I started out lousy with my left hand. Through laziness to get the bridge, I started shooting lefty. Now, I shoot better lefty than with the bridge. I will even shoot lefty instead of stretching righty for a shot.
How good are you with your opposite hand?
- Thread starter Straightpool_99
- Start date
I play 14.1 right hand vs left hand a lot. My left hand gets a 20 ball spot in a race to 150. It has really improved my lefty skills.
I am an APA 8-Ball 7 right handed. Never tried playing lefty until a year ago, after I lost my father to cancer. He was left handed and a strong player.
I decided to go one month only playing left handed. When I first tried I was terrible could not hit center cue ball. My right hand bridge was weak and sloppy. It was bad.
After three-four hours of practice I was playing around a 3 speed.
After two weeks and maybe 40 hour of practice the bride was solid I was drawing the rock and playing pretty good maybe 5 speed.
At the end of the month it felt just as natural playing left handed as right. Sometimes I catch myself having to think about which hand I am suppose to bridge with.
Main benefit my focus on the table greatly improved. I am more precise with my position now.
I decided to go one month only playing left handed. When I first tried I was terrible could not hit center cue ball. My right hand bridge was weak and sloppy. It was bad.
After three-four hours of practice I was playing around a 3 speed.
After two weeks and maybe 40 hour of practice the bride was solid I was drawing the rock and playing pretty good maybe 5 speed.
At the end of the month it felt just as natural playing left handed as right. Sometimes I catch myself having to think about which hand I am suppose to bridge with.
Main benefit my focus on the table greatly improved. I am more precise with my position now.
Years ago I used to practice quite a bit playing lefty. This was because at the time, most of my local opponents had no chance to top me playing right-handed. After a while I was improving so quickly, it made me wonder if I'd been standing on the wrong side of the cue all these years. My left never got as good as my right but at the same time, my right couldn't give up much weight to my left hand on a bar table. That action would've been real tough. it still didn't keep both hands from barking at each other.
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I have watched an awful lot of champions lose big money and tournaments by missing a shot with their opposite hand I could make really high % with a bridge.
Seems to be very thin cut shots usually.
Seems to be very thin cut shots usually.
I was going to spend at least a week last summer practicing only off handed for those shots that are just out of reach. Still plan on spending some time doing this on my 9' table because it happens often on big tables vs Barboxs. Like some others here have mentioned, I play about 10% the level of earths average non pool playing human inhabitants. and about 1% of that level offhanded.:thumbup:
HellFERRRRT!?
I see no posts from jay in this thread.
I see no posts from jay in this thread.
I used to be quite good with my left, but since I started relying on extensions, I got worse, now I am rid of my extension and I got better again. I can do shots with my left, without extreme english and power .
not only extension, I got rid of the jump cue and my kicking and positioning got better and more refined also
.not only extension, I got rid of the jump cue and my kicking and positioning got better and more refined also
I am pretty alright with my off hand. I am sure my form looks horrible but I can still pot balls and get decent position when I need to play a shot with my other had. I always try to use my other hand when I can instead of a bridge or trying to go behind the back.
My left hand is alright. I've ran racks of rotation with it, made 50 breaks in snooker with it and often elect to use it on power shots or when the rest is the other end of the table. I think playing snooker forced me into learning how to play, and also having friends that sucked growing up because id play off handed to give them a chance. It still takes practice to get it going and ill never be amazing with it but it comes in handy. Get good with the strong hand, then get good with the bridge, then get good with the weak hand. In that order.
Its funny, I am right handed play left handed. Can't use a bridge left handed, has to be
right handed. In November I cut through two tendons in my hand and could not make a
bridge with my right hand. So naturally I began playing my 12 year old right handed. After
I figured where I had to put my head, I started to run out right handed. I am still having
trouble making a bridge with my right hand and shoot right handed more often now with
more confidence than I ever have.
right handed. In November I cut through two tendons in my hand and could not make a
bridge with my right hand. So naturally I began playing my 12 year old right handed. After
I figured where I had to put my head, I started to run out right handed. I am still having
trouble making a bridge with my right hand and shoot right handed more often now with
more confidence than I ever have.
When I used to practice with my left hand, I was probably roughly a mid-range B player. I haven't worked on my left in years, but could probably still hold up as a C+ or B- by staying defensive. My main problem is that I have no stroke power with my left so I am only able to draw from short distances and my break is complete garbage. I can make long shots and cuts and control my speed pretty decently.
I'm decent player with left hand. Can run rack nine ball with it.
I shoot 15 minutes 1-2 times in week.
It's good skill to have but main reason why I shoot leftie is treating my muscles.
If one shoots 20 years right handed pool his muscles get one-sided.
Shooting leftie balances muscles and get stretch on other side of body as well.
I first started to shoot leftie because my back. But its really good skill to have also.
My record on leftie is 4 run out on row.. On money game.
It happened about 15 years ago. I was then started shooting leftie 3 weeks 2 hours per day. My basic opponent with handicapped money games came by and asks 'what the heck.are you doing?'(I'm shooting 9-ball right hand vs left hand)
I tell him that I'm balancing my muscles and all that..
He start laugh and says it is waste to learn shoot leftie because when pressure comes it's gonna be useless..
I then tell him I start feel good with leftie. He then ask if I wanna bet?
So we get 20€ per rack game. I get first break. I run 4 racks from start and he smashes' his cue and pay and leave like storm.
I shoot 15 minutes 1-2 times in week.
It's good skill to have but main reason why I shoot leftie is treating my muscles.
If one shoots 20 years right handed pool his muscles get one-sided.
Shooting leftie balances muscles and get stretch on other side of body as well.
I first started to shoot leftie because my back. But its really good skill to have also.
My record on leftie is 4 run out on row.. On money game.
It happened about 15 years ago. I was then started shooting leftie 3 weeks 2 hours per day. My basic opponent with handicapped money games came by and asks 'what the heck.are you doing?'(I'm shooting 9-ball right hand vs left hand)
I tell him that I'm balancing my muscles and all that..
He start laugh and says it is waste to learn shoot leftie because when pressure comes it's gonna be useless..
I then tell him I start feel good with leftie. He then ask if I wanna bet?
So we get 20€ per rack game. I get first break. I run 4 racks from start and he smashes' his cue and pay and leave like storm.
Ok. This seems smart practice. Hmm. I gonna play 10 matches with that but I gonna spot 50 points to leftie.
Gonna record stats also so get average for both hands.. That should make 14.1 practice more competitive.