Practicing alone ->> setting goals.

BAZARUS

BAZARUS

alien in a strange land
Silver Member
I'd like to know how do you practice alone? Are you playing games or drills? How do you set your goals for practice?

Here is one of my favorite type of practice:
I rack 15 balls and I play straight pool. My goal for this practice is to run minimum of 40 balls. Yesterday it tooks me 3 hours to run 41 balls :rolleyes: Most of the time it doesn't take that long, but I had a bad day yesterday I guess. It is a good practice for maintaining high level of concentration. Whats put preasure on, is that you don't want to miss, since it will end you break and you have to start over.
 
I toss out 15 balls and run them out, no particular order. (I generally shoot stripes then solids), then I run out a rack of 9 ball. This is to get me loose. Then I spend about 10 minutes on alignment, 10 minutes on speed control, 5 minutes on cut shots, 5 minutes on banks...DONE!

Simple, but effective and I don't get bored!

Zim
 
Baz, I usually practice by myself and have a set of various banks that I shoot 10 each. Then throw about 8 balls up on the table and run out. If I notice a shot that I haven't been making with ease, such as a certain cut shot, I'll shoot a few until I feel relaxed with the shot. You going to Chicago? Sam
 
satman said:
Baz, I usually practice by myself and have a set of various banks that I shoot 10 each. Then throw about 8 balls up on the table and run out. If I notice a shot that I haven't been making with ease, such as a certain cut shot, I'll shoot a few until I feel relaxed with the shot. You going to Chicago? Sam
Click to expand...

Whats going on in Chicago?
 
Banks, one pocket, 9 ball, 8 ball, golf, apa tournament, scotch doubles. Lots of A-Z people will be there at the Midwest Open. This tournment is at a great resort with Diamond tables and is going to be a great week. Fields may be full, so check with Bob and Eydie before you drive up. Sam
 
satman said:
Banks, one pocket, 9 ball, 8 ball, golf, apa tournament, scotch doubles. Lots of A-Z people will be there at the Midwest Open. This tournment is at a great resort with Diamond tables and is going to be a great week. Fields may be full, so check with Bob and Eydie before you drive up. Sam
Click to expand...

I can't find any info about it. Can you tell me when, where and how much?
 
V,
Well, since you asked here it is. All shots on a 9 foot GCIV.

I shoot 15 long straight in shots, bridging comfortably off the head rail, object balls lined up just past the side pocket.

The same 15 straight in shots bridging on the table, cue ball somewhere on the head string, object balls on the line of the first diamond past the side pocket, with center ball, so that cue ball goes forward after contact just enough to replace the object ball.

The same 15 shots with maximum follow (so cue ball follows to the foot rail, and back to near the head rail) - you are allowed a very SLIGHT angle.

The same 15 shots with maximum draw (draw back at least the the head rail).

The same 15 shots slow rolling so that cue ball rolls less than 1 foot (1 diamond) after contact.

The same 15 shots slow rolling with draw/drag so the cue ball rolls less than 6 inches after contact.

Object ball 6 1/2 feet from the corner pocket, near the rail, ball in hand, set up a mild to moderate cut, then shoot 15 (5 with inside English, 5 with outside English, 5 with center ball). Then shoot 15 more from the other side of the table. I will use either a forceful stroke or a soft stroke for all shots (varying day to day) since the aiming and results are different for each.

15 shots off the rail. Line object balls in a line down the center of the table lengthwise. Take cue ball in hand and shoot each one straight in with the cue ball on the rail. One day soft stroke, next day maximum controllable force.

45 straight pool break shots (no rack). Fifteen from the left, 15 from the rear, fifteen from the right. The shots from the left and right are divided into 5 cut shots using follow (cue closer to rail than object ball), 45 degree angle shots using slight draw (cue equidistant from the rail with the object ball), and follow shots (high object ball, cue ball closer to center table than object ball). Because I'm so poor at side pocket shots I have added 15 side pocket break shots a day.

During straight pool season I add 30 "escape the safety" shots. Object balls along the foot string, cue ball in hand along the foot rail, shoot all object balls with a slight to moderate angle to the far corner pockets. I cut 15 to the inside, and 15 to the outside. Bridge off the rail and put yourself close enough to the rail to be a little uncomfortable (on the rail if you are a masochist).

During straight pool season I also do a jack up drill. Using one of those circle racks, the object balls are in a circle in the center of the table. Put cue ball in the center and make all 15 object balls without cue ball touching a cushion. Do it until you make 15 without missing. It's pretty easy so I will move the cue ball a little each shot so I have to jack up over another ball to shoot.

When all that is done (about 2-3 hours) I play (during straight pool season I play at least 10 racks of straight pool a day). I have a bunch of other rotation and straight pool drills I do when I'm done with the above practice regimen, but those are the ones I do every day I'm home (as you can tell I'm as serious as a heart attack about improving). I'll bet you are sorry you asked. Stop by and play some on your way to Virginia.
 
I've been doing this lately, throw out nine balls randomly and shoot the balls down in no particular order to warm up, then I do the same thing shooting the nine balls in rotation, after clearing a few tables of this I work on my nine ball break, I start breaking with little power to ensure I control the cueball and gradually increase the power until I'm breaking at 80% and controlling the cueball as often as possible. All this is to get me ready to play the game 99 or nine innings as some call it. I play without BIH after the break BTW, I've been playing the game with my soft, medium, and hard breaks and keeping stats on my CB control on the break to see if I score the highest using my soft, medium, or hard break.

A good drill to do is to set 3 lines of 5 balls spanning the length of the table to creat a grid pattern, try to run the grid without the CB hitting a rail, no bank shots either, this is a good way to work on position and speed control.
 
Williebetmore said:
V,
Well, since you asked here it is. All shots on a 9 foot GCIV.

I shoot 15 long straight in shots, bridging comfortably off the head rail, object balls lined up just past the side pocket.

The same 15 straight in shots bridging on the table, cue ball somewhere on the head string, object balls on the line of the first diamond past the side pocket, with center ball, so that cue ball goes forward after contact just enough to replace the object ball.

The same 15 shots with maximum follow (so cue ball follows to the foot rail, and back to near the head rail) - you are allowed a very SLIGHT angle.

The same 15 shots with maximum draw (draw back at least the the head rail).

The same 15 shots slow rolling so that cue ball rolls less than 1 foot (1 diamond) after contact.

The same 15 shots slow rolling with draw/drag so the cue ball rolls less than 6 inches after contact.

Object ball 6 1/2 feet from the corner pocket, near the rail, ball in hand, set up a mild to moderate cut, then shoot 15 (5 with inside English, 5 with outside English, 5 with center ball). Then shoot 15 more from the other side of the table. I will use either a forceful stroke or a soft stroke for all shots (varying day to day) since the aiming and results are different for each.

15 shots off the rail. Line object balls in a line down the center of the table lengthwise. Take cue ball in hand and shoot each one straight in with the cue ball on the rail. One day soft stroke, next day maximum controllable force.

45 straight pool break shots (no rack). Fifteen from the left, 15 from the rear, fifteen from the right. The shots from the left and right are divided into 5 cut shots using follow (cue closer to rail than object ball), 45 degree angle shots using slight draw (cue equidistant from the rail with the object ball), and follow shots (high object ball, cue ball closer to center table than object ball). Because I'm so poor at side pocket shots I have added 15 side pocket break shots a day.

During straight pool season I add 30 "escape the safety" shots. Object balls along the foot string, cue ball in hand along the foot rail, shoot all object balls with a slight to moderate angle to the far corner pockets. I cut 15 to the inside, and 15 to the outside. Bridge off the rail and put yourself close enough to the rail to be a little uncomfortable (on the rail if you are a masochist).

During straight pool season I also do a jack up drill. Using one of those circle racks, the object balls are in a circle in the center of the table. Put cue ball in the center and make all 15 object balls without cue ball touching a cushion. Do it until you make 15 without missing. It's pretty easy so I will move the cue ball a little each shot so I have to jack up over another ball to shoot.

When all that is done (about 2-3 hours) I play (during straight pool season I play at least 10 racks of straight pool a day). I have a bunch of other rotation and straight pool drills I do when I'm done with the above practice regimen, but those are the ones I do every day I'm home (as you can tell I'm as serious as a heart attack about improving). I'll bet you are sorry you asked. Stop by and play some on your way to Virginia.
Click to expand...

WHERE is straight pool season???
 
BAZARUS said:
I'd like to know how do you practice alone? Are you playing games or drills? How do you set your goals for practice?

Here is one of my favorite type of practice:
I rack 15 balls and I play straight pool. My goal for this practice is to run minimum of 40 balls. Yesterday it tooks me 3 hours to run 41 balls :rolleyes: Most of the time it doesn't take that long, but I had a bad day yesterday I guess. It is a good practice for maintaining high level of concentration. Whats put preasure on, is that you don't want to miss, since it will end you break and you have to start over.
Click to expand...

I like to practice "coming out of the gate" ---i.e., being able to play well even when I'm not warmed up.

The way I practice that is to layout the balls on the table so each is available to some pocket(s)---nothing too difficult, just makable with the cueball starting somewhere in the center. I play 8-ball so I attempt to runnout either stripes or solids and pot the 8. It could be done for any game one plays.

I've found that this really helps me in my first game during league. Sometimes practice isn't possible before a league game, so being able to play "cold" is a skill I'm learning with this technique. Also, during those day-long tournaments, it is sometimes necessary to play "cold."

Everyone else has excellent ideas on the rest of the practice sessions, but I think starting with this technique really adds another dimension to my game.

Jeff Livingston
 
IMO any good drill needs to punish you for your mistakes. The only drills I've really ever done are; place object balls at each diamond start anywhere and run out, start over if you miss or touch another ball. One is to box in a corner pocket (middle diamond to head spot) sink all balls in corner start over if you miss or touch a ball. Another harder one is make a circle of balls in the middle of table, place QB inside sink balls anywhere, and of course start over if you miss or make a mess.
 
BAZARUS said:
WHERE is straight pool season???
Click to expand...

Our straight pool league runs from October to March. I try to really concentrate on straight pool during the season; this year it may be tough, as my instructor is insisting I play at Derby City in January. If I do, I will be forced to spend some major time on my 9-ball break - I am easily the worst 9-ball breaker in the world. Time to get a BreakRak and a radar gun.
 
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