dumb question of the week

alstl

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My current practice routine is pretty basic. Rack the balls, work my way through the rack until they are all in the pockets, repeat. After 20 or 30 racks I'm done. Sometimes I take time to focus on shots I'm having trouble with like long cut shots.

I figure it would probably be better to do some drills before I start shooting. If you were going to set up a practice routine of about 30 minutes incorporating 5 or 6 different drills, what would it be?

Thanks
 
The drills I focus on are shots I am having trouble with or new shots I am learning. i.e practice what you are not good at. Also shots from the book 99 critical shots.

Other than that, here are some "fun" games which also help to improve specific skills. Makes things more interesting. Also the "Kicker" game may appear to be easy - just stick a ball hanging in each corner pocket right? Well when shooting the last shot, if the cue ball is glued to a rail from the previous shot, might not be so easy....

Original 8-ball Rules

Teaches strategy and not to pocket all your balls before making the 1 or 15 into the side.


1-ball must be pocketed in right side pocket.

15-ball must be pocketed in left side pocket.

If these balls made on break, ok. If your ball is slopped in by your opponent, ok. If you make your ball in the wrong pocket, it must be spotted.

Trick Shot Pool

Teaches combination, kiss, and billiard shots.

First player sets up two balls any way he wants. Then attempts to shoot them both in with one shot. He has 3 chances.

If first player succeeds, then second player has 3 chances to make the same shot.

If first player fails, then second player may attempt the same shot or a different shot.

After one player has successfully made a shot and the other player has attempted to make the shot, a different shot must be set up.

Carom Pool

Teaches carom shots and carom-combination shots.

Rack 15 balls and break.

Shoot any object ball off of the white ball so the object ball then falls into a pocket or causes another object ball to fall into a pocket.

Cue ball in pocket is foul. Other player has ball-in-hand anywhere on table.

Kicker

Teaches kick shots.

First player places 4 balls anywhere on table, then must shoot in each ball with a kick shot until every ball is made into a pocket. Keep track of how many shots each player takes to make his 4 balls into the pocket.

If both players make 4 balls in 4 shots, then object balls may not be placed within 2 inches of a pocket opening. (Keep moving balls to more difficult positions when both players do not miss any shots.)
 
I would...

When you break the balls run the first ten anyway you would like and then run the last five balls in consecutive order. People hate practicing would they do not like; however if you plan to improve your game you must try to learn every aspect of the game. I like to throw all 15 balls on the table and kick all of them in or bank them in the pockets. P.S. If you get board while you practice change your routine or quit for the day and watch the action. Thanks TGC
 
alstl said:
My current practice routine is pretty basic. Rack the balls, work my way through the rack until they are all in the pockets, repeat. After 20 or 30 racks I'm done. Sometimes I take time to focus on shots I'm having trouble with like long cut shots.

I figure it would probably be better to do some drills before I start shooting. If you were going to set up a practice routine of about 30 minutes incorporating 5 or 6 different drills, what would it be?

Thanks
Click to expand...

My practice routines are very structured. First thing in the morning, I do a stroke drill first, then a speed control drill, then a stop, follow, draw drill, then I rest. Later in the day, I do any of several structured drills depending on what I feel I need to work on the most. I never practice for more than 30 minutes at a time.

Usually, in the afternoon, I'll play the ghost 9-Ball. I don't really consider that practice, because I'm in a "play mode" then, but it does give me a good guage to see how I'm playing in competitive situations, plus I often will find another shot or situation that I need to work on and can put a drill for that in my schedule. Depending on the schedule for other things, I'll practice a total of 2 to 3 hours per day.

But then again, drills don't bore me. Many people get bored doing drills. I find them fun... and if they get easy, I'll just set them up where they're more challenging.

I think the most important thing is to make sure when you practice that you practice like you play. Let me qualify that... When you play, of course you are in a different mindset than you are in practice, but what I mean is to be sure you go execute your complete preshot and shooting routine on every shot during practice.

Later,
Bob
 
Thanks, lots of good ideas there. Cane mentioned a stroke drill. What does that entail?
 
alstl said:
Thanks, lots of good ideas there. Cane mentioned a stroke drill. What does that entail?
Click to expand...

The most basic stroke drill is hitting the cueball center ball to the foot of the table getting the ball to come back to your tip. You should do this with all different stroke speeds.
 
I couldn't agree more with zeeder and Cane. Stroke drills are ABSOLUTELY the most important part of practice if you presume to advance to a high level. I hear so many people report that they practice this shot or that shot, this practice game or that practice game - but all of these types of practice assume you ALREADY HAVE A PERFECT STROKE.

IMO the perfect stroke is extremely difficult to attain, requires a degree of precision that the average player does not even begin to comprehend; and is not attainable until you do understand the high degree of precision necessary, and take steps (stroke drills) to attain that degree of precision. People who think this is easy are lucky bastards.

Just practicing drills over and over (without stroke practice) is not necessarily going to get you any improvement at all. It may be fun, but it won't get you to WPC.
 
Williebetmore said:
I couldn't agree more with zeeder and Cane. Stroke drills are ABSOLUTELY the most important part of practice if you presume to advance to a high level. I hear so many people report that they practice this shot or that shot, this practice game or that practice game - but all of these types of practice assume you ALREADY HAVE A PERFECT STROKE.

IMO the perfect stroke is extremely difficult to attain, requires a degree of precision that the average player does not even begin to comprehend; and is not attainable until you do understand the high degree of precision necessary, and take steps (stroke drills) to attain that degree of precision. People who think this is easy are lucky bastards.

Just practicing drills over and over (without stroke practice) is not necessarily going to get you any improvement at all. It may be fun, but it won't get you to WPC.
Click to expand...

Willie's has a great point;however, one of the best things to learn about stroke is ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD STILL and also IMO I think you should focus on having a smooth back stroke as well.
 
TheGoldenChild said:
Willie's has a great point;however, one of the best things to learn about stroke is ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD STILL and also IMO I think you should focus on having a smooth back stroke as well.
Click to expand...

TGC,
You are, of course, absolutely correct. By stroke, I meant the entire process of aim, setup, and delivery. The stroke drills I use require the grading of each and every stroke in 7 areas:

1. Care with aim and setup
2. Full and complete practice swings
3. Slow and straight backswing (same on practice swings and actual stroke), with smooth transfer (no jerkiness) from backswing to actual stroke.
4. No body motion before, during, or after stroke
5. No elbow collapse
6. Perfectly straight tip follow through (and low because of the no elbow collapse).
7. Light, uniform grip pressure throughout stroke

Put the cue ball on the foot spot, object ball one diamond from the far corner pocket, one diamond away from the long rail. Shoot 10 times with power stroke (inaccuracies in the stroke will be magnified, and easier to find and correct with the power stroke), maximum top spin. After each shot, grade yourself on each of these 7 areas (A=needs attention, S=skillful). Have an extra row on your evaluation sheet for a P=perfect if the ball goes in.

Again with cue ball on foot spot, put object ball 2 diamonds from far corner, and 1 ball width from the long rail. Shoot with power stun (cue ball should come straight across table at least 1 1/2 table widths on a 9 footer). Shoot 10 times and grade yourself as above

Last shot is with cue ball on foot spot, object ball straight in and 2 diamonds from the far corner. Shoot 10 shots with power draw, as low as possible, drawing the cue ball back to the foot rail if you can. Grade as above. After these 30 shots have been taken and graded - TAKE A BREAK (you deserve it, you will be tired if you are concentrating properly) and do it again later in the day. I think you will see results quicker than trying to run racks of 9-ball.

Attached is a copy of the score sheet that I use:
 

Attachments

Set up a 45deg. cross side bank, with the object ball a half inch off the rail and don't bank it. Slam it into the corner pocket. Keep shooting the shot until you can see and totally focus on the edge of the OB. When you are cutting the ball in with regularity, you can make any thing else. Use to work for me any way.
 
Williebetmore said:
TGC,
You are, of course, absolutely correct. By stroke, I meant the entire process of aim, setup, and delivery. The stroke drills I use require the grading of each and every stroke in 7 areas:

1. Care with aim and setup
2. Full and complete practice swings
3. Slow and straight backswing (same on practice swings and actual stroke), with smooth transfer (no jerkiness) from backswing to actual stroke.
4. No body motion before, during, or after stroke
5. No elbow collapse
6. Perfectly straight tip follow through (and low because of the no elbow collapse).
7. Light, uniform grip pressure throughout stroke

Put the cue ball on the foot spot, object ball one diamond from the far corner pocket, one diamond away from the long rail. Shoot 10 times with power stroke (inaccuracies in the stroke will be magnified, and easier to find and correct with the power stroke), maximum top spin. After each shot, grade yourself on each of these 7 areas (A=needs attention, S=skillful). Have an extra row on your evaluation sheet for a P=perfect if the ball goes in.

Again with cue ball on foot spot, put object ball 2 diamonds from far corner, and 1 ball width from the long rail. Shoot with power stun (cue ball should come straight across table at least 1 1/2 table widths on a 9 footer). Shoot 10 times and grade yourself as above

Last shot is with cue ball on foot spot, object ball straight in and 2 diamonds from the far corner. Shoot 10 shots with power draw, as low as possible, drawing the cue ball back to the foot rail if you can. Grade as above. After these 30 shots have been taken and graded - TAKE A BREAK (you deserve it, you will be tired if you are concentrating properly) and do it again later in the day. I think you will see results quicker than trying to run racks of 9-ball.

Attached is a copy of the score sheet that I use:
Click to expand...

Thanks for taking the time post that, I'll try it.
 
First importance for myself anyway is body alignment. Without my body properly aligned, and good body mechanics, I'll very seldom be on center ball hit, and even if I happen to be, it won't last long.

Then I work alittle on my center ball contact.

Then speed control. First with just the CB, then the CB off an object ball. from there it can be any type of shot, long cuts, solid rail cuts, banks, kicks ect.

I really stress and use the same pre-shot routine (PSR) with every shot in practice. When I notice that I'm starting to rush things and forgetting or skipping parts of my PSR, I'll quit for awhile and go do something else.

I also do alot of visualization drills when I'm not around a table. For instance while driving I can visualize myself making perfect runouts, great banks and amazing kicks. You'd be suprised what this alone will do for your game.

Another thing I like to do on days that I'll be playing a tournament is the first thing I'll tell myself in the morning is "I'm going to be a GREAT pool player TODAY!" I'll say this several times throughout the day. Nothing to do with my ego, I'm actually quit humble. It just sets the proper mind set for that days tourny. Afterall, we don't enter to lose.
 
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