in your second post. You are another member I will have to watch for posts from!

Hu

First of all I wanna excuse my bad english, i'm trying to improve! ;-)

What do I mean with "blocked backarm": If you get down with your upper body more and more (in extreme manner until your chin contacts the cue's butt), you will more and more disable your upper arm to be able to move. In other words: The higher the position of your upper body the more can your upper arm participate in moving the cuestick forwards into the direction of the cueball. A participation of your upper arm while stroking is a big error source in having an unequal and inconsistent stroke. Especially at high power strokes people tend to use the upper arm more and more, best example is the break where most of players automatically "stand up" and use their upper arm to have more powerful acceleration. The more you learn to do high power strokes without using your upper arm the less you will misplay. Anatomy of the body makes this automatically.

The "harmonic front swing" (oh what a bad english!!!), what do I mean by this: While aiming most players move the cuestick several times back and forewards without hitting the cueball. Right before the stroke you should first of all slow down your movement backwards. And also very important is not to accelerate the cuestick abruptly after passing the reversal point. It is much better to accelerate softly in the first few inches of the cuestick's movement into the direction of the cueball. This also helps to have a consistent and reliable stroke to be able to hit the cueball exactly where you want to!

I hope it is now better to understand!

 

[scdiveteam]

Hi,

More than one here but is reveals one concept that was the credo revealed to me by Wendel Weir, a great player.

Less side spin. More vertical center ball hit.

Shorter stroke.

Less Rail contact.

13 mm tip with modern pro taper that pulls flesh in the closed bridge.

Rick G

 

[Lock N Load]

The english isn't perfect, but as good or better than that most of us use on a pool forum.

The advice is absolutely first class and while I understood what you meant in your first post you did an excellent job of further explaining it in your second post. You are another member I will have to watch for posts from!

Hu

Hey Hu,
You giving English lessons now? I was aware of your pool lessons, now I am aware of your English lessons! You are a multiple purpose guy! He, He, He! How are you making out, Hu?
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[Otterman]

This thread should be published! Great advice from many!

I am talking about something that you found out about and tried it yourself and it worked real good! It does not matter what it was as long as it worked for your game improvement. Kicks, Banks, stance, aim, stroke, shooting slower, playing safeties, English, bridge position, more time on the table, and anything else that helped! Thanks.
Many Regards,
Lock n Load.

One word: VIDEO, both watching pro matches and filming yourself to analyze your weaknesses. Work left me with very little time for pool for more than a decade, and when I began playing again, I was actually playing stronger than when I was "in stroke". What made the difference was that while I didn't have time to play, I watched quite a few Accu-Stats matches with Grady (RIP), Buddy Hall, Billy I. and others doing commentary. I absorbed so much knowledge on how (and why) to play certain position shots, plus get insight into how professionals approach the game. I just understand the game way better now, and I was a run-out player before.

Watching myself on video has helped greatly more recently. The first few times I watched myself, I couldn't believe how much my body was moving when I shot. I really thought I was staying still. The other big thing the video has helped with is curing those periodic "snags" you get in your game. Now if maybe my break isn't working, I know the 2 or 3 things that usually cause me trouble and can fix my problem almost immediately.

Great thread here! Tons of great advice for even the strongest of players. :thumbup:

 

[Lock N Load]

Thank you!

One word: VIDEO, both watching pro matches and filming yourself to analyze your weaknesses. Work left me with very little time for pool for more than a decade, and when I began playing again, I was actually playing stronger than when I was "in stroke". What made the difference was that while I didn't have time to play, I watched quite a few Accu-Stats matches with Grady (RIP), Buddy Hall, Billy I. and others doing commentary. I absorbed so much knowledge on how (and why) to play certain position shots, plus get insight into how professionals approach the game. I just understand the game way better now, and I was a run-out player before.

Watching myself on video has helped greatly more recently. The first few times I watched myself, I couldn't believe how much my body was moving when I shot. I really thought I was staying still. The other big thing the video has helped with is curing those periodic "snags" you get in your game. Now if maybe my break isn't working, I know the 2 or 3 things that usually cause me trouble and can fix my problem almost immediately.

Great thread here! Tons of great advice for even the strongest of players. :thumbup:

Hello Otterman,
I appreciate your input and your kind words about my thread. Compliment is the correct word. I thank you very much. Nice post by you put into my thread. Thanks again.
Many Regards,
Lock n Load.

 

[ShootingArts]

English lessons?

Hey Hu,
You giving English lessons now? I was aware of your pool lessons, now I am aware of your English lessons! You are a multiple purpose guy! He, He, He! How are you making out, Hu?
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.

Lock,

When you meet me and hear me speak you will realize how funny the idea of me giving english lessons is! I'm going meet a man from England for supper in a couple hours. If he hadn't been in the country twenty years or so we would need an interpreter!

I'm just trying to tell Michael his english is just fine like it is and trying to coax him into posting more. His stroke advice is purest gold! Fifty posts from him in over a year aren't nearly enough.

Hu

 

[riedmich]

Hi Hu, thanks for your friendly compliment, I really do appreciate this very much! Seems to me that you are a wholehearted guy!

I must say that it's a pleasure to share information in this forum. Many members that have substantiated knowledge. Also very important to me is that mostly people here talk to each other in a respectful way, and it also seems to me that there are many good guys who do not demand the absolute truth that no one can have.

I'll try to give my best! Thanks

 

[Lock N Load]

Lock,

When you meet me and hear me speak you will realize how funny the idea of me giving english lessons is! I'm going meet a man from England for supper in a couple hours. If he hadn't been in the country twenty years or so we would need an interpreter!

I'm just trying to tell Michael his english is just fine like it is and trying to coax him into posting more. His stroke advice is purest gold! Fifty posts from him in over a year aren't nearly enough.

Hu

Hey Hu,
I owe you big time, and I am getting back at you! He, he, he. Just messing with you. You need to get your post up some too! Thanks. Buddy Hall's wife went to the hospital last night. I will let you know how she is doing when I talk to him later.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[GoldCrown]

What is the one thing you did that improved your pool game a lot? ..... That would have to be taking the SPF course with Scott Lee.

 

[CrownCityCorey]

I am talking about something that you found out about and tried it yourself and it worked real good! It does not matter what it was as long as it worked for your game improvement. Kicks, Banks, stance, aim, stroke, shooting slower, playing safeties, English, bridge position, more time on the table, and anything else that helped! Thanks.
Many Regards,
Lock n Load.

Getting a coach/instructor...

 

[dkleather]

Concentrated on staying still. If you stay still you hugely increase your chances of hitting the white where you address it which is incredibly important.

Also the thought is "stay still". It is not "don't move", because that is a negative thought.

"Stay still" is a positive thought.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Hard to choose one thing - different things were most important at different times.

A pro once told me that seeing a sports psychologist helped him to another level.

pj
chgo

 

[Lock N Load]

Getting a coach/instructor...

Hello Crown,
Good input! Thanks.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[sflguy]

Scott Lee

Getting lessons from Scott Lee.

 

[Lock N Load]

Getting lessons from Scott Lee.

Very good idea! And getting lessons from Scott are a super plus!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[Allen Brown]

Here recently I have cut out all of the movement that wasn't necessary. I would raise up a lot on draw shots and would also tuck the cue into my side. I also loosened my grip on the cue and I' m not choking it to death any more. This has helped in shaping very well. I also noticed a major improvement on my cut shots.

 

[JoeyA]

First of all I wanna excuse my bad english, i'm trying to improve! ;-)

What do I mean with "blocked backarm": If you get down with your upper body more and more (in extreme manner until your chin contacts the cue's butt), you will more and more disable your upper arm to be able to move. In other words: The higher the position of your upper body the more can your upper arm participate in moving the cuestick forwards into the direction of the cueball. A participation of your upper arm while stroking is a big error source in having an unequal and inconsistent stroke. Especially at high power strokes people tend to use the upper arm more and more, best example is the break where most of players automatically "stand up" and use their upper arm to have more powerful acceleration. The more you learn to do high power strokes without using your upper arm the less you will misplay. Anatomy of the body makes this automatically.

The "harmonic front swing" (oh what a bad english!!!), what do I mean by this: While aiming most players move the cuestick several times back and forewards without hitting the cueball. Right before the stroke you should first of all slow down your movement backwards. And also very important is not to accelerate the cuestick abruptly after passing the reversal point. It is much better to accelerate softly in the first few inches of the cuestick's movement into the direction of the cueball. This also helps to have a consistent and reliable stroke to be able to hit the cueball exactly where you want to!

I hope it is now better to understand!

I love when you Second Language People complain about speaking/writing English poorly. It is a good substitution for my self-flagellation that I bestow on myself for not learning a second language. :smile: You write QUITE WELL and I like what you write. You apparently also know how to swing a cue.

 

[BasementDweller]

The thing that helped me improve the most was a change in mindset. I stopped worrying about the balls so much since I really had no control over them, instead I started focusing on what my body was doing. I've found that if I control my body the balls take care of themselves.

This may sound strange to some but I think a lot of people spend way too much time worrying about the balls.

 

[Lock N Load]

I love when you Second Language People complain about speaking/writing English poorly. It is a good substitution for my self-flagellation that I bestow on myself for not learning a second language. :smile: You write QUITE WELL and I like what you write. You apparently also know how to swing a cue.

Hey JoeyA,
Did you get all of that post? He sure said a lot!!!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[cajunfats]

Always Continue Learning

Since starting to play pool at a young age,I have always kept an eager mind to learning more to develop my game. One day after Jr. High Football practice,I ventured across the street to the town's recreation center. An elderly Gent,"Peg Leg" Taylor,a disabled veteran who ran the place,took me into the billiard room and showed me the two 9ft. Sport Kings they had.

It seemed as though I was there every few days and almost every weekend. One day,he came up to me and said,"Carl, I can see you have taken learning pool seriously. I want to encourage you to always remember,no matter what you think you know about pool,somebody always knows a little bit more. Learn from them. Even when you aren't at the table,observe the games,even if the players aren't very good,and you will learn things.".

At that point,he reached into his coat and handed me a small book. Winning Pocket Billiards. I carried that book to school with me everyday for two years. He introduced me to straight pool and a game they called Rotation Pool. He was very good at both.

From that time onward to today, I consider myself a student. I am fortunate to have crossed paths with many a great player along the way. I have learned much. I am thankful for it.