How to Practice, not What

[mszelis]

I'm having trouble trying to make a weekly practice schedule. I know pretty well what to practice but I'm not very sure on how to practice them. I know of many drills (I just received Byrne's Power Pool Workout Volume V DVD) except I'm just not sure how to execute them. Is it a timed thing (you do a drill for a set amount of time per day) or is it an amount thing (you do a drill a certain number of times per day)? Also, when planning out a weekly practice schedule do you do a different type of drill everyday (Mondays- Cut shots, Tuesday- Position, Wednesday- Speed Control etc...)? Or do you rather have one set routine that covers everything and just repeat it everyday? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[desert1pocket]

I'm having trouble trying to make a weekly practice schedule. I know pretty well what to practice but I'm not very sure on how to practice them. I know of many drills (I just received Byrne's Power Pool Workout Volume V DVD) except I'm just not sure how to execute them. Is it a timed thing (you do a drill for a set amount of time per day) or is it an amount thing (you do a drill a certain number of times per day)? Also, when planning out a weekly practice schedule do you do a different type of drill everyday (Mondays- Cut shots, Tuesday- Position, Wednesday- Speed Control etc...)? Or do you rather have one set routine that covers everything and just repeat it everyday? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

As far as how, it often depends on the drill. My only advice is to make sure you have a goal when practicing, and that you are not just hitting balls. If you don't have a goal, and you aren't focusing on improvement, you will just be creating or reinforcing bad habits. Don't perform drills just because you have scheduled them, if you aren't feeling into it, it is often better to not practice at all. As far as certain drills on certain days, I don't have any set schedule, I just do drills to help the parts of my game that I have identified as the weakest.

 

[randyg]

ISOLATE the drill that you want to put into your game and CONCENTRATE on this drill for no more than 15 minutes. Then just let it be for about two days before you do it again. A sleep cycle is utmost important to installing new parts of your game.....SPF=randyg

 

[Flex]

ISOLATE the drill that you want to put into your game and CONCENTRATE on this drill for no more than 15 minutes. Then just let it be for about two days before you do it again. A sleep cycle is utmost important to installing new parts of your game.....SPF=randyg

Very interesting ideas, Randy.

I'm interested as to why you think 15 minutes max. In my case, when there's a drill that's tough and I set about to do it, concentrating intensely, that 15 minutes is not enough time to really get it down. For me to "own" the drill, or whatever I'm working on, I need an hour, at least, unless the drill is easy to accomplish. At the first sign of fatigue, mental or otherwise, I either switch to something else, like running balls, or take a break. Do you think my practice habits should be modified?

Thanks for the suggestions!

Flex

 

[42NateBaller]

I'm no RandyG

But to go along with focused practice, measure the results. Keeping track, at least mentally, gives you a measuring stick for improvement over time. I encourge you to keep a simple log of results.

 

[Bob Jewett]

I'm having trouble trying to make a weekly practice schedule. I know pretty well what to practice but I'm not very sure on how to practice them. I know of many drills (I just received Byrne's Power Pool Workout Volume V DVD) except I'm just not sure how to execute them. Is it a timed thing (you do a drill for a set amount of time per day) or is it an amount thing (you do a drill a certain number of times per day)? Also, when planning out a weekly practice schedule do you do a different type of drill everyday (Mondays- Cut shots, Tuesday- Position, Wednesday- Speed Control etc...)? Or do you rather have one set routine that covers everything and just repeat it everyday? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

When you are in competition, try to note the shots that repeat as problems. Find a drill (from the DVD or other sources of drills) that addresses that particular problem.

I think working on a single problem is a good idea. That's certainly what Fancher advocates in Pleasures of Small Motions. I think that you can usefully spend more than 15 minutes on the shot, but if you find your attention wandering and it will not heel, put the focused practice aside. As I recall, Fancher recommends working on only one concept/technique per week.

It is also possible to develop your own exercises for your own problems.

 

[randyg]

Very interesting ideas, Randy.

I'm interested as to why you think 15 minutes max. In my case, when there's a drill that's tough and I set about to do it, concentrating intensely, that 15 minutes is not enough time to really get it down. For me to "own" the drill, or whatever I'm working on, I need an hour, at least, unless the drill is easy to accomplish. At the first sign of fatigue, mental or otherwise, I either switch to something else, like running balls, or take a break. Do you think my practice habits should be modified?

Thanks for the suggestions!

Flex

FLEX: The normal human being can concentrate on one thing for about 12-15 minutes. Anything longer than that is counter productive. Quote from Dr Michael Wolf PHD. Backed up by Dr. Bob Fancher.

Two-a-day practice routines for about 15 minutes each is almost perfect. Remember, then a sleep cycle is important in the learning proccess.....SPF=randyg

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

15 minutes???

then hows come i have heard a hundred times over about a pro or some other player practicing a shot for two hours straight after they miss it?

this is the very first i have ever heard of a "Sleep Cycle"

DCP

 

[PoolSleuth]

Think you have a good practice routine going. I try and work on things I am not doing well, and things I am trying to learn for the first time, and or master.

Practice is just that Practice, and as I said to someone the other day who like me wishes to play Pool Better. Practice is not playing with Friends who are below you Play Level. IMHO

 

[PoolSharkAllen]

15 minutes???

then hows come i have heard a hundred times over about a pro or some other player practicing a shot for two hours straight after they miss it?

this is the very first i have ever heard of a "Sleep Cycle"

DCP

Yup! It's time for an afternoon nap so that these concepts can soak in.

I think that someone who is really passionate about pool (or anything else) can easily practice for an extended duration rather than for just 15 minutes ('till they get bored or fatigued).

 

[randyg]

Yup! It's time for an afternoon nap so that these concepts can soak in.

I think that someone who is really passionate about pool (or anything else) can easily practice for an extended duration rather than for just 15 minutes ('till they get bored or fatigued).

I'm only quoting from some people who study this thing. The brain gets bored very quickly.

"It's better to leave the practice table "hungry" for more, than to over-do the excercise." Mr. Kelly Murray.

 

[PoolSleuth]

"It's better to leave the practice table "hungry" for more, than to over-do the excercise." Mr. Kelly Murray.

Great line...

 

[mnShooter]

I think what Randy is saying is when you practice you should focus on one thing. Such as not dropping your elbow. Can you focus on one thing and nothing else for 15 minutes? After fifteen minutes your focus tends to weaken and you start to practice sloppily.

Hitting balls is not practice. When you practice correctly it is very exhausting because you have to consciously tell yourself to do something the way you aren't used to doing it until it becomes subconcious.

How hard would it be to shoot if you had to conciously think about every movement you make on every shot.

 

[Gregg]

Personally, I would listen to RandyG and Bob Jewitt, two masters of learning th game, before me.

But about 90% of my playing is practicing by myself.

I find that I do whatever it is that will make me focus at that moment; be it drills like patterns, straight pool, nine ball, throwing three balls out and taking ball in hand to run out, etc. Whatever it takes for you to focus or compete with yourself at that particular moment.

 

[PoolSharkAllen]

FYI: This Q&A from a thread in July might be very timely in answering your question about practicing:

Quote:
Originally Posted by PoolSharkAllen
Scott: Assuming that people are utilizing the correct stance, grip and stroke, could you expand on your comment that most people don't know how to practice correctly? Like most serious pool players, I spend a lot of time practicing, so I'm curious to know what you consider to be the right way to practice? THX.


Sure Allen, glad to... Most serious players mistakenly believe that they should practice for many hours every day, or at least whenever they can. The problem with that is that our attention spans are not built for that kind of disciplined response. You can PLAY for hours, but you cannot practice diligently for long periods of time. We tend to get bored, frustrated, or angry...none of which are conducive to learning. Consequently, what we teach is a structured approach to practice. Short bursts, 10-15 minutes at a time (with a 5-10 minute break in between), with very disciplined applications, for specific tasks, and specific, measurable results. So, while you may practice a specific shot or drill for a set number of tries...you don't do the same thing for 100x, or for an hour or more. Fewer tries, but with the same amount of determination and discipline, sustained on each try...as if it was the game shot, for example. A well-defined pre-shot routine and a repeatable stroke are essential before this kind of practice pays off...but it pays off in spades, in the long run. Far more than doing "boring" drills and stuff, or 'just running balls'! At poolschool, you learn a series of 'mother drills', that take just a few minutes to do each one. In between drills, you can relax by just shooting some balls, or playing the ghost, or whatever. I teach my own series of warmups, that, after practicing them, should take about 15-20 minutes to complete. After that, I tell my students to do whatever they want...other drills, run balls, spar with a partner, gamble, whatever. Just do the warmups FIRST, before anything else! Randy will tell you, he practices for about 20 minutes...and that's all! He might then PLAY for a couple of hours, with a partner...sparring, he calls it. This kind of practice is much more suitable and appropriate for the serious (or casual) player, imo, than trying to "practice" for hours on end.

Scott Lee

 

[Scott Lee]

Allen...Thanks for reposting that reply. Short bursts of highly focused attention to specific goals, with measurable results, are far more beneficial than long, sustained practice routines...and MUCH more beneficial than hours of playing. Fifteen minutes of highly structured, disciplined practice, is more valuable than 8 hours of playing.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

 

[MrLucky]

Well

I'm only quoting from some people who study this thing. The brain gets bored very quickly.

"It's better to leave the practice table "hungry" for more, than to over-do the excercise." Mr. Kelly Murray.

I tried that line on my girl friend but it didn't work!!! on the real side you are right the brain can only absorb but so much information and only in a short period of time! anything else is overkill and counter productive!

 

[Gage]

When learning a new skill, practice is best performed as a trial and error process. Dr. Fancher recommends shooting only one shot or one drill for about an hour, paying close attention to your body sensations (what you see and feel) and how it affects the stick, cueball, and object ball(s). Do this everyday for a week and you should notice significant improvement. If you ever find yourself at a plateau where you cannot improve, then you have overlooked some aspect of the shot. He also mentions that you should not work too hard for at least 6 hours after doing a drill (run racks, relax and have fun).

For more information, read the first couple of chapters in Pleasures of Small Motions.

 

[Island Drive]

I'm having trouble trying to make a weekly practice schedule. I know pretty well what to practice but I'm not very sure on how to practice them. I know of many drills (I just received Byrne's Power Pool Workout Volume V DVD) except I'm just not sure how to execute them. Is it a timed thing (you do a drill for a set amount of time per day) or is it an amount thing (you do a drill a certain number of times per day)? Also, when planning out a weekly practice schedule do you do a different type of drill everyday (Mondays- Cut shots, Tuesday- Position, Wednesday- Speed Control etc...)? Or do you rather have one set routine that covers everything and just repeat it everyday? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Simply practice the shots that you know till you feel improvement during that time period, then move on to the next type of shot. Certain shots come up 'all' the time and mastering them will take you far.

 

[pooltchr]

this is the very first i have ever heard of a "Sleep Cycle"

DCP

Another reason to take Randy's class. It has to do with how the brain works. You can learn something while you are practicing, but until you sleep on it, the brain doesn't have a chance to "file it" properly. The sleep cycle is critical to retaining information.

Scott's explanation gives a very detailed and accurate reason for short, focused practice sessions.

Randy, Scott, and several other instructors not only spend time learning about pool, they also study how people learn. It's a critical part of being a good instructor, knowing how to help their students retain what they are teaching. Spending some time with either of these two instructors might give you the opportunity to learn a lot of things that you might never have heard about. Remember...We don't know what we don't know!
Steve