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

Jude Rosenstock said:
Take your time, make up your mind and address the cueball with authority. I think a lot of amateurs (at least, me) rush their decision process and their execution process. I'm not advocating playing slow. In fact, I think maintaining a decent pace is important. I just feel that it's important to separate the thought-process and the execution-process. Lately, I've been able to attribute a significant portion of my mistakes to simply walking up to the table and getting down on the shot before I've comfortably made-up my mind on what I want to do.
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Thank you very much for your good post. Sharing is everything!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Shoot a little softer, don't play so much off center for english, stay down after the shot (most important).

Watch pro matches to see patterns and how they get cue ball position.

practice

Kim
 
I really hate to say this, but tucking my stroke arm closer to my body straightened my stroke completely which took me to a whole new level.

The problem is that doing so has given me a curled wrist that is making a clean cue delivery very difficult for me. I suppose the irony is that both getting and losing this habit will elevate my game (just at different points).
 
Having an open mind to new ideas and techniques (stance, aiming, etc,) help elevated my game. Playing in tournament is a big one for me so if you want to get better play in more tournaments and play with better players. Nothing in books, dvd can you help you tame your mental game like playing in a tournaments or with better players. Watching the better player, you will naturally pick up information on improving your game based on their shot selection or position plays.

Take in all the information you can about the game and figure out what works for you and what doesn't.

Duc.
 
Asking for help from the Instructors forum, which lead to:

A consistent Pre-Shot Routine, staying down on my shot, and a loose grip.
 
Stan Shuffet's CTE/Pro One DVD, Lil Joe Villapando's Pool IQ Banking DVDs, the guy who sold me the DVDs with the Otto Zone Trainer (forgot his name), a fellow on YouTube who goes by the name "somethin-'ideastoo" and has been posting excellent educational videos on CTE for free, and last but not least, Joe Tucker and his 3rd Eye Trainer. Also the guy who sold me the Ultimate Aiming System downloadable video - its not bad at all for a side ferrule aiming system.

Right now, I'm fixated on and being anal about aiming, but I'm sure I'll outgrow this addiction soon nad move on to cueball position and control and other aspects of the gaime.
 
i used to turn my wrist greatly sometimes when i stroked. that sounded weird. anyways i went ahead and rotated my wrist completely (like youre about to open palm strike someone) as soon as i grabbed my cue and just got used to it. sounds weird and took a little adjusting but has helped me from mistroking for the most part.
 
First step was spending a couple of days on the table with Hal Houle. Those lessons were invaluable. It's quite possibly the last time he was able to get out and shoot pool himself before his health really got bad.

Second would be playing in tournaments against higher level players. It made me realize I am not as bad as I thought I was but that there is still a TON of room for improvement.
 
nailed down a preshot routine

and...

learned the amount of deflection/squirt i needed to compensate for with my equipment to shoot accurately with inside english.
 
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Lock N Load said:
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.
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Swing rhythm...........................
 
Composure is one thing that finally got me over the hump. Understanding that you have to play one ball and one game at a time. When you start playing high level competition, there are going to be times when you are down several games. Being able to whether the storm and not allowing your emotions to take over was important for me.
 
I have to agree with Joey. As a novice at this game which i took up a few years ago later in life I must say switching from a banger to a player with a purpose was my hardest thing. The one thing that stands out is CTE and Stan. I've never met the man but have emailed back and forth with him and have watched his CTE/Pro One dvd more times than I care to admit. Its easy to say a pre shot routine is important but believe when you have to do it as part of your shot it greatly helps. I am also like a sponge. I take in everything; watch everything and learn. I have bought countless dvd's and books. I figure if I can learn one thing from each of them I'll be much better. I went from thinking some of the local guys a year ago were gods to playing them straight up now and can take them on a good day. I of course have been practicing alot at home. I am also an avid viewer of the forcefollow channel on youtube. I also noticed that the loose grip thing has helped alot also.
 
Combs84 said:
i used to turn my wrist greatly sometimes when i stroked. that sounded weird. anyways i went ahead and rotated my wrist completely (like youre about to open palm strike someone) as soon as i grabbed my cue and just got used to it. sounds weird and took a little adjusting but has helped me from mistroking for the most part.
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This is really weird but this is exactly what I am experiencing. I stroke best when my rear hand (I'm a leftie) is fully rotated clockwise like its bending over backwards, and the knuckles are facing straight up instead of straight down. The fact that it is firmly locked gives my stroking arm some much-needed support.

I also tend to hold the cue towards the butt where the weight is concentrated, so that when I pull the trigger, the full weight of the cue goes forward, much like a battering ram, and very little push is provided by my stroking arm.
 
For all beginner to novice players, take an empty water bottle, tip it on its side, and stroke into it. A few practice strokes and a follow through. 5 minutes a day. I got this tip from Willie Mosconi as an eager 7 year old. After awhile, you'll be doing it with your eyes closed. If you're already an A or AA player, any flaw in your stroke you have already adjusted to it.

All the aiming techniques and everything else is much easier when you can trust your stroke!!
 
JoeyA said:
Can you elaborate a bit more on this? Thanks!
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No different that a pro baseball pitcher doing it the same EVERY TIME utilizing the same action and body movement. Being consistent in transitioning from your warm up swings, to pause, then next, acceleration of the cue forward after you've reached the top of your back swing, combining the muscle memory needed to figure out how to move one foot or 27 feet. By doing the same action every time (short, medium or long shots), errors within your game are more easily found, why, because once your rhythm is right you can focus on other areas needing attention. Swing rhythm will groove your game and ''table speed quickly'', and as you change from night time air, to day time air, to humidity, to crowd increase, table cloth getting dirtier, to swamp coolers kickin' in and on and on, you'll adapt to the conditions allot quicker than your opponent.

Simply put;
SPF (Randy G.)

In essence:
Why take 10 warm up swings one time, 8 the next shot, your next shot 2 because its easy, and them maybe 12 because its a hard shot.
 
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