Next level practicing...

skins

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
I talk to players all the time that are trying to find a simple ball poketing practice routine that can allow them the chance to progress to the "next" level . Here's a simple suggestion... Go back to the basics. Throw all 15 balls plus cue ball randomly on the table and just run the balls. If you miss start over. Do it till you can run the balls. (On tight tables it may not be as simple as you think :smile:..Hint, clear the balls near the rails as early as possible :thumbup:)

If it becomes easy, start by running the first 3 in rotation then the rest random. Add a ball in rotation as you progress.

I think you'll find that once you can run just the 15 randomly on a fairly regular basis your game in total will greatly improve.
 
JeremiahGage

JeremiahGage

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
And if you want an even bigger challenge, throw all 15 balls out and try running them without the cue ball contacting a rail. I have found this to be great practice for finding patterns, as it forces you to plan multiple shots ahead.
 
skins

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
JeremiahGage said:
And if you want an even bigger challenge, throw all 15 balls out and try running them without the cue ball contacting a rail. I have found this to be great practice for finding patterns, as it forces you to plan multiple shots ahead.
Click to expand...

It also can help with your banks as well...:)
 
L

louieatienza

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
skins said:
I talk to players all the time that are trying to find a simple ball poketing practice routine that can allow them the chance to progress to the "next" level . Here's a simple suggestion... Go back to the basics. Throw all 15 balls plus cue ball randomly on the table and just run the balls. If you miss start over. Do it till you can run the balls. (On tight tables it may not be as simple as you think :smile:..Hint, clear the balls near the rails as early as possible :thumbup:)

If it becomes easy, start by running the first 3 in rotation then the rest random. Add a ball in rotation as you progress.

I think you'll find that once you can run just the 15 randomly on a fairly regular basis your game in total will greatly improve.
Click to expand...

To clarify, clear all balls on the rail that are blocking other balls first! And don't move balls that are pocketable. Also, use 1 rail instead of 2, 2 instead of 3....

You can change the challenge up by hitting all shots with draw, or all shots with follow.

I also do a drill to test my stroke, and how straight it is. I take a ball and place it about 1/8" away from the long rail, opposite the first diamond. The cue ball is the same distance from the rail, one diamond away. The challenge is to draw the cue ball back as far as you can staying within 1/4" of the rail. Then move the cue ball back 2 diamonds, 3 diamonds, and so on, until you're 6 diamonds away (counting the side pocket as a diamond.) I find if I can draw the ball back dead straight from that length, them my stroke is pretty good and true, and I play better. If I don't stroke it good, I find the cue ball moves quite a bit off the rail (unintentional side spin) or I rattle the ball in the jaws (stroke not straight.)
 
skins

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
louieatienza said:
To clarify, clear all balls on the rail that are blocking other balls first! And don't move balls that are pocketable. Also, use 1 rail instead of 2, 2 instead of 3....

You can change the challenge up by hitting all shots with draw, or all shots with follow.

I also do a drill to test my stroke, and how straight it is. I take a ball and place it about 1/8" away from the long rail, opposite the first diamond. The cue ball is the same distance from the rail, one diamond away. The challenge is to draw the cue ball back as far as you can staying within 1/4" of the rail. Then move the cue ball back 2 diamonds, 3 diamonds, and so on, until you're 6 diamonds away (counting the side pocket as a diamond.) I find if I can draw the ball back dead straight from that length, them my stroke is pretty good and true, and I play better. If I don't stroke it good, I find the cue ball moves quite a bit off the rail (unintentional side spin) or I rattle the ball in the jaws (stroke not straight.)
Click to expand...

Yes there are many many other things you can practice but just pocketing balls as I have described is a great place to start for the intermediate player to greatly improve their game IMHO.

The randomness of each layout, couple that with playing on different tables, will eventually expose your basic weaknesses very quickly. IMO You can work on good BASIC controlled pocketing, speed control, and position skills before getting deep into "drill" practice.

As for "clarifying" my comment about removing the balls from the rail first, the reason is because those are the most difficult shots to make AND get final position on. The fact that you would move a ball blocking another on a rail would be common sense for the intermediate player i would think...One that might not be so would be knowing which balls that are laying out in the open are "blocking" the way to a more controllable out. Random pocketing will help you in recognizing those after a while as well.
 
L

louieatienza

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
skins said:
Yes there are many many other things you can practice but just pocketing balls as I have described is a great place to start for the intermediate player to greatly improve their game IMHO.

The randomness of each layout, couple that with playing on different tables, will eventually expose your basic weaknesses very quickly. IMO You can work on good BASIC controlled pocketing, speed control, and position skills before getting deep into "drill" practice.

As for "clarifying" my comment about removing the balls from the rail first, the reason is because those are the most difficult shots to make AND get final position on. The fact that you would move a ball blocking another on a rail would be common sense for the intermediate player i would think...One that might not be so would be knowing which balls that are laying out in the open are "blocking" the way to a more controllable out. Random pocketing will help you in recognizing those after a while as well.
Click to expand...

Well, sometimes it's not so obvious earlier on.... you can have a ball in the middle of the table, blocked by a ball on a rail. But yes, a pattern develops - outside-in
 
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