Using Center Ball Only To Snap Out of a Slump

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ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've tried everything to try get out of the current slump I've been in, without any success. Last night, I committed to stick to using only center ball for my entire 3+ hour practice session. High and low is fine, but I must stay on the center of the cue ball - absolutely no left or right spin allowed.

In my thinking, the advantage of this is all I need to think about now is a straight back and straight through stroke and trusting my years of experience to know how to correctly aim and pocket all various angle shots. I no longer have to clutter my mind thinking about how to adjust my aim for deflection, swerve, throw, speed and all the factors that must be considered and applied accurately, anytime you are using any amount of left or right spin on the cue ball.

So far so good, as I had a nice session, and seemed to feel more confident in my shotmaking. I realize it will be tough to do this in a match situation, when shots come up where spin is absolutely needed to get the cue ball where you want it to go. My thinking is in trying to leave the angles I need that will allow me to get the necessary positioning without having to use spin.

Yes, of course I plan to go back to using spin again eventually, but for now I'm just trying to regain confidence back in my shotmaking. Does this make any sense and has this worked for any of you who are trying to get yourself out of a slump?
 
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TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
Does this make any sense and has this worked for any of you who are trying to get yourself out of a slump?
Click to expand...

No doubt about it. How often do we miss shots because we're trying to spin the ball too much? This way you can concentrate on pocketing balls, patterns and natural angles. I use spin on most shots, but rarely is it more than a half tip out and it's mainly to stay in line. My thinking is if a player has to use a lot of English often, or for that matter, power shots, they are using that as a crutch for missed position and sloppy pattern play.

Practice your way out of a slump, but also think your way out. Give each shot your complete focus. Take it slow, give the shot a good standing look before shooting it. Show respect for every shot. There are no gimme's in pool.
 
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td873

td873

C is for Cookie
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
Does this make any sense and has this worked for any of you who are trying to get yourself out of a slump?
Click to expand...
Anything you can do to remove variables is great. Using only center is a good idea. Also try to use the same stroke speed and control the cue ball with tip offset. That removes another variable as well.

One key thing you can also do is to set up your phone/camera and video yourself for 10 minutes or so shooting relatively hard shots. Things that require some power (like table length stops/draw shots, or something like that). Then analyze your video critically. Or have someone else do it.

IMO, the biggest reason folks have slumps is a stroke deficiency that they don't know about. Bad alignment, rolling wrist, increasing grip pressure, stance wrong (high/low/left/right, too close, too far), etc. Video will pick those things up.

We all have HD video in our pockets these days. Use it!

-td

[note: when I video myself/others, I make sure to get head on, behind and 90 degree views. Sometimes slow-mo helps as well]
 
ibuycues

ibuycues

I Love Box Cues
Silver Member
As a couple of very good shooters commented, I agree, and have occasionally reverted to center ball only,
particularly if I am coming back from a period of not shooting.
It allows the shooter to concentrate better on making the shot, kinda like not trying to do too much at once.
Once the stroke has gotten better back in line, let it all out a bit more.
It seems like we have spent years learning how to make the difficult shots, then we spend the rest of our lives
learning how to make the easy ones. They actually are a real culprit, and fall victim to less than full concentration,
particularly as we get older.
Addressing the shot properly, and concentration are real keys to success.

Will Prout
 
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strmanglr scott

strmanglr scott

All about Focus
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
I've tried everything to try get out of the current slump I've been in, without any success. Last night, I committed to stick to using only center ball for my entire 3+ hour practice session. High and low is fine, but I must stay on the center of the cue ball - absolutely no left or right spin allowed.

In my thinking, the advantage of this is all I need to think about now is a straight back and straight through stroke and trusting my years of experience to know how to correctly aim and pocket all various angle shots. I no longer have to clutter my mind thinking about how to adjust my aim for deflection, swerve, throw, speed and all the factors that must be considered and applied accurately, anytime you are using any amount of left or right spin on the cue ball.

So far so good, as I had a nice session, and seemed to feel more confident in my shotmaking. I realize it will be tough to do this in a match situation, when shots come up where spin is absolutely needed to get the cue ball where you want it to go. My thinking is in trying to leave the angles I need that will allow me to get the necessary positioning without having to use spin.

Yes, of course I plan to go back to using spin again eventually, but for now I'm just trying to regain confidence back in my shotmaking. Does this make any sense and has this worked for any of you who are trying to get yourself out of a slump?
Click to expand...

If you're thinking about all those variables when using English, I would suggest you never use English again. That adjustment in aim when using english should come practically automatic.

I imagine you found some Tor Lowry videos talking about dropping the use of English?

It's great advice imo. I've been working his drill of running a set number of balls in order and calling all the pockets before starting. Goes to your thoughts of being in positions where English isn't necessary.

I think there's a decent amount of players who use more English than they really need. Friend told me, you should never need to do more than one cue tip off center for english. I've practiced that and a lot can be done with staying within that parameter.
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
Something similar...

I tend to get too comfortable just dropping into the shot with whatever side spin and squirt adjustment are needed. Over time all cue positions start to look like all the others and center ball is just another one - making it a less helpful "anchor" in the aiming estimation process.

To combat this tendency I periodically (once a week?) revert to aiming every shot with center ball and "manually" adding side spin plus the adjustment for squirt. That refreshes my feel for both the side spin and adjustments needed and exactly how they compare with center ball alignment - and also reminds me to keep the amount of side spin I use to the minimum needed.

pj
chgo
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
Angles and planning

When we quit using a lot of spin to move the cue ball around we are left with angles and better pattern play. Angles involves slightly modifying where the cue ball wants to go anyway. A much more powerful tool than extreme side spin.

Particularly in bar table play, I used to use extreme side once or twice a night because I needed to. I might use it on an empty table just for grins to run down to a tap in but I didn't need to.

For me the major rule concerning extreme side spin is to never combine it with a hard ball to pocket. Comes from pattern play and planning runs carefully. When seeing the entire inning before the first shot, any shot with a lot of any spin including draw and follow should be obvious. If that is in the plan, the cue ball should be within two feet or less of the object ball.

Keeping things simple leads to better pool, especially when our eyes aren't what they once were.

Hu
 
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
strmanglr scott said:
If you're thinking about all those variables when using English, I would suggest you never use English again. That adjustment in aim when using english should come practically automatic.

I imagine you found some Tor Lowry videos talking about dropping the use of English?

It's great advice imo. I've been working his drill of running a set number of balls in order and calling all the pockets before starting. Goes to your thoughts of being in positions where English isn't necessary.

I think there's a decent amount of players who use more English than they really need. Friend told me, you should never need to do more than one cue tip off center for english. I've practiced that and a lot can be done with staying within that parameter.
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As far as spinning the ball, I’ve played 50+ years and it does come automatic, until you start missing, then you start overthinking everything.
 
markjames

markjames

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Finding center ball

Got a new tip last year and it looked so beautiful i decided to
Shoot a while before using any chalk.

I practice about 4 hours a night, three nights a week.

I never used chalk on the tip that night,
And i shot for a month before giving in.

What an eye opener! Not only did i use no chalk,
The tip had never had any.

Friends thought i was crazy, and when i had a match
I would use a house cue. But what a relief! Never chalking!
 
strmanglr scott

strmanglr scott

All about Focus
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
As far as spinning the ball, I’ve played 50+ years and it does come automatic, until you start missing, then you start overthinking everything.
Click to expand...

Didn't mean any disrespect by that, I dont know your game.

Yeah, I've done that. I try not to think too much on it. I stop playing games and start to practice going from center out.

I was having issues with english last fall in my league. I have worked on it before too.

What I find when I start missing shots w English, especially longer shots, I'm using a different power/speed on the CB. Could be either way, too much or too soft.

The second thing I find myself doing, not as much as the power thing, I'm exaggerating the English and it only takes a little bit.

When the two get combined, it's a mess. I think to myself, the pocket isn't even close to there.
 
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
strmanglr scott said:
Didn't mean any disrespect by that, I dont know your game.

Yeah, I've done that. I try not to think too much on it. I stop playing games and start to practice going from center out.

I was having issues with english last fall in my league. I have worked on it before too.

What I find when I start missing shots w English, especially longer shots, I'm using a different power/speed on the CB. Could be either way, too much or too soft.

The second thing I find myself doing, not as much as the power thing, I'm exaggerating the English and it only takes a little bit.

When the two get combined, it's a mess. I think to myself, the pocket isn't even close to there.
Click to expand...
No problem, I am open to any advice I can get that might have worked for someone else. I have tried almost everything I can think of, but no spin is something I can’t remember having tried recently, so maybe it will help myself, or anyone else on here who reads this thread, who might need some help pulling out of a slump. - thanks
 
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C

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
When I get into some slump two thing work, taking a breather, and returning fresh in a few days. Or going back to basic stroke building drills.

Bade Ruth was the home run king, but he also struck out a lot.
 
strmanglr scott

strmanglr scott

All about Focus
Silver Member
It's another paradigm of thought I don't believe in, is slumps.

To me I either have the focus or I'm lacking it at that time. I can recognize when I don't.

I used to work 5 days in a row at a job and got out of work at 5-6pm last day. Not a long hour work week, about 40. The last 3 days though we're tiring, 35 hours in those days and walked about 25-40 miles.

A bar had free pool that last night I worked. I'd go down and want to play and did. For about 45 minutes, until I realized I couldn't focus, I was too tired.

The next day I had the day off and slept in a bit. No walking. After lunch I'd go to the pool hall and play. The difference in play from the night before, was just that, night and day.

Now that I have a table at home, over the years I see the same thing.

Focus and stamina of focus is one of my main things I work on.
 
DynoDan

DynoDan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
‘Center ball’ can work fine most of the time when the balls are clean/polished. But, in a long session where they become progressively stickier, adjusting the contact point for cut shots can likely be more confusing than merely applying a bit of outside english (?), assuming your cue is LD and the shot speed is moderate.
 
TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
The reason why I like center ball practice is because it teaches you how to aim purely again, instead of spinning the ball into the hole. I don't practice full racks with center ball, I just practice certain shots. Long shots on the rail, spot shots, distance cut shots. Backward cut shots (like on a money ball). It helps in real games when the pressure is on.

Usually when I'm not playing well, there are two main culprits:

) I'm not planning well

2) I'm rushing the shot.

Both of these can be from nerves, but it can also be from being tired or feeling apathetic. Think clearly, be patient, and practice ...a lot. That's the best advice I can give. If you don't want to be sitting in the chair a lot, give each shot it's proper due. Oh yeah, and when you can't seem to right the ship, master the safety game. You will have a whole new outlook and gain a lot of confidence if you do.
 
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Tennesseejoe

Tennesseejoe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Chris, try this method for an hour. It will help you find out where your problem is.

Put an object ball a few inches past the side pocket and one inch off of the rail. Then put the cue ball on the head string also one inch off the rail. With the cue ball, using a stop shot, shoot the object ball straight in corner pocket. This will show if you are missing consistently on one side or the other. The problem is either in your aim or your stroke. Now use different speeds to see if that is the problem. Do this until you are proficient.

The next step is to try one type of English on this shot, such as a little low/right. You should be able to make the shot and leave the cue ball spinning in place. Do this until you are proficient. Now practice with another combination of English. Good luck.
 
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