Practice Routine?

B

bdam123

Registered
Lately I've been thinking about better ways to practice. I started playing seriously about two months ago and I get to the table on average twice a week for a few hours. As of right now, I'm just setting up basic shots and practicing CTE Pro One visuals and sweeps. I spent about 2 hours working 4 different shots and an hour trying to sink 3 consecutive pockets and then moving on to 4, 5, etc.

I'm a musician and have been playing guitar close to 15 years now and when I'm in practice mode, I have all the mechanics divided up and attack each one individually. After that, I'll put them all together by learning a piece that's challenging.

So what are all the different aspects of pocket billiards?

Stroke (straightness)
Stroke (speed)
Cuts (left and right at varying degrees)
Straight ins
Long shots
Banks
Combos
English

Does anyone practice like this?

How do you guys divide up your time when practicing. Let's say 2-3 hour sessions.
 
tucson9ball

tucson9ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pay attention to your grip. Keep it semi loose at all times. Do NOT tighten your grip on your final stroke, this will throw off your aim.
Another common mistake, people tend to start standing up too soon. Stay down until the ball hits the back of the pocket.
 
michael4

michael4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
bdam123 said:
As of right now, I'm just setting up basic shots and practicing CTE Pro One visuals and sweeps.

Stroke (straightness)
Stroke (speed)
Cuts (left and right at varying degrees)
Straight ins
Long shots
Banks
Combos
English
Click to expand...

you will find out quickly that some here believe in aiming "systems" such as you are using, and some dont.

As for your list, I would not spend too much time on "combos"....better to work on everything else first, and try to resist the temptation of shooting too many combos in a game setting.
 
B

bdam123

Registered
michael4 said:
you will find out quickly that some here believe in aiming "systems" such as you are using, and some dont.

As for your list, I would not spend too much time on "combos"....better to work on everything else first, and try to resist the temptation of shooting too many combos in a game setting.
Click to expand...

Way ahead of you. Found that out my very first post. Although I stated that I was using the system, I found the believers to be more annoying and insulting than the non believers. Either way, I've found some success using it. I'd say I've increased my shot making about 10-15% so I'm going to stick with it for now.
 
gregcantrall

gregcantrall

Center Ball
Silver Member
Do not overlook the foundation, the fundamentals of approaching and executing each shot the same way every time.

If you do not practice each shot using the same boring robotic routine you are delaying your progress.

So many want to gloss over the basics and get on to the fun stuff, like spinning the shat out the cue ball.
 
B

bdam123

Registered
gregcantrall said:
Do not overlook the foundation, the fundamentals of approaching and executing each shot the same way every time.

If you do not practice each shot using the same boring robotic routine you are delaying your progress.

So many want to gloss over the basics and get on to the fun stuff, like spinning the shat out the cue ball.
Click to expand...

Hey Greg,

I have no intentions on glossing over the fundamentals. Could you elaborate a little on the "robotic routine" and points I should be focusing on while executing my shots?
 
Coop1701

Coop1701

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I practiced for about 3 hours last night. Broke solid for the first hour..., Worked on speed and table movement the next hour. I think they are several key strokes that you should be proficient at to move around the table.

Last hour I just ran balls against the ghost. I made sure my fundamentals and stroke as there.

I’m practicing more and more so I can get better at these larger local tournaments we keep having. I guess we all need goals for motivation.
 
gregcantrall

gregcantrall

Center Ball
Silver Member
bdam123 said:
Hey Greg,

I have no intentions on glossing over the fundamentals. Could you elaborate a little on the "robotic routine" and points I should be focusing on while executing my shots?
Click to expand...

An instructor that I think a lot like is Lee Brett. This should be a link to an instructional series he did with APA.
Each lesson deserves a week of practice, before moving on to the next.
The more good habits you form early on the better. Bad habits take a lot longer to break than to make.
 
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gregcantrall

gregcantrall

Center Ball
Silver Member
My practice routine:

Cue ball on head spot, shoot to center diamond and back to cue tip.

Then center diamond to each of the head corners, then shoot at first diamond each side to the corners. I do this as left hand against right. As long as it makes go to next shot. Then I finish with the center diamond to each side pocket.

Now I am ready for 2 balls......

Every shot I set up from the very beginning as Lee describes:

Do the planning and aiming standing back. Then step into the shot from the distance I have measured using my cue that is held at the exact same spot each time.

I have set myself on the line of aim using my belly button. Another perhaps better way I have heard is, to use your chin. The chin stays on the line, the belly button does not.

Same step onto line aiming the whole time.
 
gregcantrall

gregcantrall

Center Ball
Silver Member
2 Balls now.

Ok hopefully I have gotten to 2 balls within 15 minutes. CJ Wiley put forth the proposition that it was next to impossible to place an object ball on the foot spot and shoot from the head spot to have the cue ball stop and object ball rebound to hit the cue ball, ten times in a row.

Sooooo this is my next drill. Again I shoot left hand against right a miss changes hands. My high run is 9 on a 7 foot Diamond. Not sure which hand. Usually the left is the first to score but the right can kick in for longer runs. I do this about 15 minutes.

Oh yea have I mentioned that if you are not shooting with both hands........well it is a big advantage to be able to just step into a natural shot, as opposed to body contortions or even the crutch.:eek:
 
Mkindsv

Mkindsv

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
"My thread detailing my transition from object ball last to cue ball last.http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=304747
Experiments in looking at the cueball while delivering the stroke."

Holy shit do I struggle with this, after 28 years of shooting pool I still find that if I doubt myself even one little bit I end up looking at the cue ball last and it drops my game by 3 balls. Even today, I started playing a guy, couldn't start a run to save my life, four games in I thought "look at the object ball last damnit!" suddenly I had those three balls back and the guy I was playing asked me if I was bullshitting him for the first half hour.
 
ceebee

ceebee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nothing was mentioned about the Break Shot in the games we play or the practice you do (except for Coop1701) . That's the first shot in every game. The Break Shot isn't to be overlooked, because it's a very important shot.

The Break Shot is an advantage or a disadvantage, it's your choice....

Good Luck...
 
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gregcantrall

gregcantrall

Center Ball
Silver Member
Some more resources.

billiards.colostate.edu - extensive collection of videos, instructional articles, and additional resources
Drills and exercises from Dr. Dave's site
APA Dr. Cue Instruction

My version of SPF:
Sight, Pause, Fingers.
I aim the shot while standing square and facing the shot. I step into and on the shot line placing my body and balance as if I were going to shoot the shot one handed. Then once my bridge hand is on the table, I Aim the shot from an upright stance. Once that aim is good, I put my chin on the cue and establish 4 points of contact with the cue. Both hands, chin and pectoral muscle. From this point I am sighting down the cue as opposed to aiming the cue. My practice strokes I am looking at the cue ball as I stroke and then following that line with my eyes after the stroke is stopped. If it all adds up I Pause at the back of the stroke to lock my focus on the exact point I am to strike on the cue ball and concentrate on the path I want the cue tip to take through that point. Once focused I need to start the shot with my fingers. I strive for a pendulum stroke with minimum arm movement.

There is a lot of good information available that can get you on the right track. However the quickest and best way is with a quality coach. A good coach can give you direction and feedback before you get the chance to lock in bad habits or bad form. Asking various players for free advice and input is more likely to confuse and confound a new player. A coach warrants your commitment to his regimen and methods.
 
B

bdam123

Registered
gregcantrall said:
billiards.colostate.edu - extensive collection of videos, instructional articles, and additional resources
Drills and exercises from Dr. Dave's site
APA Dr. Cue Instruction

My version of SPF:
Sight, Pause, Fingers.
I aim the shot while standing square and facing the shot. I step into and on the shot line placing my body and balance as if I were going to shoot the shot one handed. Then once my bridge hand is on the table, I Aim the shot from an upright stance. Once that aim is good, I put my chin on the cue and establish 4 points of contact with the cue. Both hands, chin and pectoral muscle. From this point I am sighting down the cue as opposed to aiming the cue. My practice strokes I am looking at the cue ball as I stroke and then following that line with my eyes after the stroke is stopped. If it all adds up I Pause at the back of the stroke to lock my focus on the exact point I am to strike on the cue ball and concentrate on the path I want the cue tip to take through that point. Once focused I need to start the shot with my fingers. I strive for a pendulum stroke with minimum arm movement.

There is a lot of good information available that can get you on the right track. However the quickest and best way is with a quality coach. A good coach can give you direction and feedback before you get the chance to lock in bad habits or bad form. Asking various players for free advice and input is more likely to confuse and confound a new player. A coach warrants your commitment to his regimen and methods.
Click to expand...

Checking out the links now. Thanks again!
 
Rackattach

Rackattach

Banned
When you start out
80% basic fundamentals- grip, stroke, alignment and preshot routine
15% - understand basic cueball lines after collision, stop shot angles, rolling cueball angles etc.
5% - have fun and shoot around.
 
strmanglr scott

strmanglr scott

All about Focus
Silver Member
gregcantrall said:
My practice routine:

Cue ball on head spot, shoot to center diamond and back to cue tip.

Then center diamond to each of the head corners, then shoot at first diamond each side to the corners. I do this as left hand against right. As long as it makes go to next shot. Then I finish with the center diamond to each side pocket.

Now I am ready for 2 balls......

Every shot I set up from the very beginning as Lee describes:

Do the planning and aiming standing back. Then step into the shot from the distance I have measured using my cue that is held at the exact same spot each time.

I have set myself on the line of aim using my belly button. Another perhaps better way I have heard is, to use your chin. The chin stays on the line, the belly button does not.

Same step onto line aiming the whole time.
Click to expand...


Started following those links and that's a lengthy thing.

Your practice routine starts as mine similarly. Diff is I hit from foot spot to head rail back to foot rail and judge the speed back to foot spot.

When you got that down real well then there is a base factor for speed. Go to another table, do the drill, hmm, am I off or is this table fast?

Your two ball drill I'll have to do. Got something similar as far as straightening stroke, line up...

Ball on foot rail middle diamond, another ball on foot spot, another ball between middle pockets all in line...cue ball on headspot.

Cb into middle ball into footspot ball into footrail ball. The goal is to have the footspot ball hit the rail ball and come straight back.

**

As to the O.P.

I have many drills I've tailored to my weaknesses.

When practicing I will play my game of choice, 8 ball for three games. Then I'll do three drills and then back to 8 for 3 games, and so on...

The drills I do between 8 ball games are drills focused on where I critique those 8 ball games.

Know why you miss.
 
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