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In the infant stages of my pool game, I was constantly
reminded of the importance of practice and repetition. I was building
muscle memory and honing my skills. If I went for more than one
day without practicing, I could feel my game suffer. It seemed like
I was taking an immediate step back and in some cases would even
need to relearn things.
Of course, I never minded playing and practicing
so much in the beginning because I was obsessed. I put in the hours
because I was falling in love with the game. The breaks were seldom,
by design.
These days, as I’ve improved and my skills
and knowledge advanced, I find myself practicing for longer sessions
but with less frequency. Let’s face it, there comes a point
where your priorities shift and “life” keeps you from
putting in the hours that you were once accustomed to.
Over the past year, whenever I’ve taken
a break, I’ve returned to the table renewed. I’ve found
myself pocketing balls just as well or better than I was prior to
the time off.
Does this mean it’s not necessary to practice
on a regular basis anymore? What’s the point of practicing
if I’m playing just as well without it? The two main factors
that infrequent practice affects are confidence and consistency.
Playing well after a long break can be deceiving
for a couple reasons:
1. When you’re playing well without practicing,
you fool yourself into thinking you don’t need to practice.
You may be able to get away with it once or twice but over time,
that lack of practice will accumulate and take its toll on your
overall ability to execute. With waivered confidence, tentative
shots and decisions will lead to repeated mistakes and vice versa.
2. Playing well without practicing gives you a
false sense of security. You might start hitting the balls well
and feeling like you’re ready for competition. It’s
only then when your abilities are put to the test that you realize
you’re pocketing balls on autopilot. Once you get to the money
ball or key ball, that’s when the inconsistency surfaces.
Routine run outs become more work than they should be.
Confidence is so critical in the game of pool.
If ever you tell yourself you’re out of stroke, then you’ll
be out of stroke. You may be hitting the ball well but you will
still be a bit rusty. The next time you return from a break, try
to still play with confidence but do not be deceived. Be aware of
your limitations and play within them. Until you get back in stroke,
take fewer risks and be more patient.
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