Is this a useless way to practice???

B

BigLip

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Rack up 9-ball...Break...ball in hand...run thru the balls...

sometimes if i miss and/or leave my self real ugly pick the ball up and start ball in hand again...

or sometimes i'll just take the balls out and throw them out on the table and spread them up to what is equal to a clean break and same thing as above...

lemme know...it's fun to me but no sure how useful it is. thanks.
 
BigLip said:
Rack up 9-ball...Break...ball in hand...run thru the balls...

sometimes if i miss and/or leave my self real ugly pick the ball up and start ball in hand again...

or sometimes i'll just take the balls out and throw them out on the table and spread them up to what is equal to a clean break and same thing as above...

lemme know...it's fun to me but no sure how useful it is. thanks.
Click to expand...

This is what almost EVERYONE does when practicing 9-ball. A slight variation which is very good for one's game is called, "Playing The Ghost." In this game, you win if you get out, lose if you don't. You get ball-in-hand after each break. You can make the race as long as you like.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
This is what almost EVERYONE does when practicing 9-ball. A slight variation which is very good for one's game is called, "Playing The Ghost." In this game, you win if you get out, lose if you don't. You get ball-in-hand after each break. You can make the race as long as you like.
Click to expand...

I'd lose a lot with that game!!! I'm not putting racks together yet :eek:
 
The Pro Skill Drills has a drill called "The Finisher". It's a really good one IMO. Also, absolutely no goofing off at the table. Practice like it's a 100.00 set.

To do the drill, rack the 7,8 and 9. Break, take ball in hand and run out. When you can do it with ease, rack the 6,7,8,9 and repeat. Then rack the 5,6,7,8,9 and so on.
 
kollegedave said:
Don't worry. A lot of people lose playing the ghost.

kollegedave
Click to expand...


Kollegedave is right. It's not easy but it puts some pressure on you. The point of practice is to have some form of structure. I know Mika is another one who just throws the balls on the table and runs them down but he'll focus on shots he's having problems with. No matter what, it all depends on you. You want to have fun every time you're at the table.
 
Here a good practice routine if you like to break and take ball in hand. lets say you can run 3 ball. Take the 7, 8, 9 - balls, rack them and break, take ball in hand and run out, ( i know it sounds stupid to rack 3 balls and break everytime, but the break is another shot that needs practice, try to position cue ball in middle6, of the table after the break, ) take ball in hand and run all 3 balls, 3 times, when you reach 3 successful runs of 3 add another ball, 6, 7, 8, 9, do the same thing and run 4 racks of the 4 and so on, this will build up your ball runs and always using the highest balls youget to shoot the 9 just as you would in a real game, the preasure will build as you get high in your sets of runs, if you miss a shot you start back at zero for that set of balls only moving on to the next set when you run 4 racks for 4 balls move to 5 balls, i hope you understand,

theres alot of other routines to practice, i have some videos on ebay for sale for good practice drills, email me at obrien714@gmail.com for the link
 
i'd say its an Okay way to practice, have done some of that myself. when i do practice that way if i miss a shot i pull it back and shoot it a bunch, then move on. or i miss position, i pull it back and shoot it a bunch. playing one rack takes a long way, doing it this way.

however, from what i have gathered through magazines, talking with pros, videotapes, and lessons, there are a handful of shots you should also practice to become a good 9-Ball player. Tom "Dr Cue" Rossman calls them the "Identification Shots" and i try and practice them a bunch also.

regards,
DCP
 
Vonn31 said:
The Pro Skill Drills has a drill called "The Finisher". It's a really good one IMO. Also, absolutely no goofing off at the table. Practice like it's a 100.00 set.

To do the drill, rack the 7,8 and 9. Break, take ball in hand and run out. When you can do it with ease, rack the 6,7,8,9 and repeat. Then rack the 5,6,7,8,9 and so on.
Click to expand...


That's another excellent one. I remember when I was just starting off, I used to do that for hours. I quickly got to a point when I knew that if I had ball-in-hand on the 7, I was out. I know this sounds like a minor accomplishment but for me it was huge to be able to stake that sort of territory in a game.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
i'd say its an Okay way to practice, have done some of that myself. when i do practice that way if i miss a shot i pull it back and shoot it a bunch, then move on. or i miss position, i pull it back and shoot it a bunch. playing one rack takes a long way, doing it this way.

however, from what i have gathered through magazines, talking with pros, videotapes, and lessons, there are a handful of shots you should also practice to become a good 9-Ball player. Tom "Dr Cue" Rossman calls them the "Identification Shots" and i try and practice them a bunch also.

regards,
DCP
Click to expand...
Danny Basavich has "the 12 shots you must have in your arsenal in 9ball".
 
BigLip said:
Rack up 9-ball...Break...ball in hand...run thru the balls...

sometimes if i miss and/or leave my self real ugly pick the ball up and start ball in hand again...

or sometimes i'll just take the balls out and throw them out on the table and spread them up to what is equal to a clean break and same thing as above...

lemme know...it's fun to me but no sure how useful it is. thanks.
Click to expand...

Practice is almost a requirement for any human being to develop precision skills. The phrase "Perfect Practice makes Perfect" is a correct statement.
When you practice, do it with discipline, because you are trying to learn muscle memory. Lousy muscle memory will get you nothing.

Here's a suggestion. After you have developed a good straight stroke (Bert KInister's "Mighty X" is a great way to learn).

First you learn the L Drill, the Circle Drill, the Longstring Drill, the Headstring Drill, The Rail Shot Drill & others.

Then you learn some simple "Diamond System" to learn the pathways of the object ball or cue ball. Then you practice applying different speeds to the your stroke, to stop the cue ball at different locations along the pathway.

Then you learn some Pattern Play (Target Pool or Ray Martins 99 Critical shots is a very good start).

Running a batch of balls is the final step in the ladder of practice.

Good Luck.
 
L Drill?
Circle Drill?
Headstring Drill?
Long String Drill?
Rail Shot Drill?

hmmmm?
what are these?
pm me if you want.

DCP
 
obrien714 said:
Here a good practice routine if you like to break and take ball in hand. lets say you can run 3 ball. Take the 7, 8, 9 - balls, rack them and break, take ball in hand and run out, ( i know it sounds stupid to rack 3 balls and break everytime, but the break is another shot that needs practice, try to position cue ball in middle6, of the table after the break, ) take ball in hand and run all 3 balls, 3 times, when you reach 3 successful runs of 3 add another ball, 6, 7, 8, 9, do the same thing and run 4 racks of the 4 and so on, this will build up your ball runs and always using the highest balls youget to shoot the 9 just as you would in a real game, the preasure will build as you get high in your sets of runs, if you miss a shot you start back at zero for that set of balls only moving on to the next set when you run 4 racks for 4 balls move to 5 balls, i hope you understand,

theres alot of other routines to practice, i have some videos on ebay for sale for good practice drills, email me at obrien714@gmail.com for the link
Click to expand...

I do understand and i do think that it will be fun and it will probably build more confindence in my game as well! i do like how i will have the chance to shoot for a goal while practicing...like getting to add that next ball!!! It will look kinda funny to those watching by but they'll just have to laugh at me! :p
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
L Drill?
Circle Drill?
Headstring Drill?
Long String Drill?
Rail Shot Drill?

hmmmm?
what are these?
pm me if you want.

DCP
Click to expand...

The L-Drill and Circle Drill are commonplace. The others I'm sure I've seen but not sure of the name.

The L-Drill
Line up several balls from the foot-rail at center-diamond to the foot-spot and several balls from the foot-spot to the side-rail at the second diamond forming an "L". Take ball-in-hand at either end of the "L" and pocket all while getting position for the each shot, preferrably in order.

The Circle Drill
Form a circle at center table using all fifteen balls. Place the cue-ball in the center of the circle and pocket all fifteen without touching a rail.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
The L-Drill and Circle Drill are commonplace. The others I'm sure I've seen but not sure of the name.

The L-Drill
Line up several balls from the foot-rail at center-diamond to the foot-spot and several balls from the foot-spot to the side-rail at the second diamond forming an "L". Take ball-in-hand at either end of the "L" and pocket all while getting position for the each shot, preferrably in order.

The Circle Drill
Form a circle at center table using all fifteen balls. Place the cue-ball in the center of the circle and pocket all fifteen without touching a rail.
Click to expand...

thanks for the explanation of that! will try those as well too...i guess i'll be tired at work again tomorrow b/c im sure i'll play until closing time again :o
pool will surely make me a single man...ah well...
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
L Drill?
Circle Drill?
Headstring Drill?
Long String Drill?
Rail Shot Drill?

hmmmm?
what are these?
pm me if you want.

DCP
Click to expand...


didn't you say you bought the pro skills drill book? they are all in there.

thanks

VAP
 
drills

Here a couple I learned 40 some years ago,

Place a ball on each center diamond, start with the cue in the kitchen,
and pocket all the balls without missing and without the cueball
hitting any other ball but the object ball.
If you miss or the cueball touches a ball it shouldn't, you have to set it up
again and start over.

After mastering that, then place a ball on the first and third diamonds
on each rail, and make all the balls without missing and without touching
the cueball to any other ball, but the object ball.
If you miss or the cueball touches a ball it shouldn't, you have to set it up
again and start over.

Doing both of those will help you with ball patterns and cueball control., and
doing something right all the way and not fudging.

After those, then place a ball in front of each pocket, and a
ball on the spot. You have to shoot the ball on the spot first. The object
is to make all 7 balls with 4 shots. Hint: it can be done in 3, you can
make 3 balls on the first shot, but it is rare. you have to play position
to make 2 balls for about each shot.

This is fun, and helps you learn how to make 2 balls in 1 shot, and
cueball posiition.

You can think up harder variations of these drills to test yourself more after
you become good at these.
 
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Jude Rosenstock said:
The L-Drill and Circle Drill are commonplace. The others I'm sure I've seen but not sure of the name.
Click to expand...

The Longstring Drill - Line the 15 balls on the Longstring (center of the table, longways) Place cue ball any where to start. Start making balls in the pockets on the other side of the longstring. You cannot cross the Longstring with the cue ball.

The Headstring Drill - Line the 15 balls up on the Headstring or Foot string & shoot them in on of the far corner pockets. You can spot the cue ball at first, but later on you will want to draw the cueball off the end rail.

Rail Shot Drill - Line 4 balls up on the longrail, about a diamond apart. Place the Cue ball about 1 1/2 diamonds to 2 diamonds off the long rail. Start at the center string, shooting the first ball down the rail into the corner pocket & rolling the cue ball around 3 rails to shoot the second ball. Repeat the process for the 3rd & 4th ball. It is great One-Pocket practice.
 
I agree that you should try these skill drills. But, I have learned a great deal about position play from just spreading the balls out on the table and trying to run out as you described. It's sort of like an easier version of straight pool. So, no, I don't think it's a bad way to practice. But I definitely would include some of those drills.
 
Nick Varner taught me this drill about 10 years ago.
6 balls are used......freeze 3 balls on each of the diamonds located on the foot rail...freeze the remaining 3 on the side rail above the side pocket. The object is to pocket all 6 balls in the same corner pocket. Begin by pocketing the ball closest to the corner pocket on the side rail and play position for the ball on the end rail closest to the corner pocket, alternating from the foot rail to the side rail. This drill teaches you how to pocket froze balls without relying on inside engish.

Christyd
 
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