frankncali said:
Yeah, there's this one shot I have a problem with but I can't remember what it was.
keeping stats during practice
- Thread starter Opie
- Start date
Yeah, there's this one shot I have a problem with but I can't remember what it was.
i keep a pool journal but its not terribly detailed......I sit down at the end of a nights session and write out what i can remember. Similar to billy bob i will diagram out a shot that i played wrong in a match so i can practice it later to learn how to play it right, and/or a shot i seem to have a problem making i will put it on my list of things to practice. I will also sometimes write out something i was doing that was really working for me.....or if i have a really good gambling session, i will do a short writeup of that just to have it. I think you could easily overdo keeping a journal to the point where youre not a poolplayer youre a writer.........but overall I think its a good thing, it seems to help me tweak my game
I used to keep massive amounts of scores for drills. It definitely helped elevate my game. The primary value was that the desire to improve the scores kept me practicing for many hours with a very focused attitude.
I once stayed up all night (which I don't typically do) doing one drill - trying to make 50 out of 50 sets of random 3 ball outs with ball in hand. It takes about 30 minutes and you can't quit in the middle of a set to start over clean. I played about 30 sets and didn't quite get there.
15 out of 20 pool players think they can get 50 out of 50 even in a no wager practice environment. About 1 out of 20 really can. Writing down your scores may be a sobering reality check of how good you currently are. Use that to motivate to improve.
Remember that there are two types of drills: ones that measure progress and ones that improve specific skills. Focusing on the skills is more helpful.
Andy
I once stayed up all night (which I don't typically do) doing one drill - trying to make 50 out of 50 sets of random 3 ball outs with ball in hand. It takes about 30 minutes and you can't quit in the middle of a set to start over clean. I played about 30 sets and didn't quite get there.
15 out of 20 pool players think they can get 50 out of 50 even in a no wager practice environment. About 1 out of 20 really can. Writing down your scores may be a sobering reality check of how good you currently are. Use that to motivate to improve.
Remember that there are two types of drills: ones that measure progress and ones that improve specific skills. Focusing on the skills is more helpful.
Andy
Does anyone sell a book of pool table templates that would fit in a cue case? Maybe 3x5" pages or something. I'd like to have something like that to record shots I'd like to remember to practice but my memory is poor and I get home and don't remember to do it and then can't remember quite how the balls laid.
I've tried keeping a journal as I think it's a good idea but I just can't get into it on any consistant level.
I've tried keeping a journal as I think it's a good idea but I just can't get into it on any consistant level.
alinco said:
I had some doubts about the value of this thread in the beginning, but I will chime in positively on Andy's tack.
If you want to start some serious improvement/motivation in your local competition circles, just challenge them to take "the test" and find out how many times out of 20 they can get out from a random 3-ball BIH situation. I tried this for myself, then on some other "B" level players here in Japan. ("A" level and gamblers watch interestedly but I told them my score from this wonderful drill (finally getting to 80%, then moving up to 4-ball outs and 5-ball outs, where I am still at... reminds me I need to go back to this drill), then "tested" them, recording their scores, and announcing percentage updates as we went along [50%! 66%! oooh, down to 57.5%! focus!) They got the point, I was ahead of them if we played even races and I played my best and they stepped up their practice, and got better. The next couple of weeks I reminded them when they got an almost BIH situation with the 7-8-9 their percentage... they focused.
We all benefited from the better play, I actually made it to low "A" status. Now I can no longer play in the "B-C" tournaments, of which in the last 2yrs I won over $1500. Don't grieve for me, I like the new status, now want to prove every time it is justified. Unfortunately I can bank and get position like an "A" (better focus on these shots? Plan for an element of safety/distance when I take them on?) play position like a semi-talented B, and shooting consistency/accuracy like a C player. Need those aiming drills.
A key point here is it was intended as a true gut check on how good are you today/on average, not guesstimates, and not to humiliate or in any way put down my normal competitors. Get down and SHOW ME THE PERCENTAGE, Baby! {Jerry McGuire movie mode /OFF} Any folks here that won't bother to actually do this drill, at least 3 times (or 20, better statistically of course) are likely more interested in the fun of woofing/humiliation possibilities of open-forum BS-ing, and less interested in improving their game. And if 3 is too easy for you (80%) then increase the number of balls till you fall between 35% and 80%.
The practice drills to improve your skills are important, because they show you what you are afraid of, and those you "master" you recognize in competitive situations and feel confident about (I can DO THIS. Last Thursday I was 80% or better on this shot, and SO WHAT if it is J.Archer or whoever, I _deserve_ this win! I have put in the time and can make the shot.)
Specifically about scores, I keep scores from 1997 onward (my commitment date to getting better) in a book in my Porper pouch, mostly from drills that record progress. Qskill, Internet Equal offense, 14-1, BIH outs, "Bowliards", etc. I have tried to keep a pad of notes of "important shots missed/unkown" to work on, but frankly unless the loss really stings or rankles me I find it mosly disheartening and rumpled up in the case months later, and don't actually work on them much in the next practice session, mostly because my "practice" is waiting for a friendly game. I seem to be a competitive yet bordering social player at heart.
I'm going to agree with Kevin. Monitoring your practice percentages serves two vitally important purposes for the player committed to attaining professional caliber ability (I'm NOT saying it can't be obtained without such monitoring, but monitoring is QUICKER). I however, restrict my percentage monitoring to drills that are set the same way every time (there is still the element of luck in rotation pool games and drills - I'm still a conscientious objector to ascribing any great importance to rotation results).
I have monitored my make percentage for most of my drills. These drills are on medium to difficult shots/position routes/English application; some of which come up in almost every game I have ever played. Knowing my TRUE make percentage definitely allows better decision making during a run (and it is this decision making that in large part separates the top amateurs from the professional - or at least the professionals whose brains I've picked). Yes, we should trust our feel about which shot or position route is best, but if 2 choices are available, and we can execute both with fair confidence, we would be foolish not to choose the most likely to succeed. I have taken lessons from some world class players who will think aloud for me as they shoot; and it is amazing to listen to the decision making processes that they use. They consider (almost automatically) the probabilities of the shot choice, possible English options, and possible position routes based on their absolute certainty of their capabilities (in fact it is tough to slow them down enough to describe what they are doing and why). There is rarely ANY DOUBT whatsoever that they are choosing the correct shot, position route, and cueing option. They may not know their exact percentage, but their guess will be damn good. If you challenge them, and try a different option, you will find (in my experience, since I do this almost every lesson) that their choice is correct 99% of the time for exactly the reasons that they state before you test the options. This is a talent that can be developed (just not by me yet).
The second advantage to monitoring the percentages is that you will save an INCREDIBLE amount of time in developing your game. Get yourself a lesson with a top pro, measure his make percentage on the shots you are practicing. When your make percentage is close to his, YOU HAVE ARRIVED BABY (at least on that particular shot or position route). Move on to some other area of deficiency (I know you must have some, I surely do). Why waste hours on something at which you are already adequately proficient? This is why you want lessons not just from the stroke guru's, but also from world class players. The 2 types of lessons are complimentary, but I believe you can gain more benefit from them if you know your percentages; I certainly have.
I have monitored my make percentage for most of my drills. These drills are on medium to difficult shots/position routes/English application; some of which come up in almost every game I have ever played. Knowing my TRUE make percentage definitely allows better decision making during a run (and it is this decision making that in large part separates the top amateurs from the professional - or at least the professionals whose brains I've picked). Yes, we should trust our feel about which shot or position route is best, but if 2 choices are available, and we can execute both with fair confidence, we would be foolish not to choose the most likely to succeed. I have taken lessons from some world class players who will think aloud for me as they shoot; and it is amazing to listen to the decision making processes that they use. They consider (almost automatically) the probabilities of the shot choice, possible English options, and possible position routes based on their absolute certainty of their capabilities (in fact it is tough to slow them down enough to describe what they are doing and why). There is rarely ANY DOUBT whatsoever that they are choosing the correct shot, position route, and cueing option. They may not know their exact percentage, but their guess will be damn good. If you challenge them, and try a different option, you will find (in my experience, since I do this almost every lesson) that their choice is correct 99% of the time for exactly the reasons that they state before you test the options. This is a talent that can be developed (just not by me yet).
The second advantage to monitoring the percentages is that you will save an INCREDIBLE amount of time in developing your game. Get yourself a lesson with a top pro, measure his make percentage on the shots you are practicing. When your make percentage is close to his, YOU HAVE ARRIVED BABY (at least on that particular shot or position route). Move on to some other area of deficiency (I know you must have some, I surely do). Why waste hours on something at which you are already adequately proficient? This is why you want lessons not just from the stroke guru's, but also from world class players. The 2 types of lessons are complimentary, but I believe you can gain more benefit from them if you know your percentages; I certainly have.
