My 'Shooting Stroke' Video

Wheeljack

Wheeljack

You Know It!
Silver Member
Hello everyone, I put this together yesterday and wanted to share wit hthose of you on the forum more knowledgable than me for review and criticism.

The video is a little over 4 minutes long so hopefully you won't feel like you lost too much of your life after watching it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLNMA73bfLk

I have been shooting videos of myself playing since the beginning of the year and I must say it has helped me a lot.

I started picking myself apart after watching this one, but please let me know what you think.

For reference, I am a SL6 in APA 9ball and about ready to take another step up.

Thanks in advance-

J.
 
Wheeljack...Here's what I noticed from the video. Looks like your grip area on the cue changes, from shot to shot. Sometimes you're perpendicular (when the tip's at the CB), and sometimes you're several inches ahead. I notice particularly when you're ahead of perpendicular, and you shoot hard, you have a strong elbow drop. This is your bicep overtensing, and pulls the elbow down. This is something that holding the cue too far forward initiates, because we think we have to "follow through" at least 'so far'. It also results in "driving" the cue through the shot, rather than letting the weight of the cue and timing create the speed. There is no set amount of followthrough... as long as you finish your stroke. It will, however, be the same for that person, on most every normal shot. Get rid of the elbow drop; find the correct place for you to hold your cue (to me it looks like you should be holding your cue at the very end); and I think you have a pretty solid routine. Good job on the camera angles. They let us see your stroking arm from at least a couple of perspectives.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
Wheeljack. I'm going to jump right in here after Scott. I agree about your tight grip & elbow movement hurting your stroke. Scott knows his business.

I watched and this is what I see:
1. Tight grip.
2. Elbow drop.
3. Different warm-up routines
4. Never started in the Standing Position.
5. Lot's of movement with bridge hand after it hit the table.

And maybe the "killer" is this:
6. Your eyes are in transition on every shot. Watch how your head snaps up in the middle of your stroke. That's because your eyes are trying to find your target ball and the cue is already striking the cue ball. Way too late!!!!

Get your eyes on the target ball before you take your cue stick back on the final stroke.

Spend just a little time with Scott or myself and we can help.

Over-all, you look like a good player.

Maybe Scott will drop back in here and help again.

randyg
 
Eye transition for sure. I move my eyes to the OB right before the shot, just like you do, but I've got pause on my backstroke of nearly a second. Even though RandyG was my instructor, I don't do as he says... I take my eyes to the object ball as I begin my back stroke THEN a long pause then finish.

I noticed on the shots at the 3:50 into the video, that your cue is not finishing on line with the shot. It goes WAY off to the right, which means your hand has to be going on an arc into your body on your finish.

I agree that overall you look like a very solid player. Hope you don't mind the comments, they're meant as constructive. A little tune up will make even the best Top Fuel Dragster run a little faster!

Bob
 
Hey guys. Thank you all for the input. I really do appreciate it.

Scott, I will refer back to my workbook. I'll be honest and say that I stopped packing it to the pool hall with me about 2 months after my lesson last year. I was one year ago today actually that we met at Waldo's. I guess I didn't realize how much I had stepped-back while at the same time stepping forward in other ways. Get what I'm saying?

Randyg and BobN: Thank you! I appreciate your points. Bob, good call on the tip movement at the end of my shot. I saw it (obviously) but didn't know what to make of it.

I'm going to work on this stuff and try to do another video for comparrison in about a month.

Thanks again,

Jeremy
 
Jeremy...I knew that it had been just a year. Don't forget to review your video. There's a LOT of information there that will help you easily correct the things showing up now!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Wheeljack said:
Hey guys. Thank you all for the input. I really do appreciate it.

Scott, I will refer back to my workbook. I'll be honest and say that I stopped packing it to the pool hall with me about 2 months after my lesson last year. I was one year ago today actually that we met at Waldo's. I guess I didn't realize how much I had stepped-back while at the same time stepping forward in other ways. Get what I'm saying?

Randyg and BobN: Thank you! I appreciate your points. Bob, good call on the tip movement at the end of my shot. I saw it (obviously) but didn't know what to make of it.

I'm going to work on this stuff and try to do another video for comparrison in about a month.

Thanks again,

Jeremy
Click to expand...
 
Randy's #4 was my #1 when looking at your video. Overall-- I think you have a good stroke. I like how you hit the CB with conviction. It produces a pleasurable sound when watching you play.

The big thing is you just kind of "lean over into the shot" with no preshot routine or setup process. I do like how you slide your bridge into the CB though.

There are some players who "step into the shot" and others who get to their final step-in position (feet where they need to be exactly) and bring their torso down perfectly. I prefer the step-in move because I can do it in a repeatable fashion. Coming into the shot from a final step-in position takes more talent than I have--- I only see really good players do it well --- and not randomly. Scott Haas (friend of mine and former PA State 9ball champion) does that really well.

Anyways, it'd be a good move to start each shot from a standing position so you can REALLY see the line and design a preshot routine that gets you into the CB in a repeatable fashion. The way you're doing now is completely random.

I think once you get that down, your game is going to improve quickly.
 
SpiderWebComm said:
Randy's #4 was my #1 when looking at your video. Overall-- I think you have a good stroke. I like how you hit the CB with conviction. It produces a pleasurable sound when watching you play.

The big thing is you just kind of "lean over into the shot" with no preshot routine or setup process. I do like how you slide your bridge into the CB though.

There are some players who "step into the shot" and others who get to their final step-in position (feet where they need to be exactly) and bring their torso down perfectly. I prefer the step-in move because I can do it in a repeatable fashion. Coming into the shot from a final step-in position takes more talent than I have--- I only see really good players do it well --- and not randomly. Scott Haas (friend of mine and former PA State 9ball champion) does that really well.

Anyways, it'd be a good move to start each shot from a standing position so you can REALLY see the line and design a preshot routine that gets you into the CB in a repeatable fashion. The way you're doing now is completely random.

I think once you get that down, your game is going to improve quickly.
Click to expand...



Now that's the kind of advice this thread needs.
SpiderWebComm might have to become my next SPF Instructor project.

Rock solid Dave...thanks
randyg
 
i'm no instructor but....

good cueing, other than the BHE when you were cutting those rail shots in to your left, i'm from a snooker background so i don't believe in it. in snooker it's called steering, not referenced as a good thing.

i wouldn't worry about the elbow drop, that's more of an indication of how hard you're going through the ball. if you're not doing it when shooting with a slower paced stroke, it's not an issue.

to shoot at a comfortable speed is easy, you should vary your speed to get a better indication as to where your flaws hide.

a couple of things to note when you want to get feedback on how you're hitting the ball.

- set up a drill where the OB is in the middle of the table on a line between the two side pockets and place the CB in a straight line through the OB to corner pocket no further than one diamond out from the end rail.

the extra distance CB to pocket will create a smaller margin for error and show any cueing tendencies you wish to correct.

shoot this shot 10 times in a row without missing. then move the CB one diamond inward along the end rail, while setting the OB in line for a straight shot again between the two side pockets.

keep repeating this drill, moving the cueball one diamond at a time until you're left shooting straight down the long rail with the object ball at the side pocket.

if you miss, make note of which side of the pocket you miss from. than have an instructor view your misses to assist you in correcting them. don't guess, it will be the worst thing you can do, you may wind up inadvertently creating another stroke or alignment flaw.

each time you move over the margin of error will be smaller and a greater test on you cueing and alignment ability.

do it left to righ and vice versa,
hand off the end rail, and bridging on the end rail,
cueball near the cushion.....etc.... etc.....

advanced:
perform the drill varying your speed, and ability to control the CB (ie. stop shots, stun through shots of varying distances, draw shots)

this drill can help you immensely to gain cueing consistency.
best of luck!

good luck
 
thefonz said:
good cueing, other than the BHE when you were cutting those rail shots in to your left, i'm from a snooker background so i don't believe in it. in snooker it's called steering, not referenced as a good thing.

i wouldn't worry about the elbow drop, that's more of an indication of how hard you're going through the ball. if you're not doing it when shooting with a slower paced stroke, it's not an issue.

to shoot at a comfortable speed is easy, you should vary your speed to get a better indication as to where your flaws hide.

a couple of things to note when you want to get feedback on how you're hitting the ball.

- set up a drill where the OB is in the middle of the table on a line between the two side pockets and place the CB in a straight line through the OB to corner pocket no further than one diamond out from the end rail.

the extra distance CB to pocket will create a smaller margin for error and show any cueing tendencies you wish to correct.

shoot this shot 10 times in a row without missing. then move the CB one diamond inward along the end rail, while setting the OB in line for a straight shot again between the two side pockets.

keep repeating this drill, moving the cueball one diamond at a time until you're left shooting straight down the long rail with the object ball at the side pocket.

if you miss, make note of which side of the pocket you miss from. than have an instructor view your misses to assist you in correcting them. don't guess, it will be the worst thing you can do, you may wind up inadvertently creating another stroke or alignment flaw.

each time you move over the margin of error will be smaller and a greater test on you cueing and alignment ability.

do it left to righ and vice versa,
hand off the end rail, and bridging on the end rail,
cueball near the cushion.....etc.... etc.....

advanced:
perform the drill varying your speed, and ability to control the CB (ie. stop shots, stun through shots of varying distances, draw shots)

this drill can help you immensely to gain cueing consistency.
best of luck!

good luck
Click to expand...


Can you use the WEI Table and diagram this drill for us?

Mike
 
To thefonz: Yes, could you please post a diagram of the drill you are talking about? It sounded like another language until I drew it out on a piece of paper. I think I have it now, but want to make sure. Also, what is BHE?

@Spider: Thanks for the input! Would you have an idea of a good example of someone to watch to get ideas for a good approach/preshot routine?

Thanks again everybody!

J.
 
bhe

Wheeljack said:
To thefonz: Yes, could you please post a diagram of the drill you are talking about? It sounded like another language until I drew it out on a piece of paper. I think I have it now, but want to make sure. Also, what is BHE?

@Spider: Thanks for the input! Would you have an idea of a good example of someone to watch to get ideas for a good approach/preshot routine?

Thanks again everybody!

J.
Click to expand...

Back Hand English. many people do it, sometimes unknowingly to different degrees. I had asked former World Snooker Champion Cliff Thorburn about it one time, he said that on a professionals inadvertently "swipe" across the ball to some degree from time to time as it seems to be a natural tendency to cue away from the cut angle.

i'll try to get something on a cuetable diagram, i'm pretty clumsy with that thing though.:embarrassed2:
 
Stephen Hendry has a great pre-shot routine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xXs6cJO4HU&feature=related

He's playing quick here, but what he is doing essentially is chalking his cue after every shot, takes a brief moment to consider his next few shots. He stands directly behind the cue ball about a couple feet back from his shooting position, steps in and gets into his stance.

The key points are to stand away from the table when lining yourself up. And always approach the shot from behind and never the side.

Snooker players are great to watch for this because many of them have very obvious preshot routines. A lot of pro pool players are comparatively lackadaisical, or at least it looks that way. Though I like Corey Deuels routine. Mika has a fairly obvious one too. Though they all approach their shots the same way every time.
 
drill

setup pages 1-5:

CueTable Help



you can have the OB along a line at the third diamond as well, but i find it's plenty difficult to go through this whole drill from the fourth, especially if the cueball is set 1/2 diamonds from the back rail (frankly, just to make the ball 10 in a row from this position is tough enough, but feel free to challenge yourself;))
speaking of the cueball, depending on your bridge length, you can vary CB position A slightly to suit a more comfortable position.
 
Last edited:
Jeremy...YOUR pre shot routine is fine. You have no need to copy what somebody else does. That was one of the most important things we worked on. Figure out what you want to do (define it...write it down...train by talking yourself through it, out loud...practice by thinking the same things in the same order), practice it until it's subconscious.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Wheeljack said:
@Spider: Thanks for the input! Would you have an idea of a good example of someone to watch to get ideas for a good approach/preshot routine?

Thanks again everybody!

J.
Click to expand...
 
@Scott: Yeah, I wasn't wanting to watch someone so much to copy them as to be able get an idea of what the poster was saying.

I'm a firm believer in deliberate motions and don't mind working to make MY OWN motions more deliberate, but I'm also a very visual person so I just wanted to get a visual of what Spider was saying.

@Spider: Wow, he is really great. Is he well known?... ;)

@thefonz: Thanks for posting that. I had it drawn right (for once) just wanted to make sure. I'm going to give it a try tonight!

To all: I'm putting all of the tips I've gotten together and I'm going to someone number them in order of importance and start the process of working some of these kinks out!

First real practice will be tonight. I've already decided to concentrate on my approach and straightening my shot out (doing away with the BHE) first. I figure I can work on those two at the same time.

Thanks!
 
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