Is playing practicing?

Winning a game of pool is all about that "one shot"....

You won the game because of that one difficult shot.

Or you lost the game because of that one difficult shot.

There are certain shots which may only come up once a day, once a week, or once a month. Since you don't regularly shoot these shots, you don't get good at them like you would with most common shots.

I feel that if there is a certain "rare" shot which has cost me a game/match, I should go home and practice that specific shot over and over. Then next time I will have some practice with that shot under my belt.

By doing this I have won many games. These shots are rare, but I keep adding them to my "toolbag". Sometimes being able to shoot that one shot has allowed me to continue a runout and win.

A simple example is using the mechanical bridge. I have practiced using the mechanical bridge by playing entire games using it. I rarely need to use it, but now when I do, I know how to use it. I can make my shot more often than not.

So that is all there is to it. If you miss a shot in a match and you lose because of that one shot, remember it. Go home and practice that one shot. Next time it comes up you will do better or at least learn that it is an impossible shot and a safety or a different shot might be best.
 
SixSence said:
Oh believe me I have an extremely open mind. I am only nineteen, but have been playing since I was 5, and around pool my entire life. I am constantly observing league players that try to read all the books and focus so much on little things I have never taken into account. They will spend a two minute time-out discussing the apparently mind-boggling wide open table 3 ball runout with ball-in-hand. My game is completely unconscious, and as long as I hold the ability to trust my unconsious mind in pressure situations, it's all I need. You start missing and making mistakes the moment you doubt yourself and start over-complicating it. As far as the drills go, I still hold my opinion as it has enabled me to become a better player extremely fast without having to try and consciously learn every little thing such as which way to compensate for english and how to shoot each individual shot. I firmly hold this opinion with an open mind, which is why I'm here discussing it with others.
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Exactly right! After a certain point, people find they can make any shot on the table, but they still can't run out. Why is that? Because they need to refine and take control of their game by learning patterns. Even people that started young like yourself need to study patterns and ways to simplify the game to advance.
 
Winning a game of pool is all about that "one shot"....

You won the game because of that one difficult shot.

Or you lost the game because of that one difficult shot.

There are certain shots which may only come up once a day, once a week, or once a month. Since you don't regularly shoot these shots, you don't get good at them like you would with most common shots.

I feel that if there is a certain "rare" shot which has cost me a game/match, I should go home and practice that specific shot over and over. Then next time I will have some practice with that shot under my belt.

By doing this I have won many games. These shots are rare, but I keep adding them to my "toolbag". Sometimes being able to shoot that one shot has allowed me to continue a runout and win.

A simple example is using the mechanical bridge. I have practiced using the mechanical bridge by playing entire games using it. I rarely need to use it, but now when I do, I know how to use it. I can make my shot more often than not.

So that is all there is to it. If you miss a shot in a match and you lose because of that one shot, remember it. Go home and practice that one shot. Next time it comes up you will do better or at least learn that it is an impossible shot and a safety or a different shot might be best.
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I agree there are always times when you seem to find difficulty with a particular shot, and need to practice it by itsself to alleviate the difficulty. However, I have usually noticed that when it happens with my game, it's completely mental. My fundamentals are there, and I use those same basics throughout all of my shots. Every shot no matter it be straight in, a rail shot, bank shot, table length cut, I use the same fundamentals to make all of those shots. I don't treat each shot as a different type, as they are all made by hitting that correct spot on the object ball and use the same fundamentals. If you play pool every day as I do, even the rare shots come up enough to where you have experience with them. Every now and then I see a shot I am not used to shooting, but I use the same fundamentals and mentality along with the skills I have for making all the other shots in order to make that one.


Exactly right! After a certain point, people find they can make any shot on the table, but they still can't run out. Why is that? Because they need to refine and take control of their game by learning patterns. Even people that started young like yourself need to study patterns and ways to simplify the game to advance.
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Exactly. You need to change things in your game and simplify it as much as possible in order to get better. I don't necessarily study patterns, but watch how others play position for certain shots that I might have done differently, as well as playing with others. You can learn anything from anybody whether they're better or worse than you. (although im also a firm believer that you need to constantly play against better players to get better yourself)
 
Thanks to all for the input. I have to add that what I particularly like about throwing balls on the table is the random aspect to it. Just like a game vs. my arch rival.

There are times where I will repeat a certain shot over and over - mostly because I don't understand the dynamics of it... ie, why did the QB react like that, or what if I used this english or that, etc..

I guess my billiards practice habits mimic my golf practice habits (I carry a 6 handicap)... I generaly don't hit a lot of balls at the range using the same club. I constantly switch clubs. However I do repeat a shape of a shot on the range. I must admit this isn't the case on the putting green. Thats all repetition. Boring, but it's where the money is made.
 
Sometimes the best approach is not randomly scattering, nor practicing the exact same shot over and over, but instead a hybrid of both.

Can identify a genre of shots, and practice those repeatedly. For example, if you identify that you need to work on cutting balls down the rail, then can set up rail shots repetitively. May start with the same rail shot, until gain some competency or confidence, and then advance to do variations of that shot in a partially random fashion.

Then could do same for combination shots, ....

This would be better than randomly scattering balls, because it allows you to focus on a particular genre of shots that you may need work on. This would often also be better than just setting up the same shot, because you won't always get that specific shot.

Varying between the extremes that have been mentioned can be very useful. Could randomly scatter balls, until you identify a particular area of weakness. Then could focus on that genre of shots until gain a level of mastery. If discover that you are still having troubles, then could refine further and setup the specific shot until you train yourself and your mind to develop the right approach in order to gain ability and consistency. Afterwards, then can expand back to shot genres, and continue to progress...
 
OK, let's take for our example a shot that comes up on a regular, but not tremendously frequent basis. The cue is in the middle of the table, your object ball is a 1/4 inch from the rail two diamonds up from the corner pocket, and you've got to go three rails around to get to the other end of the table; but because of the angle you need, combined with interfering balls, you've got to hit the rail one diamond below the side pocket. Hitting the rail any lower will result in you getting hooked. Now if you just practice by throwing the balls out on the table, you may have played this shot in practice maybe 15 times in the last month, and it would be extremely unlikely that you have really worked on how to get the ball to a specific diamond on the fourth rail. If, however, you have been working with Kinister's "Rock Around the Clock" or the Pro Book's reference drills, you will probably have played that shot at least 100 times in the past month, and you know exactly what to do to get the ball to a specific spot on the fourth rail. Instead of making you overthink, this frees you up because you KNOW what to do, how to do it, and you have the confidence bred from having put in time on the shot. This allows you to just concentrate on what you should--executing the shot. If you play enough nine ball you will see that certain position plays and patterns occur time and time again. The player who has spent time mastering these routes and patterns clearly has an advantage!

Just as importantly, a proper practice routine also includes conscious work on improving the stroke, which is, IMHO, the soul of any player's game. How many players stagnate at a certain level because of some technical flaw(s) that could have been corrected years ago with a little conscious effort, training, and the willingness to change?

At what point in a major leaguer's career do they ever stop doing batting practice, or when does a Micheal Jordan or a Tracy McGrady ever stop practicing free throws? We all know the answer--NEVER!
 
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FLICKit said:
Sometimes the best approach is not randomly scattering, nor practicing the exact same shot over and over, but instead a hybrid of both.

Can identify a genre of shots, and practice those repeatedly. For example, if you identify that you need to work on cutting balls down the rail, then can set up rail shots repetitively. May start with the same rail shot, until gain some competency or confidence, and then advance to do variations of that shot in a partially random fashion.

Then could do same for combination shots, ....

This would be better than randomly scattering balls, because it allows you to focus on a particular genre of shots that you may need work on. This would often also be better than just setting up the same shot, because you won't always get that specific shot.

Varying between the extremes that have been mentioned can be very useful. Could randomly scatter balls, until you identify a particular area of weakness. Then could focus on that genre of shots until gain a level of mastery. If discover that you are still having troubles, then could refine further and setup the specific shot until you train yourself and your mind to develop the right approach in order to gain ability and consistency. Afterwards, then can expand back to shot genres, and continue to progress...
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Exactly. Those that think the value of drills is seeing the exact same shot in front of you when competing are selling themselves short. You don't do drills so you learn one exact shot. You do drills to learn "a type of shot" with many variations. Plus, if you score your drills you can simulate competitive situations.

People are always taking one end of the rope or the other. I ride the fence. I do drills, AND I do the ghost. Why should I pick one over the other if I can have both as my beneficiaries?
 
lewdo26 said:
Exactly. Those that think the value of drills is seeing the exact same shot in front of you when competing are selling themselves short. You don't do drills so you learn one exact shot. You do drills to learn "a type of shot" with many variations. Plus, if you score your drills you can simulate competitive situations.
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pooltchr said:
Practice and playing should be two different things. When you practice, your intent should be to focus on improvement for a specific part of your game. Your mind should be evaluating your performance in those areas. If you practice properly, the improvements will show up when you play.

Practice is repair time. Playing is showtime.

Steve
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Excellent posts lewdo and pooltchr! By scoring the drills you have a goal. You don't have to shoot the same shot 50 times, just shoot it 10 times and go on to another drill.

Who many times have we been in a competitive situation only to find that we are uncomfortable with a type of shot that comes up? Practice cures that ill.

I'll add or paraphrase Bob Fancher with my two cents: We have conscious and unconscious controls that our mind uses when applying any skill. When the mind is learning something new we must think of all the details and pay attention in a conscious manner to what we are doing. Repetitions of the same motions over and over are recognized by the mind and the brain builds shortcuts to make the task easier without having to think of every detail. The mind wants it to work automatically, unconsciously as it doenst want to remain burdened by the attention in constantly has to devote to the task.

Think of "Dead Stroke", it was like you weren't even there shooting (yet you were.) You've heard the phrase "Boy he was shooting unconscious tonight everything was going in!" That's because he let the unconscious controls take over. A journal helps when that one missed shot comes up that spoils a run. Then we practice those shots...
 
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It is estimated that there are about 6 million different shots that can come up on a pool table. How can anyone expect to practice shots in hopes of mastering the game? When I practice, I practice the things that apply to every shot. Things like my alignment, speed control, aiming, stroke fundamentals, etc. These things are things that allow me to know where I want to deliver the cue ball, and what I need to do to deliver the cue ball consistantly to the point it needs to get to. If I know how to determine where I want the cue ball to go, and how to deliver the ball to that point, those skills will transfer to any shot on the table.

Practice behind the cue ball...play what's in front of the cue ball.
Steve
 
ceebee said:
I see practice as repetition. Repetition is how human beings learn physical motion. Please remember that haphazard practice or play will result in haphazard results.

A little kid ask a Professional, "Mister, why are you shooting the same shot, over & over", The man replied, "well Sonny, it's because this shot comes up lots of times".

One thing to remember is this... there are a few naturals & they learn to play great pool, by playing (maybe one out of ten thousand people). The rest of us learn to play well by practicing.
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White rats running thru a maze. We improve by repetition.
 
If drills are included with playing, improvement will be noticeably faster. Joe Tucker's "Guaranteed Improvement" drills are great and you see improvement every time you practice them. He doesn't have the same stupid drills that are in every book or ones that are so difficult that they can't be accomplished. The Germans and the Pinos do drills and play and their accomplishments are outdistancing the American players who mostly just play for practice. JMHO
 
Terry Erdman said:
If drills are included with playing, improvement will be noticeably faster. Joe Tucker's "Guaranteed Improvement" drills are great and you see improvement every time you practice them. He doesn't have the same stupid drills that are in every book or ones that are so difficult that they can't be accomplished. The Germans and the Pinos do drills and play and their accomplishments are outdistancing the American players who mostly just play for practice. JMHO
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Excellent point Terry, rep for you!
 
We improve through repetition by repeting the game itself, not individual aspects of game. If you read any material on learning in general, it will show that you learn the best when practicing all the skills at once rather than trying to practice each one individually. You will ofcourse improve faster at those specific skills in pool you practice, but you will always have those weak areas in your complete game. It's best to practice just playing the game where all the skills end up coming up, causing you to learn slower, but also retaining it better and having a better all around and complete game. You'll find that when you practice seperate skills or shots as your way of practicing, when you're in a game they seem like seperate skills and shots that have to be linked together. When you practice just by playing the game, you're unknowingly practicing different skills of the game as one. When you get up to shoot, you're not thinking "oh this is a table length rail shot that I practiced with such and such drill," but rather every shot seems the same and is unconsciously a different skill that has been practiced many times. When you shoot every day you end up seeing even the rarest of shots plenty of times to practice most all of them. When you encounter a shot you're not familiar with, the confidence you have in your game is really all that matters. Every shot uses the same principles as even the easiest of shots. If you miss a shot and think it's because you haven't practiced it enough that's bs. It all boils down to the confidence in your ability to make the shot.
 
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