Question for A players and above
- Thread starter alstl
- Start date
First i do drills then i usually rack up the balls and break then run'em but after a while i just throw them up there. But what i do is one rack i place the balls where there aren't any clusters or bad spots and run that then i set up some clusters and practicing on breaking up balls, studying the table, and learning how the balls react when breaking up balls. Nowadays i spend about two to three hours on the table by myself, switching up everything with half an hour or so this way i don't get to bored with the same drill as i find my mind wondering off then what i am doing is just practicing with a bad habit. I actually don't know what grade of a player i am but i was the best outta our 15 team leagues two years in a row so i thought i would just reply with how i practice bro.
randyg said:
Very good i wish'd i had an Instructor to spar with, and the competeing thing is the way to go to put all that practicing to use and see if all them hours are paying off.
alstl said:
Well I'm not very disciplined unfortunately. At least not in the respect that I play very many drills.
However the first thing I do is throw 15 balls on the table and run them out. I do this until I get a run a 25 to 30 balls. Essentially this is to get myself comfortable at the table. I then line all 15 balls across the center and place the cueball on the head string, and then pot all 15 and draw the cueball back to the end rail for each shot.
After that it depends on what I am practicing. Usually I go to 9 ball which I think is a good drill in itself for teaching position play. But if I miss a shot or the position I planned I set it up again, even if the unexpected outcome was acceptable.
I also play ALOT of 14.1 when I practice. I think this game teaches you plenty of patience, pin point position play, breaking up clusters and the reactions of balls the you bump into.
Other times I spread all 15 balls across one half of the table, and then run them into one pocket. One pocket practice if you will
.That being said these days I am just happy shoot pool now and then as I have been going through a terrible slump
. Hopefully I get through it soon.
I try to add variety to my practices. I also know that its not the quantity, it is the quality of practice. I shoot progressive drills and I work on my patterns on a daily basis. I also practice mentally by using visualization techniques... some think that's weird, but it is one of the ways I strengthen my concentration and focus. I try to prepare mentally and physically, and I try to keep that balanced.
I also shoot a lot of rotation, straight pool, and the ghost. If I am preparing for a 9 ball tournament, I'll break, and then set balls 10-12 randomly on the table after the break and start shooting. After I become proficient at running out I will do the same by placing balls 10-15 randomly on the table after the break shot. After a while I will eliminate the extra balls.
I also play a lot with other players and I teach. While I am teaching I am also learning. I never take the approach that I am "better" than any of the players that I work with. I try to remember where I come from, which is being a kid with a lot of questions and no answers.
Learn to not practice "routines". Routines are boring and tedious. Add variety and always challenge yourself during practice. Learn to trust your stroke. Most of the shots you will miss will be due to you talking yourself out of them. The other shots you will miss will be due to excessive body movement. All that should move is your shooting arm from the elbow down. Learn NOT to make excuses. Some days are worse than others, just make sure you show up the next day willing to improve. The best players have an insatiable love for the game of pool. They play through the good times and they play through the bad times. Champions understand that there is always something new to learn and they never rest upon their past accomplishments - they always prepare for the next battle.
I also shoot a lot of rotation, straight pool, and the ghost. If I am preparing for a 9 ball tournament, I'll break, and then set balls 10-12 randomly on the table after the break and start shooting. After I become proficient at running out I will do the same by placing balls 10-15 randomly on the table after the break shot. After a while I will eliminate the extra balls.
I also play a lot with other players and I teach. While I am teaching I am also learning. I never take the approach that I am "better" than any of the players that I work with. I try to remember where I come from, which is being a kid with a lot of questions and no answers.
Learn to not practice "routines". Routines are boring and tedious. Add variety and always challenge yourself during practice. Learn to trust your stroke. Most of the shots you will miss will be due to you talking yourself out of them. The other shots you will miss will be due to excessive body movement. All that should move is your shooting arm from the elbow down. Learn NOT to make excuses. Some days are worse than others, just make sure you show up the next day willing to improve. The best players have an insatiable love for the game of pool. They play through the good times and they play through the bad times. Champions understand that there is always something new to learn and they never rest upon their past accomplishments - they always prepare for the next battle.
L. Salazar
Registered
practice hard
I practice shots I have difficulty with, or shots I am not comfortable with. When you practice with someone else, you should try to stick with people who are above your level. Always, while practicing by yourself or with an opponent, you should always be trying your hardest, and bare down/focus. This behavior will bleed in to your tournament play/gambling.
Hope this helps, Lance
I practice shots I have difficulty with, or shots I am not comfortable with. When you practice with someone else, you should try to stick with people who are above your level. Always, while practicing by yourself or with an opponent, you should always be trying your hardest, and bare down/focus. This behavior will bleed in to your tournament play/gambling.
Hope this helps, Lance
"bare down", Lance? Christ,if you start playing naked I'm really never going to play at Buffalo Billiards anymore. Bad enough as it is there.
Maybe Shrek will give you a spot to make it more even when you play better players.
Couldn't ...resist...had...five ....beers...and... heat..is ...making...me...act...stupid. (inside joke)
Maybe Shrek will give you a spot to make it more even when you play better players.
Couldn't ...resist...had...five ....beers...and... heat..is ...making...me...act...stupid. (inside joke)
L. Salazar
Registered
take it easy... 
Couldnt be much worse than what we see in the pool hall daily.
Couldnt be much worse than what we see in the pool hall daily.
for nine ball---- throw all balls on the table (15), start with ball in hand, and play rotation...
for banks ---- throw all balls on the table (15), start with ball in hand, and bank....
for one pocket---- throw all balls on the table (15), start with ball in hand, run them in your pocket...
for straight pool---- rack 14 leave one ball out and break the run.....
oh yea i forgot.... dont miss!
for banks ---- throw all balls on the table (15), start with ball in hand, and bank....
for one pocket---- throw all balls on the table (15), start with ball in hand, run them in your pocket...
for straight pool---- rack 14 leave one ball out and break the run.....
oh yea i forgot.... dont miss!
First thing I learned while practicing is to make it good practice. Banging balls around is not the idea because what you do in practice, is what you'll do in any form of competition. So be aware of forming bad habits from bad practice. When I first started out, I was told to compete (gamble/tournaments) as many hours worth as I practiced alone. Long hours of practice are tough to maintain your focus so you definitely should mix it up. I prefer to run a few drills then try to get into some kind of action, regardless the amount. You always need to keep the pressure on as you want to make any of your misses count. I always go back to running drills because they build confidence in my stroke and confidence and the mental aspect is the key to this game. Good luck.
Playing time is limited now a days, but when I do get on the table, I usually start out by just chucking a few on the table and pocket em firm with center cue ball in no particular order, then back off a bit and work on speed control.
Then it depends on where I feel I need work and concentrate there for a while. I have tons of drills (I almost all BlackJacks shots), but not the same day. After a while I will take a break and then come back and play the ghost Seriously trying to take him out and that makes me focus. I also do lots of flexibilty stuff on my wrists and fingers when I am not in the pool hall so that I can have a very stable bridge in akward positions.
Then it depends on where I feel I need work and concentrate there for a while. I have tons of drills (I almost all BlackJacks shots), but not the same day. After a while I will take a break and then come back and play the ghost Seriously trying to take him out and that makes me focus. I also do lots of flexibilty stuff on my wrists and fingers when I am not in the pool hall so that I can have a very stable bridge in akward positions.
For a nine-ball player it's hard to practice drills because the game is so unpredictable - you never know what kind of layouts you are going to face once battle begins. My preference is to play the ghost, and most of the time I will play some sort of game with it. If I haven't played in a while I'll try the 9 ball ghost to begin with. If I'm in stroke already, then I'll usually play at least against the 10-ball ghost but I prefer to play the 12-ball if I've been playing a lot. Any more balls than that and I don't feel like I"m practicing the right things.
Better practice, I feel, is to play sets with someone. The best opponent is probably someone a little beneath you in skill level, so you can shoot a lot and win a lot of games. This keeps you positive during the session. However, finding someone who doesn't mind getting beat for set after set can be pretty hard.
Better practice, I feel, is to play sets with someone. The best opponent is probably someone a little beneath you in skill level, so you can shoot a lot and win a lot of games. This keeps you positive during the session. However, finding someone who doesn't mind getting beat for set after set can be pretty hard.
I'm no pro or anything, but I've watched one of the greats practice a lot. He ALWAYS take EVERY shot seriously, not matter what routine he's doing. He never just whacks a shot. I cannot think of any shot I've ever seen him shoot that was careless or not thought out carefully.
Personally, I get somewhat bored with practice and tend to slip into carelessness...that's when I think of that pro and force myself to focus...or I quit practicing until I'm more ready to take it seriously.
fwiw,
Jeff Livingston
Personally, I get somewhat bored with practice and tend to slip into carelessness...that's when I think of that pro and force myself to focus...or I quit practicing until I'm more ready to take it seriously.
fwiw,
Jeff Livingston
As always the replies on this message board exceed my expectations. I started playing about a year ago when I retired, and when I practice I've been almost exclusively playing straight pool because I figured the first thing I needed to do was to get better at pocketing balls and learning the fundamentals of how to move the cue ball around the table. I keep track of my results when practicing as a way of challenging myself and tracking my progress. I'm nowhere near as good as I want to be yet but I'm a lot better than I was a year ago.
I still plan to play a lot of straight pool when practicing alone, but I think I'm ready to start mixing in some drills. What are a couple of your favorite drills?
Thanks,
Al-St Louis
I still plan to play a lot of straight pool when practicing alone, but I think I'm ready to start mixing in some drills. What are a couple of your favorite drills?
Thanks,
Al-St Louis
same
good reply Skins! I tend to "hang out" with the better players in the room also, as they're the most enjoyable for me. good conversations about whatever, good company, and once in a while we'll even hit some balls AGAINST one another. usually the winner goes back and forth from time to time, but it's the best "practice" I can see. you never know what will happen in a game of 9 ball, and this "keeps you on your toes". my strongpoint is "cueball control", and have learned that gambling against these guys when just starting out. there are still 2 players I CAN'T beat in my area as I've tried many times, so I love to watch them any chance I can and see what they do in certain situations. it's a constant learning sport, that's for sure. heck, they watch me sometimes too when they're not playing someone and I would not be surprised if they saw something I've done that even they wouldn't have tried. you can learn from almost ANYONE so play often and play for something...even pride if you don't gamble. maybe "bragging rights"??
skins said:
good reply Skins! I tend to "hang out" with the better players in the room also, as they're the most enjoyable for me. good conversations about whatever, good company, and once in a while we'll even hit some balls AGAINST one another. usually the winner goes back and forth from time to time, but it's the best "practice" I can see. you never know what will happen in a game of 9 ball, and this "keeps you on your toes". my strongpoint is "cueball control", and have learned that gambling against these guys when just starting out. there are still 2 players I CAN'T beat in my area as I've tried many times, so I love to watch them any chance I can and see what they do in certain situations. it's a constant learning sport, that's for sure. heck, they watch me sometimes too when they're not playing someone and I would not be surprised if they saw something I've done that even they wouldn't have tried. you can learn from almost ANYONE so play often and play for something...even pride if you don't gamble. maybe "bragging rights"??