Dominant Eye before any aiming system
- Thread starter SSP
- Start date
My $0.02:
1. There is more than one way to accomplish good pool. Gene Albrecht's Perfect Aim System has different eye positions used for different cuts. There are AZ'ers who praise this method.
2. So yes, it's possible to see a straight shot as a straight then have one preferred, different sighting position for cuts. However, if you are one of these folks, I would ask you to check head height, head rotation on the trunk, etc. (and not just the VC vertical plane between face and cue stick) for consistency and to produce data.
3. We also add this data: Some players let their head move to one side with their trunk since they are stepped forward in the stance (meaning one eye is quite a bit closer to the shot line then the other). Such a player walks "nose on" to distant objects using both eyes when not playing pool, yet plays pool with their left eye closer to the shot than their right eye (right handed shooter).
4. Most people have a VC about halfway between one eye and their nose. For students with VCs not under the chin or one eye, getting them off those traditional centers to their VC improves their aim. I've not seen a player harmed by switching to their VC.
5. Yes, there are a great many "under the chin" and "under dominant eye" pros. I believe some have purely binocular or monocular vision (most people don't, and are between nose and eye instead) and others were told to shoot this way while young, but learned by HAMB to compensate.
The goal is always to see the contact patch on the OB, the clear-as-a-laser path to the pocket, and the pockets as giant receptacles. A pure stroke helps in all these regards.
1. There is more than one way to accomplish good pool. Gene Albrecht's Perfect Aim System has different eye positions used for different cuts. There are AZ'ers who praise this method.
2. So yes, it's possible to see a straight shot as a straight then have one preferred, different sighting position for cuts. However, if you are one of these folks, I would ask you to check head height, head rotation on the trunk, etc. (and not just the VC vertical plane between face and cue stick) for consistency and to produce data.
3. We also add this data: Some players let their head move to one side with their trunk since they are stepped forward in the stance (meaning one eye is quite a bit closer to the shot line then the other). Such a player walks "nose on" to distant objects using both eyes when not playing pool, yet plays pool with their left eye closer to the shot than their right eye (right handed shooter).
4. Most people have a VC about halfway between one eye and their nose. For students with VCs not under the chin or one eye, getting them off those traditional centers to their VC improves their aim. I've not seen a player harmed by switching to their VC.
5. Yes, there are a great many "under the chin" and "under dominant eye" pros. I believe some have purely binocular or monocular vision (most people don't, and are between nose and eye instead) and others were told to shoot this way while young, but learned by HAMB to compensate.
The goal is always to see the contact patch on the OB, the clear-as-a-laser path to the pocket, and the pockets as giant receptacles. A pure stroke helps in all these regards.
All I can say is after changing to lining up my dominant eye over the cue shaft for the last month my ability to pocket balls improved so much that my team captain made a point of it, to each his own but I see many pro's sight down the cue in many different places, wish I had learned this years ago.
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
I completely doubted it until I did a skype session. It works good. I've kind of adapted it to fit my play style but there's a lot of merit to it.
It's this still around?
Yes, that was the problem, when sighting centered on the cue it looked perfectly straight but when practicing the "straight stroke " drill the cue ball would always go to the right, my thought was that I wasn't seeing the true center of the cue ball so I compensated by hitting the cue ball just a touch to the left, this added unwanted english since what my eye was telling my brain was not correct, now sighting with my dominant eye over the shaft doing the same drill I hit center of the ball and the cue ball travels straight, What I learned is that what I saw was straight was not, even worse is that both ways of sighting look exactly the same to me, the difference is for me, when sighting dominant eye over the cue my cue ACTUALLY is straight, it might be different for you , I would always start there before working in any aiming system, you must learn HOW YOUR eyes see straight.
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When I miss a straight in shot, my cue ball went to the right 95% of the time (I kept actual stats).
I didn't realize my shoulder was slightly not in line causing my wrist to sight pronate, causing my tip to go slightly left deflecting the cue ball to the right.
When I seen this video yesterday. I instantly improved. Actually missed a few band to the left.
All I had to pull my should back slightly towards my back. Instantly was shooting straighter, more consistently. My break was dead on a well.
Not sure if this is your issue but it sounds like it might be?
Great video
NOPE, not the problem for me, I work on this as well, Phil Cappelle has in his book Eye Brain Arm, if the eye gives the brain bad info you will struggle, check out Dr. Dave's billiards MOFUDAT
Thanks for the kind words, I wanted to share what has helped me more than anything I've learned so far in pool, it seems common sense that your eye must give your brain an accurate picture so that it can make the proper calculations.
I agree, I work on all of those things, I still do the "straight stroke" drills, I have a pre-shot routine, I figure after about 100 years I won't have to work on them any longerIt was not just kind words. I have experienced exactly same thing you said. Little tip for future. If you keep working on your stance and stroke it could still change position where your cue need to be. Everything is linked but now you know what to seek.
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
So the other night my buddy came over to play. I was stroking the ball perfectly but I kept missing. We get into serious sparring matches but we also help each other out. He was saying everything felt perfect and he was shooting great. I told him that everything felt perfect, stroke, mechanics etc but I just wasn't seeing them right. Once I get my eyes you're in trouble...It was not just kind words. I have experienced exactly same thing you said. Little tip for future. If you keep working on your stance and stroke it could still change position where your cue need to be. Everything is linked but now you know what to seek.
Well anyway I start shooting a bit better but still everything seems off.
After a race to 20 (20-14 him) and a race to 10 (10-7 him) it's time to stop for the night. He nonchalantly mentions it seems like I'm getting down on the ball better. He's like, "try putting your left foot about an inch or two further out." I did and start shooting great. Well heck.
I have been kind of resting in the squat position to help build hip mobility lately. Nothing hardcore, but resting while down for about 20-30 seconds half a dozen times a day until I can work up to more.
Basically I had been standing more upright like how they used to, not as upright as Minnesota Fats, but more upright just because of physical pain and stiffness. Getting down shifted how I was seeing the shots. I was still stroking straight and pure but the visuals were off.
The best part is he could have told me 3 games into the sets but he waited until the end of the night, 51 games later to let me in on the secret!
rotten basard !!!!So the other night my buddy came over to play. I was stroking the ball perfectly but I kept missing. We get into serious sparring matches but we also help each other out. He was saying everything felt perfect and he was shooting great. I told him that everything felt perfect, stroke, mechanics etc but I just wasn't seeing them right. Once I get my eyes you're in trouble...
Well anyway I start shooting a bit better but still everything seems off.
After a race to 20 (20-14 him) and a race to 10 (10-7 him) it's time to stop for the night. He nonchalantly mentions it seems like I'm getting down on the ball better. He's like, "try putting your left foot about an inch or two further out." I did and start shooting great. Well heck.
I have been kind of resting in the squat position to help build hip mobility lately. Nothing hardcore, but resting while down for about 20-30 seconds half a dozen times a day until I can work up to more.
View attachment 755397
Basically I had been standing more upright like how they used to, not as upright as Minnesota Fats, but more upright just because of physical pain and stiffness. Getting down shifted how I was seeing the shots. I was still stroking straight and pure but the visuals were off.
The best part is he could have told me 3 games into the sets but he waited until the end of the night, 51 games later to let me in on the secret!
