As we leave summer in the rearview mirror, a lot of players will be getting back to the table after taking several months off from competition. A word of caution: Don’t rush back to the table expecting to be as sharp as you were when you were competing on a daily or weekly basis. Players often say they come back very sharp after taking time away. That has happened to me as well. I think it’s because you are so relaxed and carefree when you first get back to the table. But while that can be true, it’s unusual to actually be in better stroke, especially after a layoff as long as a few months.

My advice? Ease into the groove.

When I return from a playing hiatus, I go through my fundamentals with a fine-tooth comb. In fact, I tend to exaggerate all of the items on my fundamentals checklist. It’s a great way to make sure everything is in synch. I am super meticulous with my pre-shot routine, my stroke, my follow-through. Focus on the mechanical parts of your game. Don’t start right out by being preoccupied with making balls.

Additionally, when I start out after a layoff, I never start by playing another person. I spend the first hour or so playing alone to work out the kinks. One if my go-to drills is the “Stay Down” drill, where you stay down on the shot until the cue ball comes to a complete stop. It’s a great way to train your body to stay down, which in turn is a great way to assure the balls go where you want them to go.

Take extra time to check your alignment. Keep your body lined up with the shot. Exaggerating this is a great way to make sure your body doesn’t move when you’re about to stroke. Prevent yourself from compensating with body movement.

Do these things and you will be back in stroke in short order. You’ll feel great about your game because your mechanics are in order. You’ve reset the control that will now allow you to let the fundamentals work on their own, which allows you to start focusing on the shot in front of you and path to the next shot.

The opposite is true if you immediately start playing a lot and find yourself and your game in a bad way. Willie Mosconi said when he was having a bad day (which couldn’t have been very often), he would step completely away from the table for a while. He said staying at the table will only serve to reinforce whatever bad habits you’d fallen into.

Sometimes you just need a rest. And that’s true even after you come back to the table after a layoff. If you come back and try to get back in stroke and it’s not happening, step away again for a day or two. Don’t allow bad habits to imbed themselves into your game. Eventually, everything will come together on a trip to the table and your game will be back in the groove.

And once you do find yourself back in stroke, don’t be afraid to put in a good three or four hours of practice. After all, once you’re back in competition, your playing sessions are likely to be at least that long. Make sure your mind and body are back in competition mode.