Practice versus action
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Actually...15 minutes of disciplined practice is worth several hours of playing.
It just has to be the right kind of practice...
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
It just has to be the right kind of practice...
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
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Well, the one hour of money play would certainly show you any holes in your game... both mechanical and mental. That is a great benefit.
It is difficult to answer the question because there are many variables involved. How much money is involved? Scared money? Playing on nerve? What is the caliber of your opponent? Is he a banger or a player?
To really progress as a player, you need to work on every facet of your game... practice and compete, read books and articles, watch match videos, watch other people play and see what works and doesn't work for them, get a qualified coach.
That is the answer. Study the game using any means possible and play in all types of situations (no banging! only playing with intensity and desire to win). And spend 5 hours of practice with Scott Lee! Haha!
It is difficult to answer the question because there are many variables involved. How much money is involved? Scared money? Playing on nerve? What is the caliber of your opponent? Is he a banger or a player?
To really progress as a player, you need to work on every facet of your game... practice and compete, read books and articles, watch match videos, watch other people play and see what works and doesn't work for them, get a qualified coach.
That is the answer. Study the game using any means possible and play in all types of situations (no banging! only playing with intensity and desire to win). And spend 5 hours of practice with Scott Lee! Haha!
fan-tum said:
I think BillYards brings up a good point. If your money match is against a player well below your skill level, I'd say it actually hurts your game. The right kind of practice always helps.
-Andrew
Scott Lee said:
Scott,
Hard to disagree with your assessment. Of couse, the corollary to your axiom is that 15 minutes of play is also worth several hours of practice.
I feel confident that there are many fanatic practicers out there (like me) who practice so extensively and compete so rarely, that they find it difficult to bring their best game to a competitive situation.
If it takes you several minutes to "find" your best stroke in a practice situation; you then have an hour to work on your game. If it takes you several minutes to find your stroke during a game of straight pool, then you have an hour to sit on your a$$. Developing the ability to bring your best stroke right out of the chair is something that does seem to take some "playing time."
Have you any nuggets on how to work on this problem? I've tried to take frequent mini-breaks during practice; with special attention to trying to make my best stroke upon return to the table.....but in competition where there is that little extra adrenaline tightness, everything seems a bit different. I'm not sure there is any way to simulate that in practice.
Both , but it all depends on what type of benefit you are looking for.
If you looking to imrpove your physical play - mechanics, shotmaking etc. then practice is way more beneficial.
At some point though you are going to have to learn how to handle "battle conditions"....that can only be done by putting yourself in pressure situations...
Even the best mechanics can go south under pressure. Part of what you have to learn is how does the pressure affect my mechanics and how do I develop my mechanics so they don't fail under pressure????
In some respects it might be like the chicken or the egg. (what comes first)
I think the natural progression is to start by learning some basic mechanics....go get beat up under pressure and then go re-learn and add mechanics that don't fail under the pressure.......Repeat process until you are Efren Reyas...
If you looking to imrpove your physical play - mechanics, shotmaking etc. then practice is way more beneficial.
At some point though you are going to have to learn how to handle "battle conditions"....that can only be done by putting yourself in pressure situations...
Even the best mechanics can go south under pressure. Part of what you have to learn is how does the pressure affect my mechanics and how do I develop my mechanics so they don't fail under pressure????
In some respects it might be like the chicken or the egg. (what comes first)
I think the natural progression is to start by learning some basic mechanics....go get beat up under pressure and then go re-learn and add mechanics that don't fail under the pressure.......Repeat process until you are Efren Reyas...
fan-tum said:
The word "beneficial" is mis-leading. Both can be good for one's game.
The main thing to remember is this:
If you are playing, you are not learning.
If you are Training or Practicing, you are not playing!
Two differents sides of the brain.......SPF=randyg
Trick Question
For me playing regularly,whether it be practicing or gambling are equally beneficial to my game in terms of developing confidence in execution. But there is no substitute for playing under heat,for most people all the practice in the world will not fully prepare them for battle in pressure situations.There are exceptions to that statement but not many at all.In answer to your question I would say that playing one hr. of money pool is more beneficial to your overall success in money matches than not playing any money matches and practicing five hrs. to prepare yourself for an important money challenge .
fan-tum said:
For me playing regularly,whether it be practicing or gambling are equally beneficial to my game in terms of developing confidence in execution. But there is no substitute for playing under heat,for most people all the practice in the world will not fully prepare them for battle in pressure situations.There are exceptions to that statement but not many at all.In answer to your question I would say that playing one hr. of money pool is more beneficial to your overall success in money matches than not playing any money matches and practicing five hrs. to prepare yourself for an important money challenge .
S
Scottster
Guest
Practice vs. Action:
Personally I think it takes a balance between both to achieve one's best performance.
During practice is where I learn the tools needed to play the game well (physical aspect).
Competing puts the physical aspects to the tests of pressure (mental game). This is where I find out if I have the courage and concentration to perform at the top of my game.
Granted, it takes mental concentration to practice correctly, but it is not the same as having your game put on stage in front of everybody to critique.
In order to play your best, you have to do battle, get beat up and taste your own blood once in awhile. Then find the lesson taught to you during the war and take it to the practice table and work some more. Then will you find out what type of player you are.
Personally I think it takes a balance between both to achieve one's best performance.
During practice is where I learn the tools needed to play the game well (physical aspect).
Competing puts the physical aspects to the tests of pressure (mental game). This is where I find out if I have the courage and concentration to perform at the top of my game.
Granted, it takes mental concentration to practice correctly, but it is not the same as having your game put on stage in front of everybody to critique.
In order to play your best, you have to do battle, get beat up and taste your own blood once in awhile. Then find the lesson taught to you during the war and take it to the practice table and work some more. Then will you find out what type of player you are.
Williebetmore said:
I don't know who you have been hanging out with but you seem to have access to some high quality information and apparently are gaining experience fast.
The sense of urgency or need to bring your best game forward at a moment's notice doesn't seem to be found in practice matches. I think my game has suffered because of this in recent months and years.
I am now trying to play some money matches more often and I can feel my best stroke trying to return. The feeling of getting beat for your cash is never a pleasant one and I think it may simply be a higher motivator.
It is something about the loss. I don't care if it is $10 or $1000. I don't even believe that it matters what the number of the loss is; the financial loss appears to motivate me like no other item. The thought of being king of the hill doesn't compare with getting my money back.
That's it. No more Mr. Nice Guy. When do you want to play for some cash, Doc? (I guess you'll want to play something besides one pocket.
)JoeyA (looking to feather his nest)
O.K., maybe !
224,000... Hours at funsy pool (with friends)..Maybe 10 or 12.......
Hours practicing....45 minutes. I could never practice, No bet, no play.
For me Bill my lifetime ratio was something like this; Hours in action....wincardona said:
224,000... Hours at funsy pool (with friends)..Maybe 10 or 12.......
Hours practicing....45 minutes. I could never practice, No bet, no play.
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You need both, and the amount or level will vary from person to person.
I was deep into the third game of the match, and realized my heart was thumping and I was had beads of sweat on my forehead even thought it was 60 degrees or so in the place.
No, I don't normally do this when practicing, even for hours.
You can't recreate competition at the practice table, but you can prepare yourself.
I was deep into the third game of the match, and realized my heart was thumping and I was had beads of sweat on my forehead even thought it was 60 degrees or so in the place.
No, I don't normally do this when practicing, even for hours.
You can't recreate competition at the practice table, but you can prepare yourself.
walk in the park
Dick, you always had the rep of a top top player that was extremely hard to beat,now I know why. You really never felt much pressure playing for money,because it was commonplace ,unlike most others where the pressure of important money matches played with their psych. There isn't anyone that can say you can't play for the cash,but they can knock you and say you can't play for nothing.SJDinPHX said:
fan-tum said:
There are different things you learn from the above. A money game, or a tournament, and a lesser extent, a league, will teach you to perform what you learned in practice RIGHT NOW. By that I mean you have one shot to execute your game plan and shot making ability or you loose. I guess people call that playing under pressure.
Practice is where you pick up what you need to know to pocket balls, get shape, safety play, and when to do what. You will learn what you can do when practicing, and even from your mistakes you will come away with something. I learned how to hit a new 2-rail shot from a failed long distance stroke practice for example. Without the practice, what you bring to the table for real will be pretty limited and even if you can perform what you know pretty well, someone who knows more from the practice sessions, given that he also can shoot under pressure, will beat you most of the time.
If you have the practice part down, the next step is to play those money or other games to dial in your ability to perform at will and to the top of your talent all the time, with focus.
I agree with what was stated above. Neither can be replaced or said to be more beneficial, as you need both practice and pressure practice in liberal amounts. There is no substitute for either. Pressure practice as I call it comes from money play so you can feel comfortable enough to allow the practice stroke/mechanics to work under intense pressure.
iba7467 said:
None of them ever practiced before they went on the road? (Takes notes)
Russ
SJDinPHX said:
I'm sorry but I just don't belive that. You cannot improve by just playing matches without going out and hitting the same shot 50 times or running some drills. Sure you can gain the ability to focus when there is money on the line, and you can even see shots the other guy knows that you store away for use. But what is that when you don't know how to pocket a ball with english, or the right speed to hit a 3-rail position shot? And that you get from practice. Your arm and your eyes and your brain need to work together, the instructors would call it "developing muscle memory for the shot".