Yee-hah! Found my stroke last night.

IA8baller

IA8baller

Family man.
Silver Member
I've been looking for my stroke for a while now, I knew I had it with me last Spring before I quit playing much for the summer. I tried to find it this Fall, thought I might have found it at one point in time but realized it wasn't the quite the right stroke after all.

I've been working really hard on fundamentals the last few weeks hoping my stroke would somehow find it's way back to me and LOW AND BEHOLD, it came back to me last night for the first time in a long time.

I think all those free videos I watched on You-Tube while the AZ forum was down (at least for me it was) helped me realize a few things, especially one I found that reminded me to loosen up a little and let all the fundamentals I've been working on just kick in naturally during actual games. I loosened up my stroke a just a little and quit being so mechanical in my stroke and just trusted myself with the fundamentals and BAM! I started running racks and getting near perfect cue ball control and position all of the sudden. It felt awesome running rack after rack all of the sudden and not having to rack a game for well over an hour, just break and run. I had to play a few really nice defensive shots in the midst of those games, but I nailed those shots too.

For those of you who were like me and struggling just a little but knew you were really close to finding that stroke but haven't quite found it yet, have faith, it'll just show up out of the blue sometime and it feels really, really awesome! :D

I think all of the hard work on my fundamentals the last few weeks has really paid off for me.

Just had to share. Maybe this will provide a little light at the end of the tunnel for a few guys who were in my same position.

Good luck everyone, and Merry Christmas!
 
I don't think I ever had a stroke, or probably ever will have a really good one, but I was on last night too (in league, barbox 8 ball). Opp. dry break - i run out. I dry break - he knocks in 3 and misses - I run out. I break and run. Then the last game I didn't break really well (8ball break) and there was a couple of big messes (of tied up balls), and quite a few safties played, but I won it as well (4-0). Every once in awhile I'll shoot like this, and the opposing team starts whining about my handicap - like I play like that all the time - pah-leeze. If I were more serious about it I'd tape a few games when I'm playing well, and a few when I'm not to compare....have you tried this??
 
trustyrusty said:
I don't think I ever had a stroke, or probably ever will have a really good one, but I was on last night too (in league, barbox 8 ball). Opp. dry break - i run out. I dry break - he knocks in 3 and misses - I run out. I break and run. Then the last game I didn't break really well (8ball break) and there was a couple of big messes (of tied up balls), and quite a few safties played, but I won it as well (4-0). Every once in awhile I'll shoot like this, and the opposing team starts whining about my handicap - like I play like that all the time - pah-leeze. If I were more serious about it I'd tape a few games when I'm playing well, and a few when I'm not to compare....have you tried this??
Click to expand...

Tbat's a good point. When it comes to figuring out how well you really do play, I think that it's essential to count your worst play AND your best. Playing good one match, or winning one game vs. a very good player is no measure of skill. Unfortunately, giving a range can sound a little crazy, like: Solid B to Semi-Pro. :D
 
pay really close attention to what you're doing.

IA8baller said:
I've been looking for my stroke for a while now, I knew I had it with me last Spring before I quit playing much for the summer. I tried to find it this Fall, thought I might have found it at one point in time but realized it wasn't the quite the right stroke after all.

I've been working really hard on fundamentals the last few weeks hoping my stroke would somehow find it's way back to me and LOW AND BEHOLD, it came back to me last night for the first time in a long time.

I think all those free videos I watched on You-Tube while the AZ forum was down (at least for me it was) helped me realize a few things, especially one I found that reminded me to loosen up a little and let all the fundamentals I've been working on just kick in naturally during actual games. I loosened up my stroke a just a little and quit being so mechanical in my stroke and just trusted myself with the fundamentals and BAM! I started running racks and getting near perfect cue ball control and position all of the sudden. It felt awesome running rack after rack all of the sudden and not having to rack a game for well over an hour, just break and run. I had to play a few really nice defensive shots in the midst of those games, but I nailed those shots too.

For those of you who were like me and struggling just a little but knew you were really close to finding that stroke but haven't quite found it yet, have faith, it'll just show up out of the blue sometime and it feels really, really awesome! :D

I think all of the hard work on my fundamentals the last few weeks has really paid off for me.

Just had to share. Maybe this will provide a little light at the end of the tunnel for a few guys who were in my same position.

Good luck everyone, and Merry Christmas!
Click to expand...

I know that you're letting it flow and just playing well, but at the same time you should be paying close attention to what you're doing when you play well. A lot of people fall into the trap of just letting themselves play when they're in stroke because they don't wnat to chance jinxing themselves and losing that stroke. I'm not saying to TRY and duplicate it because that rarely works. But PAY attention to the pre shot routine and all of the little things you are doing without changing your flow. Then when you get into a funk again, you will be able to figure what you're doing differently and possibly correct it.....

Well I'm glad you're in stroke and I hope you are able to stay there.

You have a merry christmas too,

Jaden
 
I hear what you're saying Jaden.

I'm going over to play at a buddies house tonight to see if I can keep it up 2 nights in a row. It'll definitely be a test. He's got an 8' Pro pocketed Olhausen..........no cheating the pockets on it at all. I'm just gonna try to stay loose like I was last night and we'll see what happens I guess.

Later guys.
 
Still keeping on track so far.:D

Played some 8-ball races to 5 for some $$ today with one of my friends who is known to be a top-notch player. Won the first set 5-2. Lost the 2nd set 5-4. I KNOW the 2 mistakes I made in the 2nd race that cost me the set. 1 was a pre-shot routine mistake and 1 was not standing back up and re-positioning when I 2nd guessed myself a little. At least when I do make a mistake I know immediately what it was and my mistakes are getting fewer and farther between. Getting closer and closer to getting my game to where I think it needs to be.

Keep practicing guys. I know I'm going to.
 
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