Do Most "B" and up Players Need Drills?

[pt109]

The value of drills...or any kind of solitary practice....

Golfers are made on the practice field.
Boxers are made in the gym.
Pool players are not exempt.....
...I'll rest my case with Shane....hits a lotta balls.

The billiard game that produces the most millionaires?
Snooker.
I doubt if there is one snooker professional that doesn't do drills...
...the English line-up is done by everyone I know.

If the pool world started to produce millionaires....
...you'd see a lot of pool players doing drills.
You got a problem with a shot?....shoot it till you own it.

 

[ceebee]

The value of drills...or any kind of solitary practice....

Golfers are made on the practice field.
Boxers are made in the gym.
Pool players are not exempt.....
...I'll rest my case with Shane....hits a lotta balls.

The billiard game that produces the most millionaires?
Snooker.
I doubt if there is one snooker professional that doesn't do drills...
...the English line-up is done by everyone I know.

If the pool world started to produce millionaires....
...you'd see a lot of pool players doing drills.
You got a problem with a shot?....shoot it till you own it.

Having been a very good athlete... Golf Pro for 3-4 years, All Star baseball catcher for 4-5 years & a very good Quarterback in Jr High & early High School, I learned that repetitive training paid off, in good performance, for me. It was the way things worked.

I would offer this for good players, plus up & coming players.... "practice, practice, practice", but only as a suggestion. I have never been one to force a horse to drink, just because I led him to the water.

Just an added idea >>>>

Money isn't available from most vendors, magazines, associations, because they don't see a return on their investment. But, the beer companies, pop companies, chip companies, or anyone for that matter, make a good profit on all the pool players buying their products, when they are playing & competing, but they offer no sponsorship to the players or the leagues. That is a free ride, isn't it.

If we boycott these products, something might change.

 

[philly]

This (not doing drills) is not the reason for our presumed lack of competitiveness with the players overseas. Hell, if drills worked I'd be doing them.
The real world of pool, Beiber, and Cleary, and all the rest of you, comes from the pool halls across America where our best players began their careers as youngsters. Not from the APA league at your nearest sports bar.
When you see a very good player practice you won't see him doing mindless drills. You'll see him shooting shots that may have given him problems in an earlier game, or he might simply be shooting cuts just to stay loose until his guy comes through the front door. If I walk into my pool room and see some kid over in the corner practicing a drill, I can almost bet that he would have a tough time beating the fellow who cleans out the crappers in the mornings.
A drill is something Scoot Lee is going to have some twenty-five year old insurance salesman do so he can get ready for next weeks action at the sports bar.

Rep for you Tramp. You improve by playing better players. Watching how they move whitey around the table and how they SEE the table. Drills are not for everyone and neither are lessons for that matter. I would go bonkers after an hour of doing drills and totally lose interest.

 

[StraightPoolIU]

Every athlete at the top in every sport does drills of some type. To prepare for an NFL or NBA season the players just don't show up and start scrimmaging. If a coach had his players only scrimmage instead of working on skills he'd probably wouldn't last a week. Golfers go to the range, and work on all sorts of specific skills or mechanics. Pool is no different. If you are practicing certain skills or repeatedly practicing hard shots you are drilling. It's not just about running the L drill or whatever.

 

[philly]

Every athlete at the top in every sport does drills of some type. To prepare for an NFL or NBA season the players just don't show up and start scrimmaging. If a coach had his players only scrimmage instead of working on skills he'd probably wouldn't last a week. Golfers go to the range, and work on all sorts of specific skills or mechanics. Pool is no different. If you are practicing certain skills or repeatedly practicing hard shots you are drilling. It's not just about running the L drill or whatever.

The people you mention are pros getting paid big big big dollars. I will do drills for big dollars too. As many drills as you want if you pay me. But until then I just can't abide them. And by the way many sports are team sports and yes, drills do sync a team. I don't play team pool so I do what I do in the poolroom to keep it enjoyable for myself.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Every athlete at the top in every sport does drills of some type. To prepare for an NFL or NBA season the players just don't show up and start scrimmaging. If a coach had his players only scrimmage instead of working on skills he'd probably wouldn't last a week. Golfers go to the range, and work on all sorts of specific skills or mechanics. Pool is no different. If you are practicing certain skills or repeatedly practicing hard shots you are drilling. It's not just about running the L drill or whatever.

Odd you should mention golf. I just got back from the driving range. I took my pitching wedge, my seven iron, my four iron, and my three metal. I hit balls.
I didn't drill. I hit balls. It's called practice. I already know how to play golf.
Pool is no different. pt said. "You got a problem with a shot?....shoot it till you own it." That's call practicing, not drilling.

 

[pt109]

Wow, another trolling thread from the miserable. Folks, let this be a lesson that just because you're old, doesn't mean you're grown.

I think you need to google the term 'troll'......
....it may help to understand where your post is coming from.

..oh, and google 'projection' as a psychological term

 

[philly]

Wow, another trolling thread from the miserable. Folks, let this be a lesson that just because you're old, doesn't mean you're grown.

Another proof positive that the greatest adage ever is still true: "Youth is wasted on the young."

 

[7forlife]

Agree 100% TS !..I know way more top player's, who never wasted their time on drills, than the few who did !..Drills are much like (ugh) practicing !..So what if you can fire them in for funsies ? ..It only really matters, if you are able to perform when the cash is on the line ! ...The key is,
to stay in action !..You'll learn much more about improving your play, (even if you make a bad game) ..than you will in two years of doing drills ! :sorry:

So that's how Appelton and Neils and the Euros got good, it's the constant gambling. I think you broke an ancient code.

 

[nick serdula]

15 ways to get better fast

14 and 1. Play only 14 and 1. Play it until you can run at least 3 racks. Should take about 4 months. After 3? 8 is pretty sporty.
Nothing except stopping the ball will get you shooting straighter.
Then get good.
Nick

 

[7forlife]

We don't have more players going overseas because none have a 100% sponsorship like other countries players do. We have a dozen up and comers and a few read now. All they need is backing. Johnnyt

HAH! care to mention much who those players are that you would like to back, cause it sound like a free ride to me. Not that I don't agree with your statement but it's only partially true, one has to think "why" these player don't have backers/sponsors, ya know.

 

[philly]

It's not an ancient code, 7. Any night of the week these pros are in local rooms gambling. Even after the tournaments they are in are over for the day they are in the poolrooms at night looking for a game. Fact no secret code.

 

[SmoothStroke]

Most shot drills, not all, are useless.
Stroke drills are another story.

Quote: Lebron James on the winning shot in a big playoff game.

I have practiced that shot everyday since I was a little kid and we as a team practice it every day, I am suppose to make that shot.

 

[krupa]

If you shoot the same shot over and over with the intent of getting better at it, you're doing a drill. It may not be written down in a book somewhere but there's really no difference; you've just created your own personalized drill that focuses on a weakness in your game.

 

[StraightPoolIU]

The people you mention are pros getting paid big big big dollars. I will do drills for big dollars too. As many drills as you want if you pay me. But until then I just can't abide them. And by the way many sports are team sports and yes, drills do sync a team. I don't play team pool so I do what I do in the poolroom to keep it enjoyable for myself.

Actually players at all levels do drills in those sports not just pros. And they aren't getting paid money to do drills. They do drills because because it helps them improve or hone their skills. Also, I don't see how drills are more about team unity than improving individual skill sets. Regardless if you don't find them enjoyable then don't do them, but anyone who is serious about improving or moving their game to the next level should consider adding them as a part of their pool playing experience. If pool is just something someone does for fun to pass time without worrying about getting better then yeah drills probably aren't for them.

 

[Straightpool_99]

I really got to ask: Do people actually think that gambling is the best way to improve your weaknesses? I'm sorry to be so blunt, but that is R E T A R D E D! What, you are weak at some kinds of bankshots? Whats the best way to get better at them fast, set up these shots and shoot them over and over, or gamble for 10 000 hours hoping that they will come up enough that you will eventually become good? Gambling helps your nerves, that is pretty much it.

What can gambling help you with:
Nerves: check, but some will get equal benefit from playing tournaments
Fundamentals: no
Pattern play: No more than playing against others in tournaments or for free, or even drills.
Stamina: Maybe, but perhaps not weighing 100 pounds too much, or jogging once in a while will help you more? Just a suggestion.
Shotmaking: Again, tournament play is equally good, and you have to actually be able to make a shot in practice (ie drills, free sparring) before the question of making it under pressure even comes up. Unless you are allready at an extremely high level in practice, gambling won't help you become more consistent.
Getting stabbed, robbed cheated yes.

 

[RussPrince]

There's a lot to be said for boring drills. Almost all players could use a refresher now and then. However, I agree some of the best practicing you can do is to keep track of your own personal "worst" shots and work on them.

However how well a player shoots depends mostly on a few basic fundamentals that may be slipping. I've worked a long time trying to find the most effective "shot" that teaches you the most the fastest and I think I've found it. IMHO the best bang for your buck (best gain in least time spent) are straight in shots 3 or 4 diamonds apart. Treat each one like it's a match winning ball. Take your time, reset, align, and try to get zero spin, zero travel dead stop results on the cueball. And don't use chalk. It's not necessary.

That drill alone will help fix:
Alignment
Stance
Stroke
Eyesight illusions
Timing
Fluidity
and most importatntly accuracy in that you get istant feedback when you're off even a half mil of center

I reccomend a session pocketing 50 to 100 balls at least once or twice a week. You'll be surprised how it will polish your game almost immediately... Problem is it really is boring as all hell. But it can add a little excitement just in knowing that every ball you pocket is helping your game get just a little bit better more than just banging balls around.

 

[7forlife]

It's not an ancient code, 7. Any night of the week these pros are in local rooms gambling. Even after the tournaments they are in are over for the day they are in the poolrooms at night looking for a game. Fact no secret code.

you know what I see a lot of confusion and people who don't like drills down talking drills. The reason why you don't see pros doing drill right now is cause they have already acquired the skills that lower level players are trying to get to why they are doing the drill in the first place, DUH. The pro is shooting a shot that he missed because that is what he has to work on at this time, he did drill to get to where he is. GESH.

 

[NitPicker]

I do believe that one can progress by simply playing this game, and nothing more. But I also believe that your progression will take longer than if you practiced or "drilled" regularly in addition to getting your game on. The notion that only gambling will make you a better player has to be the biggest hustle this game has ever seen.

Let's say there is a particular shot that someone may have problems with. In a game, if this shot comes up you may only get one shot at it. Sometimes you may get more, other games you may get none. Now, how many shots could you get in if you set up the same shot for a 20 minute practice session? If you had a problem area in your game, how many games would you suppose you'd have to play in order to get the same amount of practice on this aspect versus simply performing the shot consistently for 20 minutes?

There is value and much to be gained from playing in competition regularly. Some of this is practice in pressure situations, but these situations are where your "drills" come into "play". The repetitive motions that you practice are what spawns confidence and will get you through when your nerves are being tested in a high pressure situation. In addition to the fundamental motions and execution of this game, there is also a lot of strategy. Strategy is more difficult to perform with a drill, and is usually more effective in playing competitively.

I believe improving ones stick in the most efficient manner possible, requires a healthy mix of training, practicing and playing. Your skill level determines exactly what mix is healthy for you. Like personal health, we're all not the same, so doing the same things as someone else will not always produce the same results.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

If you shoot the same shot over and over with the intent of getting better at it, you're doing a drill. It may not be written down in a book somewhere but there's really no difference; you've just created your own personalized drill that focuses on a weakness in your game.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but it misses the point. Johnnyt was referring, in his original op, to organized drills. Drills that you would find in instruction books, and videos. A book sold by PoolDawg comes to mind called Pro Skills Drills Book. It is said that this book contains some 54 drills guaranteed to help improve your game and your confidence. Nick Varner and Dominic Esposito are the authors. Do you suppose Varner, after authoring this book, was brimming with confidence. Probably not until the royalty checks started rolling in.