I would like to know if anyone has ideas on staying motivated to practice. Some days it is easy-others, not so much. Perhaps this has been discussed on another thread, but I haven't seen it on the carom side. What do some of your 'workouts' include? Some warm up short angles or other 'big' shots? Thanks for any and all input!!! JJ
Motivation to practice
- Thread starter jjacobson
- Start date
Hi John, I'm a strong believer in quality practice is where you get the most bang for your buck. If you are practicing and just kinda going through the motions you will not get much out of it and many times it's not even that much fun. If a person only plays 3 times a month but it's good focused practice he'll benefit a lot more than a guy who plays twice that much just going through the motions, I M O .
Hey John, Nice to see you! I think you really have to be in the right mindset to have a quality practice session. If you are hitting them around just to "pass the time" then you probably are not going to get much out of your practice time. Personally I try to practice with a "goal" in mind. Whatever that may be, make a certain number of a certain type in a row, or play the same shot but shorter or longer each time. I also like to randomly open a billiard book (Byrne's or a number of other ones) and practice what I see on the two pages until I can shoot those lessons with reasonable accuracy. Hope this can be of some help to you.
John you might find something in this recent thread.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=165846
I feel your pain and I think most of us that take the game seriously like you do run into this wall from time to time.
Some suggestions to stay motivated:
Face up to the reasons your not motivated. Work through it.
Set some new goals, a plan of action and write them down. Unwritten goals are not goals they're just a nice wish.
Have a practice routine including when, how long, and specific shots to practice. A routine will sometimes get you through the non motivated times.
Here's my goal. I'm tired of John winning all the time and next time I'm in town he's gonna see a different game from me. WATCH OUT cause here I come.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=165846
I feel your pain and I think most of us that take the game seriously like you do run into this wall from time to time.
Some suggestions to stay motivated:
Face up to the reasons your not motivated. Work through it.
Set some new goals, a plan of action and write them down. Unwritten goals are not goals they're just a nice wish.
Have a practice routine including when, how long, and specific shots to practice. A routine will sometimes get you through the non motivated times.
Here's my goal. I'm tired of John winning all the time and next time I'm in town he's gonna see a different game from me. WATCH OUT cause here I come.
I hear this a lot from players and students, and I've often found that when put under the microscope, they really didn't "know what they were supposed to do" as well as they thought they did.
More often than not, missing was actually a reflection of lack of detailed knowledge about a shot rather than a flaw in execution.It's pretty easy to devise exercises to distinguish between knowledge and execution flaws. Basically, you set up test shots that require minimal knowledge but fine execution to get a real sense of your technical skill. Shooting a bunch of full-ball stop shots at different distances with various amounts of sidespin and speed is one way to master your cuestick deflection, for example. Then do the same with follow and draw. I'm sure you can think of others.
Once you've established that you can consistently shoot straight with any english and speed to within a small margin of error, then you're misses are mostly due to lack of detailed knowledge rather than execution flaws. I mean, if you can consistently get the cue ball from point A to point B with any speed and spin, then really it all comes down to which point B (ball hit or banking cushion point) you need to shoot the cue ball at! (i.e. a matter of knowledge)
The only exceptions are inherently sensitive shots with small margins of error. But if you're shooting those too frequently, then surely you don't know as much about what you're supposed to do as you think!
Hopefully you'll find it motivating to explore the true nature of your lack of consistency to break through the plateau you seem to have reached. If it really is execution, then practice exercises that isolate whatever skills need honing without complicating matters by playing games or shooting a bunch of random patterns. If your mechanics are solid, then you'll have to face the possibility you don't have as much knowledge about certain patterns as you thought and need more information. Either is good because you'll then have a much clearer idea of what you need to do to improve. That can be very motivating.
Robert
:smile: Thanks all for your thoughts and ideas. Robert, I think I have both of the problems you describe. Execution and knowledge are in need of my attention. I wish I had a top player or two in town to get regular advice and motivation from. 3cushion, I will start to write down some goals and go to them when I have practice time. One of my new goals is to get you to come and get in the Mike Kelley tournament in April. When was the last time you played in one of ours, anyway. Snookered, I have used some books to change it up from time to time. It does work. All good ideas. I just need to bear down and stay at it, regularly. Thanks again all!!!!!!!
JJacobson; What I do to get quality practice is, First I shoot a few banks to get the normal follow through stroke in gear, after about 5 mins. of that, I set the break shot up and try to start out by shooting the same cue ball for 25 pts., if you start with yellow always shoot it. I try from the beginning to make 25 pts. in 25 ings., then after the first game I try to make 25 in 20 ings., then 25 in 15, and finally 25 in 12 or 10 innings. This excersize will to teach you to pay attention to playing more position shots, instead of just trying to score the point in front of you.
Then I play a little pin billiards for an 1/2 for control and better speed on 4 and 5 cushion shots.
Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"
P.S. John, too bad you're not in the Baltimore area this weekend, I'm conducting a 3 Cushion Clinic at "Big Daddy's Billiards".
Then I play a little pin billiards for an 1/2 for control and better speed on 4 and 5 cushion shots.
Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"
P.S. John, too bad you're not in the Baltimore area this weekend, I'm conducting a 3 Cushion Clinic at "Big Daddy's Billiards".
Get "inside" the table
Jjacobson,
Hi. I actively teach 3c in NYC and help motivate many players to take on and enjoy the game. I suspect that you might have a more difficult time "trying" to make 25 points in 10 innings than Mr3Cushion could. Knowing your average is surely a good thing, but personally I would advise against getting overly fixated about it early on.
Here are some friendly suggestions that might help you to stay motivated:
DO become fixated on the subtle physical movements that are happening on the table. Whether a shot is missed or made, by you or by your opponent - like a hawk, pay attention to what the table does to the action of the cue ball, from the point it leaves the tip until it comes to a complete stop. You will find a lot of answers if you focus on things like: the stickiness of the rails and induced sidespin, squirt at different distances, how table friction wears away sidespin over time, how speed affects the shape of parabolic cue ball curves, and the final angle of the cue ball after it completes a curve (off of different ball hits or various rail reflection input angles). Actively take systems and shots apart, hunt for patterns, devise original systems, take notes, keep a log, a journal - however you like to study, study.
Try not to get discouraged by repeated misses. If you miss 100 innings in a row, train yourself to step up and shoot the 101st inning with 100% confidence. Learn as much as you can from your shots by establishing a useful pre-shot routine that provides you with verifiable ways to validate your hit, path, and ball-action. This gives you with the ability to create (an essential) "post-shot routine" that is driven with exacting feedback about the nature of the mistakes made, after the fact - be they conceptual or execution related. For example, being specific about where you intend to drive the first object ball, or pre-marking rail contact points, will allow you to diagnose problems regarding hit and speed in a much more serious manner.
Try to be "attentive" to each table's uniqueness by spending the time to read its personality - and continue working at developing a strong relationship with any table you are playing on until you walk away from it. Develop superman-level patience, because sometimes it could take as many as 20 innings (or more) before you begin to feel comfortable with a new table (or an old table on a new day!) enough to know whether the table will accept what you want to do with it - so that you may manipulate the balls as you wish. "Listen" to the table.
Unless you are clearly stringing together lots of long runs, trying to "play position" in 3-cushion prematurely could lead you to take shots using an approach that you are "not ready" for. It seems to me that the "correct" shot for a 2.5 avg player must be considered very different than the proper choice for a .4 player. It is difficult for a player to judge which is their best 2nd shot if they do not yet possess enough of a shot repertoire to see more than one reliable way of making most of the shots they get presented with. I have seen too many (initially) interested students turn away from the game prematurely because they somehow got driven to swallow too much, too early.
Whatever you do, try your best not to give up. 3-cushion just might be the most difficult game you may ever attempt to play, especially if you decide to measure your scoring rate shot for shot. But, if you measure success with joy, 3-cushion will give you many returns in the currency of satisfaction for many years. So, never give up - get used to "going back to square-one", dusting yourself off, reinventing yourself, keep trying, and you'll be a better player for it. I believe the average will take care of itself.
"Step inside" the billiard table. There is so much fascinating stuff going on in there - if you open up your senses, it can quite literally become impossible to get bored while practicing!
I hope this helps you.
-Ira
Jjacobson,
Hi. I actively teach 3c in NYC and help motivate many players to take on and enjoy the game. I suspect that you might have a more difficult time "trying" to make 25 points in 10 innings than Mr3Cushion could. Knowing your average is surely a good thing, but personally I would advise against getting overly fixated about it early on.
Here are some friendly suggestions that might help you to stay motivated:
DO become fixated on the subtle physical movements that are happening on the table. Whether a shot is missed or made, by you or by your opponent - like a hawk, pay attention to what the table does to the action of the cue ball, from the point it leaves the tip until it comes to a complete stop. You will find a lot of answers if you focus on things like: the stickiness of the rails and induced sidespin, squirt at different distances, how table friction wears away sidespin over time, how speed affects the shape of parabolic cue ball curves, and the final angle of the cue ball after it completes a curve (off of different ball hits or various rail reflection input angles). Actively take systems and shots apart, hunt for patterns, devise original systems, take notes, keep a log, a journal - however you like to study, study.
Try not to get discouraged by repeated misses. If you miss 100 innings in a row, train yourself to step up and shoot the 101st inning with 100% confidence. Learn as much as you can from your shots by establishing a useful pre-shot routine that provides you with verifiable ways to validate your hit, path, and ball-action. This gives you with the ability to create (an essential) "post-shot routine" that is driven with exacting feedback about the nature of the mistakes made, after the fact - be they conceptual or execution related. For example, being specific about where you intend to drive the first object ball, or pre-marking rail contact points, will allow you to diagnose problems regarding hit and speed in a much more serious manner.
Try to be "attentive" to each table's uniqueness by spending the time to read its personality - and continue working at developing a strong relationship with any table you are playing on until you walk away from it. Develop superman-level patience, because sometimes it could take as many as 20 innings (or more) before you begin to feel comfortable with a new table (or an old table on a new day!) enough to know whether the table will accept what you want to do with it - so that you may manipulate the balls as you wish. "Listen" to the table.
Unless you are clearly stringing together lots of long runs, trying to "play position" in 3-cushion prematurely could lead you to take shots using an approach that you are "not ready" for. It seems to me that the "correct" shot for a 2.5 avg player must be considered very different than the proper choice for a .4 player. It is difficult for a player to judge which is their best 2nd shot if they do not yet possess enough of a shot repertoire to see more than one reliable way of making most of the shots they get presented with. I have seen too many (initially) interested students turn away from the game prematurely because they somehow got driven to swallow too much, too early.
Whatever you do, try your best not to give up. 3-cushion just might be the most difficult game you may ever attempt to play, especially if you decide to measure your scoring rate shot for shot. But, if you measure success with joy, 3-cushion will give you many returns in the currency of satisfaction for many years. So, never give up - get used to "going back to square-one", dusting yourself off, reinventing yourself, keep trying, and you'll be a better player for it. I believe the average will take care of itself.
"Step inside" the billiard table. There is so much fascinating stuff going on in there - if you open up your senses, it can quite literally become impossible to get bored while practicing!
I hope this helps you.
-Ira
Dieckman Sayzzzz
Dieckman<----Hi IRA.....glad to see you here giving of your knowledge...try to get on the USBA forum also although it is rather boring right now.....stay tuned and I might just liven it up a little.
Got a question for you: what would you think [hypothetically] about an organization that has a private forum for board members only and decides not to give the presumptive future president of the organization access to it until he actually assumes office as that the current board feels that he might "disturb the dynamic of the board..." WHAT DYNAMIC ???? Lethargy???
Nit-picking 
obfuscation :frown: ??????
I am kinda reminded about what Churchill told his Admirals at the beginning of WWII when he was not yet Prime Minister but only First Sea Lord. They question him about doubting the traditions of the Royal Navy and he replies to them: "Tradition, BAH, what is your tradition? I will tell you what it is: RUM, SODOMY AND THE LASH.....that is your tradition...now get to work !!!!"
Trust Helen and the babies are well,
dddddd
Dieckman<----Hi IRA.....glad to see you here giving of your knowledge...try to get on the USBA forum also although it is rather boring right now.....stay tuned and I might just liven it up a little.
Got a question for you: what would you think [hypothetically] about an organization that has a private forum for board members only and decides not to give the presumptive future president of the organization access to it until he actually assumes office as that the current board feels that he might "disturb the dynamic of the board..." WHAT DYNAMIC ???? Lethargy???
Nit-picking obfuscation :frown: ??????I am kinda reminded about what Churchill told his Admirals at the beginning of WWII when he was not yet Prime Minister but only First Sea Lord. They question him about doubting the traditions of the Royal Navy and he replies to them: "Tradition, BAH, what is your tradition? I will tell you what it is: RUM, SODOMY AND THE LASH.....that is your tradition...now get to work !!!!"
Trust Helen and the babies are well,
dddddd
Thanks Ira and Bill. More good info. I am digesting all of this and more. I will let you know of any progress in the coming weeks.
Ira, I want to start a league with 2 person teams. I talked to you several years ago about this, but I didn't have the time to get it done then. Now I want to take another try at it. Do you have info on handicapped and non-handicapped?
Bill, I have an picture of you and I with your 8 month old? child from Chris's in June of 97. If you would like a copy, let me know.
Ira, I want to start a league with 2 person teams. I talked to you several years ago about this, but I didn't have the time to get it done then. Now I want to take another try at it. Do you have info on handicapped and non-handicapped?
Bill, I have an picture of you and I with your 8 month old? child from Chris's in June of 97. If you would like a copy, let me know.
HMMMM..... That would be a lot of fun, especially if your "northern friends" could somehow get involved :thumbup:.
3-Cushion League
Jjacobson,
Anytime. The handicapped 3-Cushion league that I started at Carom Cafe is still running strong after over 5 years. I'd be happy to offer any suggestions for your league.
-Ira
Jjacobson,
Anytime. The handicapped 3-Cushion league that I started at Carom Cafe is still running strong after over 5 years. I'd be happy to offer any suggestions for your league.
-Ira