Your Practice Routine Might Be Hurting Your Game

Why doing the same thing every day could be making you worse, not better.

Many pool players believe that consistency in practice guarantees improvement. After all, if you’re spending hours at the table every week, you should be getting better—right? Not necessarily. In fact, your current routine might be reinforcing bad habits, limiting your progress, or even making you worse over time.

1. The Comfort Trap

We all have our favorite drills or shots—things we know we can execute well. But staying in that comfort zone can be dangerous. Running the same easy patterns over and over may feel productive, but it doesn’t challenge your brain or your body. Improvement requires discomfort. If you never miss in practice, you’re not pushing your limits.

2. No Clear Goals = No Clear Gains

A common issue with practice routines is the lack of specific objectives. Practicing without a plan is like going to the gym without knowing which muscles you want to train. Set goals: pocket 10 consecutive corner shots, run a rack without positional mistakes, or master a safety. Measurable goals help track progress and give your sessions direction.

3. Repetition Without Correction

Repetition is only useful if you’re correcting errors. Practicing the same positional shot a hundred times while making the same mistake only deepens the bad habit. Use video recordings, apps, or even a notebook to reflect on what went wrong and make adjustments.

4. Overtraining the Wrong Things

Many players obsess over potting balls but neglect cue ball control, safety play, or mental game. A well-rounded routine includes:

Shot-making

Position play

Safety drills

Break shots

Pressure simulations

Mental resets

A lopsided routine can lead to visible weaknesses in actual match play.

5. Practice Doesn’t Mimic Real Play

If your routine is too rigid, it won’t prepare you for real-world variability. Try incorporating game-like elements: race-to-3 drills, time limits, or pressure shots with penalties. Practicing under “fake pressure” helps you adapt faster when it really counts.

Final Thought

Practice isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing better. If you’ve hit a plateau, maybe your routine isn’t serving your goals anymore. Shake it up. Make it smarter, not longer. Your future self at the table will thank you.