What is a good warm up before a match?

dardusm

dardusm

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello,

What kind of warm up do you use before a league or tournament match? I'm looking for a ideas for a good routine to use before playing a league or tournament match. The warm up would be with one rack of 15 balls. Usually, I'll break a rack depending on the game 8 or 9 ball and then play a ghost game. If I don't make any balls, I'll break again. I've seen players shoot banks, long shots, etc. but was just curious to the most benefitial routine to get a player ready for competition.

Thanks.
 
dardusm said:
Hello,

What kind of warm up do you use before a league or tournament match? I'm looking for a ideas for a good routine to use before playing a league or tournament match. The warm up would be with one rack of 15 balls. Usually, I'll break a rack depending on the game 8 or 9 ball and then play a ghost game. If I don't make any balls, I'll break again. I've seen players shoot banks, long shots, etc. but was just curious to the most benefitial routine to get a player ready for competition.

Thanks.
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With just one rack of 15 balls I would use the first ten to just shoot some shots using standard one and two-rail position routes to get to center of the table. Then, with the last five balls, I would set up the shot as shown as draw to the indicated spot, taking care not to touch the back rail. This warmup is designed to do four things: gauge the speed of the table, see how the cue ball rebounds off the cushions, observe any table roll, and finally, to groove my stroke.

Whatever your warmup routine, it is important to stick to things that are within your well-established skill set. The warmup is not the time to attempt low-percentage shots. Use that time to loosen up, feel the table, and give your mind and body ready to play.

Edit: I forgot to diagram the stroke shot. Here it is.

CueTable Help

 
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Speed and Kicks

I start out checking the table speed to see how close or how different it shoots than my home table. All I need is the cue ball for this

Then I shoot a few three rail kicks in order to see how the rails play (3 or 4).

Then I put the rest of the balls on the table and just start pocketing balls and playing position on them.

I don't ever worry about my break, but if I have a chance I will break a couple racks of 8 or 9 ball depending on the tourny I am in.
 
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Throw some balls on the table and shoot a bunch of easy shots just to get loosened up. Then work your way into a few slightly harder shots and run the cue ball two and three rails to check the speed.

Finally, you may want to shoot one or two long straight in shots to get zeroed in. If you have time to run a rack of 9-Ball, that's good also. And if it's a 9-ball match, try a couple of break shots. Every table breaks a little different.
 
15 balls for warm-up?
I shoot 8 balls and just focus on my stroke
I shoot 3 balls to test the speed of the table
I shoot the last 4 as 3-rail shots to find out if the table is playing long or short.
This gives me the information I need to be able to go into a match with the confidence I need.
Steve
 
I ALWAYS start with a break! Every table break different! If I don't get a ball, I break one more time!

Then I test some easy bankshots to see how the rails are working, then I try to pocket some easy balls but sending the cueballs into rails. This gives me knowledge of the speed of the table and rails.

(But I still lose more often than I win, so perhaps you shouldn't listen to me)
 
Break!

I have a question for all of you people then.

If you test the table speed, and then you test the rails wouldn't you be automatically prepared for what is going to happen on the break?

I mean if the table plays slower than the table you are used to, then you know that you need to put a little more ass into your break!

If the table plays faster than the table you are used to, then you know that you are going to have a little harder time stopping the cue on the break!

So to me there is really no need to test the break, but I know people are going to argue with me on this point.

Like I said, I save the break testing for if I have time. To me it is much more important to know the table speed and how the rails play.

That is just my thoughts.
 
Hello,

Thanks for the replies. The reason that I start with a break is to get a feel for the break shot not so much to see the tables reaction. I want to develop a routine that I can use with one rack. A lot of times during a tournament, you might have enough time to hit one rack. I'm guilty of just hitting in balls and trying to loosen up my stroke and not using the time to gain valuable info on the table speed, rails, etc.
 
PROG8R said:
PATRON chilled with a miller lite chaser.
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You don't need anything to chase down Patron it is smooth enough to just shoot and go! Besides miller lite is watered down beer anyway!
 
Turn brain on...or live happily in your hole!

You test the break to see if/ where/ how the table breaks good for you.

txplshrk said:
Funny that pool teacher and this thread you mentioned never tells you to break to get the feel of the table!

Maybe because once you have tested the table speed, and the rails you are already prepared for the break!

Just a guess though!
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Black-Balled said:
Turn brain on...or live happily in your hole!

You test the break to see if/ where/ how the table breaks good for you.
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Lets see, if you know the speed of the table and you know the way the rails play. You already have a pretty good judge of how it is going to break for you.

You are still using the same break cue, and same break technique. So really the only major difference would be the speed of the felt and the way the rails play.

I am not saying that I don't try a break or two, but I am saying that if you are pressed for time then I would much rather check the speed of the table and the way the rails play.

Besides there are only a few things you have control over in pool. When you take a shot you have control over the angle of the cue ball, the spin of the cue ball, and the speed of the cue ball.

The only thing that the table would really change on a break is the speed because of the cloth. So once you know the speed of the table you can compensate for it.
 
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C'mon, Man! Tables all break differently and it behooves one to find the 'sweet spot' on a given table. That is all you get from me, you go ahead and keep breaking from the same spot, regardless of outcome!

Edit: coz afterall, I'd like to play 7 or 6 ball, while my opponent plays 8 or 9...
txplshrk said:
Lets see, if you know the speed of the table and you know the way the rails play. You already have a pretty good judge of how it is going to break for you.

You are still using the same break cue, and same break technique. So really the only major difference would be the speed of the felt and the way the rails play.

I am not saying that I don't try a break or two, but I am saying that if you are pressed for time then I would much rather check the speed of the table and the way the rails play.

Besides there are only a few things you have control over in pool. When you take a shot you have control over the angle of the cue ball, the spin of the cue ball, and the speed of the cue ball.

The only thing that the table would really change on a break is the speed because of the cloth. So once you know the speed of the table you can compensate for it.
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Black-Balled said:
C'mon, Man! Tables all break differently and it behooves one to find the 'sweet spot' on a given table. That is all you get from me, you go ahead and keep breaking from the same spot, regardless of outcome!

Edit: coz afterall, I'd like to play 7 or 6 ball, while my opponent plays 8 or 9...
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Yea you can say what you want about tables having a sweet spot, but I have a pretty consistent break no mater what table I play on.

Besides if a table has a sweet spot for breaking you can normally determine it by looking at the felt. It will normally be worn where the sweet spot is at!
 
txplshrk said:
Yea you can say what you want about tables having a sweet spot, but I have a pretty consistent break no mater what table I play on.

Besides if a table has a sweet spot for breaking you can normally determine it by looking at the felt. It will normally be worn where the sweet spot is at!
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Hey man.. Stop giving him a hard time. On plenty of my Accu-Stats DVDs, a pro breaks from a different point than the "wear spot" on the table, and rain balls in.

Also, break conditions can change from hour to hour. If your speed is a little off, and you have a 3 foot shot instead of a 1 1/2 foot shot, you can still get out.

If you break and don't make a ball, your opponent is out.

Once you reach a certain level, the break is the most important part of the game, so no one should be criticized for saying the like to practice the break before the match.

Russ
 
I believe that what you do durning warm up is not so important. It is what it is...just warm up.

However how you finish your warm up is very important. When you walk away from your warm up you should leave with a good feeling. Make your last few shots simple and excatly how you invision them. This will set the tempo for your matches.

I have always found that what I do durning warm up is not to be taked too seriously.

Many times we go into our first match with too much confidence because we felt our warm up was excellent. If something goes wrong then our confidence has no where to go but down.
 
DERBY c

Roy Steffensen said:
I ALWAYS start with a break! Every table break different! If I don't get a ball, I break one more time!

Then I test some easy bankshots to see how the rails are working, then I try to pocket some easy balls but sending the cueballs into rails. This gives me knowledge of the speed of the table and rails.

(But I still lose more often than I win, so perhaps you shouldn't listen to me)
Click to expand...

You're just laying it down for The Derby City Classic action you have been drumming up recently.

JoeyA (following the chum line)
 
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