Which foot do you plant first?

I'd recommend moving towards the cue ball, not away.

You want the back foot to be stable so you can move your eyes towards the cue ball and the line of the shot.....it's possible to do it other ways, however, I'd recommend moving towards the cue ball, not away.

Dilbert said:

When the situation allows is, I always plant my left foot parallel to the aim line and let my rear/right foot plant naturally and comfortably.

My problem is consistency and this affects my pre-shot routine. My left foot is consistently relative and parallel to the shotline however my right foot, though it sits comfortably, is not always on the same position relevant to the shotline. I sometimes find my toe touching the line, or the arch of my foot, most of the time it's 45 degrees and sometimes I'm ALMOST square to the shot.

This stance and body alignment works for me compared to the stance I tried before.

So question is, should I set my rear foot first before setting my left foot , just like what CJ Wiley mentioned in one of his blogs, or am I doing it right already?

The stance and pre-shot routine I'm using now is similar to Jayson Shaw, but I can't see where his rear foot placement is though Im sure that his front foot is parallel to the shotline the way his knee is arched.

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Like CJ says, you want to step into the shot and not away from it, if you set your front foot first you are moving away from the shot. I set my right foot (i'm right handed) and step into the shot with my left foot. When you set your back foot first you are always setting your distance from the shot which should be pretty consistent (for me its about 1 cue length from cue ball to my hip before I step in).

I try to keep my back foot and back hand the same as when I am standing straight up allowing my arm to hang down with the cue balanced in my hand. This for me is with the shot line going across the middle of my foot. I picked this up in a book somewhere along the way.

If you bend over into the shot like that, bending at the waist and elbow, the shot line will still be over the same place on your back foot, even with varying positions of your front foot. Based on that, I would do as CJ says and plant the back foot first, where you think it belongs on the shot line, then the front foot.

Careyp74 said:

I try to keep my back foot and back hand the same as when I am standing straight up allowing my arm to hang down with the cue balanced in my hand. This for me is with the shot line going across the middle of my foot. I picked this up in a book somewhere along the way.

If you bend over into the shot like that, bending at the waist and elbow, the shot line will still be over the same place on your back foot, even with varying positions of your front foot. Based on that, I would do as CJ says and plant the back foot first, where you think it belongs on the shot line, then the front foot.

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This is what I spent months practicing several years ago. I would setup a shot, line up my cue and try to get down on the shot without moving the cue. If I didn't move the cue while stepping into the shot, I could 1 stroke the shot and know that it would go in. This trains you to have your body in line before you step into the shot THEN stepping into the shot while staying in the line of the shot.

If you imagine an invisible barrier around the table, that say sticks out 4-5ft. This barrier should not be entered until you are ready to get down on the shot. All the thinking, aiming, chalking etc should be done outside this barrier to give you the clearest view. The eyes should then lead you inside this barrier. Starting with stepping inside with your back foot. Always try and plant this foot in relation to line the CB must take. For example, if your back foot is at 45 degrees to the line the CB must take and it gives you the ability to stroke clear of the hips and keep your back hand on the line, then always have the back foot at 45 degrees to the line the CB must take. Next you step forward with the front foot. Again this should be in the same relation to both the back foot and line of the CB. Next its a matter of bending at the hips to get your vision centre onto the line the CB must take. Hopefully everything will be aligned and you can stroke along the line.

No matter what, always try and position the feet and body in the same position relative to the line the CB must take. This way you know what is going wrong and its easier to sort out. Otherwise its just a guessing game of did I miss because my back foot was out of position or did I aim wrong.

Notice also that at no point above did I mention moving backwards? Always have your motion moving towards the CB and table. If you do it in one fluent motion your subconscious makes the necessary adjustments needed to pocket the ball.

The style I was taught, you're stepping into a stance. So, back foot first.

Pidge said:

If you imagine an invisible barrier around the table, that say sticks out 4-5ft. This barrier should not be entered until you are ready to get down on the shot. All the thinking, aiming, chalking etc should be done outside this barrier to give you the clearest view. The eyes should then lead you inside this barrier. Starting with stepping inside with your back foot. Always try and plant this foot in relation to line the CB must take. For example, if your back foot is at 45 degrees to the line the CB must take and it gives you the ability to stroke clear of the hips and keep your back hand on the line, then always have the back foot at 45 degrees to the line the CB must take. Next you step forward with the front foot. Again this should be in the same relation to both the back foot and line of the CB. Next its a matter of bending at the hips to get your vision centre onto the line the CB must take. Hopefully everything will be aligned and you can stroke along the line.

No matter what, always try and position the feet and body in the same position relative to the line the CB must take. This way you know what is going wrong and its easier to sort out. Otherwise its just a guessing game of did I miss because my back foot was out of position or did I aim wrong.

Notice also that at no point above did I mention moving backwards? Always have your motion moving towards the CB and table. If you do it in one fluent motion your subconscious makes the necessary adjustments needed to pocket the ball.

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Can you clarify a bit on what you mean by the back foot being 45 degrees to the line the cb will take? Are you saying the back foot should be off the line or on the line angled at 45 degrees?

I haven't seen your answers before in the ask the instructors forum. How long have you been teaching pool?

ctyhntr said:

The style I was taught, you're stepping into a stance. So, back foot first.

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This is what I was taught too.

FranCrimi said:

Can you clarify a bit on what you mean by the back foot being 45 degrees to the line the cb will take? Are you saying the back foot should be off the line or on the line angled at 45 degrees?

I haven't seen your answers before in the ask the instructors forum. How long have you been teaching pool?

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I don't know what his response will be, but mine is, your foot will probably be somewhere on the line, unless you are heavier. Where exactly will be determined by your body structure.

One thing that might help you, that I mentioned either in this thread or another, is to stand up straight and let your back hand hang down holding the cue balanced. Do this a foot or two away from the pool table. Just let it dangle freely, and notice the angle and position it rests at in relation to your back foot. To be more exact, after the cue is freely dangling and at rest, move your forward foot so that it is parallel to the cue, and you are in a comfortable position. Where the cue points should be the shot line, and where your back foot is under the cue should be where you place that foot in relation to the shot line.

Now bend over, move your front foot forward, (still parallel to the cue) place your bridge hand under the shaft, and bend your back elbow, all at the same time. (get down on the shot) Is the cue still at the same position over your back foot? If so, no tweaking should be necessary, if not, something might be a little off on your first couple of steps.

When you go to a shot, it is the reverse of everything we just did. Move your body with the cue in your hand until the cue is on the shot line (you will be rotating as well as moving side to side) Then place your back foot where it should go under the cue. Next, step forward while getting down on the shot.

Distance away from the shot is another consideration that someone else covered nicely, so I won't get into that again.

This is a fundamental that should at some point be ingrained into memory so that you don't have to do the steps each time.

Careyp74 said:

One thing that might help you, that I mentioned either in this thread or another, is to stand up straight and let your back hand hang down holding the cue balanced. Do this a foot or two away from the pool table. Just let it dangle freely, and notice the angle and position it rests at in relation to your back foot. To be more exact, after the cue is freely dangling and at rest, move your forward foot so that it is parallel to the cue, and you are in a comfortable position. Where the cue points should be the shot line, and where your back foot is under the cue should be where you place that foot in relation to the shot line.

Now bend over, move your front foot forward, (still parallel to the cue) place your bridge hand under the shaft, and bend your back elbow, all at the same time. (get down on the shot) Is the cue still at the same position over your back foot? If so, no tweaking should be necessary, if not, something might be a little off on your first couple of steps.

.

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I gave this a try, but once I bend down for the shot everything feels real awkward and uncomfortable. Maybe it' just me. Standing up, both feet point straight ahead. Bent down, I cannot keep that foot angle.

ronscuba said:

I gave this a try, but once I bend down for the shot everything feels real awkward and uncomfortable. Maybe it' just me. Standing up, both feet point straight ahead. Bent down, I cannot keep that foot angle.

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Both feet shouldn't be pointing straight ahead. Initially, while standing straight up with the cue in your hand, the natural angle of your arm should put the cue at around a 45 degree angle over your back foot. The front foot should be parallel to the cue.

Careyp74 said:

Both feet shouldn't be pointing straight ahead. Initially, while standing straight up with the cue in your hand, the natural angle of your arm should put the cue at around a 45 degree angle over your back foot. The front foot should be parallel to the cue.

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My cue points straight ahead as do my feet. Maybe the natural angle of my arm and feet is different.

FranCrimi said:

Can you clarify a bit on what you mean by the back foot being 45 degrees to the line the cb will take? Are you saying the back foot should be off the line or on the line angled at 45 degrees?

I haven't seen your answers before in the ask the instructors forum. How long have you been teaching pool?

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I'm saying the foot should be in the same position ALL the time compared to the line the CB will take. Some players may have the heel on the line, some will have the ankle and others may have the toes. And some, but few, will have the back foot either side of the shot line. Either way, I think its extremely important to find what part of the foot you need on the shot line, and always have it angled the same, whether its 45 degrees, straight along the line or 90 degrees to the line.

Generally cross dominant players have the heel on the line, same side dominant players have the toes, and those with no dominant side have the ankle on the line. There are exceptions, and some world class exceptions at that.

I've never taken payment for giving my advice. So I'm not an instructor. Sorry if you found offence in a non instructor posting in here, but I had something to say that I felt would help the op so I'm not going to not offer the advise because I'm not an instructor.

Pidge said:

I'm saying the foot should be in the same position ALL the time compared to the line the CB will take. Some players may have the heel on the line, some will have the ankle and others may have the toes. And some, but few, will have the back foot either side of the shot line. Either way, I think its extremely important to find what part of the foot you need on the shot line, and always have it angled the same, whether its 45 degrees, straight along the line or 90 degrees to the line.

Generally cross dominant players have the heel on the line, same side dominant players have the toes, and those with no dominant side have the ankle on the line. There are exceptions, and some world class exceptions at that.

I've never taken payment for giving my advice. So I'm not an instructor. Sorry if you found offence in a non instructor posting in here, but I had something to say that I felt would help the op so I'm not going to not offer the advise because I'm not an instructor.

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I don't know if everyone would agree with what you have posted, but I think it's really good stuff.

I've experimented on and off with a snooker stance, and always kept running into one problem. With the cue against my chest, on my backswings, it would always pull to the right.

Well after reading your post I found out it was because I had my heel on the shot line. So I tested out different parts of my foot. Eventually finding that by having my toes on the line at about 45 degrees, I could glide the cue along the side of my chest straight without any friction or sideways movement.

I can't say a full on snooker stance is best for every pool player, but I can say that anyone struggling with their stroke should at least attempt using their chest as a contact point for the cue. If you do it right, it's practically impossible to steer. Of course that doesn't mean you can't stroke straight without your chest.

Thanks Pidge.

BeiberLvr said:

I don't know if everyone would agree with what you have posted, but I think it's really good stuff.

I've experimented on and off with a snooker stance, and always kept running into one problem. With the cue against my chest, on my backswings, it would always pull to the right.

Well after reading your post I found out it was because I had my heel on the shot line. So I tested out different parts of my foot. Eventually finding that by having my toes on the line at about 45 degrees, I could glide the cue along the side of my chest straight without any friction or sideways movement.

I can't say a full on snooker stance is best for every pool player, but I can say that anyone struggling with their stroke should at least attempt using their chest as a contact point for the cue. If you do it right, it's practically impossible to steer. Of course that doesn't mean you can't stroke straight without your chest.

Thanks Pidge.

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The chest can be a hindrance to some. Especially those of a bigger build, it can simply just get in the way. But for those of an average build, there is always a stance and a way of aligning that can have the cue on the chest for stability. Sometimes it just takes minor tweaks like you've found out.

Cheers for the kind words, and all the best

Pidge said:

I'm saying the foot should be in the same position ALL the time compared to the line the CB will take. Some players may have the heel on the line, some will have the ankle and others may have the toes. And some, but few, will have the back foot either side of the shot line. Either way, I think its extremely important to find what part of the foot you need on the shot line, and always have it angled the same, whether its 45 degrees, straight along the line or 90 degrees to the line.

Generally cross dominant players have the heel on the line, same side dominant players have the toes, and those with no dominant side have the ankle on the line. There are exceptions, and some world class exceptions at that.

I've never taken payment for giving my advice. So I'm not an instructor. Sorry if you found offence in a non instructor posting in here, but I had something to say that I felt would help the op so I'm not going to not offer the advise because I'm not an instructor.

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You specifically wrote 45 degrees and I was wondering what you meant by that specific number. Now you are saying that it doesn't matter what the angle is as long as it's consistent.

Instructors have a unique situation where they have worked with many students of the game and have come across many different problems and issues. People who offer advice but don't teach certainly have something to offer but they are missing that element of experience with many different types of players.

That's what makes this forum so different from the main forum.

FranCrimi said:

You specifically wrote 45 degrees and I was wondering what you meant by that specific number. Now you are saying that it doesn't matter what the angle is as long as it's consistent.

Instructors have a unique situation where they have worked with many students of the game and have come across many different problems and issues. People who offer advice but don't teach certainly have something to offer but they are missing that element of experience with many different types of players.

That's what makes this forum so different from the main forum.

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I said for example. Such as, for example, if the foot is 45 degrees to the shot line with your toes on the shot line and you can cue straight with clearance of the hips then you should strive to have the foot planted exactly the same way for every shot you can easily reach and get down on.

Personally, I have my foot pointing directly down the shot line, but others, such as Steve Davis have it roughly 45 degrees and others in pool have it at 90 degrees. It doesn't matter how you place your foot, as long as you can cue straight and it aids stability. Once you find a way to do this, then repeat it as much as you can for every shot you can.

Here is a picture of my cue where it lies over my foot while standing up straight.



I experimented with postures trying to get my cue parallel to my feet. The only time this happens is when my shoulders are back. This isn't a good posture for shooting. You should relax the shoulders a bit more.

.the back foot is the first part of a stable foundation.

Yes, when someone starts stepping away from the target they are heading for balance issues.....the back foot is the first part of a stable foundation.

ctyhntr said:

The style I was taught, you're stepping into a stance. So, back foot first.

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