Not so much an aiming system....

Straightpool_99

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
When I learned to fly cast, the instructor quoted a guy that said to imagine you have a stick with a nail sticking out the front with an apple stuck on it. Your task is to fling that apple as far as you can without having it fall off mid cast or break apart. Really helped getting the "smooth whip" into the cast. I'm not a pro at casting, but never had any trouble reaching where I wanted with decent precision... I sometimes imagine a similar situation with my cue, when I use ghost ball. We all know of the beginners aid that is a cue with a ball mounted to the end.... When I combine these two visualization techniques it really helps get me into the zone. It's something quite easy to do and it helps with both stroke and aiming.

I guess everyone has their own way of visualizing these things. This is mine. I sometimes play entirely without giving aiming a thought, too, but when I'm coming back from a break or I'm struggling, this technique helps a great deal.
 
D

duckie

GregH
Silver Member
When I start missing simple stuff, I’ve come to realize that it occurs when I start thinking about how to do each part the shot instead of visualizing what I want to do with the shot as a whole.

I think of what needs to be done instead of how to do what needs to be done.

I try to visualize the outcome of the shot in my head before doing the shot.

A player needs to know themselves, what works and doesn’t work for them so progress can be made in achieving a high level of consistency.

After a while, pool becomes more about you, then your playing.
 
Last edited:
BC21

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
duckie said:
When I start missing simple stuff, I’ve come to realize that it occurs when I start thinking about how to do each part the shot instead of visualizing what I want to do with the shot as a whole.

I think of what needs to be done instead of how to do what needs to be done.

I try to visualize the outcome of the shot in my head before doing the shot.

A player needs to know themselves, what works and doesn’t work for them so progress can be made in achieving a high level of consistency.

After a while, pool becomes more about you, then your playing.
Click to expand...

Damn great post. :thumbup:

When I find myself playing terrible its usually due to one of two things: Trying too hard by paying too much attention to every little thing I'm doing, rather than just focusing on the whole process of what needs to happen and then just do it. The other cause is pure laziness, rushing through an easy rack while halfassing or abandoning my psr.

The only fix I've found is exactly what you said.... Stop focusing on every little thing and just visualize what needs to happen. Your brain already knows how to make it happen, which means all you have to do is provide it a little input so it can put your mechanics in motion to get the job done. Nothing seems more disastrous than trying too hard at something, trying to consciously control fine motor skill action does not produce favorable results. That's something that needs to occur automatically without really thinking too much about how to do it.
 
marikian

marikian

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is amazing.

First off this should be in the main area of the forums. I came home today after reading this post and just thought about the outcome instead of all the details. I was running out from all over the place. My cue ball was landing right where I wanted it too. :grin:
 
336Robin

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
A great analogy that allows focus on the delivery. Successful Shot making is 50% Aiming and 100% delivery that improves with a little practice.

When I was a kid I had a natural talent for throwing a baseball and if I were to do today what I did then I'd have been on at least a farm league team somewhere with 5 no hitters under my belt in my last two years playing. I had a crazy long windup and delivery that caused me to have to wear pitching toes on both shoes to keep from wearing out my baseball shoes. I had short arms but my style allowed me to leverage enough to throw the ball like a rocket with a curve. When I started the windup it was like the windup itself became the pitch and by the time I let the ball go everything was in place and I was just along for the ride and damn accurate too. I couldn't do all that today the way I used to then, the blessings of youth and innate talent. I like the idea very much.


Straightpool_99 said:
When I learned to fly cast, the instructor quoted a guy that said to imagine you have a stick with a nail sticking out the front with an apple stuck on it. Your task is to fling that apple as far as you can without having it fall off mid cast or break apart. Really helped getting the "smooth whip" into the cast. I'm not a pro at casting, but never had any trouble reaching where I wanted with decent precision... I sometimes imagine a similar situation with my cue, when I use ghost ball. We all know of the beginners aid that is a cue with a ball mounted to the end.... When I combine these two visualization techniques it really helps get me into the zone. It's something quite easy to do and it helps with both stroke and aiming.

I guess everyone has their own way of visualizing these things. This is mine. I sometimes play entirely without giving aiming a thought, too, but when I'm coming back from a break or I'm struggling, this technique helps a great deal.
Click to expand...
 
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