8O What Do You Practice?

[kinnaye]

Im looking to improve my game and was wondering if you would care to share a practice routine or shot, or what ever you feel helps, thanks.

[Buddy]

I personally find that it helps if the last thing I do before going to a league match is what I call a straight-in drill. You put 9-10 object balls on the side of the table. Put one of them in the exact center of the table, and put the cue ball in a straight aiming line from the object ball to the opposite corner pocket (about 6" from the opposite corner pocket, diagonally). In essence what you are doing is setting up a shot that is perfectly straight and as long as the table will allow. You are also maximizing the difficulty by making the first half of the shot ( cue to object ball) and the second half ( object ball to pocket) at a max. Try it 10 times in a row. If you're on stroke you will nail them all. Then try it as a stop shot. Then a little draw. Then move the cue ball a few inches off the perfectly straight diagonal. If you kepp making it you are on stroke. Hope this helps. It helps me.

[Elvis]

I don't have my own table, and no pool halls close. I have to practice on a bar pay table. I have been doing one thing that has seemed to help more than others. I break the rack and then I will take all the solids off the table and try to run the stripes off without missing and get position on the 8 ball. Once I get to the eight ball I will put the stripes on the table (with a cluster here or there) and try to run them off without missing. Playing leagues here I find a lot of guys will run 4-6 balls off and miss. Since practicing this I have been able to get more 8 ball run outs than I used to.

I had trouble with my stroke, No trouble with potting just getting out of position :oops: , i went to a couple of coaches and the best thing that helped me to get a consistant sweet strike was this:
put an object ball on the centre line one spot up from the short cushon then the cue ball on the next spot along the same cush. play the object ball into the closest pocket. try each of these shots till you get three in a row (object ball and cue ball), then move on to the next:

1. drawing the ball of the top cush with running side into the opp side pocket,
2.drawing the ball of the top cush with inside engish into the same side pocket,
3.drawing into the opp top corner pocket,
4.following with running into the opp top corner
5.following ith inside english into opp side pocket
6.(this is hard!!!!!!!! :x ) drawing the cue ball with inside english so it hits the long rail before the opp top pocket, kicks of the three top rails and into the opp bottom corner pocket.

this will help you to strike the ball sweetly and improve your position play. it is hard to begin with but stick with it and let me know how you get on.

[wildone]

the best way to develop a "dead stroke" is through muscle memory, pick one side of the table..place a object ball on the second diamond..cue ball on the first...shoot 15 balls lenghtwise into the opposite corner pocket (same side) stop the cue ball on every shot..once you complete a run of 15 move the object ball to the next diamond, leave cue ball on first diamond..and run another 15, keep this up untill you get all the way down to the opposite coner pocket..shoot 15 with the object ball right in the pocket and you have completed the exercise.. keep the balls about 3-4" off the rails and try to hit the heart of the pocket every shot.. youll be surprised how much your game is off..and remember the cue ball stays on the first diamond no matter how far you get down the table..If you can get down that table one time youll be a better player..(No cheating.lol) Try it once, and let me know how you do...

[showboat]

Here's a tester of ones stroke that a pro player in Vegas taught me. Put an OB on the spot, put the CB about 5 or so inches straight out from the near corner pocket, shoot the ball into the corner and draw the CB back 5 inches. Spot another ball and shoot again without moving the CB. If you can do 5 or more balls you're doing good. The concept of this to test the straightness of your stroke, if you're off even a little you'll get more and more off line. :D