Very curious about players practice time

I've had to practice more and more the more banged up my body gets. The problem is that the more this old body gets banged up the harder it is to practice for a long period of time.

I like playing friends or anyone that will play $50 or $100 sets. It's just enough money to make you focuse as hard as you can. If you get stuck a set or 2 now you have to dig out of a hole. Even better practice.

For me I play my best after I would play someone that came through my home town on the road. They were usually pretty good players and had a pretty big bankroll. I would start out playing $200.00 sets but these players would get some pretty good bets with people from my home town. Sometimes they would get $500 to $1000 bet on the rail.

After playing $200 sets for a couple of days I usually had a pretty good idea how good they played. The sad thing was I usually hadn't been playing too much so I was a little out of stroke.

I remember one guy I played from Michigan. I lost $800 in 2 days. The third day they lost the rail money bets and wanted me to bet more money. I really felt like I was getting in dead punch that 3rd day so I went to the bank and got 10,000. They had kind of punked me out the second day about only betting $200 so when they asked me to bet $1000 I took out $3000 and said bet it. It kind of freaked them out.

We only bet $1500. They were about $4,000 ahead with the rail money the first 2 days.

It shook him up a little but I played flawless for 2 days. We were only playing races to 7 for the cash. I won about $7,000 and I think that busted them.

I went to a tournament that weekend and never skipped a beat. That playing for the cash just gets the focus on full speed. Sure you can do drills and everything else but the action is what gets my game on.

But that's just me.............
 
Me i was never the practice type also. Still to this day if its for a tournament, leagues or state i show up wait to start and play. Our whole team was like that never practiced together. But you look at players who do practice it shows.
 
so i been watching this thread since the beginning becuase i have a hard time gettimg in the practice time with people wanting to play. again, here, other players never ever practice..my practice gets cut short mostly with them wanting to play and i give in....i practice in order to play better. yesterday a new guy (from australia) comes in and asks me if i want to play or continue practicing. i chose to play because i never seen this guy before. he tells me he has not played in a long time. how many times we heard that before? watching his stroke a coupe of times and his keeping his head down and that soft stroke, i know i am not playing a beginner! so i buckle down my game and play better than i have in a week! sometimes it is not about the money...it is about just plain winning!
 
Now, when I go to spend time at the table, it has become more like a jam session that bands have at times.

I throw 15 balls on the table ang just have at it. I just try different concepts and ideas to see what happens.

I mix up using different english with different cue speeds and cue angle of attack. Thats the angle that the cue is at when I stroke. Jacked up is a high angle of attack unlike a stun shot where it is low.

See how many balls I can get in one side pocket and so on.

So, I just kinda do a jam session. This has carried over to play. I have a very wide range of things I can do, and alot, most would not do in play because the goal is to win. Me, I get a kick to see the face of the person I'm playing when I do something learned from doing these jam sessions.

Until you get past winning as the ultimate goal about pool, you will never see the beauty in shot making.

I over heard this once and made so much sense. "If you can make a shot from anywhere on the table, then positions doesn't really matter."

As example, in my jam session yesterday this layout happen. The rules for this session was any ball in any pocket. 9 foot table.

CueTable Help



This is what I did. I did several of these types during the jam session and I would have no problem now trying that this type of shot in a tourney.

CueTable Help



I was able to finish up from where the CB ended up.

Try jam sessions.
 
duckie said:
Now, when I go to spend time at the table, it has become more like a jam session that bands have at times.

I throw 15 balls on the table ang just have at it. I just try different concepts and ideas to see what happens.

I mix up using different english with different cue speeds and cue angle of attack. Thats the angle that the cue is at when I stroke. Jacked up is a high angle of attack unlike a stun shot where it is low.

See how many balls I can get in one side pocket and so on.

So, I just kinda do a jam session. This has carried over to play. I have a very wide range of things I can do, and alot, most would not do in play because the goal is to win. Me, I get a kick to see the face of the person I'm playing when I do something learned from doing these jam sessions.

Until you get past winning as the ultimate goal about pool, you will never see the beauty in shot making.

I over heard this once and made so much sense. "If you can make a shot from anywhere on the table, then positions doesn't really matter."

As example, in my jam session yesterday this layout happen. The rules for this session was any ball in any pocket. 9 foot table.

This is what I did. I did several of these types during the jam session and I would have no problem now trying that this type of shot in a tourney.

I was able to finish up from where the CB ended up.

Try jam sessions.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I do. :thumbup:
 
Back in the 1960's I was at the top of my game and practiced 6-8 hrs. per day when not playing money games or in a Tournament. I was flying for the U.S. Navy
(1960 - 1968) and spent most of my off time on the 5 x 10 Brunswicks we
were fortunate to have in our Rec Room.

My goal was to run a hundred balls (at least once during a session) or as close to
it as possible. My nickname was "Hunnerd", as I liked to play for $100 a set.

That was Then, This is Now ........ I can't stand practicing alone for more than about
a hour a day. In my old age, I like to socialize more than I like to play Pool so my
game has suffered measurably.

My main "practice partner" is able to practice alone for 3-4 hours everyday and is
perfectly content to play alone. I wish I had the "drive" I once had, as it would be
nice to win more often.
 
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