He's probably still up
Jay Helfert says 'Every other day to keep your speed up'...
- Thread starter cycopath
- Start date
He's probably still up
I do the same, or might even push the ball(if it hung up) in and keep running just to get into the groove.
Jason
I'm looking at it differently. I want to pick my speed up. I'm getting a table. My plan is to work my way through Capelle's Practicing Pool front to back. I'll work on it most everyday.
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If you haven't been playing, that's about the quickest way to get back in stroke.
I always like to tell a story relating to a subject if possible. In this case i was playing in the Bank Pool division in Lexington, KY (mid 80's) and drew Earl in the first round. Back then we played a Race to Five 9-Ball Banks. Earl blew me out in maybe thirty minutes! I was so pissed I stayed up all night hitting balls until I found my game. The next afternoon I played Mike Lebron and beat him 5-2. In the evening I played Freddie and won 5-3. The next day I beat Louie Lemke 5-4 to get into the money. My last match was with Dave Bollman. It went 4-4 and I was running out off the break and needed one ball. I could have played safe but felt so good that I went for an off angle long rail bank where I had to turn the cue ball loose. I made it! And scratched three rails in the corner. Dave came back to win the game and knock me out. :frown:
Depends on a few things like what your definition of "drills" is, but for me drills are something do you as part of your practice routine at the pool room or at home in between bouts of competitive pool. The purpose is to work on certain skills to improve over the long run.
Between or before matches at an event I just like to run balls or shoot some long straight ins to get the feel and to get my arm loose. I'm not really running through my practice routine. PGA Tour players take a similar approach. They work on their swing mechanics and putting strokes when they aren't at an event (mostly), but on the range at an event they are mostly just getting warmed up, reinforcing good habits, and feeling comfortable.
I had no idea AZBilliards was even open before 8am.
http://thetalentcode.com/
They just added a new Springsteen video that begins with Bruce speaking about his practicing.
If you like his stuff, this might be good.
Jeff Livingston
They just added a new Springsteen video that begins with Bruce speaking about his practicing.
If you like his stuff, this might be good.
Jeff Livingston
When I was playing a lot of 9 ball I just threw the balls out and ran them out. Sometimes I racked and broke but more often then not I just threw the balls back on the table over and over. These days I don't play 9 ball any more and just throw out all 15 balls and run them. Sometimes I go for a Straight Pool key ball and break ball and set up and break and run til I miss and sometimes I just hit the balls. I NEVER do drills and never have.
Less now since arthritis kicked in (elbow and shoulder joints). My pool career is pretty much over, not that it was anything to brag about anyway. Heck, I even lost to Joey A! :thumbup:
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Don't have it in my hands so I would notice, so it's not bad yet, though my knee and hips give me enough trouble
Don't have it in my hands so I would notice, so it's not bad yet, though my knee and hips give me enough trouble
P.S. We practiced the same way.
Who's he anyway?
Send in the Meloxicam. I've been on it for about 8 years. No side effects either. Couldn't play pool without it.
JoeyA
Mine is over. COPD has become quite a bit worse. I was able to play a rack or two a day. Now, I am lucky to shoot one rack a week. Too hard to go down to the basement and back up again. Can't go out anymore, been out of the house twice since Sept. And, one rack is tough enough on the breathing. Yet, yesterday I did get in one rack. Broke it an ran out.
My theory is this- as long as you KNOW just what your fundamentals are, and have practiced them diligently, then layoffs only count towards speed control. However, if one doesn't KNOW their fundamentals, then it will take some practice to get back in stroke. How long that is depends on the individual.
I haven't read all the posts so sorry if someone already mentioned this but I think it depends on your mechanics...
If you have textbook mechanics you can probably get away with a few hours a week to maintain your speed; however, those of us with more unorthodox mechanics probably need more like 30 - 60 minutes a day.
My personal experience is that I have unorthodox mechanics and I took a few years off; after 7 months back playing my game is 60- 70% back wondering if I will ever get back to my regular game.
In contrast, my best friend, who has great mechanics, seems to play pretty much the same no matter how often he plays. I am sure, he plays at a higher level when he plays more often but the variance is not as noticeable.
Another example is golf, he quit playing golf for years but came back hitting the low to mid 80's very quickly because he has very good mechanics (for an amateur).
I think that if your game is on the improve, you need to play every day and settle into a practicing groove that works for you. If you are in the maintenance mode and want to retain skills then every other day will work. Lastly, if I'm getting to play a tournament or gamble some then I practice every day.
Amen to that! I can play fairly well for 2-3 hours but if I do well in a tournament that started at 10:30 and after winning three matches and it's 2:00 and they tell me my next match is at 4:30, I usually go home because I know I'm toast. Some lucky dude gets a bye. Wish there was a way to play tournaments in 3-4 hours like a golf round.
Also, my teacher would tell you that you'd be better off to practice with drills like kicking, safeties, back cuts, in the jaws position to every place on the table, etc. instead of "playing" pool. He provides the drills for me but I think they are out there for everyone.
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