When nothing feels right...

[mikepage]

We've talked a lot about being in stroke--those days when when the pre-shot routine seems the most natural thing in the world, when aiming, getting low on the ball, following through seem as part of one fluid step, when we know the ball is going in the hole.

I'm talking here about those other days--the worst of them. I'm talking about the days when you screw your stick together, get down to let your stroke out a bit and you fire three in a row into the rail. You shrug it off and try a few more. Still not right. You try to just hit some balls in for a while, to let the kinks out. Still not right. You fight feeling discouraged. You decide to go back to the fundamentals. You check your stance, your allignment. You consciously go through each step in your routine, making sure to be as fluid as possible, to keep your body and head still as an oak. You hit some more balls, trying you be fluid. The motions feel jerky and forced.

Your cellphone rings. The guy you're planning to meet to play some high-end-of-cheap sets is showing up in about an hour.

What do you do?

If you decide to stay and play the guy, what do you do to get your mind, body, and spirit in the right place?

What has been your experience on these days? Is it ever the case that just playing for an hour snaps you out of it?

Does washing your face in the bathroom and/or going for a walk help?

 

[gulfportdoc]

If you can't get in stroke...

If you've practiced for an hour, and still can't get in stroke, I'd cancel the money match. Some days a guy just doesn't have it. I think sometimes it's a mental mood, but more often it's the alignment of the eyes to the cue and OB. Anyway, "feel" is so important. It's the same as in golf. Sometimes a player doesn't know where the club is from the time he starts the backswing.

It seems like when I was younger, I could play through those episodes, and have that feel come around. As I get older, however, sometimes I can stay out of stroke for an entire match. On those days it's better not to play. It's better to walk away and save oneself from being angry and frustrated.

Doc

 

[wjpjr]

The one I hate is when a friend shows up and won't shut up !! Nothing like someone you know constantly talking while your trying to get in stroke.

 

[JoeyA]

I'm talking here about those other days--the worst of them.
What do you do?

If you decide to stay and play the guy, what do you do to get your mind, body, and spirit in the right place?

What has been your experience on these days? Is it ever the case that just playing for an hour snaps you out of it? [COLOR="[B]Red[/B]"]YES[/COLOR]

Does washing your face in the bathroom and/or going for a walk help?Only if I have been playing a long time

Watch out Mike. You might get some philosophical advice rather than an equation. Just messing with you man.

When this happens to me I do a few things.
1. The first thing is I think about my rest for the past few nights and if it was the norm for me. Rest seems to be the most important thing for me to play well and just one bad nights rest out of three puts me out of my high level of play. If my sleep patterns have been consistently good I go on to the next item. If they have not been CG then I think about playing the knave that caught me out of stroke. Can I still get there? If the answer is maybe, I stay and go on to number 2.
2. I set up a simple shot that I am missing and I force myself to make it moving my body alignment until I can't miss it. Over and over until I know that shot is mine. Then I start shooting any ball that is an easy shot paying attention to being smooth in everything.
3. When you have an hour you can do a lot. I then take straight in shots where the object ball is straight in 1/2" off the side rail and fire it in the half (corner) pocket I am looking at. I keep doing this and try to get in some SMOOOTH stroking while pocketing the object ball until I can do it consistently.
4. Then I try drawing the cue ball while still practicing #3.
5. The most important thing is to get yourself thinking about the table you see in front of you and pushing all of that other "clatter" away so that the only thing you think of is what is inside of that rectangular space you have challenged yourself with. That has been my hardest challenge as my mind wanders easily when I don't have my best rest.

And when you are doing all of the things you think you need to do to get in stroke, you should avoid conversations with others because if you are interacting with others it will be more difficult to get where you want to go.

How is your son doing these days?
JoeyA

 

[VIProfessor]

Great post, Joey! I agree 100% that sleep is one of the biggest variables that can affect your play. When I am suffering from lack of sleep my game slips to a good two balls below my normal level.

I remember one time on a road trip when my partner and I hit the pool hall on a Tuesday afternoon and didn't leave 'til Friday morning! By Thursday night, lowly C players were rushing up to play me because EVERYONE in that room knew all the angles and all the moves. I refused to play Thursday night because I knew I was too tired to make a ball, but my boy was in action, so I couldn't leave. I spent the wee hours of Friday morning under the snooker table!

Anyway, sometimes the best thing you can do is go home, get a good night's sleep and come back fresh the next day. It'll save you a lot of frustation (and a lot of cash!).

 

[Flex]

When that happens, I'll set up some straight in shots, and shoot them with a power draw over and over until I'm in stroke. Usually within 15 shots at most.

Then I'll start simple cut shots with a very soft stroke. Train my eyes and stroke and get my feel down.

Then some power force follows, then some inside english force follows, then some power draw cut shots.

After this I'm feeling pretty good.

If however it happens to you in the middle of a match, every time you can take a full stroke on a ball that you are sure you won't miss, do it, and check and see if your aim is dead on. That will help recalibrate your aim and stroke.

Believe me, this last idea works.

Flex