Logs / Notebooks?

Halfjack87

Halfjack87

In Training
Silver Member
Does anyone use logs or notebooks for their practice and/or games? If so, what's in them?

I'm thinking I need to start a notebook... (I'm that kind of guy).

Thanks!
 
Halfjack87 said:
Does anyone use logs or notebooks for their practice and/or games? If so, what's in them?

I'm thinking I need to start a notebook... (I'm that kind of guy).

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I don't. I keep a mental tab. Let's say practice diagonal stop shots 10 times. Or put the 7,8,9 down ...take ball in hand and see how many times you run out. You'll know how it's going after a while.
 
I've used a three ring binder for logging my practice results and have have found it useful for analyzing my weaknesses and showing progress over time. I have developed various metrics for establishing pass/fail or percentage based evaluations. And eventually I became obsessed with the data side of it and went as far as developing a method to use my iPad to log the results quickly so I could focus on the practice a little more. The problem was that the more data I collected the more I started to become interested in the method of data logging and analysis. This is probably more of an issue for OCD nerds like myself but I caution to keep your focus on the practice and let the logging stay simple enough to make quick and simple assessments. I now just use a small 6" x 8" journal and write in it like a diary to talk about what I did and what I should focus on next. When I make a new entry I make a point to review my previous entry so I can make sure I'm staying on task and meeting my goals. My entries typically include practice results, feelings about what I'm working on, match results, goals and objectives, and anything that I am looking forward to regarding my game (tournaments, equipment purchases etc.)

Hope this helps, good luck. I think leaving a trail of bread crumbs is a good idea for anyone trying to make progress. It's interesting to look back on over time.
 
Halfjack87 said:
Does anyone use logs or notebooks for their practice and/or games? If so, what's in them?

I'm thinking I need to start a notebook... (I'm that kind of guy).

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Back in the day, I used to keep "notation" for my 9-ball games: analogous to chess notation.

I'll spare you all the boring minutiae, but suffice it to say:

I utilized my own symbols in order to describe various shots, layouts, misses, english, and the like.
 
Used a notebook to illustrate drills and help memorize the way the cueball moves. Also used one for drill progress. Now i use mostly video
 
Practice results
Missed shots
Tournament spectating notes
Column ideas
 
Jewcito said:
I've used a three ring binder for logging my practice results and have have found it useful for analyzing my weaknesses and showing progress over time. I have developed various metrics for establishing pass/fail or percentage based evaluations. And eventually I became obsessed with the data side of it and went as far as developing a method to use my iPad to log the results quickly so I could focus on the practice a little more. The problem was that the more data I collected the more I started to become interested in the method of data logging and analysis. This is probably more of an issue for OCD nerds like myself but I caution to keep your focus on the practice and let the logging stay simple enough to make quick and simple assessments. I now just use a small 6" x 8" journal and write in it like a diary to talk about what I did and what I should focus on next. When I make a new entry I make a point to review my previous entry so I can make sure I'm staying on task and meeting my goals. My entries typically include practice results, feelings about what I'm working on, match results, goals and objectives, and anything that I am looking forward to regarding my game (tournaments, equipment purchases etc.)

Hope this helps, good luck. I think leaving a trail of bread crumbs is a good idea for anyone trying to make progress. It's interesting to look back on over time.
Click to expand...

Well, look at you, Jewcito. Jumped right in there with both feet blazing. Well done, and welcome to the world's greatest pool forum. By-the-way, is Jewcito Spanish for "small Jew"? No matter. Enjoy your time here. Don't troll, and don't sign up for any of the introductory courses on aiming.
Oh yeah, we have a bus tour scheduled for next Wednesday. We're all going to Branson, MO, for the annual Billiards, Babes, and Beer Festival. Be there, or b-square. (Just to be on the safe side, throw a couple of condoms in your cue case. You never know.) :smile:
 
Halfjack87 said:
Does anyone use logs or notebooks for their practice and/or games? If so, what's in them?

I'm thinking I need to start a notebook... (I'm that kind of guy).

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I the notepad app on my phone to log notes. I keep track of my annual pool goals and the dates that I have them met them. I also keep track of shots that come up in competition that I would like to practice later on.

As Jewcito stated earlier, it's very easy to overdo it with the record logging. I see some people at the pool hall that literally document every shot they take during their practice session. With all the time they spend taking notes and reviewing notes they could have hit another 500 balls per session. Just keep it simple.
 
I use Evernote on my iPhone to keep a Billiards notebook. Contents include:

- snippets of billiards wisdom pulled from forums or articles
- links to billiards articles
- diagrams of shots and positional routes clipped from online site
- links to YouTube videos
- profiles on local league shooters (my observations on their strengths and weaknesses, rating, psychology, and style)

I don't have a practice routine since I don't own a table, but Evernote would be a great place to collect and track drills.
 
GeoEnvi said:
I use Evernote on my iPhone to keep a Billiards notebook. Contents include:

- snippets of billiards wisdom pulled from forums or articles
- links to billiards articles
- diagrams of shots and positional routes clipped from online site
- links to YouTube videos
- profiles on local league shooters (my observations on their strengths and weaknesses, rating, psychology, and style)

I don't have a practice routine since I don't own a table, but Evernote would be a great place to collect and track drills.
Click to expand...

I use iphone - I'll look at Evernote - thanks!
 
Pool Note book

I use Evernote on my phone for win loss data, quotes, pool articles random web detritus.
and I use a moleskine graph paper reporter's notebook to log my practice results.
Like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Moleskine-Reporter-Notebook-Squared-Notebooks/dp/8862932979

As far as logging my practice results its any practice I do by myself, drills mostly. I do that as a back up. Previously I had a spreadsheet with 5 years of data that I forgot to back up on a laptop I was using when the HD failed. It was a cool spreadsheet that gave me daily monthly and total averages for all my drills and I might do that again someday but for now I am ok with what I have going.

I also log everything online in a public blog good or bad so that I feel a embarrased if I don't practice. It's silly but my friends knowing whether did my work every day really motivates me to keeps me hitting balls.
 
Tramp Steamer said:
Well, look at you, Jewcito. Jumped right in there with both feet blazing. Well done, and welcome to the world's greatest pool forum. By-the-way, is Jewcito Spanish for "small Jew"? No matter. Enjoy your time here. Don't troll, and don't sign up for any of the introductory courses on aiming.
Oh yeah, we have a bus tour scheduled for next Wednesday. We're all going to Branson, MO, for the annual Billiards, Babes, and Beer Festival. Be there, or b-square. (Just to be on the safe side, throw a couple of condoms in your cue case. You never know.) :smile:
Click to expand...

Thanks Tramp. I've been on the sidelines for a while and have observed enough of the controversial threads to know what not to step in. I figured in this case I was safe and I actually had something to offer from my experience.

Jewcito is a nickname given to me by a close friend who introduced me to the game. It is intended to illustrate my stature as well as my Mexi-Jew lineage.

Unfortunately I will have to be square and miss Branson. Thanks.
 
I keep a three ring binder filled with clear plastic sleeves. Any great drills I find in books I have photo copied and inserted them into the plastic sleeves, in a way making a quick reference guide to the most effective drills for me (German PAT material, Mark Wilson drills, billiard university exams, etc).

Now, instead of lugging a few books into the pool hall or looking up on a tablet (which takes time believe it or not and mentally pulls you out of rhythm)-I have my go to drills in a simple flip of a vinyl page. This maximizes time by not wasting any searching through books and also conveniently stays flat and open, not like a book which may not unless you set some weight on it to hold it open.

Inside the cover of the 3-ring binder, there are blank table diagrams so I can make notes during lessons or practice. I also have a mini daily calendar for 2016. Every time I touch a table, I log the duration and what activity I was doing: practice drills, what type of drills, or what game played.

However, I'm very strict on the hours logged. For me a true hour is when I'm shooting a 3-4 ball a minute average. If I did drills in my basement for 2 hours, I will credit 2 hours. But if I got out with friends and play 8-ball for 3 hours, I'm only giving myself an hour credit. I believe this gives me an honest assessment of how much time I'm investing into the game.

Great thread by the way and not a topic I've seen discussed here. Keeping track of your training is a great way to measure your progression.
 
Jewcito said:
I've been on the sidelines for a while and have observed enough of the controversial threads to know what not to step in. I figured in this case I was safe and I actually had something to offer from my experience.

Jewcito is a nickname given to me by a close friend who introduced me to the game. It is intended to illustrate my stature as well as my Mexi-Jew lineage.

.
Click to expand...

Hola / shalom and welcome aboard. Lots of great supportive members here, Is that your Diamond table?
 
Cardigan Kid said:
I keep a three ring binder filled with clear plastic sleeves. Any great drills I find in books I have photo copied and inserted them into the plastic sleeves, in a way making a quick reference guide to the most effective drills for me (German PAT material, Mark Wilson drills, billiard university exams, etc).

Now, instead of lugging a few books into the pool hall or looking up on a tablet (which takes time believe it or not and mentally pulls you out of rhythm)-I have my go to drills in a simple flip of a vinyl page. This maximizes time by not wasting any searching through books and also conveniently stays flat and open, not like a book which may not unless you set some weight on it to hold it open.

Inside the cover of the 3-ring binder, there are blank table diagrams so I can make notes during lessons or practice. I also have a mini daily calendar for 2016. Every time I touch a table, I log the duration and what activity I was doing: practice drills, what type of drills, or what game played.

However, I'm very strict on the hours logged. For me a true hour is when I'm shooting a 3-4 ball a minute average. If I did drills in my basement for 2 hours, I will credit 2 hours. But if I got out with friends and play 8-ball for 3 hours, I'm only giving myself an hour credit. I believe this gives me an honest assessment of how much time I'm investing into the game.

Great thread by the way and not a topic I've seen discussed here. Keeping track of your training is a great way to measure your progression.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much where my head is now - and I've got a lot of those clear plastic sleeves. Logging drills and games by date and either time or ball count on drills.
 
For many years, I wouldn't play seriously unless it was for money.

My "logbook" was my bankroll. If you had more money than you started with, you were doing just fine. If you had less, you maybe needed to improve on something.

It doesn't take massive amounts of data to figure out what you can do and can't do. If you become obsessed with statistics like that you become a scientist and not a pool player.
 
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