How long & how often?

Halfjack87

Halfjack87

In Training
Silver Member
One thing I expect to change with the addition of a pool room is how often and how long I practice and play. Pool table arrives tomorrow. :D

Generally, I've been slipping out to the pool hall with a buddy or by myself about 2-3x a month for a few hours of play after work, or sometimes with my wife of a son, on occasion.

Now, with a table at home, I expect I'll be in there some on a daily basis. I want to establish my fundamentals, work through a video set or two - probably an hour or two on set days - like Tue & Thurs for lessons & drills, and play with family on like Weds and weekends.

Your Turn:

Really interested in hearing how often, how long, what days, AZBers practice and play - now, or at other times in your life.
 
Congrats on the pool room. What kind of table did you get?

I have had my pool table for a hair under 3 months. I am probably on it 4 to 7 times a week anywhere from an hours up to eight hours. It is great to be able to play whenever you want. On the days with little time you can still bang some balls around.

The one thing that surprised me with getting a pool table was finding a lot of family members had an interest in pool. Its been great for spending more time with my father and father in-law.

I hope you have a blast in your new pool room and I am sure you will.
 
Got my Diamond 9' ProAm two months ago...have played every day, minimum 3 hours, usually more like 5...on weekends I shoot 12 hours Friday and Saturday each, then back to 3-5 hours (it's a work night) :wink:. To say I'm addicted is an understatement.

When I was in my 20s and playing hard, I played 6 hours a day, every day, and was pretty sporty...family and life made that impossible, until I got my table installed. My routine? I start out with 8 ball ghost for a few racks, move to 15 ball rotation, then 10 ball, then 9 ball, then finish up with several racks of 8 ball to finish strong confidence wise to sleep on a strong gear. If I'm tanking a particular shot, I'll stop what I'm doing and shoot that shot until I make 10 in a row, then back to running racks. Low key music or TV in the background.

After 30+ years of playing, I was FINALLY introduced to one pocket, and might just be bit by that bug...I took to it like a duck to water for some reason (probably middle age), I might be playing a lot more of that in my routine.
 
Depends on what you're doing!

I divide my practice into categories
- Develop my feel (I just shoot ball, to feel good, I'd move a ball that prevent me from shooting another ball, etc etc). This can go for 1-2hours
- Develop specific skills using drills, that shouldn't go for much longer than 30 min. The objective here is to CONSCIOUSLY work something specific. Yeah, you will be missing some ball because of this, but that's not the point
- Try to make the conscious skill become subconscious.. I generally do that right after the previous step, but try not to think about it too much. Going back to a good feeling. up to an hour.
- Play an actual game (8/9/10/14.1/One pocket), I will actually play ghost or against someone

If I wanna play for like 8 hours, I will vary what I do according to the above. I might start off by simply stroking some balls, then do 30 min drills followed by shooting ball, then a 10-15 min pause, then another drill, etc.. then play some games!

Hope this help!
 
I play 8 ball league Monday evenings at the poolroom (2.5 hours). 9 ball league Thursday evening at the poolroom (2.5 hours). Wednesday afternoon at the poolroom (4 hours). Saturday and Sunday at the poolroom playing cheap sets (4 hours each day). Occasionally Friday night tournament at the poolroom (4 hours). I don't have a table at home. Wish life didn't get in the way and I had more time to spend at the poolroom.
 
I try to get in at least 45mins (or more) a day. Some days that just doesnt happen though.
 
I practice unless competing every day just about for 1.5 hrs. I can tell past that time I start to get sloppy and quit. My practice is 3/4 cue ball control routine and 1/4 time throwing up 4 balls and running in rotation.
 
PoolBoy1 said:
I practice unless competing every day just about for 1.5 hrs. I can tell past that time I start to get sloppy and quit. My practice is 3/4 cue ball control routine and 1/4 time throwing up 4 balls and running in rotation.
Click to expand...

Would you mind describing how you practice your CB control? What kind of routine are you doing?

Thanks
 
I personally go down and probably play 5-10 hours a week in addition to the time I practice/play on my 2 league nights and other nights I just go shoot.

If I have to iron my shirt, I turn on the iron throw out the balls and shoot them in while I wait for it to warm up. If I am doing laundry I will shoot them while I am waiting for the washer/dryer to finish. If I turn on my xBox I shoot a rack while it is turning on and connecting my game.

I rarely break on my home table, I just throw them out and shoot unless I have people over and we are actually playing games.

When I go down to actually practice (above is not calculated into my practice hours) I work on shots I am having a hard time with and shoot them over and over. Then I do corner to corner straight in shots trying to stop the cue ball dead, follow it into the corner and draw back to the other corner. I also spend some time doing this with max speed as that exaggerates your flaws.

I will also use chalk and a small piece of paper to shoot balls in and predict where the ball will hit the rail(s) and end up on the table to help with cue ball control.

When I really want structure I do the Billiards University test stuff. Though I have been trying to do this every month just to see how things are going in my game.
 
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New diamond? I am on my way!

West Point 1987 said:
Got my Diamond 9' ProAm two months ago...have played every day, minimum 3 hours, usually more like 5...on weekends I shoot 12 hours Friday and Saturday each, then back to 3-5 hours (it's a work night) :wink:. To say I'm addicted is an understatement.

When I was in my 20s and playing hard, I played 6 hours a day, every day, and was pretty sporty...family and life made that impossible, until I got my table installed. My routine? I start out with 8 ball ghost for a few racks, move to 15 ball rotation, then 10 ball, then 9 ball, then finish up with several racks of 8 ball to finish strong confidence wise to sleep on a strong gear. If I'm tanking a particular shot, I'll stop what I'm doing and shoot that shot until I make 10 in a row, then back to running racks. Low key music or TV in the background.

After 30+ years of playing, I was FINALLY introduced to one pocket, and might just be bit by that bug...I took to it like a duck to water for some reason (probably middle age), I might be playing a lot more of that in my routine.
Click to expand...
 
My table-- have had one for approx a decade- prob gets 1- 5 hrs a week use.

A man can only play with himself for so long...
 
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