speed control drills?
- Thread starter getsome01
- Start date
Mooseman,
Speed drills are pretty straight forward. Set up an easy cut shot, mark the position of the balls with donuts (hole reinforcers for notebook paper) and make the shot as softly as you can so that the object ball just makes it to the pocket. Mark where the cue ball stopped and mark additional spots 1, 2, 3 feet etc further down the same line of travel. Set up another iteration of the same shot, trying to stop the cue ball on the same spot.
When you can do that 3 times in a row within 6 inches, play the shot a little harder, trying to move the cue ball 1 foot further, to the next donut. If it helps you, put a ball on that spot as a more visible target. When you get the hang of that one, hit it harder still and leave the cue ball on the next one. Do your best to make the cue ball follow EXACTLY the same line every time.
You can choose to make the shot with whatever cueing you want, high, low, left, etc, but do it the same way each time. While you're learning to control your speed you'll learn about your ability to cue the ball with pinpoint accuracy. If you don't hit the cue ball in the same spot, it will not follow the same line of travel (english makes a difference only when it hits a rail).
You can set up any shot you want with a drill like this, but I suggest putting the object ball 1 ft from the pocket, giving you a relatively easy shot, but with a small enough margin of error that (so long as you make the ball) your cue ball will go to the same place if your cueing was the same. If you put the object ball too close to the pocket, then inadvertent cheating of the pocket will have a major effect on the cue ball path and you'll learn nothing about your cueing and you'll have a hard time keeping the cue ball on the same line every time.
Practice from both sides of the table, practice thin, medium and fat cuts since the ball reacts very differently.
A variation on this drill has you changing the target for the cue ball on every shot. Move it further away if you make a shot and closer if you miss. This is a more rigorous version of progressive practice, but I don't like it as much because it'll have you doing only the first few distances for a long time. I think it's better to do the same amount of practice for many distances, since you'll be facing all of these shots when you play.
Good luck with your practice.
Speed drills are pretty straight forward. Set up an easy cut shot, mark the position of the balls with donuts (hole reinforcers for notebook paper) and make the shot as softly as you can so that the object ball just makes it to the pocket. Mark where the cue ball stopped and mark additional spots 1, 2, 3 feet etc further down the same line of travel. Set up another iteration of the same shot, trying to stop the cue ball on the same spot.
When you can do that 3 times in a row within 6 inches, play the shot a little harder, trying to move the cue ball 1 foot further, to the next donut. If it helps you, put a ball on that spot as a more visible target. When you get the hang of that one, hit it harder still and leave the cue ball on the next one. Do your best to make the cue ball follow EXACTLY the same line every time.
You can choose to make the shot with whatever cueing you want, high, low, left, etc, but do it the same way each time. While you're learning to control your speed you'll learn about your ability to cue the ball with pinpoint accuracy. If you don't hit the cue ball in the same spot, it will not follow the same line of travel (english makes a difference only when it hits a rail).
You can set up any shot you want with a drill like this, but I suggest putting the object ball 1 ft from the pocket, giving you a relatively easy shot, but with a small enough margin of error that (so long as you make the ball) your cue ball will go to the same place if your cueing was the same. If you put the object ball too close to the pocket, then inadvertent cheating of the pocket will have a major effect on the cue ball path and you'll learn nothing about your cueing and you'll have a hard time keeping the cue ball on the same line every time.
Practice from both sides of the table, practice thin, medium and fat cuts since the ball reacts very differently.
A variation on this drill has you changing the target for the cue ball on every shot. Move it further away if you make a shot and closer if you miss. This is a more rigorous version of progressive practice, but I don't like it as much because it'll have you doing only the first few distances for a long time. I think it's better to do the same amount of practice for many distances, since you'll be facing all of these shots when you play.
Good luck with your practice.
mooseman...Or me...or pooltcher...or any of many of our better SPF instructors! Remember, Mother Drill 5 (the speed control drill) is the end result of understanding SPF (along with your PST...personal shooting template), and practicing it correctly, until it becomes a habit! You have to build the complete 'package', for it all to work seamlessly!
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
mooseman said:
I saw a drill on a Jim Rempe tape that has helped my speed. Lay out all 15 balls, none touching the rail, and run them all out. Any pocket, any sequence, but your cue ball may not touch a rail. This drill is fairly easy, but it demands deliberate position and good speed.
I have been using the Pro Book by Bob Henning every shot has a specific area to bring the cue ball to (5" or 10" circle depending on the shot) and it isnt just making balls he has safetys and kick shots to work on.
I started to post a long reply listing drills that I like. Target pool is a great practice drill for speed. The biggest thing while doing the drills is stroke. People say "feel" for aiming, I don't agree, but speed is feel. You learn to have a feel for your stroke and how far the CB will travel.
Practice a lag and try to get within a diamond to the rail. Sounds boring but watch stroke length. When I lag, my stroke is about 1 1/2 balls back and 1 1/2 balls forward. I stroke smooth so the CB rolls off my cue.
Now, when I pot normal shots, I like the feeling that the OB is falling into the pocket (OB pounding the back of the pocket isn't good most of the time). To pocket a ball like this, a 2 ft pot would be hit easier than a 6 ft pot, but both are hit with a very smooth easy stroke. I use the same stroke just make it longer. This is where the speed control will increase. So, example on the 2 ft. I would use the same stroke as the lag, stroke length would be 1 1/2 balls back and 1 1/2 forward. The 6 ft might be 3 balls. Now, this potting speed is your starting point. Try placing those 2 and 6 ft shots straight in and hit them with top and bottom. If top follows 1 ft, bottom come back 1 ft, you have a start point. It is easier to draw 2 ft if you have a repeatable reference point. Same applies to follow.
One other key point. There is a max to stroke length and it will be different for everyone. Once you reach the max stroke length (point where you no longer have smooth, straight stroke), then you must swing harder. When I need to stroke harder, I don't start with my longest stroke. I start with middle comfort stroke length. My long stroke with power is my max power shot.
So, my advice is watch your stroke during the drills. People will post drills that show what to practice. The drills don't show how.
Practice a lag and try to get within a diamond to the rail. Sounds boring but watch stroke length. When I lag, my stroke is about 1 1/2 balls back and 1 1/2 balls forward. I stroke smooth so the CB rolls off my cue.
Now, when I pot normal shots, I like the feeling that the OB is falling into the pocket (OB pounding the back of the pocket isn't good most of the time). To pocket a ball like this, a 2 ft pot would be hit easier than a 6 ft pot, but both are hit with a very smooth easy stroke. I use the same stroke just make it longer. This is where the speed control will increase. So, example on the 2 ft. I would use the same stroke as the lag, stroke length would be 1 1/2 balls back and 1 1/2 forward. The 6 ft might be 3 balls. Now, this potting speed is your starting point. Try placing those 2 and 6 ft shots straight in and hit them with top and bottom. If top follows 1 ft, bottom come back 1 ft, you have a start point. It is easier to draw 2 ft if you have a repeatable reference point. Same applies to follow.
One other key point. There is a max to stroke length and it will be different for everyone. Once you reach the max stroke length (point where you no longer have smooth, straight stroke), then you must swing harder. When I need to stroke harder, I don't start with my longest stroke. I start with middle comfort stroke length. My long stroke with power is my max power shot.
So, my advice is watch your stroke during the drills. People will post drills that show what to practice. The drills don't show how.
Neil said:
Enough said.. I like the Rempe drill in there too..
good advice!
Here's one from Bert Kinister (I don't think it's on the 60-Minute Workout but I could be wrong):
Set up six balls along the head string. Hit each ball (hit the ball itself, no cue ball) progressively farther without touching the foot rail.
It's harder than it sounds (you really need to barely touch that first ball), but you can add balls as you get used to it.
Set up six balls along the head string. Hit each ball (hit the ball itself, no cue ball) progressively farther without touching the foot rail.
It's harder than it sounds (you really need to barely touch that first ball), but you can add balls as you get used to it.
So Niel,
Your Saying instead of using stroke speed to change the travel distance of the cue ball, change tip position? I have always leaned towards changing stroke speed and using feel and a visual point as target where I want the ball to stop. Of course there are shots where need not 1 tip but two tips, but for slight variations I have always used stroke speed. I think next time i will try using the same stroke but changing tip position. It sounds potentially more accurate.
Changing table speeds never was a big issue. The different clothes just change how well the pockets take the balls.
Your Saying instead of using stroke speed to change the travel distance of the cue ball, change tip position? I have always leaned towards changing stroke speed and using feel and a visual point as target where I want the ball to stop. Of course there are shots where need not 1 tip but two tips, but for slight variations I have always used stroke speed. I think next time i will try using the same stroke but changing tip position. It sounds potentially more accurate.
Changing table speeds never was a big issue. The different clothes just change how well the pockets take the balls.
poolfoole
Banned
Scott,
In your opinion, does Mother Drill 5 carry over to your game when the cue ball contacts an object ball or when you're doing anything other than just rolling the cue ball? I can do this drill really good, but can't get the feel for the speeds very well when I'm doing anything other than just rolling the cue ball like in the drill.
Having said that, it's a fun drill. I hit 23 out of 25 stroke speeds the last time I practiced it last Sunday. I went away from it for a few months, came back to it and only his 12 and 13 of 25 my next 2 times I did it before getting up to 23.
poolfoole
Banned
Try doing some napkin drills. Set up some shots where you pocket and object ball and try to stop the cue ball on the napkin. This will give you a real good feel for speed.
poolfoole
Banned
Neil's a big time pool player and he's right, but that Buddy Hall clock system doesn't work consistently well at all unless you have a really pure stroke. Otherwise, your cue ball's gonna be all over the place. A simpler approach might be to put a napkin on the pool table and try to stop the cue ball on the napkin to develop feel. You can develop a feel of where on the 'clock' you're hitting the cue ball without having to concentrate on the exact hour on the clock where you're hitting.