Stroke Straightening Trick

BeiberLvr

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I will try my best to explain this as clearly as possible so there's no confusion. The best part about this little trick is that it requires nothing but yourself, your cue, and a mirror. I use my bathroom mirror, since it allows me to bridge on the sink. It's a little higher than a pool table, but it won't hurt you for this.

So stand in front of a mirror with your cue, and get down into a comfortable and balanced stance. Look in the mirror, and starting from your grip hand to the tip of the cue, check to see if the cue is in a straight line.

If it is, great.

If not, then you'll want to move your head and body (but mostly your head) to either the left or right until everything looks straight. I should also mention to keep your head perfectly centered with your shoulders through all of this. Try to resist angling or twisting your neck in any way. That will only lead to discomfort.

Once you've achieved a straight line in the reflection, make note of everything you can. Now get back up and do the whole thing over again until you can successfully get down with that straight reflection every time.

I do hope that makes sense. It's worked great for me, and as always, I'm willing to listen if anyone has any thoughts that this might not be universally acceptable for everyone.

Jon
 
:o)

this *tip* is also very often used by good instructors.
A mirror can be used as a very helpful tool sometimes :-)


"Good thought" buddy ^^

lg
Ingo
 
Ideally, you would actually rest the cue immovably on a table in front of the mirror, pointed to a spot on the mirror (stick a piece of tape on the spot) then take your stance above the stick with your hands where they'd go ABOVE the cue stick--don't move that stick!

NOW when the tip is pointed at the dot on the mirror and you are in your full stance you know you are at vision center in your true, correct stance. It's no good seeing a straight cue in the mirror--if it isn't straight and you have an optical illusion. ALL those shots will be off line, forever!
 
I think that would be a good start for someone who wants to break a habit, such as pulling their arm under their torso at an angle, or someone who tilts their head sideways.

It would give them a very good idea of what it feels like to be in a more correct position at the table.

We also have to keep in mind that stance is built around the line of aim, so the player would have to be careful not to lock into a feel of arbitrarily placing their head and feet in a less-specific position at the table as they would be doing in front of a mirror.
 
Last edited:
FranCrimi said:
I think that would be a good start for someone who wants to break a habit, such as pulling their arm under their torso at an angle, or someone who tilts their head sideways.

It would give them a very good idea of what it feels like to be in a more correct position at the table.

We also have to keep in mind that stance is built around the line of aim, so the player would have to be careful not to lock into a feel of arbitrarily placing their head and feet in a less-specific position at the table as they would be doing in front of a mirror.
Click to expand...

Tap Tap Tap

Of course it should be used with getting an advice *how to use it* :-)
 
A few other things you can do along with the mirror.

1. Draw a small circle with soap on the mirror, and see that when you're going forward you're tip is headed directly towards the circle. Obviously you don't want to hit the circle and risk damaging your tip/shaft or mirror.

2. Put a camera behind you if you can so you can see how aligned you are.

3. Finally, using the mirror can be a crutch, as you're able to use it as a guide when getting into your stance. So once you're comfortable doing it with the mirror, practice getting into your stance with your eyes closed.
 
BilliardsAbout said:
It's no good seeing a straight cue in the mirror--if it isn't straight and you have an optical illusion. ALL those shots will be off line, forever!
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I understand completely. (My cue by design is always "straight"). So I should see my cue in "perfect linear alignment" with the cue in the mirror?
 
Many things you can work on without a real pool table.

I use a card table that measures about 29" from the floor. I have a cutout of a cue ball taped to the table surface with a long piece of green tape from the edge of the cutout to the edge of the table. This long piece of green tape is 27" long and I use it to align my body, head and cue. Across the table I have a door mirror that is 13.5" X 49.5" and I use it to verify what I am seeing when I am in the set position. With this setup I can rehearse my pre shot routine and SPF. This is very effective at training your body to align to what you are seeing. Once I get to a real table I use the stop shot drill as well as the ball address alignment drill. I know that when I miss a shot it is usually due to bad alignment which causes a perception error.
 
BeiberLvr said:
I will try my best to explain this as clearly as possible so there's no confusion. The best part about this little trick is that it requires nothing but yourself, your cue, and a mirror. I use my bathroom mirror, since it allows me to bridge on the sink. It's a little higher than a pool table, but it won't hurt you for this.

So stand in front of a mirror with your cue, and get down into a comfortable and balanced stance. Look in the mirror, and starting from your grip hand to the tip of the cue, check to see if the cue is in a straight line.

If it is, great.

If not, then you'll want to move your head and body (but mostly your head) to either the left or right until everything looks straight. I should also mention to keep your head perfectly centered with your shoulders through all of this. Try to resist angling or twisting your neck in any way. That will only lead to discomfort.

Once you've achieved a straight line in the reflection, make note of everything you can. Now get back up and do the whole thing over again until you can successfully get down with that straight reflection every time.

I do hope that makes sense. It's worked great for me, and as always, I'm willing to listen if anyone has any thoughts that this might not be universally acceptable for everyone.

Jon
Click to expand...


Already mentioned in the " Tell me what do you think" thread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wafKOsa8-M

see 6:30

As I said its probably smoke and mirrors (g)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top