Are you willing to put in the time?

D

duckie

GregH
Silver Member
Well, are you? Are you willing to put in the time to master this sport? I mean Master and just not play well.

I was practicing the other day. I was doing what I call free form practice. That's just putting all 15 out there and running balls, looking for banks, combo's and carom's to do and so on. No real plan, no real thoughts, no concern about if I made the ball or not, nothing but hitting ball after ball.

I would put 15 away, pull'em out and repeat.

I went to pay for table time, I'd been there for 7 hours. That is 7 hours at the table hitting ball after ball after ball, without any breaks. I did not sit down once, nor delayed in getting the balls back on the table. It did not seem that long to me. I was so into just hitting ball after ball with no thoughts about time or the outcome of the shot. Just doing what was needed to do. Observing what was happening without judgement. Just seeing what was happening.

I enjoyed it so much that at least two sessions of this length will be done every week. I did ache somewhat afterwards, but that will go away with time.

This is the type of time and commitment that is required to master this sport. It is not found in any DVD, book, instructor, but comes from within you. Maybe its this type of commitment the top pro's have that makes the difference, willingness to put in the time.

FWIW
 
duckie said:
Well, are you? Are you willing to put in the time to master this sport? I mean Master and just not play well.

I was practicing the other day. I was doing what I call free form practice. That's just putting all 15 out there and running balls, looking for banks, combo's and carom's to do and so on. No real plan, no real thoughts, no concern about if I made the ball or not, nothing but hitting ball after ball.

I would put 15 away, pull'em out and repeat.

I went to pay for table time, I'd been there for 7 hours. That is 7 hours at the table hitting ball after ball after ball, without any breaks. I did not sit down once, nor delayed in getting the balls back on the table. It did not seem that long to me. I was so into just hitting ball after ball with no thoughts about time or the outcome of the shot. Just doing what was needed to do. Observing what was happening without judgement. Just seeing what was happening.

I enjoyed it so much that at least two sessions of this length will be done every week. I did ache somewhat afterwards, but that will go away with time.

This is the type of time and commitment that is required to master this sport. It is not found in any DVD, book, instructor, but comes from within you. Maybe its this type of commitment the top pro's have that makes the difference, willingness to put in the time.

FWIW
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I'm reading an interesting book right now called, "Talent is Overrated" by Geoff Colvin, Senior Editor at Large of "Fortune." And in it he makes the case that what distinguishes great performance from average performance is not God-given, or innate talents, but what researchers call "deliberate practice." At one point he says, "Deliberate practice is hard. It hurts. But it works. More of it equals better performance. Tons of it equals great performance."

Interesting read.

Lou Figueroa
 
8 hours two times a week is not close to enough time to master this game. And truth be known most all of the top players have a god givin talent and practice alone is not enough. You have to live it every day of your life to be a top flight pro. Most people just dont have what it takes !
 
Yeah, that's quite a bit of time at the table but imagine how much more productive it would have been if you weren't just aimlessly shooting balls around. Had you been doing drills for that long you'd be that much better for it. Also, my pet peeve, your cue is not an "Adams" it's an "Adam".
 
I put in whatever time I can, unfortunately I am not wealthy enough to be able to play 7 hours a day even once a week let alnone twice, as I have a job. You are correct about the pro's they do practice and for long periods of time. I read an artcile with SVB not long ago where he said when not travelling or playing he still enjoys practicing upto 12 hours a day on his own........wow. However IMO quality is as important as quantity, I try to practice daily even if it's only for 30 mins. I set myself goals, I practice specific shots I have been having trouble with, I'll practice the break and safety's. For me it seems to work, I will also have time between two sessions of practice, just like you would in a tournament, just to come back to the table and start over again cold. I do like to mix things up though between drills, freeform and playing racks.

Would I like to practice 7 hours a day several times a week, I don't know that if I was own my own I could be that disciplined. Playing against other people, I probably could, but not every day. IMO thats probably the difference between the top pro's and some good amateurs, discipline. Being ready to sacrifice everything else to be the absolute best you can be.
 
Practice has to have a balance of quality not quantity. While quanitity is important to get anywhere if you keep doing the same things wrong you will just get really good at doing them wrong.
 
If you read the top players bio’s from the past and the present you’ll find that a very big percentage of them had family or relatives that owned a poolroom where they could practice for free 24/7. A lot had a Father that played pro speed and taught them early how to play well. Other top pros had a home table as a child with good players like father, relative, or good friend teach them how to play. If it was Dad’s or a relatives poolroom good players would take them under their wing because they saw the kid wanted to learn and had some talent, and some would teach and play with them to kiss the father or relative’s a$$ that owned the poolrooms for free time.

Most of the above started hanging around pro players at a very young age and gamble with them to judge their improvement.

You have to have natural talent but most pro spent 8 hours or more a day practicing and gambling for years before he turned pro. Johnnyt
 
7 hours of...

banging balls just reinforces the good and bad parts of your stroke & will make you a consistently mediocre player

better off with an hour of focused drills or playing a quality match
 
You are fortunate to be able to play for 7 hours straight. I have a bad back and usually only play for 30 to 45 minutes. I live in an over 55 community and we have a great billiards/card room with two nine foot Gandy tables. I usually shoot 3 to 5 games of 8 ball because I concentrate on position play. I guess doing drills might be more productive as fas as improvement but they're boring. I do sometimes do the straight in drill where you line up 9 balls across the table and shoot them in, one at a time, from in the kitchen. When I do play someone, we usually play for 1 to 1.5 hours before I get tired. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
ArizonaPete said:
You are fortunate to be able to play for 7 hours straight. I have a bad back and usually only play for 30 to 45 minutes. I live in an over 55 community and we have a great billiards/card room with two nine foot Gandy tables. I usually shoot 3 to 5 games of 8 ball because I concentrate on position play. I guess doing drills might be more productive as fas as improvement but they're boring. I do sometimes do the straight in drill where you line up 9 balls across the table and shoot them in, one at a time, from in the kitchen. When I do play someone, we usually play for 1 to 1.5 hours before I get tired. Anyone have any suggestions?
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I don't know whats wrong or what part of your back hurts after an hour or so of pool but I have lower back problems and wear a back brace. My back doesn't tighten or swell up like it use to. The braces they make now are light, vented, and not uncomfortable after a few hours getting use to it. You can buy good ones in pharmacies and supermarkets for about $25. I have the Futuro brand. I can play for a longer periods of time now. I'm 70. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
If you read the top players bio’s from the past and the present you’ll find that a very big percentage of them had family or relatives that owned a poolroom where they could practice for free 24/7. A lot had a Father that played pro speed and taught them early how to play well. Other top pros had a home table as a child with good players like father, relative, or good friend teach them how to play. If it was Dad’s or a relatives poolroom good players would take them under their wing because they saw the kid wanted to learn and had some talent, and some would teach and play with them to kiss the father or relative’s a$$ that owned the poolrooms for free time.

Most of the above started hanging around pro players at a very young age and gamble with them to judge their improvement.

You have to have natural talent but most pro spent 8 hours or more a day practicing and gambling for years before he turned pro. Johnnyt
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+1 agreed

You have to play at least 4 to 8 hours a day. Some how find the time. But you simply have to love to play to do this. In most cases though the ones with this kind of time just dont love the game of pool enough to play and practice 4 to 8 hours a day to get that good. You have to have the passion and love for the game, the overall talent, and the time. Most people can barely come up with one of these things much less all three.
 
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I would have to agree with most of JohnnyT expressed.

In addition, I also tend to believe that no matter how much practice or sacrifice you -as an individual - are willing to make, if you do not posses somewhere in your psyche the 'natural' ability to ascertain a certain "level" of understanding and comprehension of what you are attempting - no matter what that might be - one cannot progress beyond that particular level. What that level or apex is, depends on your own specific scientific and mental make up, know-how and aptitude to fully understand - to grasp onto that particular 'something' and ultimately master it.

Steve H
 
Johnnyt said:
I don't know whats wrong or what part of your back hurts after an hour or so of pool but I have lower back problems and wear a back brace. My back doesn't tighten or swell up like it use to. The braces they make now are light, vented, and not uncomfortable after a few hours getting use to it. You can buy good ones in pharmacies and supermarkets for about $25. I have the Futuro brand. I can play for a longer periods of time now. I'm 70. Johnnyt
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Thanks Johnny, I might try one. I'm 76.
 
mullyman said:
Yeah, ... your cue is not an "Adams" it's an "Adam".
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I concur!

I would be interested in knowing age and years playing of the OP.

The older you get the more you realize that you better stop staring at the sky and get to work so that you can stop working earlier and stare st the sky later...:confused:
 
lfigueroa said:
I'm reading an interesting book right now called, "Talent is Overrated" by Geoff Colvin, Senior Editor at Large of "Fortune." And in it he makes the case that what distinguishes great performance from average performance is not God-given, or innate talents, but what researchers call "deliberate practice." At one point he says, "Deliberate practice is hard. It hurts. But it works. More of it equals better performance. Tons of it equals great performance."

Interesting read.

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...

Lou you hit the nail on the head when you said "Deliberate practice", just pocketing ball after ball and not thinking about anything is not deliberate. Working on/practicing specific elements of the game (stroke, eye patterns, speed control etc) and quantifying/measuring the results are deliberate practice. The OP obviously believes he acquired some benefit from making balls for 7 hours. Though I would assert that his progress would be faster if he approached practice in a more systematic way (perhaps even shorter practice sessions, focused on specific areas he wants to improve).
 
dr9ball said:
Lou you hit the nail on the head when you said "Deliberate practice", just pocketing ball after ball and not thinking about anything is not deliberate. Working on/practicing specific elements of the game (stroke, eye patterns, speed control etc) and quantifying/measuring the results are deliberate practice. The OP obviously believes he acquired some benefit from making balls for 7 hours. Though I would assert that his progress would be faster if he approached practice in a more systematic way (perhaps even shorter practice sessions, focused on specific areas he wants to improve).
Click to expand...

That is why I wondered about the pool resume. If he is a beginner, watching the balls roll might actually be effective.
 
One theory says that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill.

At 15 hours a week you should be competitive in about 13 years...
If you practiced the right stuff:grin:

At my weekly rate, I should be ready to play you in about 50 years
 
Improving

Although quantity is a quality, but this alone will not improve your skills to the point of being a professional.

Improvement isn't just about hitting balls around. It is about learning, observing, experimenting, testing, competing and probably a lot of other words to describe it.

Game strategy, situational shots, mental toughness, how you handle success or failure, are just as important if not more so then just being able to pocket balls.

Most of these qualities can not be honed without the help of others to push you and drive you. Competing is practice...the best kind of practice. Finding and seeking good competition and instruction is extremely important.

I'm not saying that getting a table by yourself, in a quiet corner away from everyone isn't valuable, because it is. A lot can be gained by this, but it isn't the only way we can practice and is only one part of the pro-player make-up.
 
The major benifit of just shooting for hours hitting just balls and pocketing them is that you will develope your a very good stroke if you pay attention to keeping proper form. In my opinion stroke comes first then speed stratagy and all the rest.
 
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