Drill motoivation
- Thread starter fastford
- Start date
just knowing I can put holes in something is motivation enough for me....yep, I LIKE boring!!!! :wink:
Do drills with verifiable results. Keep score in a log with dates. The best is 20 shots, 5 points per attempt. It turns it into a game and you can measure your progress. The motivation comes in seeing the progress and setting goals. I have scores going back months.
I have about 15 different drills a week. I have a written schedule each day. I know which skills I need to work on.
When a drill gets boring, I move it out of my schedule for a while. I get bored without being able to measure progress. I seems like just hitting balls after a while.
I have about 15 different drills a week. I have a written schedule each day. I know which skills I need to work on.
When a drill gets boring, I move it out of my schedule for a while. I get bored without being able to measure progress. I seems like just hitting balls after a while.
Fastford
Drills are work and like any work you got to make fun. Having a friend shoot drills with you is one way to make it more interesting. By shooting drills with many different people you learn new Drills and keep it interesting. But I have to admit after a while even shooting drills with a buddy can get boring. But Shoot drills with the Knowledge, nothing can improve for game better than drills.
Drills are work and like any work you got to make fun. Having a friend shoot drills with you is one way to make it more interesting. By shooting drills with many different people you learn new Drills and keep it interesting. But I have to admit after a while even shooting drills with a buddy can get boring. But Shoot drills with the Knowledge, nothing can improve for game better than drills.
In addition to keeping a "practice log" with results achieved on various drills, you can also switch up every once in a while by going to something that will measure your game. I use the Q Skills challenge (do a search on here to find it) to measure progress in my overall game. It tests everything but safety play.
While I actually like drills, I also like to keep score.
Brian in VA
While I actually like drills, I also like to keep score.
Brian in VA
No practice, no drills = no improvement.
But, IMO, if you play everyday for 4+ hours, you might be able to improve a little bit in time.
But not anywhere near as much as you could if you just practiced 1 hour a day and played 3 hours.
But, IMO, if you play everyday for 4+ hours, you might be able to improve a little bit in time.
But not anywhere near as much as you could if you just practiced 1 hour a day and played 3 hours.
wow - you guys are not only dedicated, but didn't even find humor in my word play 
:frown:
:frown:
You got to have the desire to improve and be the best, to really stick to drills. Persistance and motivation has to be there. That being said you don't have to overload yourself. The best thing to do is get a note book and pick 3 drills a day and write them down with the date. After each practice session write your thoughts below on the rest of the page on the drills. Also try to pick three drills that work on diffirent aspects of your game. For example pick a drill that works on fundamentals, one on shotmaking and one on position play. You could also pick safeties, your stroke, banks, on and on. The only time you need to pick 3 drills that all focus on the same thing is when you have spotted a big weakness in that area of your game and it needs specific attention. If there is one drill you want to practice alot then keep that one drill and just change the other two every day for about a week or until you have it down. After you have worked 20-30 minutes on each drill now you can do something you want to do. Kinda like a reward. I usually play the ghost or play straight pool after a practice session.
With this formula I have always progressed, although not at a super fast past. I can look at how I played last year and I play better now and way better than the year before that.
One other thing, when you hit a wall and you don't know what to work on next. Pick up a good book such as Phil Capelle's "Play your best Pool". Then pick either the shotmaking or position play or safety chapter and practice 3 pages a day out of that chapter. At the very least you will be polishing off skills that you already have. Remember pros have a mastery level over all skills, thats why they are pros.
With this formula I have always progressed, although not at a super fast past. I can look at how I played last year and I play better now and way better than the year before that.
One other thing, when you hit a wall and you don't know what to work on next. Pick up a good book such as Phil Capelle's "Play your best Pool". Then pick either the shotmaking or position play or safety chapter and practice 3 pages a day out of that chapter. At the very least you will be polishing off skills that you already have. Remember pros have a mastery level over all skills, thats why they are pros.
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Nice thread.
I don't have much to add, other than agreeing with the importance of changing up your practice routine. When I find myself starting to do the same drills every practice I go crazy. I like the idea of each practice session doing one from each category: one warm up drill, one shotmaking drill, one position play drill, etc.
While we're all here, I'm just curious- how many days a week do you guys do drills, and for how long a session?
I don't have much to add, other than agreeing with the importance of changing up your practice routine. When I find myself starting to do the same drills every practice I go crazy. I like the idea of each practice session doing one from each category: one warm up drill, one shotmaking drill, one position play drill, etc.
While we're all here, I'm just curious- how many days a week do you guys do drills, and for how long a session?
Its funny you ask. As many days that I can for as many hours as I can. It use to be Monday through Friday about 5 hours a day after work. Sat and Sun were tournaments and gambling. I would ocassionally take a day off if I wasnt feeling it. That might only be once or twice a month though. I am deffinately dedicated. I came up with my practice routine because if I am going to spend that much time practicing, then I am going to make damn sure I am going to get the most out of it that I can.
Everyone has there own reasons for playing and wanting to get better. Good Luck with finding yours, I have found mine.
I can't exactly say anything that hasn't already been said, but these guys are completely right.
You have to set a schedule and practice accordingly. The real 'motoivation' is from seeing your game start to improve. Keep that in mind. Remember, practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
You have to set a schedule and practice accordingly. The real 'motoivation' is from seeing your game start to improve. Keep that in mind. Remember, practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
Boy wouldn't it be nice if there were a magic bullet answer for this question. I enjoy playing 14.1 and I'm no world beater. I fully expect to run a 30 something or 40 something during the course of any 14.1 game with an occasional 50 something on a great day.
I have a GCIII in my basement, I'm retired with nothing but time, and I have ABSOLUTELY no desire to practice. I simply can't do it. I go down there with the intention to seriously hit some balls and withing minutes, I find myself firing banks around or hitting warp speed shots. Because of that I find myself playing only about 10 hrs or so a week.
I believe that for those who desire to practice, but find it difficult, part of the reason is they are not sure what they are doing wrong and don't think hunting and pecking for the answer through hours of practice with the distinct possibility of never finding the answer is effective enough.
I'll bet taking a lesson or two from a qualified instructor would motivate you and give you direction.
I have a GCIII in my basement, I'm retired with nothing but time, and I have ABSOLUTELY no desire to practice. I simply can't do it. I go down there with the intention to seriously hit some balls and withing minutes, I find myself firing banks around or hitting warp speed shots. Because of that I find myself playing only about 10 hrs or so a week.
I believe that for those who desire to practice, but find it difficult, part of the reason is they are not sure what they are doing wrong and don't think hunting and pecking for the answer through hours of practice with the distinct possibility of never finding the answer is effective enough.
I'll bet taking a lesson or two from a qualified instructor would motivate you and give you direction.
You could (just like many others) probably list 10 shots that you have difficulty with every time they come up in a match.
I know I use to have issues with spot shots in One Pocket... so much that my opponents that knew this would purposely leave the cue ball on my their side of the table and forcing me to shoot the spot shot into my pocket.... knowing I would miss and leave them a shot.... and it would make me frustrated.
I practiced that spot shot until I just couldn't miss it except leaving it in the jaws of my pocket.
I know I use to have issues with spot shots in One Pocket... so much that my opponents that knew this would purposely leave the cue ball on my their side of the table and forcing me to shoot the spot shot into my pocket.... knowing I would miss and leave them a shot.... and it would make me frustrated.
I practiced that spot shot until I just couldn't miss it except leaving it in the jaws of my pocket.
I guess practice can be boring for some people, but I love to hit balls. I play about 3 hours a day. I know I'm still into improving because I get mad when I miss!.....really mad!
when a shot comes up I'm missing too often, I draw it on my chalk board hanging next to my table.....its shaped like a table so the shots are obvious I need to work on.
I mostly play the 10 ball ghost now, and it goes back and forth. Some days I work on the safe game and breaking, but now I mostly try to work on simplifying my patterns.!
G.
when a shot comes up I'm missing too often, I draw it on my chalk board hanging next to my table.....its shaped like a table so the shots are obvious I need to work on.
I mostly play the 10 ball ghost now, and it goes back and forth. Some days I work on the safe game and breaking, but now I mostly try to work on simplifying my patterns.!
G.
I need no motivation to keep drilling. Every couple days I just start to get the feeling that it's time to drill. Luckily my girlfriend usually agrees, and we drill. Then we both feel much better and go out and get something to eat!:grin:
One thing I did forget to mention. Competition will create motivation. Go compete in some tournaments or gamble some cheap sets. This will help you discover what motivates you.