Topic: need a little help with my pull

[foosyourdady]

i have been playing it weekley turney's for about 2 years mostly in the nets,
practicing every day for 1 to 2 hr's faithfully. Plaing as many pick up games as i can,
and i'v came a long way from where i started.
I seen to be stuck i'm having truoble reading the defence, picking a hole, and then hiting it.
the percentages are much greater on the straight and middle than the long.
the last game i played i hit 2 straights a middle then plowed right into ther men like 3 or 4 times
on the long and then started to fall a part and could not hit anything
is there anything i can do at home that will help me? and is there anything that i can do in a match that will help?

[Mase]

The people you are playing in the matches, do they play you often?

And why did you switch to the long, its great to hit it but if you are pounding middle and straights just keep pounding.

Having the long as a weapon is awesome BUT you only need the opposition to know you have it, they may well sit on it and be worried (sounds like thats whats happening). This leaves a lot more goal straight, middle and 3/4 (in UK known as Haddon gap).

Pound whats working throw in the long to keep them over there. Its a goal whether you go dead man long or middle!

Mase

[foosyourdady]

yes the people i play are the same people that i play every week
whats happing is thay give me the race me defence and i fall a part
i started to just spray it over and thats works
but i know thay are not faster than me and i'v ben taking my time looking for the best
hole and going for it
mabe i'm just going for the bate to much

[SumnerH]

yes the people i play are the same people that i play every week
whats happing is thay give me the race me defence and i fall a part
i started to just spray it over and thats works
but i know thay are not faster than me and i'v ben taking my time looking for the best
hole and going for it
mabe i'm just going for the bate to much

A few thoughts:
1. The spray is faster and easier on the wrist.  Many top pro-masters will use the spray long against standard defenses, only breaking out the long square/deadman stroke if it's really needed.
2. If they're racing you, one of a handful of things is going wrong:
  a) You have a tell.  Either you always shoot on the same count (like, say, 3 seconds after you get set up and start reading the defense), or you dip your shoulder/angle the man a bit/something before you shoot.  They're not really flat-out racing you, they know when you're going to shoot before you really get into the shot so they have a head start.  You need to work on a smooth, unreadable takeoff and making sure you mix up the timing.
  b) You're too slow.  You need to work on lateral speed.  Practice, practice, practice.
  c) They're not really racing, they're jumpy or hedging way out on the long.  You need to work on tearing them up in the short game, force them to guard the whole goal, and then the long will open up.
3. If you're struggling to read the defense, change how you're doing it.  Try picking a single hole and reading until it's open.  Try reading the entire goal and shooting where they aren't.  Try timing their pattern  and guessing where they're going to be.  If they're shutting you down with that, try reading the pattern and then shooting at their men.  The important thing when you're not succeeding (with _anything_ on the table) is to try something else--repeating what ain't working is a good way to stagnate and lose.