PRACTICE VS PLAY

[WobblyStroke]

It will serve you well to stop weighing in on when I try to help players because you don't understand my process. Don't make assumptions about what I know and don't know. If you have a question, then ask it but don't jump to conclusions about me or, yes, I will come at you hard. You don't help players by focusing solely on theory and ignoring other very important signs they give. Until you start to understand the person asking the question and have looked both in and OUT of the box for solutions, you are nothing more than a theorist. That's what makes you an armchair expert.

Fran, did it occur to you that more people are coming to this thread for the very same advice the poster is asking about. You think they wouldn't benefit from more general theory that applies to the vast majority of people rather than being tailored to one individual?

I can't believe you're actually defending your absurd statement. If anyone is making wild assumptions about someone else it's you.

As I said already, just DM this nonsense, nobody comes to this forum for petty back and forths.

 

[bbb]

i try to stay out of other peoples fight because usually no good deed goes unpunished
but since this is my thread i feel i have to say something to you wobblystroke
your last sentence in the post above crossed the line to me.
it is blatantly disrespectful and you should apologize to fran for it. (jmho)
there are many ways to get points across without resorting to calling people out or making things personal
you do come off as pedantic yet i will give you credit for being knowledgeable.
your post #28 was unnecessary.
all you had to do was reference the studies on learning and said something to the effect
"research shows practice in small concentrated time periods yields better results than marathon sessions"
(which i know is well documented)
without referencing fran's posts and calling her out.
if you recall my first post said
"
I would be interested in the instructors opinion on
based on skill level
how much time percentage wise should one devote to practice vs play"
i bolded that part as i assumed the answers would be different for players at different stages.
anyway
thats all i have to say

 

[bbb]

i will also say to fran that you came on alittle strong in your attack to wobblystroke (jmho)
but you were defending yourself and that was after being provoked
so i give you the benefit of the doubt.
your post #32 was tactfull and should not have provoked the attack that came after

 

[WobblyStroke]

I don't know how #28 was outa line. I guess I could have just said it like you did and pretended I had no idea it was in direct contradiction to Fran's point. But even within that post I say it is a perfectly fine approach for an advanced player. Then I lay out what someone still building their skills should do instead.

But how is #32 tactful and unworthy of a response when she literally calls me an armchair expert leading people astray as if I don't know what I'm talking about when she's the one that's suggesting something contrary to accepted facts about learning? No need to answer. Just confused about what was so tactful and innocent about her comment.

As for your comment on my last statement. You are right. I edited it to reflect I'm as much at fault as she is for engaging in this. But let's not muddy the waters on who attacked whom. I had no gripe with Fran, just her idea and recommendation being unfounded in principles of learning. She attacked me. The opening statement was an explanation for why I was even responding to her as I recently told her I wouldn't after she was attacking me in another thread for 'trolling' her when all I did was call her out for being way outa line in attacking another coach personally while disparaging anyone who would listen to him when his statement was in fact 100% true. But I'm happy to go back to not responding to her. As in this case, I will only do it when I think she's really wrong. And she was. Nothing personal.

 

[WobblyStroke]

As far as for skill level, a lot of good stuff was said in here and imo it boils down to this...
The less skilled, the more of your time should be spent practicing.
Once very skilled, you can get away with a minimal amount and focus on playing more and getting your lessons there.

 

[bbb]

post #32 could have been directed at anyone......thats why i considered it tactfull
i can understand why you could feel it was directed at you wobblystroke.
my approach would have let it slide since you were not directly called out
but i am not you
plus wobblystroke i think by now you know i can sift thru the wheat and chaff

bbb....watch out for the armchair experts. They will lead you astray. They mean well....but....

at this point i propose we just move on and "bury the hatchet"

 

[bbb]

As far as for skill level, a lot of good stuff was said in here and imo it boils down to this...
The less skilled, the more of your time should be spent practicing.
Once very skilled, you can get away with a minimal amount and focus on playing more and getting your lessons there.

 

[Tennesseejoe]

bbb,my friend. You have received much good advice but I would like to suggest a different approach to increasing your FARGO 50 points. The next time you are in competition, look for situations where there is high possibility you may loose control of the table. Take photos of those situations your results. Analyze these later for strategic and tactical options. Post some of these here for professional analysis.
It will be interesting.

 

[tomatoshooter]

While I don't believe much that happens on the practice table can fully prepare you for a high pressure situation in competition, practice is crucial to developing your skills. There are a lot of shots that might come up once every three to four games. You are probably not going to get much better at those until you shoot them a few dozen times in a row. I get frustrated when my league team wants to "practice" because they do nothing but play games. That means I'm going to miss those shots and step away from the table, or try to play a tougher pattern that avoids the shot. But I'm not going to get better at that shot.

Tennesseejoe had an excellent point about identifying the trouble spots, one of the things I'm trying to focus on.

 

[WobblyStroke]

While I don't believe much that happens on the practice table can fully prepare you for a high pressure situation in competition, practice is crucial to developing your skills. There are a lot of shots that might come up once every three to four games. You are probably not going to get much better at those until you shoot them a few dozen times in a row. I get frustrated when my league team wants to "practice" because they do nothing but play games. That means I'm going to miss those shots and step away from the table, or try to play a tougher pattern that avoids the shot. But I'm not going to get better at that shot.

Tennesseejoe had an excellent point about identifying the trouble spots, one of the things I'm trying to focus on.

A solo game I like for this is just to play the ghost but when i miss, I set up the shot till I make it a few times (or the position shot prior which messed me up and left me a low percentage shot). Then continue the rack and if another error pops up, just hit that a few times too.

This gives you real rack spots that come up instead of some set shots. Plus you get a mini block of attempts at one of your problem shots and then move on to more varied practice.

In general, varied practice is superior to hitting the same shot over and over. This way gives you a nice mix of block sets of problem shots as well as the various different shots u have to hit in random racks.

You can of course just set up problem shots and hit a handful of one before moving on to another. you can always structure it like a fitness circuit where you attempt different shots like they are stations in your circuit. You may end up with 30 attempts, but u will get there 5 at a time with a bunch of other shots in between. This is much better for learning than 30 str8 imo. Depending on skill level, you may want to count the makes only rather than attempts.

 

[tomatoshooter]

A solo game I like for this is just to play the ghost but when i miss, I set up the shot till I make it a few times (or the position shot prior which messed me up and left me a low percentage shot). Then continue the rack and if another error pops up, just hit that a few times too.

I often do something similar. I'm not keeping score against the ghost and I don't usually continue the rack, but I use a scrimmage game to find a shot to practice. I like setting up 2 ball drills, so the shot I messed up, either through position or missing, and the next shot. sometimes I'll find a different path to get on the second ball. It's nice in a game when a shot comes up and I think "I shot this 30 times yesterday."

I also try to remember shots I missed in actual games to practice them.