Do pros use drills?

[EL'nino]

Does anyone know of any pros who use practice drills? It seems like every training DVD or book that comes out has some sort of practice drill to set up and work on. I just can't see Earl, Efren or other pro level players doing these. I'm not saying that they're not productive....

 

[branpureza]

Does anyone know of any pros who use practice drills? It seems like every training DVD or book that comes out has some sort of practice drill to set up and work on. I just can't see Earl, Efren or other pro level players doing these. I'm not saying that they're not productive....

Absolutely, especially the Europeans.

 

[DavidMNienow]

The europeans and asians are big on drill practice. And both regions are big on the adoption of the IPAT system of drills. Having adapted the IPAT drills into my own training regimen for skill improvement, I can testify to those drills greatly making improvements in my game, and allowing me the means to actually measure the level of improvement I was making.

 

[sfleinen]

Absolutely, especially the Europeans.

Agreed. What is especially troublesome about these "do pros really do drills?" posts, is the inferred notion that drills are not needed -- i.e. almost as if looking for an excuse NOT to do drills.

Even if in lieu of drills, any top player has their "pet" difficult shots that they like to practice. At Turning Stone a couple years back, I watched Shane warm up by repeatedly shooting a bank shot with various forms of spin. He did this for almost 20 minutes -- the same shot, over and over. He could've simply just broke racks and ran them out, but his maturity as a player told him to stay away from the "appeasing the onlooking crowd" thing, and actually do some drills.

-Sean

 

[Ratta]

If you re a professional you work non-stop on your game and also on your *weakness*-- otherwise that wouldn t be professional.

 

[bdcues]

They don't use drills... they use routers!

 

[Ghosst]

I second the IPAT as a great tool, and that the Europeans and Asians use drills. If you lack the time or commitment for them you will find it takes you much longer to find and fix your problem shots or develop precise CB control.

 

[bbb]

Does anyone know of any pros who use practice drills? It seems like every training DVD or book that comes out has some sort of practice drill to set up and work on. I just can't see Earl, Efren or other pro level players doing these. I'm not saying that they're not productive....

do you think efren is going to buy a training dvd??:grin:
drills are great for improvement (so maybe you can play like efren one day)and im sure pros go back to drills when they are "off" and want to get back "on"
if they dont do some type of drills every day

 

[jay helfert]

I've hosted many great players in my home and the first thing I noticed was how much time they put into practicing. I am not exaggerating when I say that Shane would hit balls at least ten hours a day! Dennis O. has been here off and on the last month and he is on the table 6-8 hours a day on average. I'll be honest and tell you that I've never practiced with Shane. He is just too intimidating! Dennis and I have played some Banks and One Pocket. Believe it or not I do win a game once in a while.

BOTH of them spend the most time working on their break shots. I think at the highest level, having a good break can make the difference between winning and losing. It is the single most important shot in most pool games after all. Besides the break shot, I see them working on various shots, probably those that cause them problems. Shane might shoot one shot fifty or more times, until he makes it like ten in a row! And I'm not talking about an easy shot either.

Dennis might shoot all bank shots for an hour or so, then switch to various combinations. I rarely have seen either of these guys working on anything that looks like a drill, preferring instead to run rack after rack of Ten Ball. That is probably the second biggest thing they work on, the run-out! It's not so easy on my tough Diamond table, but I'm guessing that both these guys break and run over half the racks during practice, and I'm not talking ball in hand either!

 

[EL'nino]

I've hosted many great players in my home and the first thing I noticed was how much time they put into practicing. I am not exaggerating when I say that Shane would hit balls at least ten hours a day! Dennis O. has been here off and on the last month and he is on the table 6-8 hours a day on average. I'll be honest and tell you that I've never practiced with Shane. He is just too intimidating! Dennis and I have played some Banks and One Pocket. Believe it or not I do win a game once in a while.

BOTH of them spend the most time working on their break shots. I think at the highest level, having a good break can make the difference between winning and losing. It is the single most important shot in most pool games after all. Besides the break shot, I see them working on various shots, probably those that cause them problems. Shane might shoot one shot fifty or more times, until he makes it like ten in a row! And I'm not talking about an easy shot either.

Dennis might shoot all bank shots for an hour or so, then switch to various combinations. I rarely have seen either of these guys working on anything that looks like a drill, preferring instead to run rack after rack of Ten Ball. That is probably the second biggest thing they work on, the run-out! It's not so easy on my tough Diamond table, but I'm guessing that both these guys break and run over half the racks during practice, and I'm not talking ball in hand either!

This is pretty much what I thought most pros did. They may have done drills when they were shortstops or A players to get to that level.

 

[Cdryden]

I've hosted many great players in my home and the first thing I noticed was how much time they put into practicing. I am not exaggerating when I say that Shane would hit balls at least ten hours a day! Dennis O. has been here off and on the last month and he is on the table 6-8 hours a day on average. I'll be honest and tell you that I've never practiced with Shane. He is just too intimidating! Dennis and I have played some Banks and One Pocket. Believe it or not I do win a game once in a while.

BOTH of them spend the most time working on their break shots. I think at the highest level, having a good break can make the difference between winning and losing. It is the single most important shot in most pool games after all. Besides the break shot, I see them working on various shots, probably those that cause them problems. Shane might shoot one shot fifty or more times, until he makes it like ten in a row! And I'm not talking about an easy shot either.

Dennis might shoot all bank shots for an hour or so, then switch to various combinations. I rarely have seen either of these guys working on anything that looks like a drill, preferring instead to run rack after rack of Ten Ball. That is probably the second biggest thing they work on, the run-out! It's not so easy on my tough Diamond table, but I'm guessing that both these guys break and run over half the racks during practice, and I'm not talking ball in hand either!

I think it's fair to say that most drills today are designed to build skill, categorize skill, or illuminate a weakness. Someone like Dennis O is probably working more at maintaining and honing his skill. (not that drills can't do that)
I think he knows exactly what he needs to work on and is doing just that.

Some of us mere mortals are striving to reach that higher level and drills are just one tool used to help us get there. I think most people at some point have utilized drills to improve their game.

 

[EL'nino]

I think it's fair to say that most drills today are designed to build skill, categorize skill, or illuminate a weakness. Someone like Dennis O is probably working more at maintaining and honing his skill. (not that drills can't do that)
I think he knows exactly what he needs to work on and is doing just that.

Some of us mere mortals are striving to reach that higher level and drills are just one tool used to help us get there. I think most people at some point have utilized drills to improve their game.

That's what I was trying to say.... Next time I have a thought help me out a little sooner:grin: