Practice makes perfect!

HotMustard said:
Not sure what you're getting at, but I gave Bert all the credit in the world. I've watched all of his tapes, and I would suggest his tapes to anyone.
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You certainly did. It's fun watching you post when you apply yourself, because you can put out reasonable arguments when you try.

My point was merely that I recognized you in that thread. It's become a fun forum game.... Spot the PocketPoint posts! Who will he be today?
 
Gsitz89 said:
I try to practice at least 6 days a week for at least 4 hours per session. If Im not practicing I am trying to match up or play in any tournament that I can. The problem that I find myself in is that im am starting to bore myself with such routine. So my question to the higher level players(A/A+/A+++) is how did you push threw times like these when you were coming up? Is there any suggestions that you can give that would help? Something maybe you wish that you could have known sooner? Any help will greatly be appreciated? Thanks in advance!
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Sorry that this got so off topic! I am NOT a pro by any means, so in your eyes I may not be qualified to answer this but I have been going down the same path and I can offer some advice from my own experience.

I posted a similar question awhile back. Answers about practice time ranged from hours to 20 min. Personally I practice as long as I can stay focused. Some days thats several hours others it only 30 min or so.

But the best advice i can give you for your boredom is to play everyone you can. Not just those that are better than you. There is something to be learned from every opponent. Better players will raise your game faster, i think, but dont underestimate lesser opponents.

Create challenges for yourself. If your only option is to play that one guy thats not even close to your speed, then give him a huge handicap. Anything to level the playing field.

(I give my daughter the 4 and out plus the break.... both our games are getting better);)
 
Neil said:
So, since you are an expert, here's a question for you involving position play.... you have the ob one ball width off the long rail about halfway between the corner and the side. You have a 45 degree angle on it with the cb. At what angle will the cb come off the rail with follow, medium speed? Since you espouse being exact, the answer should be a gimmie for you. What is the angle?? And where will the cb hit the opposite rail?
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I will take a shot just in the interest of learning. I am mostly a feel player, so take this with a grain of salt..

I believe one tip of follow would equal about 30(ish) degrees of change off the 90 degree tangent line? And as far as where it will hit the opposite rail, I would think between a diamond to a diamond and a half further uptable on the opposite rail.

Am I anywhere close?

Also, I would think that how clean the balls are would have an effect on this shot as the contact induced spin on the CB would put varying amounts of outside spin on the CB, which would shorten the angle to the opposite rail.

I would be interested in feedback on this, as I have been trying to get back into the game as of late.

Short Bus Russ
 
The more general question is: if you are cutting a ball down the rail and shooting the cue ball without side spin but it is rolling smoothly on the cloth, what is the relation between the outbound angle and the inbound angle?

The procedure for answering this yourself for your own table is discussed in the article http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2005-03.pdf and for the table I tried the shots on, the ratio of lengths (on the rail you are coming from) was 1:3 rather than 1:4 as for the 45-degree, cross-table, 1 diamond down rule. Since that article, I've found that most tables are closer to 1:4.

Ralph Eckert has a video showing the 45-degree lines at 1:4 in both directions of the table, but he doesn't show the generalization.
 
Gsitz89 said:
I try to practice at least 6 days a week for at least 4 hours per session. If Im not practicing I am trying to match up or play in any tournament that I can. The problem that I find myself in is that im am starting to bore myself with such routine. So my question to the higher level players(A/A+/A+++) is how did you push threw times like these when you were coming up? Is there any suggestions that you can give that would help? Something maybe you wish that you could have known sooner? Any help will greatly be appreciated? Thanks in advance!
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The best advise I can give is u need to practice precision. Make the shot and make sure the cue ball lands on a half peace of paper every time. If u can place the cue on the paper 3 times in a row move on to the next shot. If your not getting frustrated or whatever it takes to stay focused then your wasting time practicing.
Willie Mosconi was a perfectionist along with most greats.
 
randyg said:
Ok, I will bite one more time. I understand that you think Instruction is crap. But you have to help me with this one. Hope to learn something new here.

How do I practice a shot that I don't know?

thanks
randyg
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Simple......you know the shots you know.......don't practice them. Use your imagination for shots.

You can also learn new shots by watching different games and players.

I watched 3 cushion players to learn about banks shots I've never seen anyone do in 9 ball, 8 ball, and straight pool.

This is where what I call 15 ball free form drill comes in handy. And it is not practice play. Its a drill that uses 15 balls and set guidelines on what can be done during the 15 ball drill. There is no difference using a set pattern of balls and just having random pattern of balls to use.

The are a variety of uses for this drill. All name a few ways I use this drill.

Place all 15 balls between the side pockets and and end rail. The object is to pocket balls without hitting another ball or rail. This is really good for speed control.

Roll all 15 balls on the table, and the only shots you can use are a bank, carom or combo or any combination of the three. Being able to use banks, caroms and combo's effectively gives added depth to your game and gives you more tools to control the table.

Roll all 15 on the table and use only inside english on all shots, then only outside, then only center ball and so on.

Roll all 15 on the table and use only the side pockets or pick a pocket.

It goes on and on, only limited by your imagination. I've never had the same pattern of balls by rolling all 15 out there at once. Having all 15 out there also allows you to practice position at the same time.

The randomness of rolling all 15 balls onto the table will present you with shots you may never even think of. Clusters of balls, balls on rails, balls in front of pockets that need to be moved and so on.

No matter what you are doing, one thing is always considered when doing this drill and that is what is the next shot or shots gonna be.

I've learned shots by just banging away and seeing the result. Changing where I hit the 1st rail to see the change off the 3rd rail and so on. This is one way I learn shots I don't know.

Then I do single ball drills when I learning a shot and I don't want to concern myself with position. My single drills now are mostly shots that give me trouble or trying a new bank. I know what shots give me trouble because they are the ones I miss the most.

FWIW instruction is not crap, but can only get you so far. At what point does one become a master? And I do not mean a master by being labeled as such or certified as one.

Now, there maybe crappy instructors, but that's a whole other matter and one that is purely subjective.
 
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