Drill For Straight Stoke
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Wizard,
I have had lessons with both Jerry and Mark Wilson. Both really focus on having a smooth stroke. A solid stance and bridge, practice stroke, slow backswing and good follow through.
The drill that Jerry has his students do is a one-handed drill. It helps build muscle memory and gets you to have the smooth stroke. You can read about it in this thread: http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=11086
You can get my version of the drill there and Williebetmore's added comments about the drill.
I hope this helps. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.
Sarah
I have had lessons with both Jerry and Mark Wilson. Both really focus on having a smooth stroke. A solid stance and bridge, practice stroke, slow backswing and good follow through.
The drill that Jerry has his students do is a one-handed drill. It helps build muscle memory and gets you to have the smooth stroke. You can read about it in this thread: http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=11086
You can get my version of the drill there and Williebetmore's added comments about the drill.
I hope this helps. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.
Sarah
Hmmm....Sarah ought to make this a sticky. Here's what you want.
http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=11086
Terry
Edit- reason...Sarah beat me to it!
http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=11086
Terry
Edit- reason...Sarah beat me to it!
Thanks Terry. We were thinking alike on this one. Maybe it should be a sticky thread. I'll see what I can do.
Sarah
Sarah
No problem Wizard. Six hours is a bit much. A short amount of time would work well, 20-30 minutes. Just enough to build a little bit of muscle memory.
I too hope I have better luck at Southern Billiards in the Spring.
Take care,
Sarah
I too hope I have better luck at Southern Billiards in the Spring.
Take care,
Sarah
The link should work. I'm not sure why it wouldn't. I would say keep trying it and it will eventually work. The link isn't that old. You could also do a search of the forum for the straight stroke drill or the one handed drill. It has come up multiple times.
I am usually at the tournament in at Ride the Nine on monday nights when I am in town. Be sure to ask me. It is much easier to explain in person.
Sarah
I am usually at the tournament in at Ride the Nine on monday nights when I am in town. Be sure to ask me. It is much easier to explain in person.
Sarah
I can't get the link to work either. I found the original posting by WilliBetMore, and copy/pasted it here. I tried this excercise for twenty minutes yesterday, and LOVED it. It makes you etremely aware of the tensions in your arm and hand/fingers. Great drill!
Here is a description from the thread on Sarah's forum - based on my lessons with Jerry B.; I don't think she had any corrections of my description.
Just some additional clarification of Jerry's one-handed drill. In my discussions with Jerry, he described this drill as the best and quickest way to give a new player (or an older one with bad habits like me) the feel of a proper stroke - smooth acceleration, let the cue do the work, move the arm only from the elbow down, long and PERFECTLY STRAIGHT follow through, TENSION-FREE grip throughout the stroke (drill can even be done with the cue just resting lightly on one finger of your grip hand - helpful if your stroke is a complete mess like mine). It is not a drill to learn jacked-up or jump shots. It is a great drill to learn to move the cue stick without tension and jerking from your grip hand.
To set up the drill, line some balls up along the short rail, 3-5 inches off the rail. You will then shoot these balls the length of the table into a corner pocket. Set up to shoot the ball as you normally would (I'm assuming you are right handed). Then without moving the cue (cue is resting on the rail), remove your left hand, and rest your left hand on your left thigh (you can use your left arm to stabilize and support your body). This will leave your body position a little higher than you usually shoot. Make sure that your right hand is behind the plane of your body (if not, then move your right hand position further back than usual). From this position make your one-handed stroke using the SAME pre-shot routine that you would if shooting normally. A typical example is slow but rhythmic back swing (eyes on target), bring cue tip back to ball (eyes on cue tip and cue ball as tip comes forward), a second slow but rhythmic backswing (eyes on target), bring cue tip back to ball (eyes again switch back to cue tip and cue ball as tip comes forward). Pause at this point, decide if aim and stroke feel correct (if not, then reposition slightly and repeat the 2 warm-up strokes), if correct then SAME slow but rhythmic backswing, stroke through the ball with a smooth stroke, dead straight follow through, moving right arm only from the elbow down (tip dropping to touch the cloth). You judge your stroke by the quality of the stroke and the tip position at the end - NOT by the pocketing of the ball. This will really give you the feel of letting the cue do the work, and of getting the tension out of your right hand grip (if you have had trouble trying to "steer" the ball during the stroke).
Here is a description from the thread on Sarah's forum - based on my lessons with Jerry B.; I don't think she had any corrections of my description.
Just some additional clarification of Jerry's one-handed drill. In my discussions with Jerry, he described this drill as the best and quickest way to give a new player (or an older one with bad habits like me) the feel of a proper stroke - smooth acceleration, let the cue do the work, move the arm only from the elbow down, long and PERFECTLY STRAIGHT follow through, TENSION-FREE grip throughout the stroke (drill can even be done with the cue just resting lightly on one finger of your grip hand - helpful if your stroke is a complete mess like mine). It is not a drill to learn jacked-up or jump shots. It is a great drill to learn to move the cue stick without tension and jerking from your grip hand.
To set up the drill, line some balls up along the short rail, 3-5 inches off the rail. You will then shoot these balls the length of the table into a corner pocket. Set up to shoot the ball as you normally would (I'm assuming you are right handed). Then without moving the cue (cue is resting on the rail), remove your left hand, and rest your left hand on your left thigh (you can use your left arm to stabilize and support your body). This will leave your body position a little higher than you usually shoot. Make sure that your right hand is behind the plane of your body (if not, then move your right hand position further back than usual). From this position make your one-handed stroke using the SAME pre-shot routine that you would if shooting normally. A typical example is slow but rhythmic back swing (eyes on target), bring cue tip back to ball (eyes on cue tip and cue ball as tip comes forward), a second slow but rhythmic backswing (eyes on target), bring cue tip back to ball (eyes again switch back to cue tip and cue ball as tip comes forward). Pause at this point, decide if aim and stroke feel correct (if not, then reposition slightly and repeat the 2 warm-up strokes), if correct then SAME slow but rhythmic backswing, stroke through the ball with a smooth stroke, dead straight follow through, moving right arm only from the elbow down (tip dropping to touch the cloth). You judge your stroke by the quality of the stroke and the tip position at the end - NOT by the pocketing of the ball. This will really give you the feel of letting the cue do the work, and of getting the tension out of your right hand grip (if you have had trouble trying to "steer" the ball during the stroke).
Thank you Double-Dave. Sorry the links aren't working. If there are any additional questions just let me know.
Sarah
Sarah
Here's the new linkhttp://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=11086
Thanks to Jimmy M for figuring out the answer.
Terry
Thanks to Jimmy M for figuring out the answer.
Terry
Thanks guys. Glad someone could figure it out.
Sarah
Sarah
I wanted to ask about the one handed drill. What is the benefit of moving your left hand to your thigh compared to moving 2 or 3 inches to the left, leaving it on the rail? Thanks for any help.
Hello Sarah,
Maybe you missed my post about the one handed drill, so I'll ask again. What is the benefit of moving your left hand to your thigh compared to moving 2 or 3 inches to the left, leaving it on the rail? Thanks for any help.
Maybe you missed my post about the one handed drill, so I'll ask again. What is the benefit of moving your left hand to your thigh compared to moving 2 or 3 inches to the left, leaving it on the rail? Thanks for any help.
Double Dave,
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I have been out of town. I supposed there is no difference at all in putting your hand on the rail as opposed to putting it on your thigh. The only thing I can think of would be that it may make you lean a bit too much. I would say you can try both and see what is more comfortable or what works better for you.
Sarah
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I have been out of town. I supposed there is no difference at all in putting your hand on the rail as opposed to putting it on your thigh. The only thing I can think of would be that it may make you lean a bit too much. I would say you can try both and see what is more comfortable or what works better for you.
Sarah
This drill works
I saw this thread and the explanation of the One Handed Drill last week and decided to give it a try. I have just returned to playing after a 25 year layoff and felt that many of my misses of shots I used to make were due to an inconsistent stroke.
I practiced this drill for about 30 minutes at the beginning each of my last two practice sessions and for about five minutes prior to my league match last week. As instructed, I concentrated on shot preparation and execution, the follow through and cue position after the stroke and not the object ball. Not surprisingly, when these things were executed properly, the OB usually went dead center in the pocket.
Suddenly, I am able to feel a more sure stroke through the ball and keep the cue on line.
I can't imagince having the patience or concentration to do it for six hours, but it is now at the beginning of every practice session I will have.
Thanks To Sarah and Jerry for pointing this out.
I saw this thread and the explanation of the One Handed Drill last week and decided to give it a try. I have just returned to playing after a 25 year layoff and felt that many of my misses of shots I used to make were due to an inconsistent stroke.
I practiced this drill for about 30 minutes at the beginning each of my last two practice sessions and for about five minutes prior to my league match last week. As instructed, I concentrated on shot preparation and execution, the follow through and cue position after the stroke and not the object ball. Not surprisingly, when these things were executed properly, the OB usually went dead center in the pocket.
Suddenly, I am able to feel a more sure stroke through the ball and keep the cue on line.
I can't imagince having the patience or concentration to do it for six hours, but it is now at the beginning of every practice session I will have.
Thanks To Sarah and Jerry for pointing this out.
GAdawg, I'm really glad to hear that this helped so much. The whole 6 hour thing is a bit extreme. The way you are doing it is plenty. It gives you just enough practice to build muscle memory. Good luck with everything and again, I am glad it helped.
Sarah
Sarah