Practice Routine/Regiment - Part II

[Williebetmore]

"YOU NEED TO BE A BALL POCKETING MACHINE!"

i totally agree with this. sometimes i get the impression that some instructors feel like its more important to work on mechanics, preshot routine, alignment, etc, than it is to simply get better at pocketing balls.

DCP,
I truly believe you are missing the crux of this situation. The way to become a ball pocketing machine IS to work on your mechanics, pre-shot routine, alignment. That IS how you get better at pocketing balls.

You speak as if there are "shots" to practice, as if they are all different. In actuality they are basically all similar. You set up, move your arm, deliver the cue ball where you want it, at the speed you want, with the spin you want. The EASY part is deciding on the speed and spin, the HARD part is being relentless at delivering your best stroke EVERY time. If you have good mechanics, mastery will occur quicker than if you rely on the time honored "play 18 hours a day and hit a million shots" method.

The level of precision necessary to become a ball pocketing machine is very, very high. In addition, this level of precision is totally inapparent to those that don't possess it (and even to a lot of the pro's that DO possess it).

IMO the best way to develop this type of precision, and ball pocketing ability is to put yourself in the hands of a good instructor, do what he says in the way he says, and reap the benefits. Either that or quit your job, sell your house, get a divorce, live in your car, and play 18 hours a day. Your choice.

 

[Williebetmore]

PLAYED WILLIE AT MARK WILSON'S AND SAT SO LONG, MY HEMORROIDS BLED ON THE BENCH.

CG,
While everyone should know that you are just being kind; I HAVE been working on my game. Bring a cushion to DCC.

 

[Ballistic Billiards]

missed position.. you did
experiment more.. you should

I really want to see some video too,
you'll receive more help that way.

I'm trying to figure out where your
short comings are, and I pay attention
to your threads.

You need a pool buddy or a team.
How often do you play with someone else?

-cOOp

 

[CreeDo]

I actually agree with DCP. When you're a scrub, you pass your buddies by just pocketing balls. Then you learn to move the cue ball and if you want to pass all the other intermediates, you learn to get the most precise leaves. But I swear as I play longer and longer, the guys who rise to the top aren't the ones who have fine tuned their leaves even more, it's the guys who just refuse to miss a ball they intend to make.

So maybe this is DCP's way of saying he's stopped trying to take shortcuts and he's going to actually hit a million balls, which sounds like a fair plan. If I couldn't see how a guy shoots, and had no idea where his game was at, and could only give him one piece of advice that's guaranteed to help his game... "hit a million balls" would probably be it.

 

[Neil]

.............

 

[Neil]

................

 

[Patrick Johnson]

now that sounds like excellent advice to me! if he would have said "Get good technique and mechanics, then hit a million balls" that would be just about the perfect advice as far as i am concerned.

DCP

If you already know what the perfect advice for you is, why do you need an instructor?

pj
chgo

 

[Russ Chewning]

If you already know what the perfect advice for you is, why do you need an instructor?

pj
chgo

pj,

The only point of his threads is to post stuff he knows is going to get him grilled by the majority of the forum. He enjoys people berating him. I'm starting to believe he is just a very, very, very good troll. A troll who has been able to keep people (like me ) responding to him for many months.

Russ

 

[Williebetmore]

I'm starting to believe he is just a very, very, very good troll.

Russ

RC,
Whatever you or other members think about DCP, he is NOT in any way a troll. He loves the game, wants to get better, enjoys sharing, puts up politely with personal attacks (though perhaps some are "invited"). He is the antithesis of a troll (hmmmmmm.....is there such a thing as an "Anti-troll").

 

[Neil]

.............

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

DCP,
I truly believe you are missing the crux of this situation. The way to become a ball pocketing machine IS to work on your mechanics, pre-shot routine, alignment. That IS how you get better at pocketing balls.

well, now, hmmmm..............

i sort of both agree and disagree with this. i think i've mentioned at least twice on this thread that you have to have those proper mechanics/fundamentals, etc, to be that ball pocketing machine.

once again, i guess the crux of what i am saying is that if you want to be a top notch player you need to have fine mechanics. and then once you have those fine mechanics, you need to go hit a million balls.

but just because you have fine mechanics doesnt mean you are going to be great at pocketing balls! i guess, as i've said before, if you've got fine mechanics, and have hit a million balls, and still cant pocket balls consistently, well, your probably never going to get to that top notch player level.

to me this is very simple..........

DCP

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

missed position.. you did
experiment more.. you should

I really want to see some video too,
you'll receive more help that way.

I'm trying to figure out where your
short comings are, and I pay attention
to your threads.

You need a pool buddy or a team.
How often do you play with someone else?

-cOOp

thanks cOOp.

and sorry, no video will be posted, no way, forget it. and i dont really have anyone to play with. as i've said before, being from this small town there really isnt anyone to play with. when my old buddy Dave passed away a little over a year ago that left a big hole in any actual competition i get.

DCP

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

RC,
Whatever you or other members think about DCP, he is NOT in any way a troll. He loves the game, wants to get better, enjoys sharing, puts up politely with personal attacks (though perhaps some are "invited"). He is the antithesis of a troll (hmmmmmm.....is there such a thing as an "Anti-troll").

thanks WBM! couldnt have said it better myself.

and if you see our #1 mechanic (S.D.) tell him i probably am going to have him down next spring to change the Simonis 860 from the green we just put on to either powder blue or tournament blue.

DCP

 

[Brian in VA]

uh, well, yeah, but, i think i said that in my initial post. but the point i am trying to make is that a player can have PERFECT mechanics and still not be guaranteed he/she will make a shot. unless they have shot that shot with those excellent mechanics hundreds and hundreds of times, hour after hour, etc

i guess if a player has fine mechanics, and has practiced a shot hundreds of times, and still cant consistently make it, well, there's a player thats probably not going to be a top notch player.

DCP

I would submit that a player that can't consistently make a shot, assuming it's reasonably makeable, doesn't have "fine mechanics." Remember, the mechanics of making a shot include deciding which shot to shoot, determining where to leave the cue ball and the speed required to get there, deciding on an aiming point, aiming properly and delivering the cue tip to the cue ball properly. If you miss a shot, it's one of those things done incorrectly. If you get a bad roll, it's one of those things done incorrectly that caused it. Is it boring as hell to work on these all the time? Yep. Will one ever be a top notch player without them? Nope.

You keep answering your own questions. You not only don't know what you don't know, you don't comprehend what you've learned. Just my opinion.

Brian in VA

 

[DaveK]

... He is the antithesis of a troll

I agree.

(hmmmmmm.....is there such a thing as an "Anti-troll").

I dunno, but I used to have a troll for an auntie

Dave, will be here all week ..... thankfully it's friday, eh ?

 

[klockdoc]

DCP,
I truly believe you are missing the crux of this situation. The way to become a ball pocketing machine IS to work on your mechanics, pre-shot routine, alignment. That IS how you get better at pocketing balls.

You speak as if there are "shots" to practice, as if they are all different. In actuality they are basically all similar.

DCP, you need to listen to this statement. If you think about it, any ball to be pocketed has basically only one contact point. Hit that point and the ball will go in the pocket. Sure the angle changes, but the contact point doesn't.

Now I hope others are not going to get technical with this statement about "the contact point changing slightly with the angle going into the shot", because of induced through etc., but, if you have proper mechanics, pre-shot routine and alignment as stated above, you will pocket more balls.

I recently shot a guy that could make any shot on the table. Couldn't play shape worth a hoot, but, boy could he pocket balls. A person like that gets on you nerves. Makes you feel intimidated. Like everything you tried to accomplish wasn't worth it. In the long run though, those guys don't last. If you play smart, your mechanics are sound; you slow that guy down; you will come out in the end. (As it it did in my case/set).

Those "ball makers" are short term wonders. They don't last over the years. It is hard to come back and constantly make balls without the proper alignment and mechanics. When you get older, the eyes aren't as good as in the younger age.

If you really love the game, do the best that you can with what you have to work with and enjoy it. Not everyone can be the "best". Your involvement in the technical aspects of the game will pay off in the later years. Believe me.

 

[Williebetmore]

i sort of both agree and disagree with this. i think i've mentioned at least twice on this thread that you have to have those proper mechanics/fundamentals, etc, to be that ball pocketing machine.

once again, i guess the crux of what i am saying is that if you want to be a top notch player you need to have fine mechanics. and then once you have those fine mechanics, you need to go hit a million balls.

If you've got fine mechanics, and have hit a million balls, and still cant pocket balls consistently, well, your probably never going to get to that top notch player level.



DCP

If you can't pocket balls consistently, you can't have good mechanics.

I'm not sure what exactly a "million balls" denotes. A more exact way of describing this would be 18 hours a day vs. 1 or 2 hours a day. What I am saying is that it is possible to become proficient in only 1 or 2 hours a day; but that it probably requires good instruction to succeed with that limited amount of practice time. Here is what I meant:

Can you become Efren with only an hour a day? NO.

If you devote 18 hours a day to unguided, unfocused practice are you guaranteed to eventually get to pro level? NO.

Will your life be happier and more well-rounded if you avoid the 18 hours a day? UNDOUBTEDLY.

If you devote 1 or 2 hours a day to focused practice with FREQUENT feedback from the same good instructor can you reach that proficient level (top amateur who can compete respectably with a pro)? NO QUESTION IN MY MIND.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

well, now, hmmmm..............

i sort of both agree and disagree with this. i think i've mentioned at least twice on this thread that you have to have those proper mechanics/fundamentals, etc, to be that ball pocketing machine.

once again, i guess the crux of what i am saying is that if you want to be a top notch player you need to have fine mechanics. and then once you have those fine mechanics, you need to go hit a million balls.

but just because you have fine mechanics doesnt mean you are going to be great at pocketing balls! i guess, as i've said before, if you've got fine mechanics, and have hit a million balls, and still cant pocket balls consistently, well, your probably never going to get to that top notch player level.

to me this is very simple..........

DCP

Too simple. Part of the reason for hitting a million balls is to perfect your mechanics. Hitting balls and perfecting mechanics aren't separate activities.

pj
chgo

 

[monski]

Yup. There must be a proper way to practice to depending on what you lack in your game. Otherwise the people who practice the longest hours should be world champs maybe even local champs. Im not sure if this is the case... quality practice counts more imo...

 

[Mark Avlon]

Once you have solid mechanics, shooting a million balls won't guarantee that you will become a 'ball pocketing machine'. So, what will make you a 'ball pocketing machine'? Knowledge and focused practice will.

As distance increases, the margin of error decreases. Progressive practice drills are great for increasing accuracy and learning your limits. Setting up shots and experimenting with the effects that spin has on increasing or decreasing throw will help when planning how to execute a shot successfully in a game.

Bob Jewett has written many articles that will help a players understand what's happening on the table and how to deal with it. They are available at the San Francisco Billiard Academy web site.

Instructors can shorten the learning process by providing the information, demonstrations, and targeted drills to address specific needs. Why not take the short road to becoming a 'ball pocketing machine'?