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- Thread starter FranCrimi
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I started a thread about practicing position/exercises. Anything you would like to share would be much appreciated. I'm looking for ideas/dvd's/books ect.
Fran,
For an APA 5-6 level player, what particular drill or drills would you like to see that player incorporate into his daily practice session?
thanks,
BJ
For an APA 5-6 level player, what particular drill or drills would you like to see that player incorporate into his daily practice session?
thanks,
BJ
I'm afraid I can't answer that specifically without knowing your strengths and weaknesses. But in general, figure out what your weaknesses are and work on incorporating exercises that will help you to strengthen them. If you know what your weaknesses are and care to share them, I'll be happy to try to suggest a few things.
OK Thanks. Done.
Let me get more specific with this question if I can. I'm a 5-6 level player and just a couple of the things I struggle with are combinations and shooting over balls. I try to avoid these situations whenever possible, but sometimes they come up and you have to be able to shoot them. The shooting over balls is especially bad for me. I feel like it makes me a 80-20 underdog at least when it comes to making the shot.
Generally, my biggest weakness is shot-making consistency (or lack thereof). For instance, on some days I am 85-90% on spot shots, and then on other days I am less than 50% and I have little idea why. Is there a good shot-making drill you could suggest?
And for a more specific issue, I miscue much too frequently on extreme/power draw shots. On occasion, I could line up 10 power draw shots and miscue on literally half. On more modest draw shots, I rarely miscue.
thanks,
You have to take these issues to the practice table. These are not difficult to fix if you are willing to put in the time to work on them. It's difficult to get yourself to practice what you don't enjoy doing or what you're not good at doing, but you must.
If you can honestly say that you've practiced these issues for several hours and still have trouble with them, then report back, explain what you tried and I will offer some suggestions.
Pool is a game of self-discovery. You have to pay attention to yourself and the things you are subjected to before you get to the table. Some days it's just a vision issue. You could have an eye strain that day and not realize it. Do you text a lot? Do you look at a computer screen a lot?
Did you get enough sleep the night before?
Did you eat before you got to the table? How much, what and when? Do you know that leafy green vegetables thicken your blood and it can affect your feel on the cue?
This is why it takes years and years to become a strong and consistent player. Don't limit yourself to only what's going on specifically on the table. Look at yourself as a whole. Do you know what you're doing and how you're feeling when you're shooting at a high percentage? Pay attention when you're doing something right.
As for miscuing on power draw shots, that sounds like a form issue. You are probably not moving your cue in and out on the same plane. You are changing the angle of attack during your stroke. I bet if you take a closeup video of your power draw stroke and play it back in slow motion, you'll see it.
Practice?
I find that the solution offered of "just practice the things that you struggle with", is an inadequate answer.
Until you know what you're doing wrong, how can you fix it by "practicing".
An instructor can show your your faults and how to go about correcting or eliminating them.
I know a young man who opts not to take lessons because someone told him the best way to learn is by trial and error. Sounds good but it doesn't work. Or if it does it will take forever to learn much of what there is to know.
You can spend lots of money on table time for practice, but if you really want to improve, by far the best investment is lessons from a real instructor.
Karen Coor was asked a few years back about who she learned from, and I believe she said she'd been to more than thirty instructors! Now that's an extreme, but it makes my point...take advantage of the knowledge of those who have mastered (to varying degrees) the game and even seek more than one teacher, as we have our different viewpoints, methods and specialties.
I find that the solution offered of "just practice the things that you struggle with", is an inadequate answer.
Until you know what you're doing wrong, how can you fix it by "practicing".
An instructor can show your your faults and how to go about correcting or eliminating them.
I know a young man who opts not to take lessons because someone told him the best way to learn is by trial and error. Sounds good but it doesn't work. Or if it does it will take forever to learn much of what there is to know.
You can spend lots of money on table time for practice, but if you really want to improve, by far the best investment is lessons from a real instructor.
Karen Coor was asked a few years back about who she learned from, and I believe she said she'd been to more than thirty instructors! Now that's an extreme, but it makes my point...take advantage of the knowledge of those who have mastered (to varying degrees) the game and even seek more than one teacher, as we have our different viewpoints, methods and specialties.
I improved the most in my game when I practiced. Sorry, but most players don't practice enough. They just want answers. The answers are found when you hit the tables and put in the work.
Just like you know people, so do I. I know people who keep going to different instructors to find answers. They are trying to find solutions that will enable them to get better with less practice. It's just not going to work. You have to put in the time and get to know yourself at the table.
Been there. Done it. It works.
As for Karen, I just spoke with her day before yesterday. I'll have to ask her about those 30 instructors.
I think Donny's point was that it's better to know what to practice. If a player is having fundamental problems, it's no good to just tell them to keep working at it.
A better suggestion might be to hit the CB straight up and down the length of the table, or to practice long straight in stop shots.
I had a great guitar instructor when I was younger. He didn't just give me a list of scales to practice. He made sure I was practicing them correctly, and in different ways (ascending, descending, in 3rd's, 4th's , 5th's, etc..) so I would master them.
The question I was answering was regarding shooting combination shots and shooting over balls. I know exactly what I'm talking about. There are some questions players ask simply because they aren't practicing those things enough.
Do you know of any material either in print or video that gives some pointers on playing combinations. I have been practicing these and have a lot of trouble seeing the shot. If I miss i make adjustments, but if I set up another shot I still seeing the exact place to hit the first ball.
When playing an object ball off another object ball into the pocket, it's fairly easy to send the first object ball down the tangent line to the pocket with speed, when the two object balls are fairly close together.
If the distance between the two object balls is greater, and the first object ball begins rolling, I'm having difficulty determining the contact point on the second object ball to send the first object ball to the pocket. Is there a way to find the contact point on the second object ball that will send the first object ball to the pocket?
If the distance between the two object balls is greater, and the first object ball begins rolling, I'm having difficulty determining the contact point on the second object ball to send the first object ball to the pocket. Is there a way to find the contact point on the second object ball that will send the first object ball to the pocket?
Matt we should have practiced yesterday at the league tournament. Tough loss for you guys. Who finally won the second place tourny.
Anyway, we should get together at On the Snap and practice. I just do not know what to practice. I cannot figure out why I am missing combos. I keep checking my aim. Everything looks perfect. I shoot and miss.
Anyway, we should get together at On the Snap and practice. I just do not know what to practice. I cannot figure out why I am missing combos. I keep checking my aim. Everything looks perfect. I shoot and miss.
It is very possible that your problems are created from a lack of confidence which cause you to stroke the ball poorly in a way that is impossible to diagnose without seeing you in person. For example people tend to jump up on the shot when they are not in agreement with it, but how is Fran or anyone else suppose to recognize that as your problem and instruct you on how to correct it from a forum unless you were able to present video perhaps?
The answer to your problem is probably something that you already know how to correct anyway but you just are not aware that you are doing it.
It might be that you need a live lesson so the instructor can see the issue and let you know of it or you can also practice with awareness of your execution, as I said the problem is something that you likely know to and how to correct once you become aware of it and with enough practice you will become aware of what you are doing wrong if you know that it is wrong in the first place.
The bottom line is there are no secrets that Fran or any other instructor can give you that will allow you to line up combinations and fire them in without practice. you probably already know all you need to know on lining up combinations you just have to keep at it.
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Having three balls in play does not change how one ball comes off of another. Ob #1 will come off of object ball #2 the same way that a cue ball will come off of 1 object ball, the same factors are in play, if there is natural roll on the object ball #1 then you need to strike object ball #2 in the spot that will allow for the correct departure angle.
***The rule of thumb is a fuller hit will make the ball depart further away from the tangent line while a thinner hit will depart closer to the tangent line.***
To practice this set an object ball on the spot and the cue in the center and practice hitting the object ball at different points starting with a full hit and working towards extremely thin and notice where the cue strikes the rail after departure and more importantly how the departure angle compared to the tangent line based on the thickness of the hit. When doing this drill use a little bit of top in order to create natural roll.
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How many hours have you practiced shooting combination shots?