If you have a limited time to practice (life gets in the way) what do you find is better to improve your game, set drills or throw the balls out and try to runout?
JV
JV
Drills or Runout?
- Thread starter Billiard Architect
- Start date
Both. Today-drills. Next session-runout. I think both forms of practice are equally important.
~DC
~DC
Johnny "V" said:
Drills improve your game. Just make sure they match what you want to work on and that you have some ability to achieve success.
Tossing balls and running out can be fun but more importantly gives yourself a chance to apply the results from your drills.
Drills give you a chance to recognize mistakes. Repeatability is key. This gives you a chance to make the proper corrections. Correcting one's mistakes results in improvement.
Johnny "V" said:
I am not sure how this goes for other games but I found this to work good for 9ball. Play the game of 9ball and keep a keen eye on what your 9ball is lacking(What needs improvement). When you narrow down something, i.e. your bank shots or kicking sucks, tailor drills for banking or kicking. If you miss a cross side bank in a 9ball runout, set it up as a drill. Makes much more sense than doing random drills than may or may not help your game.
Basically rate your game by running out and improve your week spots with drills.
I think the answer lies more in your (mental) game and current skill level than time constraints. If you're routinely breakin&runnin 9-ball, than several of the time tested drills (L-shape, the cross, circle of balls, etc) will help to fine-tune your ball control without having to commit several hours. Just like golf, it's the "short game" or touch shots that are the hardest to develop and the quickest to leave us.
Most people have pretty busy lives and can't dedicate hours and hours every day to practicing. So I say, do what you enjoy doing. They can both be of great value in improving your game. But, personally, I hate doing drills. They just bore the s%$t out of me. So, I toss the balls out on the table and see how many racks I can run. To me, it is like playing an easier version of straight pool.
crawdaddio said:
I second that motion... Drills one time, play the next.... I even suggest practicing Banks one time, the Diamond System & the Sid System one time too. Maybe even a Jump Shot session too.
Being familiar with your shotmaking is just as important as playing position.
Johnny "V" said:
I would say drills for me, i do drills everyday, from the straight in shots, all the cut shots, and the rails shots, which i place two balls between each pocket and the other three balls in the center of the table, and try to run them out without distrubing the three balls in the center, which takes precise aiming, and patterns. This way i practice every shot that comes up in a game. Cole 'TheConArtist'