Adjusting to different Speeds

J

jdr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The thread on teaching speed control reminded of an issue I had on Monday at this tournament. I normally play/practice on fairly slow tables. Well, the first match I had at the tournament happened to be on a very fast table. It took me 3 games into the match before I could adjust to the speed. (And I'd miss easy shots because i was so focused on the speed.) Then the next match was on a slower table (this place doesn't recover their tables at the same time) and it took me a couple games to adjust there too. Of course, in a race to 4, this 'adjusting time' is costly.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to adjust more quickly? Similar to learning speed, is learning to adjust more of an experience thing or even with experience, does it take time to get a feel of the table?

Finally, does anybody have a good way to 'measure' the speed of the table? I normally shoot a spot shot with the cueball in the kitchen at "normal" speed. Usually, the cueball would end up close to the head string. Further means a faster table and not as far implies a slow table.
 
jdr said:
Does anybody have any suggestions on how to adjust to speed more quickly?
Click to expand...
Start off with bennies, if that doesn't do it, try black beauties, eye-openers, white crosses, double crosses, and cartwheels until you have the speed down.
 
I encountered the same problem in the last Viking Tourney. All the tables (GCIV) had been recovered except one. Anyway I ended up losing double hill the round before the money to a guy I would normally give the 7 to. I think the speed of the table frustrated me and I let it get to me. Anyway, if you can warm up on the tables beforehand,
1. Try your spot shot or any shot that you feel comfortable using a a basis for judging speed.
2. Some simple kick and bank shots to test how the rails play as the speed of the table will affect long and short.
3. Lag shot.
4. Draw a few balls.
5. Make it a point to play on different cloths if possible.
 
Once you've figured out whether the table is playing fast or slow, immediately make an adjustment to your speed, i.e. table is fast, shoot softer than you normally would until you get it down; table is slow, play everything harder than you normally would until you get it down. Works for me sometimes. YMMV
 
One very nice tip, is that you can control your speed by simply adjusting bridge length. Makes adjusting for different tables quite easy - definitely much easier than trying to do it with muscle memory.

When you get to a table shoot a lag.
o If the ball rolls too far: slightly shorten your bridge length
o If the ball rolls too short: slightly lengthen your bridge
o If the ball rolls perfect: lock in that bridge length

These slight bridge adjustments usually range from about 2 inches to as little as 1/2 an inch. The key is to still be able to stroke as smoothly and fluently as normal and still maintain your aim and accuracy. Thus, the only thing that changes is a minor adjustment in the length of your stroke (backwards and forwards).
NOTE: for some, this kind of adjustment may seem foreign and awkward at first. But learning this technique can be very very useful and natural.

Now, once you have lag speed honed in, then all of your shots can be adjusted accordingly. Many shots will usually be shot at or near lag speed. If you need a softer shot, then can put your bridge hand down at the lag speed length, and then adjust shorter a slight bit. If you need a longer shot, then can put your bridge hand down at the lag speed length, and then adjust a little longer. Thus, every shot basically starts from that locked in bridge length that you established on that table, and small adjustments are made for shorter or longer shots.
In your shot setup routine, once your bridge length is locked in, then you can put all your focus into your normal aiming methods, and then just stroke smoothly. Use your practice strokes for grooving the relative speed needed.

NOTE: This is also effective for those super delicate or light safeties that can come up, where you need to barely hit a ball. When you have a very very very short bridge length, and stroke it smooth and fluent accordingly, then how can you over-roll a ball, if your stroke length can't possibly generate that much energy?


ANALOGY: Take an action that is so normal and fluent, that you don't even pay hardly any attention to it - throwing a ball. When you want to throw it 2 feet, you use a very short windup. When you want to throw it 20 feet, you use a normal windup. And when you want to throw it hard, you use a very long and powerful windup.
You don't use a big, long windup to throw it 2 feet. And you don't use a small, tiny windup to throw it as far as you can.
You naturally use a windup that is conducive to the results that you're trying to achieve.
 
Last edited:
FLICKit said:
One very nice tip, is that you can control your speed by simply adjusting bridge length. Makes adjusting for different tables quite easy - definitely much easier than trying to do it with muscle memory.

When you get to a table shoot a lag.
o If the ball rolls too far: slightly shorten your bridge length
o If the ball rolls too short: slightly lengthen your bridge
o If the ball rolls perfect: lock in that bridge length

These slight bridge adjustments usually range from about 2 inches to as little as 1/2 an inch. The key is to still be able to stroke as smoothly and fluently as normal and still maintain your aim and accuracy. Thus, the only thing that changes is a minor adjustment in the length of your stroke (backwards and forwards).
NOTE: for some, this kind of adjustment may seem foreign and awkward at first. But learning this technique can be very very useful and natural.

Now, once you have lag speed honed in, then all of your shots can be adjusted accordingly. Many shots will usually be shot at or near lag speed. If you need a softer shot, then can put your bridge hand down at the lag speed length, and then adjust shorter a slight bit. If you need a longer shot, then can put your bridge hand down at the lag speed length, and then adjust a little longer. Thus, every shot basically starts from that locked in bridge length that you established on that table, and small adjustments are made for shorter or longer shots.
In your shot setup routine, once your bridge length is locked in, then you can put all your focus into your normal aiming methods, and then just stroke smoothly. Use your practice strokes for grooving the relative speed needed.

NOTE: This is also effective for those super delicate or light safeties that can come up, where you need to barely hit a ball. When you have a very very very short bridge length, and stroke it smooth and fluent accordingly, then how can you over-roll a ball, if your stroke length can't possibly generate that much energy?


ANALOGY: Take an action that is so normal and fluent, that you don't even pay hardly any attention to it - throwing a ball. When you want to throw it 2 feet, you use a very short windup. When you want to throw it 20 feet, you use a normal windup. And when you want to throw it hard, you use a very long and powerful windup.
You don't use a big, long windup to throw it 2 feet. And you don't use a small, tiny windup to throw it as far as you can.
You naturally use a windup that is conducive to the results that you're trying to achieve.
Click to expand...

I've never heard of this and seems pretty interesting and sounds like a great tip. I'm going to have to try tonight to see how well it works. Like you mentioned, it seems like a good way to adjust your speed on shots even during normal play.
 
jdr said:
I've never heard of this and seems pretty interesting and sounds like a great tip. I'm going to have to try tonight to see how well it works. Like you mentioned, it seems like a good way to adjust your speed on shots even during normal play.
Click to expand...


It is completely unnecessary to adjust your bridge length to adjust your stroke speed to different tables and conditions. All you have to do is get your speed nailed down on the table you play on the most, and then you can easily adjust to any other table. I teach this on a daily basis. You almost always use your regular normal length bridge (whatever that is for you), adjust your grip to fit that length bridge, and learn to play your stroke speed. You can adjust up or down based on that one speed very easily.
I demonstrated this system last January at the DCC in the AzB room, and it has been detailed here several times, by myself and others, including in the current speed control thread.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
Basically what I do is take on shot at what I consider "medium hard" and send it on a 5 rail bank. I know how far it normally goes and if gives me an estimate on the overall speed of the table and rails. Then I take the cue ball and line it up with the 1 diamond on the table. I bank it towards the corner pocket with a hair of left english, this gives me an idea of how that particular cb responds to english. I do that a few times going between the 1st and 2nd diamond and using various forms of english.

My real issue with faster tables than I'm used to is my draw, that takes a few games to get under control.
 
You'll proably just develop an eye for the speed of the table and be able to toss a ball around and get somewhat of a feel for if it's a fast or slow table, you can work on a consistant lag stroke too... but really, it's going to take you some time to adjust to about any table, even the best players in the world need a little while to adjust from table to table -- they might still run out, but they aren't 100% comfortable... it takes time, just like everything else in this game.
 
Nick Varner wrote an article years ago, I believe, in Billiard Digest.

Before he would play a match on a table, he had a set practice routine he would go through before his match.

It consisted of a series of draw, follow, and spin shots to see how the table reacted.

For example, he would set an object about 2 inches off the long rail, one diamond up from the corner pocket and set the cue ball straight in line with the object ball one diamond further up the long rail. He would then start drawing the ball back in one diamond increments until he drew it to the opposite end rail. He, then, did the same routine with follow. He would then do spin shots into the rails to see how they reacted.

It worked for him. Try it!

Stones
 
If you have the time!

Basically my 5-6 rail bank is one of the quickest ways to test the table speed, you can do it while your opponent is putting his/her cue together. Then the side rail banks can be done while they are racking. I can get a pretty decent feel for a table in about 30-60 seconds(of course the longer you shoot on it the better you'll get the feel for the table). But as noted there are a few shots, especially draw shots(for me) that takes a little longer to get down. If I'm racking I'll take an OB and spin it a few times with my fingers off the bottom rail and off the side rail to see how well it catches.

Keep in mind that over the past 3/4 of my life I've played on many different tables pretty consistantly, as in I have had to adjust to different tables a LOT.

Also, I assume most of you listen to the table when you take a shot or your opponent does to hear the dead rail clunk. Just another way to get an understanding of the table.
 
speed control

jdr said:
The thread on teaching speed control reminded of an issue I had on Monday at this tournament. I normally play/practice on fairly slow tables. Well, the first match I had at the tournament happened to be on a very fast table. It took me 3 games into the match before I could adjust to the speed. (And I'd miss easy shots because i was so focused on the speed.) Then the next match was on a slower table (this place doesn't recover their tables at the same time) and it took me a couple games to adjust there too. Of course, in a race to 4, this 'adjusting time' is costly.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to adjust more quickly? Similar to learning speed, is learning to adjust more of an experience thing or even with experience, does it take time to get a feel of the table?

Finally, does anybody have a good way to 'measure' the speed of the table? I normally shoot a spot shot with the cueball in the kitchen at "normal" speed. Usually, the cueball would end up close to the head string. Further means a faster table and not as far implies a slow table.
Click to expand...

choose thick shots, that will slow down your speed. thick shots is aiming at the center of a half ball.
 
kildegirl said:
choose thick shots, that will slow down your speed. thick shots is aiming at the center of a half ball.
Click to expand...


Exactly, Stay closer to the center of the cue ball if your having trouble with the speed. stay away from alot of side spin (whitch effects your speed more than anything on differnt tables) and you will adjust alot more quickly and find you will play alot better on fast cloth because you can stay near the center of the cue. this makes you more acurate, because fast cloth is also more fogiving.

SPINDOKTOR
 
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