Great advise! I taught myself how to play tennis and became an WTA 6.0 player just watching the pros on TV and imaging I was John Mcinroe...that and hours practicing. Visualization is a key. In league play I even show up in black from the waist down with some loud shirt. If others want to show up in cut-offs and flipflops, cool. And this may sound odd as well, but get a decent cue. Maybe not when you're just starting, but if you get to an APA 4 and want to advance further...put some skin in the game. Get a good stick you also really like the look of. Nothing beats a lack of confidence better than many more hours practicing than competing. Know your game and capabilities and play inside them. Don't just practice playing 9-ball with yourself. Work on the shots you keep missing, not the ones that make you feel good. Mine was the cue an object ball parallel to the long rail and off it by a couple of inches. I could not see that angle and hated it when that shot came up. I practiced hundreds of times at different distances from the rail and between the balls until I owned just that one shot that gave me fits. In competition, if you don't know you don't have a 80% chance of making the shot, play safe...so...learn the defensive game as well. Knowing you can force a ball-in-hand is better than missing the shot or getting poor cue ball position. "I cut the paint off the ball and made the side pocket on that one and snookered myself at the same time." Learn to love the subtilties of playing good safes. It's a great part of the game. Do it or learn to loose a lot. One other point: When you miss a shot, just walk away, sit down and wipe off your cue shaft. You'll make the next one. NEVER show your opponent OR YOURSELF emotion. It's a ZEN thing. By making faces after a miss you're trying to tell your opponent that you're better than you may be and usually make that shot. Guess what...they don't care; but they will notice you're getting rattled and in fact it will only make you rattled. When you stay calm you're telling your opponent that it's no big deal because you'll just run out if they make the slightest mistake anyway. If you're a Fargo 450 and the pools gods matched with a 675, PLAY TO WIN not just make the spread. If you even come close it will boost your confidence next time playing a mere 525..
Great video. I just noticed this is a different room Instructor Anthony Beeler adds to this a bit and I like it. He considers the chalk a “thinking cube”. You’re only allowed to think about the shot or make any decisions when the chalk is in your hand. When you put the chalk away (on the table, in your pocket, on your holder), no thinking is allowed. No decisions can be made. Without the chalk in your hand, you must go into robot mode and execute the plan.
This is the same room as all of the other videos I make. Nice tip with holding the chalk. I made a video a while back where I said “if you’re chalking, you’re thinking”
I read this book ten years ago. My worst enemy on the tables is myself. I get severe anxiety. And I'm always in a slump early on. I'm okay if I'm gambling or playing along match but in a league I'm horrible because it's over before it started.
Excellent! I coached college volleyball for many years and when I asked the team how much of our sport was mental vs physical (technique, mechanics) they always came up with 80% mental and 20% physical. It makes sense that the same would be true for pool.
That’s great advice.. I struggle with consistency… but one thing that I noticed watching Efren play is his exact same pre-shot stroking routine. Thanks for bringing this to light… I will make a conscious effort to implement this in my practice! Subscribed!
Step one shorten up your bridge also try not to make a full bridge on the rail use the rail as a bridge step to try not to use any kind of English on the shot last step slightly angle your cue down so that your tip touches the rail. You will make more shots
Thank you for this post....I use my cue tip for aiming and when I miss a shot, I'm my own worst critic. Sounds silly doesn't it. But like you said, If I miss I shot, I'll make the next one...and if I make a shot, go on to the next, but I'm going to add constant positive thinking and feeling, no matter what the outcome. Again thanks for this video.
For me i struggle with mental game the most when it comes to pool at times. But i have had some help with my mental game from other pros as i have solid fundamentals. But the tips they gave me has paid off loads.
@Mantequilla yeah sure. You wouldn't believe it's not a lot too it surprised me as well. Just treat every missed shot as it has happened now and don't bother reanalaysing the shot after the miss as it will make you do it on every shot you take in the future. Also listing to alpha wave music when you wake up before a tournament and listening to alpha wave music when warming up helps you get relaxed as well. Be surprised how well it works in combination. It's helped improve my focus for longer periods of time also helps remove all negative thoughts.
I rarely practice anymore. I can play once a month and still play at 97% of my Fargo. What I did was start a meditation practice. That increased my consistency tenfold.
@@Peeledlemon. look up “do nothing meditation”. That’s a very simplistic view of it but it’s basically the same thing. I’m more into Zen but that’s a good starting point. You basically want to starve out your ego. You watch your thoughts as they come and go like clouds in the sky. After weeks to months of practice your ego is less likely to give those thoughts any energy. While playing pool this will help with getting frustrated or losing confidence. Playing becomes a meditation in itself where you’re able to ignore everything else going on, including your own ego, with ease, and just play your game to its fullest potential.
@@charlesharsha5973 he does his warm up strokes and then he always does one or two strokes with no pause and shoots. It’s kinda like the wiggle of the golf club to stay loose.
I was taught, don't think about winning or losing, just focus on the you are on now, complete it , forget about it, then move on to next shot. repeat this every rack and results will take care themselves.
I cannot thank you enough for all your useful information although I have tried the finger thing I just can't do it I think it's because I have implemented something that your professional showed me that has to do with your elbow and it will not let me release my finger in the same way you are because my thumb pretty much never touches but my queuing action is very straight I checked this yesterday because I made a video I would send it to you but I don't know how LoL
@@DrawShotTV I don’t feel pressure or nervous. It is also happened when am playing alone. And my hands shake only when I play billiard. But any other stuff that I do, It didn’t shake like am writing. I consult Dr. already but they don’t have findings or advice.
So disregard the cueball for a minute… If you went up to the object ball and shot it in to the pocket, the point where you tip hits the ball is the contact point.
as Cleary said, and this is quoting a world champion pro that I took lessons from: once down, "check your alignment" but if its off, stand up and reset.
My trouble is to have a smooth stroke Everytime. I know I'm far much better than I play when I play competitive games. It's like I don't really know how to have a consistent stroke, sometimes I feel it, sometimes it's like it's gone. I struggle to try to bring it back and feel it but I can't on some days. What should I do?
That’s just called learning. Everyone has that. Slowing down, staying down and following through while down is a good start. And be sure to do it every single time. Don’t have ass any shot.
Like he said - it’s different for each person. Find your vision center first, and then find where your back foot should go. I’m right handed, shoot left handed, and my vision center is close to my nose and just a bit to the right. My foot placement is different than someone else who might be actual left handed, shoot left handed and has vision center over left eye. Look for Anthony Beeler’s “suffer from lane diffusion” video for details on this. It helped me GREATLY. th-cam.com/video/rXyTvljW7cw/w-d-xo.html
I'd like to add my ADHD notes to your preshot routine, because the whole "start over if you do a third stroke" thing needs some nuance for me. If you find yourself deviating from your preshot routine, he's right, you need to start over, eventually. But you need to scratch the itch first. If you're down on the shot and you find yourself adjusting, make those adjustments. Figure out what looks weird, move your cue around, all that stuff that we aren't supposed to do. Then when you are settled, freeze, get back up, then start your pre shot routine and get back into your adjusted position. Reason being, when you made those adjustments, you messed up your alignment, so when you get back into the shot, you will have accounted for your adjustments but your aligment will be correct. Now that you're back down on the shot correctly, if the ball doesn't look like it's gonna go in, then your adjustments were not valid, go back to aiming. Obviously the end goal is the same as the video, and when you're competing, you won't necessarily have time to do all this, but as you do it in practise, you'll find that all you really needed to do was scratch the itch and you were probably right the first time you got down on the shot, and your need to scratch the itch will go away with time. But if you don't get to that point the slow way, you will find your mind wanders when you're down on the shot.
You cannot determine the shot line without deciding on speed and spin beforehand. And you cannot get down on that line without knowing your vision center. Practicing with a camera or an observer is the only way to know if you are aligned.
Great advise! I taught myself how to play tennis and became an WTA 6.0 player just watching the pros on TV and imaging I was John Mcinroe...that and hours practicing. Visualization is a key. In league play I even show up in black from the waist down with some loud shirt. If others want to show up in cut-offs and flipflops, cool. And this may sound odd as well, but get a decent cue. Maybe not when you're just starting, but if you get to an APA 4 and want to advance further...put some skin in the game. Get a good stick you also really like the look of.
Nothing beats a lack of confidence better than many more hours practicing than competing. Know your game and capabilities and play inside them. Don't just practice playing 9-ball with yourself. Work on the shots you keep missing, not the ones that make you feel good. Mine was the cue an object ball parallel to the long rail and off it by a couple of inches. I could not see that angle and hated it when that shot came up. I practiced hundreds of times at different distances from the rail and between the balls until I owned just that one shot that gave me fits.
In competition, if you don't know you don't have a 80% chance of making the shot, play safe...so...learn the defensive game as well. Knowing you can force a ball-in-hand is better than missing the shot or getting poor cue ball position. "I cut the paint off the ball and made the side pocket on that one and snookered myself at the same time." Learn to love the subtilties of playing good safes. It's a great part of the game. Do it or learn to loose a lot.
One other point: When you miss a shot, just walk away, sit down and wipe off your cue shaft. You'll make the next one. NEVER show your opponent OR YOURSELF emotion. It's a ZEN thing. By making faces after a miss you're trying to tell your opponent that you're better than you may be and usually make that shot. Guess what...they don't care; but they will notice you're getting rattled and in fact it will only make you rattled. When you stay calm you're telling your opponent that it's no big deal because you'll just run out if they make the slightest mistake anyway.
If you're a Fargo 450 and the pools gods matched with a 675, PLAY TO WIN not just make the spread. If you even come close it will boost your confidence next time playing a mere 525..
Great video. I just noticed this is a different room
Instructor Anthony Beeler adds to this a bit and I like it. He considers the chalk a “thinking cube”. You’re only allowed to think about the shot or make any decisions when the chalk is in your hand.
When you put the chalk away (on the table, in your pocket, on your holder), no thinking is allowed. No decisions can be made. Without the chalk in your hand, you must go into robot mode and execute the plan.
This is the same room as all of the other videos I make.
Nice tip with holding the chalk. I made a video a while back where I said “if you’re chalking, you’re thinking”
I read this book ten years ago. My worst enemy on the tables is myself. I get severe anxiety. And I'm always in a slump early on. I'm okay if I'm gambling or playing along match but in a league I'm horrible because it's over before it started.
Excellent! I coached college volleyball for many years and when I asked the team how much of our sport was mental vs physical (technique, mechanics) they always came up with 80% mental and 20% physical. It makes sense that the same would be true for pool.
That’s great advice.. I struggle with consistency… but one thing that I noticed watching Efren play is his exact same pre-shot stroking routine. Thanks for bringing this to light… I will make a conscious effort to implement this in my practice! Subscribed!
Please share tips when shooting when cue ball is frozen to the rail. I missed so much from there
Step one shorten up your bridge also try not to make a full bridge on the rail use the rail as a bridge step to try not to use any kind of English on the shot last step slightly angle your cue down so that your tip touches the rail. You will make more shots
This is one of the best videos I have watched about consistency. You are right on point about watching Pros and trying to model them. Great advice
Your tip is right on target. Thanks
Thank you for this post....I use my cue tip for aiming and when I miss a shot, I'm my own worst critic. Sounds silly doesn't it. But like you said, If I miss I shot, I'll make the next one...and if I make a shot, go on to the next, but I'm going to add constant positive thinking and feeling, no matter what the outcome. Again thanks for this video.
This is so beautiful and helpful. Thank you!
For me i struggle with mental game the most when it comes to pool at times. But i have had some help with my mental game from other pros as i have solid fundamentals. But the tips they gave me has paid off loads.
Can you share some of the tips
@Mantequilla yeah sure. You wouldn't believe it's not a lot too it surprised me as well. Just treat every missed shot as it has happened now and don't bother reanalaysing the shot after the miss as it will make you do it on every shot you take in the future.
Also listing to alpha wave music when you wake up before a tournament and listening to alpha wave music when warming up helps you get relaxed as well. Be surprised how well it works in combination. It's helped improve my focus for longer periods of time also helps remove all negative thoughts.
great info...looking the part...
This is so true. great video
I rarely practice anymore. I can play once a month and still play at 97% of my Fargo. What I did was start a meditation practice. That increased my consistency tenfold.
Which meditation do use?
@@Peeledlemon. look up “do nothing meditation”.
That’s a very simplistic view of it but it’s basically the same thing. I’m more into Zen but that’s a good starting point.
You basically want to starve out your ego. You watch your thoughts as they come and go like clouds in the sky. After weeks to months of practice your ego is less likely to give those thoughts any energy. While playing pool this will help with getting frustrated or losing confidence. Playing becomes a meditation in itself where you’re able to ignore everything else going on, including your own ego, with ease, and just play your game to its fullest potential.
@@KK-sg5glthis is great advice
Excellent tips, thank you!
Great video my man I’ve been doing Efrens extra stroke and wow it’s helping me so much I see why he under shoots a lot now.
What u mean Efrens extra stroke
@@charlesharsha5973 he does his warm up strokes and then he always does one or two strokes with no pause and shoots. It’s kinda like the wiggle of the golf club to stay loose.
I was taught, don't think about winning or losing, just focus on the you are on now, complete it , forget about it, then move on to next shot. repeat this every rack and results will take care themselves.
Shot you are on now
Great advice 😊
I cannot thank you enough for all your useful information although I have tried the finger thing I just can't do it I think it's because I have implemented something that your professional showed me that has to do with your elbow and it will not let me release my finger in the same way you are because my thumb pretty much never touches but my queuing action is very straight I checked this yesterday because I made a video I would send it to you but I don't know how LoL
another amazing video ! not a lot of player will understand that....but i hope enought ! thank u very much !
Hi! Do you have any tips for hands and arm tremors when playing pool?
I wish I did. Is it from pressure or something that always happens?
@@DrawShotTV I don’t feel pressure or nervous. It is also happened when am playing alone. And my hands shake only when I play billiard. But any other stuff that I do, It didn’t shake like am writing. I consult Dr. already but they don’t have findings or advice.
how do i fund the contact point? on the object ball.
So disregard the cueball for a minute… If you went up to the object ball and shot it in to the pocket, the point where you tip hits the ball is the contact point.
can't be overstated.
love your content brother
what cue you using in this one? avid butt w a cynergy 12.5?
QQ: After you are down on the shot, do you not verify the line of aim? Do people adjust a tiny bit after getting down on the shot?
When I’m down, I verify but I don’t adjust. If it’s not right, I start over.
as Cleary said, and this is quoting a world champion pro that I took lessons from: once down, "check your alignment" but if its off, stand up and reset.
Thank you
My trouble is to have a smooth stroke Everytime. I know I'm far much better than I play when I play competitive games. It's like I don't really know how to have a consistent stroke, sometimes I feel it, sometimes it's like it's gone. I struggle to try to bring it back and feel it but I can't on some days. What should I do?
That’s just called learning. Everyone has that. Slowing down, staying down and following through while down is a good start. And be sure to do it every single time. Don’t have ass any shot.
Great video when you step into the shots where is your left foot going?
That’s based on your body and vision. So everyone is different. I tend to keep my feel almost square. My left foot just barely in front of my right.
Like he said - it’s different for each person. Find your vision center first, and then find where your back foot should go. I’m right handed, shoot left handed, and my vision center is close to my nose and just a bit to the right. My foot placement is different than someone else who might be actual left handed, shoot left handed and has vision center over left eye. Look for Anthony Beeler’s “suffer from lane diffusion” video for details on this. It helped me GREATLY.
th-cam.com/video/rXyTvljW7cw/w-d-xo.html
Very good
what do you mean about stepping into the line? Could you explain that a bit please?
I can make a video :)
@@DrawShotTV That would be wonderful!!
I'd like to add my ADHD notes to your preshot routine, because the whole "start over if you do a third stroke" thing needs some nuance for me. If you find yourself deviating from your preshot routine, he's right, you need to start over, eventually. But you need to scratch the itch first. If you're down on the shot and you find yourself adjusting, make those adjustments. Figure out what looks weird, move your cue around, all that stuff that we aren't supposed to do. Then when you are settled, freeze, get back up, then start your pre shot routine and get back into your adjusted position. Reason being, when you made those adjustments, you messed up your alignment, so when you get back into the shot, you will have accounted for your adjustments but your aligment will be correct. Now that you're back down on the shot correctly, if the ball doesn't look like it's gonna go in, then your adjustments were not valid, go back to aiming.
Obviously the end goal is the same as the video, and when you're competing, you won't necessarily have time to do all this, but as you do it in practise, you'll find that all you really needed to do was scratch the itch and you were probably right the first time you got down on the shot, and your need to scratch the itch will go away with time. But if you don't get to that point the slow way, you will find your mind wanders when you're down on the shot.
" Grip hand over the line " Thanks for the tip .
Trying hard to be consistant .
show us a cross corner bank....
Played competitive tennis also. Give it 85% mental.
You cannot determine the shot line without deciding on speed and spin beforehand. And you cannot get down on that line without knowing your vision center. Practicing with a camera or an observer is the only way to know if you are aligned.
So this video is pretty munch what Dominick is doing wrong, I get the feeling this is directed specifically towards Dunnski 😉
Shhhhhhhh
Don’t tell him!!!!
Lol
💪🏼
Uno
Act like you've been there before.