Speed / Position drills?

[Da Bank]

I'm looking for drills that really focus on developing your position play and the speed necessary to pull those plays off.

I'd really like to hear some drills that might make you think about position play differently than you had before rather than a repetition drill, though I realize all drills are repetitious.

 

[Neil]

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[Da Bank]

Have you tried Bert Kinnisters 60 minute workout, or Kim Davenports Target Pool? I've found both to be very good for position play.

no i have not, elaborate?

 

[Neil]

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[TheBook]

Line up all 15 balls on the intersections of the diamonds. Start will ball in hand and make the balls without going to a rail or touching another ball. The CB must also stay within the box formed by the balls.

Variations are to move the box forward one diamond to where one row is against the end rail. Naturally the CB will have to hit that rail but only for those rail shots.

You can also move the box to where 2 outside rows are against a rail. The end and long rail.

You can also split the box with the gap being in the center of the table with a row at each end and ETC.

If this gets too easy then shoot all of the solids, then the stripes and then the 8 ball. The balls are just randomly set. The pattern will never be the same.

When and if you miss you start over. No second chances or do overs.

This will keep you busy for a few minutes.

 

[Scott Lee]

Mother Drills are the ticket!

Mother Drill 5 is the perfect way to learn speed control...on any size or condition pool table. It involves training yourself to shoot any speed shot (including the break or a power draw), with the exact same stroke...you just increase the speed of the pendulum swing. The start and finish points, for your cuetip, remain the same. This is all done running the CB up and down the centerline, and landing the CB in specific target zones.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

 

[kaznj]

Target pool is almost impossible to find. I saw one on ebay once. It was going for $200. I was lucky to find one in a pool hall. I copied it and my wife made me the targets out of a thin felt. It is very good and can get difficult. There was a dvd of a competition between Davenport and Buddy hall doing some of most difficult shot in the program.
I like Scott Lee's mother drill 5 also. I practice that a lot. The advantage of doing this drill is that it teaches you how to practice on different tables and different weight balls.

 

[PetToilet]

I had done something that sounds like mother drill 5, became quite well at lagging and landing the cue in like 2 diamond zones, but I have problems translating that to actual cut shots. I know how much speed is transfered and retained depending on cut angles but I still find it hard to pick a specific cue ball speed that corresponds to the target zone.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

A couple of classics:

The "L" drill. Set the 10-12 balls with 5-6 equidistant on a line going from the center diamond on the foot rail to the foot spot. Set the rest of the balls along the foot string to one of the side rails (the pattern forms an "L"). BIH from any where outside the the "L" starting from either ball on the rail and running out in order from that first ball on one rail to the last ball on the other rail.

Another good speed control drill is to place the cue ball on the center spot and place all 15 balls in a circle around it. Pocket all 15 balls without going to a cushion.

Hope this helps.

 

[CreeDo]

A fairly standard speed drill (boring, but very good):

Set up the OB near the side rail, 1 diamond from the corner and CB near the side pocket. Keep it simple and realistic... both balls a bit off the rail, and give yourself a slight angle towards the rail. Then try to sink the ball and draw back 1 diamond. Don't stop when you can park it near that diamond just once, repeat until you feel you have the diamond down cold... say 4 out of 5 times. Then move on to drawing 2 diamonds. How far you take it is up to you but I'd say at least repeat until you can draw to the side pocket four out of five.

Follow drill: same deal but back up the CB and OB 2 diamonds. Follow 1 diamond, 2 diamonds, etc. Try at least a couple parking the CB very close to the corner (don't try to scratch, angle yourself enough so that the CB can follow forward and rest on the end rail).

These are not original but they deal with shots that will come up over and over again. You are only dealing with certain distances (3 diamonds) but I find these distances are pretty common and are long enough that control becomes tricky, but not so long that it's asking too much.

This drill is more or less from Kinister though I'm sure others have thought of it.

Here's a position drill I came up with:

Set up a cut into the corner pocket where you'd usually play the shot to spin out 2 rails towards the middle of the table with outside english. I won't tell you where to set it up or what distance, just find a common and fairly easy cut that you like. Mark it with chalk/spit/donuts/whatever. Here you're controlling the angle more than the speed, because a smart angle will allow you to dog the speed a little and still come up ok.

Plant a piece of chalk right on the edge of the foot rail (so it's even hanging over the rail a hair, if necessary). Try to sink that ball and have the CB hit that chalk. You should see it pop up off the rail a bit. Repeat (using the same speed and tip placement) until you can hit that chalk consistently, and observe where the CB hits the 2nd rail. Now put the chalk on the 2nd rail and try to hit it on the 2nd rail. It's a little tougher so just try for 3 out of 5 or so. Once you have that 2 rail path burned into your brain, observe the line where the CB travels. Set a ball somewhere along that line, at least 2 feet from the side rail. Now try to make the CB run into that ball. Depending on the shot you set up and how well you're hitting 'em, either 2/5 or 3/5 is good enough.

Once you have that 2 rail position nailed you'll find that every cut starts to look a little like that 2 railer, and you'll find you can control similar cuts just as nicely. It gives you a good rock-steady reference point for this particular kind of shot, which may come up as much as 35 times in a single game of 9 ball

 

[cookie man]

Mother Drill 5 is the perfect way to learn speed control...on any size or condition pool table. It involves training yourself to shoot any speed shot (including the break or a power draw), with the exact same stroke...you just increase the speed of the pendulum swing. The start and finish points, for your cuetip, remain the same. This is all done running the CB up and down the centerline, and landing the CB in specific target zones.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Is there a video detailing the mother drills?

 

[Scott Lee]

cookie man...Mother Drill 5 is described and demonstrated on Vol. 1, Play Better Pool, Mastering the Basics. You can get it from Muellers or amazon.com. The only way to get the Mother Drills is to take a private lesson, or attend one of our pool schools. Like has been said many times, the drills themselves don't mean much, without the explaination of why they work, and how to use them properly.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Is there a video detailing the mother drills?

 

[JoeW]

Take a look at the revised Wagon Wheel http://www.sunburstselect.com/PBReview/CBControl1.htm (It is too long to reproduce here). It was created by Ted Brown several years ago and has been revised by others. It has some unique features that help with learning cue ball control.

I am not a pool instructor, but I am a serious student of the game -- not sure if that counts.

 

[Jared]

A fairly standard speed drill (boring, but very good):

Set up the OB near the side rail, 1 diamond from the corner and CB near the side pocket. Keep it simple and realistic... both balls a bit off the rail, and give yourself a slight angle towards the rail. Then try to sink the ball and draw back 1 diamond. Don't stop when you can park it near that diamond just once, repeat until you feel you have the diamond down cold... say 4 out of 5 times. Then move on to drawing 2 diamonds. How far you take it is up to you but I'd say at least repeat until you can draw to the side pocket four out of five.

Follow drill: same deal but back up the CB and OB 2 diamonds. Follow 1 diamond, 2 diamonds, etc. Try at least a couple parking the CB very close to the corner (don't try to scratch, angle yourself enough so that the CB can follow forward and rest on the end rail).

These are not original but they deal with shots that will come up over and over again. You are only dealing with certain distances (3 diamonds) but I find these distances are pretty common and are long enough that control becomes tricky, but not so long that it's asking too much.

This drill is more or less from Kinister though I'm sure others have thought of it.

Here's a position drill I came up with:

Set up a cut into the corner pocket where you'd usually play the shot to spin out 2 rails towards the middle of the table with outside english. I won't tell you where to set it up or what distance, just find a common and fairly easy cut that you like. Mark it with chalk/spit/donuts/whatever. Here you're controlling the angle more than the speed, because a smart angle will allow you to dog the speed a little and still come up ok.

Plant a piece of chalk right on the edge of the foot rail (so it's even hanging over the rail a hair, if necessary). Try to sink that ball and have the CB hit that chalk. You should see it pop up off the rail a bit. Repeat (using the same speed and tip placement) until you can hit that chalk consistently, and observe where the CB hits the 2nd rail. Now put the chalk on the 2nd rail and try to hit it on the 2nd rail. It's a little tougher so just try for 3 out of 5 or so. Once you have that 2 rail path burned into your brain, observe the line where the CB travels. Set a ball somewhere along that line, at least 2 feet from the side rail. Now try to make the CB run into that ball. Depending on the shot you set up and how well you're hitting 'em, either 2/5 or 3/5 is good enough.

Once you have that 2 rail position nailed you'll find that every cut starts to look a little like that 2 railer, and you'll find you can control similar cuts just as nicely. It gives you a good rock-steady reference point for this particular kind of shot, which may come up as much as 35 times in a single game of 9 ball

I just started doing this....its a great drill that really comes into play a lot

 

[Jared]

A fairly standard speed drill (boring, but very good):

Set up the OB near the side rail, 1 diamond from the corner and CB near the side pocket. Keep it simple and realistic... both balls a bit off the rail, and give yourself a slight angle towards the rail. Then try to sink the ball and draw back 1 diamond. Don't stop when you can park it near that diamond just once, repeat until you feel you have the diamond down cold... say 4 out of 5 times. Then move on to drawing 2 diamonds. How far you take it is up to you but I'd say at least repeat until you can draw to the side pocket four out of five.

Follow drill: same deal but back up the CB and OB 2 diamonds. Follow 1 diamond, 2 diamonds, etc. Try at least a couple parking the CB very close to the corner (don't try to scratch, angle yourself enough so that the CB can follow forward and rest on the end rail).

These are not original but they deal with shots that will come up over and over again. You are only dealing with certain distances (3 diamonds) but I find these distances are pretty common and are long enough that control becomes tricky, but not so long that it's asking too much.

This drill is more or less from Kinister though I'm sure others have thought of it.

Here's a position drill I came up with:

Set up a cut into the corner pocket where you'd usually play the shot to spin out 2 rails towards the middle of the table with outside english. I won't tell you where to set it up or what distance, just find a common and fairly easy cut that you like. Mark it with chalk/spit/donuts/whatever. Here you're controlling the angle more than the speed, because a smart angle will allow you to dog the speed a little and still come up ok.

Plant a piece of chalk right on the edge of the foot rail (so it's even hanging over the rail a hair, if necessary). Try to sink that ball and have the CB hit that chalk. You should see it pop up off the rail a bit. Repeat (using the same speed and tip placement) until you can hit that chalk consistently, and observe where the CB hits the 2nd rail. Now put the chalk on the 2nd rail and try to hit it on the 2nd rail. It's a little tougher so just try for 3 out of 5 or so. Once you have that 2 rail path burned into your brain, observe the line where the CB travels. Set a ball somewhere along that line, at least 2 feet from the side rail. Now try to make the CB run into that ball. Depending on the shot you set up and how well you're hitting 'em, either 2/5 or 3/5 is good enough.

Once you have that 2 rail position nailed you'll find that every cut starts to look a little like that 2 railer, and you'll find you can control similar cuts just as nicely. It gives you a good rock-steady reference point for this particular kind of shot, which may come up as much as 35 times in a single game of 9 ball

I just started doing this....its a great drill that really comes into play a lot

 

[Pete]

Have you tried Bert Kinnisters 60 minute workout, or Kim Davenports Target Pool? I've found both to be very good for position play.

Is Target pool avalible anymore? I'd love buy a copy.

Pete

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

Anybody have any new ideas/thoughts/drills regarding speed/position nowadays?

r/DCP

 

[Bob Jewett]

Anybody have any new ideas/thoughts/drills regarding speed/position nowadays?

r/DCP

Do the target drills in the Billiard University stuff.

Also, tell us what you think are the best drills for you. This should be a two-way street.

 

[Oikawa]

My favourite is to pick some OB location and CB location, preferably something you have trouble with, then place some small paper pieces on the table to indicate a square area (I do 1x1 diamond in size) that you must land the CB inside of. Mark the CB and OB however you want, I use chalk marks, if you have donuts use those.

Shoot the OB into the pocket while having the CB succesfully land into that area. If you fail, repeat. If you succeed, move the paper pieces to the next position, e.g. 1 diamond off in one axis.

I typically do this drill by repeating the same CB->OB shot with every possible 1x1 diamond-to-diamond square arrangement, so this makes 32 (4x8) succesful shots in total before the drill is over, and lots of missed cue balls due to tough position required.

I find that this drill is good because it takes the same shot and slowly varies it with slightly different CB target positions, effectively teaching you what spin/path works the best for various targets all around the table, where the split-off points are for certain easier paths no longer working, which targets are easier/more natural than others and most importantly, gives you useful reps for actually pocketing the OB for varying spins and speeds.

As for the learning psychology behind why it's effective, I have no real knowledge about it but I'd assume your brain learns/remembers more effectively and deeply (creates more nuanced connections) by repeating variations of the same thing, instead of jumping from one shot to a completely different one.

 

[BilliardsAbout]

I'm looking for drills that really focus on developing your position play and the speed necessary to pull those plays off.

I'd really like to hear some drills that might make you think about position play differently than you had before rather than a repetition drill, though I realize all drills are repetitious.

Thinking differently?

Cut the 5-ball into the pocket using various hand bridge lengths. The bridge length is defined as the distance between the fleshy web at the base of the forefinger and thumb and the cue ball:

1-inch bridge = "1 and I'm done"
3-inch = "3 stays with me"
5 = "Arrive (at half-table)"
7 = "Heaven (full table)"

For these speeds to work well, you must, regardless of bridge length, take a final backstroke that is complete--all the way to the fleshy web area with the ferrule, then smoothly complete the stroke.

Once you feel speed this way fully, you can do a similar technique with a long bridge by varying your backstroke length, for example, to roll to the middle of the table with center CB, I might have an 11-inch bridge but take a 5-inch smooth backstroke, but if you poke at the CB and miss shape, go back to 1,3,5,7 bridges again to train.