7 bad habits when playing billiards

Most billiard players have good habits, such as putting chalk before each shot, and bad habits, such as practicing complicated shots during warm-up. When this mistakes are made constantly, they become a routine for many billiards players, a bad routine. Would you like to check if you have any of the most common bad habits when playing billiards? Then just take a look at our post bellow: "7 bad habits when playing billiards" (and how to correct them).

1. Sanding the Shaft
This is a huge common mistake between billiard players. Some people believe that using a very thin sandpaper is a good option when cleaning the shaft, but this is really dangerous and could permanently damage the shaft if not done extremely carefully. Once damaged, there is no way to fix it. Trust us, it is so much better to use a slightly wet cloth to clean the shaft o just get one of the many products specifically made for shaft cleaning.

2. Being a Crybaby
Getting upset because you missed a shot, because you inserted the white ball, because you lose the match and "the rival was just lucky". Being a crybaby and complaining about everything is one of the worst thing to do when playing billiard. Try to analyze why you missed that shot, blame only yourself and learn from all mistakes.

Related post: 5 reasons why billiard players fail

3. Hitting balls without a game plan
Many billiards players just love to rush their game, they see an easy ball and just hit it with out thinking on what move should they do next. Many times, inserting an easy ball leads you to a situation that makes the rest of the game really hard. Plan every shot and be strategic, think about making it difficult for the opponent and easy for you. Sometimes is better to position the balls where you need them and make it easier to win the match later.

4. Warming up practicing difficult shots
This is billiards 101 rule, make the warm up easy. Many players just can't help trying the most difficult shots, spins, with the most energy. We all know these are not easy to achieve at all, therefore you are most probable to miss them, bringing your confidence down and not helping mentally for the coming match. Practice easy shots, this is a warm up, not the final sprint :)

5. Thinking too early that you won the game
Confidence is good, but being over confident can be fatal. Even when the game seems totally won for you, don't relax, you never know if your rival is able to turn the game around and use your relaxed attitude in his advantage. I have seen games that were totally over, being unexpectedly turned around.

6. Not practicing break shots
We love practicing spins, long shots, difficult shots... But what about break shots? This is one of the most important shots we will make in a match and still we don't give it as much attetion as we should. During a match we might need to break several times, and this shot will determine if the game will start with an advantage for the rival or for us. Don't forget to include these in your practice routines.

7. Using spin shots too often
If done correctly is so satisfactory, even mesmerizing, but a bad spin shot can completely ruin your game. There is one simple rule: use them when it is the only way to achieve the shot / placement we want or need. The problem is that many billiard players use spin shots even when they are not strictly necessary and miss easy hits.

Realted article: 3 reasons why you should not use spin shots too often.

Do you have any bad habits when playing billiards? Let us know in the comment section below :)