When is enough, enough??
- Thread starter nyjoe14.1
- Start date
If you find benefit from a drill, I hope you keep it in your memory for future reference. I have certain drills that I have been practicing on and off for several years now. When some shot, english, safe, etc isn't working right, I will work on it next time I am practicing. Whether this be with a drill or just shooting the shot X number of times over. Do I always practice the same drills before playing? Nope, but depending on my warmup/playing assessment, I will then hit certain drills or shots. Helps joggle the memory and refresh the stroke.
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nyjoe14.1 said:
It depends on the drill I guess. If it gets too easy then it might be worth not practicing it anymore. Drill's like the L drill are a waste of time after you get the idea IMHO. It helps you practice your speed control and basic position play but it doesn't prepare you for any lay outs on the pool table at all.
My point is that use it until it doesn't seem to have any merit. On the other hand I have been using the 15 ball drill as long as I have been playing pool. It's a great way to warm up, and a great way to cool down too. Although it doesn't seem to teach me anything new as I usually run through two racks of it and then quit, it's more fun than any other drill.
nyjoe14.1 said:
Simply spread 15 balls across the table and pot them as though you were playing 14.1.
A few things you can do to make it more interesting is to first run the rack with out contacting another ball, or run the rack without contacting a rail.
When I am just having fun sometimes I'll spread the balls around, run out and try and get shape on a break ball and continue to play straight pool. In my head I am pretending that Willie Mosconi just missed and left a wide open table and an easy shot for me to start off with. Then I try to run 150 and out to beat him for the World Championship. Sadly I have never accomplished the upset.
nyjoe14.1 said:
Many instructors suggest that if you score less than say 33% the drill is too hard for you, make it easier. And if you score more than 80%, it is too easy, so add more balls or distance or angle or precision goals or whatever it takes so you are still challenged.
At the point that you really think you have learned the skills that drill stresses to some degree, and you recognize you have other weaknesses that need work to bring up the overall level of your game, then it is time to move on.
When we are on, all is good. But in the end it is the weakest parts of your game that let you down... so to bring up the overall level of your game you must work on problem areas. Many people just don't have the patience to really work on their game, they just think they are practicing.
I don't believe in abandoning drills. If I've gotten a drill to the point where it's down pat, I'll move it down in the rotation to the point where I'll only work on it once every week or two weeks, but I believe that you should use your practice time not only to develop weak areas, but also to maintain your edge in the areas where you are strong. IMHO, I think that this issue demonstrates why it's important to structure your practice sessions and to have a clear agenda for each one.
I practice shots I am not good at. Usually shots which have cost me a match in a tournament. I remember these because they caused me to lose.
So I go home and practice what I am not good at.
When I begin to easily make these shots in tournament situations, then time to concentrate on something else which is causing me problems.
I don't really drop a drill, I just switch to something else which needs more attention.
Then I use a combination of various drills for warm-up. A little bit of many different shots. Mostly common shots.
So I go home and practice what I am not good at.
When I begin to easily make these shots in tournament situations, then time to concentrate on something else which is causing me problems.
I don't really drop a drill, I just switch to something else which needs more attention.
Then I use a combination of various drills for warm-up. A little bit of many different shots. Mostly common shots.
I've been doing the side pocket drill and the corner drill for years now. I wouldnt say its a waste of time just because it's easy. For one thing, once it gets easy, you are able to do it quickly. Sometimes I can breeze through several drills without a miss. So it probably only takes 5 minutes.
I do think I would bennefit if I had a total of maybe 30 drills. Seperated them into 5-6 drills a day and kept a schedule so that I could get them all in on a weekly basis. Does anyone do this? If you do, would you mind showing us what your drill schedule looks like?
I do think I would bennefit if I had a total of maybe 30 drills. Seperated them into 5-6 drills a day and kept a schedule so that I could get them all in on a weekly basis. Does anyone do this? If you do, would you mind showing us what your drill schedule looks like?