Speed Control

[VIProfessor]

Plus, if you do mess up after visualizing the shot, you are learning from your mistake, because your mind is absorbing a result different than anticipated. This hones your skills. Shooting shots with vague expectations teach you nothing.

VISUALIZING SHOTS, RATHER THAN ACCURATELY AND CONSISTENTLY AIMING THEM, IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.

SONIA

These are not mutually exclusive activities. On the contrary, visualizing the shot before getting down to execute it is a vital component of accurately and consistently aiming it. The aiming process doesn't begin when we get down over the shot, but when we begin to survey it.

 

[sonia]

The "L" drill is very good. Watch this video to see Andy Lincoln executing it very well. He's shooting the balls in a specific order for a contest, but start by shooting them in location order (start at one end of the string of balls and work your way to the other). Try to go one rail on each shot, each time getting a good angle to go one rail to the next one. Getting a good angle for natural one-rail position several shots in a row is quite a feat of speed control. Finishing all 15 balls without missing shape shows mastery of the cue ball. You can really develop your touch with this one.

-Andrew

UNFORTUNATELY, DRILLS NEVER APPEAR IN TOURNAMENTS.

SONIA

 

[VIProfessor]

UNFORTUNATELY, DRILLS NEVER APPEAR IN TOURNAMENTS.

SONIA

True, but the shots and the patterns arise over and over again. Just last week I was playing a set, and a few times while I was running out the racks, a player who often observes my practice sessions just couldn't keep himself from laughing. After a few games, I asked him what was up, and he said, "I just couldn't help it. So many times I say you playing a shot that you have played over and over again in practice and I couldn't help but think, "He's got no choice but to hit this good--I saw him shoot this shot a few hundred times just last week!"

The moral is that there are certain plays and patterns that arise over and over in the game of 9-ball. The person that has mastered those plays through repetition has a significant advantage.

Peace,
VIProfessor

 

[3kushn]

The first thing I do in all my daily practice sessions is to put the cueball in the center of the table and try to bank it three rails to the exact spot for about ten to fifteen attempts.

Then, incorporating a technique that I got from Williebetmore's post on straight pool drills (thanks Willie), I place the cue ball on the foot spot and lag directly at the center diamond on the head rail to come back down to the bottom rail. This has the added benefit of improving your ability to hit the cueball on the exact vertical axis, since you are also be trying to ensure that the cue ball banks straight back without any deviation due to unintended english.

After about five minutes of that, I then increase the speed to bank two rails up to the head rail, once again making sure that I don't place unintended english on the cue ball.

These three drills have not only bring about significant improvement in my speed control, but also in the quality and accuracy of my stroke.

ViProfessor

This is a great drill. I just want to add something to all the above.
IMO there's a lot of feel involved in speed control and it simply takes practice with the proven drills but what I find in my game and most others is we don't aim for an EXACT spot for the CB to land.

If you're shooting a gun or arrow you must aim for the EXACT center of the Bull not the whole Bull area. You can't get pinpoint accuracy unless you practice aiming for the pinpoint. This also holds true aiming for the pocket. You must aim for the exact place within the pocket not the whole pocket.

 

[tigerallenyim]

True, but the shots and the patterns arise over and over again. Just last week I was playing a set, and a few times while I was running out the racks, a player who often observes my practice sessions just couldn't keep himself from laughing. After a few games, I asked him what was up, and he said, "I just couldn't help it. So many times I say you playing a shot that you have played over and over again in practice and I couldn't help but think, "He's got no choice but to hit this good--I saw him shoot this shot a few hundred times just last week!"

The moral is that there are certain plays and patterns that arise over and over in the game of 9-ball. The person that has mastered those plays through repetition has a significant advantage.

Peace,
VIProfessor

Agreed.
When faced with a shot that required a certain position, I definitely had to rely back on my drills in order to acheive that position.... as if I was practicing, but instead of course, I really had to pull it off. Saved me numerous times, with better confidence, and less doubt.

Just got in this AM and found numerous replies. Thanks gang!

 

[CaptainJR]

UNFORTUNATELY, DRILLS NEVER APPEAR IN TOURNAMENTS.

SONIA

To the contrary. I've never played a tournament without shooting a lot of shots from my drills. You just have to learn to recognize them. Then you can say to yourself, "I've played this shot hundreds of times". This is why you practice the drills. Learning to make the shot is just a side benefit. The big benefit comes when you recognize the shot when it comes up in competition.

edit; Oh, VIP already said this

 

[Andrew Manning]

UNFORTUNATELY, DRILLS NEVER APPEAR IN TOURNAMENTS.

SONIA

Hi Hal, nice to see you're back. Do you have any systems that help with speed control? I'm guessing in your long experience with pool, you've been able to develop systems for more aspects of the game than aiming.

-Andrew

 

[TATE]

These are not mutually exclusive activities. On the contrary, visualizing the shot before getting down to execute it is a vital component of accurately and consistently aiming it. The aiming process doesn't begin when we get down over the shot, but when we begin to survey it.

We in agreement on all these points.

I just wanted to point out that there are two parts to visualization. The expectation part that allows a player to execute due to a pre-conceived visualization of the total shot (aim and cueball) , and the feedback that results from actually making or missing the shot or position. If a player doesn't visualize and have an expectation, they may as well just bang balls because they will learn next to nothing.

Chris

 

[TATE]

Plus, if you do mess up after visualizing the shot, you are learning from your mistake, because your mind is absorbing a result different than anticipated. This hones your skills. Shooting shots with vague expectations teach you nothing.

VISUALIZING SHOTS, RATHER THAN ACCURATELY AND CONSISTENTLY AIMING THEM, IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.

SONIA

The poster wanted help on cue ball speed, and you say visualization is a recipe for disaster. Perhaps you have an aiming system that addresses this issue.

Everyone aims. That's easy.

Chris

 

[Cornerman]

Can anyone offer any drills that can improve speed control, or does that not exist due to enviromental conditions of the table and it's surrondings?

Thanks.

For getting better at speed control

First step: Go to Pool School.

Sounds crappy for me to tell you that and then leave you hanging, but the method they teach is so good, and it wouldn't be right if I just said what it is.

They teach an analytical approach to speed control. It may not be for everyone, but if you (general) are asking for drill or ways to improve speed control, then analytical should be visited. If you (general) don't need to improve speed control or don't need to ask about it, it ain't for you.

Fred

 

[tigerallenyim]

For getting better at speed control

First step: Go to Pool School.

Sounds crappy for me to tell you that and then leave you hanging, but the method they teach is so good, and it wouldn't be right if I just said what it is.

They teach an analytical approach to speed control. It may not be for everyone, but if you (general) are asking for drill or ways to improve speed control, then analytical should be visited. If you (general) don't need to improve speed control or don't need to ask about it, it ain't for you.

Fred

Although I may not have the ability to do that now, I am certain I will in the future.

Got links?

 

[Cornerman]

Although I may not have the ability to do that now, I am certain I will in the future.

Got links?

http://www.poolschool.com/

or your other BCA Pool School Instructors, several on this board.

Fred

 

[skins]

What I really watch for is how quickly the ball stops in the last 12". Once I've got that in my head, I try to visualize my shots stopping the same way.

Alex

i laughed out loud when i read this and thought to myself, - every shot that travels 12" will stop the same way on any table. it will travel 12" and then come to rest-, even though i knew what alex was trying to teach. i think a another way of saying this would be to watch the "deceleration" of the ball in the last 12". i use the same type technique but i don't limit the distance to 12" and i add rolling the ball into a rail to watch the acceleration, if any, off the rail and then watch how quickly it decelerates. this way you kill two birds with one stone, the speed of the rails and cloth.

 

[tigerallenyim]

i laughed out loud when i read this and thought to myself, - every shot that travels 12" will stop the same way on any table. it will travel 12" and then come to rest-, even though i knew what alex was trying to teach. i think a another way of saying this would be to watch the "deceleration" of the ball in the last 12". i use the same type technique but i don't limit the distance to 12" and i add rolling the ball into a rail to watch the acceleration, if any, off the rail and then watch how quickly it decelerates. this way you kill two birds with one stone, the speed of the rails and cloth.

Good Point!

 

[Boro Nut]

One I came up with is to use a piece of paper or cloth about 4" square.

I find I get much better results by using only a 2" circle as a target. Oh, and use superglue instead of paper.

Boro Nut

 

[Scott Lee]

For getting better at speed control

First step: Go to Pool School.

Sounds crappy for me to tell you that and then leave you hanging, but the method they teach is so good, and it wouldn't be right if I just said what it is.

They teach an analytical approach to speed control. It may not be for everyone, but if you (general) are asking for drill or ways to improve speed control, then analytical should be visited. If you (general) don't need to improve speed control or don't need to ask about it, it ain't for you.

Fred

Fred is absolutely correct. Although I've been teaching a version of our speed control drill for many years, the updated one I teach now is far superior.

Tate...Can't wait to share this with you, the next time I'm out in S. CA!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

 

[CaptainJR]

analytical approach to speed control.
Fred

Since you brought up analytical.


Can we get a graph? Hey Colin!!!!

I'm wondering what that crucial angle is. If your hitting a almost straight in shot, with a medium speed shot the impact with the object ball almost stops the cue ball. When you shoot the same speed at a real thin cut it doesn't hardly stop the cue ball at all. So far I'm not saying anything that we all don't already know.

If one were to graph this on how much speed the cue ball loses at different cut angles, I don't know how it would come out. You might think that it would be an even graph, but my experience is suggesting to me that there is a spot somewhere between 20 and 30 degrees that I really have to consider how much speed is going to be lost by the impact with the object ball. So I don't think this would end up being a straight line graph from 10 - 80 degrees and I think there would be a definite change somewhere between 20 and 30 degrees. If I'm wrong about this feeling, I really need to find out that I'm mistaken about it!

Well, that looks about as clear as mud. Did anyone understand what I wrote there?

 

[seymore15074]

There are many more factors to speed control than feel and touch. Drills will help but there are other factors at work.

Here are some:

- You can improve your speed control on rail shots by improving your accuracy. The first thing I would suggest is playing all your cut shots precisely, and as much as you can to center pocket. This will give you a feel for the amount of cut you are taking on the OB, which affects the rebound speed.

- Make a smooth, unhurried forward stroke. Shoot firmly but never shoot harder than necessary.

- The mental image is very important in controlling speed. After I set up and aim, my very last thought before I contact the ball is about the force I'm using.

- On angled shots when a cue ball is rolling, it's easier to get the cue ball to bounce off a rail and stop than it is to just roll to a spot on the cloth. If the choice is to baby a shot or go an extra rail, I go an extra rail and imagine the ball bouncing off the rail to position.

- Spin affects speed. In some cases I find spin is easier to control than strength of stroke. For example, many times I will use a little english off a rail to back a ball up or roll forward instead of draw or follow.

- Play good angles. When I play shape, I try to come straight into the line I need. This gives you a lot of room for error. If you are crossing your line to get shape, speed control must be very precise - not a relaible thing to count on.

- I don't know your level but short draw and follow shots, like 1 foot and 2 foot, are well worth mastering and are entirely do-able. That takes care of most of the shots you will see. Then a couple of two rail positions.

- There are a couple of shots well worth practicing when it comes to speed control. I practice spot shots and try to bring the cue ball back to the headstring. Rail shots are well worth practicing. I like to practice rail cut shots on the full length of the table from various angles, bringing the cue ball back to the center of the table and to the further rail. This is like lagging, but the cut angle affects the speed.

- On soft shots, instead of thinking "hit it soft" , take the tip back only an inch or two on the back stroke and smoothly forward through the ball. It's amazing at how easy this is to do and what you can do with it. I use this on push outs and safeties a lot.

The more you play, the better your speed control, but if you do as I suggest, you will simplify things and not need to rely as much on speed control to obtain position.

Chris

Great post, this is definately the answer to the question.

 

[Andrew Manning]

Since you brought up analytical.


Can we get a graph? Hey Colin!!!!

I'm wondering what that crucial angle is. If your hitting a almost straight in shot, with a medium speed shot the impact with the object ball almost stops the cue ball. When you shoot the same speed at a real thin cut it doesn't hardly stop the cue ball at all. So far I'm not saying anything that we all don't already know.

If one were to graph this on how much speed the cue ball loses at different cut angles, I don't know how it would come out. You might think that it would be an even graph, but my experience is suggesting to me that there is a spot somewhere between 20 and 30 degrees that I really have to consider how much speed is going to be lost by the impact with the object ball. So I don't think this would end up being a straight line graph from 10 - 80 degrees and I think there would be a definite change somewhere between 20 and 30 degrees. If I'm wrong about this feeling, I really need to find out that I'm mistaken about it!

Well, that looks about as clear as mud. Did anyone understand what I wrote there?

Well, I'm not quick with a graphing tool, but the speed-retained calculation (ignoring friction between the balls for simplicity, so we're pretending this is a world without throw), is very easy to come up with: If you're cutting the OB x degrees, with x = 0 meaning a full hit and x = 90 meaning you hit the thinnest cut shot imaginable, and we've got two speeds S0 and S1 representing the CB speed just before contact and CB speed just after contact, then we've got a formula:
S1 = (S0)[sin(x)], or stated in english, the fraction of the CB's speed that it retains after contact is sin(x).

The graph should hopefully be attached, the y axis representing the fraction of the CB's speed it retains after contact, and the x axis representing the degrees of cut (0 being a full hit).

-Andrew

 

[lewdo26]

I guess the importance of a repeatable stroke and routine should also be mentioned. I first heard it on commentary Mark Wilson did for Accu-stats. If you stroke the shot differently every time, you can do all the visualization and drills you want and it won't work, because your backarm is getting contradictory messages.

My speed control improved recently after I put about 4 months of working on my stroke and routine.