Semi Slumping?

Got a question guys. For the last month I've playing the best I've ever played. Seeing the shots, laying traps the balls looked like a Wilson volleyball. But took a week off due to work and now everything is awkward. Even twisted my knee earlier in the bad week cause my stance must have been bad. Now today I played well under all adversity i.e. Weird scratches, dead balls to the other guys hole repeatedly, you know the nightmare.
My question is , How do you get that stroke back? Is it just a Dead Punch phase or do you just need to play more? ~T

ROTATION....nuff said!

Hardmix

I like to shoot simple shots for a few minutes until I'm hitting the CB solid and making every shot.. Helps with the concentration and builds confidence quickly..
Give it a whirl...

Jeff sparks said:

I like to shoot simple shots for a few minutes until I'm hitting the CB solid and making every shot.. Helps with the concentration and builds confidence quickly..
Give it a whirl...

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I agree with Jeff. Throw the balls out on the table when you first get there and just shoot nice easy shots around the table and take ball in hand whenever you want until you've seen and heard the balls hit the bottom of the pocket enough to lock in. Something special goes on in the brain when you see and hear balls drop, there's nothing like it. Obviously the opposite would be that rattling sound balls make that rattle and sit in the pocket. I refer to that as the "alarm clock" because it could be the alarm clock sound for any pool player and they'd never be late for anything again in their life. Wake you right up every time.

Hardmix said:

ROTATION....nuff said!

Hardmix

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I don't know if you are referring to 15 ball rotation or not, but I have been playing in a local American Rotation "league" (it's individual competitors, not teams). It's the old traditional full rack rotation game as modified by Joe Tucker, and has it's national tournament now at the start of DCC, with players qualifying via the local sessions.

I really like that game as a stroke, mechanics, and general shoot-making and position playing exercise. To me, I see it as having three phases -- the first being with all or most of the balls on the table, so you need precise position to run anything. The middle is kind of the strategic crossroads of the game, because whoever gets a good shot to control the table at that point, because the balls are now more opened up, has a good chance to run out. Then the end is of course the final run out where it is more like the wrap up of 9 or 10 ball, where ball pocketing and controlling your position angles is what counts.

The official AmRo site is here:
http://americanbilliardclub.com/

one pocket guy said:

How do you get that stroke back? Is it just a Dead Punch phase or do you just need to play more? ~T

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The simple answer is it's mental, not physical, and I think in your case it might have been a result of thinking too much about mechanics when you came back after a week off.

I have a very bad habit of thinking too much about mechanics when I compete. This can only hurt your ability to perform. (I think you even need a part of your practice time dedicated to shooting-without-thinking.)

When you get on a roll it's easy to let it happen instead of trying to make it happen.The trick is getting on the roll. I think you don't need to get it "back" but you always have it and only what you're thinking about can screw it up.

My excuse is that I only play in tournaments, which means I only play once a month at most. I often get on a roll at home on my table, but tournaments provide too many distractions for me to handle. I haven't given up, but I really struggle with quieting my mind in a tournament setting.

:frus :frus :frus

I think in order to maintain good potting skills you need to free up your stroke by playing any rotation game, mostly I play 9 or 10 ball.

If I feel that I am having a fundamentals issue I will run Sappo's drill. Line all 15 balls across the table at the side pocket. Take CB in hand and line up each shot straight in 3 diamonds back and try to run 45 straight. On a tight table this drill will exercise any set up or stroke demons that you have.


Hardmix

Thinking too much...

Thinking too much...

John I think your right. When I started my session yesterday I told them I didn't want to play because my brain was fried. But after a couple of games I quit thinking about everything and just played. My session still didn't go right i.e. The balls wouldn't cooperate, but I felt better than the 2 other outings.~T

Semi Slumping?

Hardmix said:

I think in order to maintain good potting skills you need to free up your stroke by playing any rotation game, mostly I play 9 or 10 ball.



If I feel that I am having a fundamentals issue I will run Sappo's drill. Line all 15 balls across the table at the side pocket. Take CB in hand and line up each shot straight in 3 diamonds back and try to run 45 straight. On a tight table this drill will exercise any set up or stroke demons that you have.





Hardmix

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Especially if you have a pocket reducer!

Semi Slumping?

There was a golf pro that I used to play with who was very very mechanical. He was checking his positions every practice swing. It was hard to watch. One day he get up early to play a round after a horrible sleepless night. He was dragging. He played lights out! He was too tired to think about all those mechanical thought and just didn't really care lol.

youngstownkid said:

There was a golf pro that I used to play with who was very very mechanical. He was checking his positions every practice swing. It was hard to watch. One day he get up early to play a round after a horrible sleepless night. He was dragging. He played lights out! He was too tired to think about all those mechanical thought and just didn't really care lol.

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I've experienced that and seen it in others who were feeling badly, hungover, etc.

I think it's fine to be very deliberate/thoughful/technical on the setup, but not during the stroke in either game.