A long comment on "aiming systems" ...
- Thread starter Grilled Cheese
- Start date
Those 2 1/2 hours I played last night in some tough games were not easy. I think this is another reason people start missing, they are not in shape. They fade fast after a few games, and can't hang long term. Stamina its called.
If you never shot pool until your shoulders started hurting, your grip hand started crapping, your knees felt weak, you never pushed yourself hard enough. I can out last players quite younger than me because I have pushed myself, my body in practice more than what was needed in normal play.
This level of training and practicing is what is really missing in most plays pool playing. It takes commitment, a desire, a passion to go for a high level of training and practice in order to really get to the top of their game.
No one wants to push themselves anymore and with handicapping systems, why should they.
Oh the cue doesn't do the work, the person using the cue does the work. It like saying its the wrench the loosens the bolt.
its just funny how the we talk about aiming and then all of the sudden, cue ball control comes up or stroke or this or that! why is this? this is like having a discussion with the wife at the end of every discussion i hear "well i clean the house" no matter what we are talking about
It's funny how you can't inter-relate the three.
Why does every person have to be wrong about every thing - all the time? *sigh* I hate seeing threads like this.
The OP's point is that an aiming system is a TOOL, not a way of life. I agree that some people take it too far, but I also think that each system has it's own merits.
I was recently introduced to CTE (after casually reading about it for the last year, but never really fully studying it) and while it certainly allowed me to slice in some damn nice shots, I couldn't play position for anything because it didn't account for english - which is strictly a "know your cue, get a feel" type of adjustment.
But, the point I've seen raised a few times this week is that, knowing how to aim is one thing, but getting the cue delivered on the correct path is something else. Can anyone argue against that? Is anyone here saying that cuing is less important than aiming?
I am no expert on anything, and my time in the game is less than most, but seems to me that all of these things, these aiming systems, these fundamental systems etc, are all *tools* we can use to better our own game.
The OP's point is that an aiming system is a TOOL, not a way of life. I agree that some people take it too far, but I also think that each system has it's own merits.
I was recently introduced to CTE (after casually reading about it for the last year, but never really fully studying it) and while it certainly allowed me to slice in some damn nice shots, I couldn't play position for anything because it didn't account for english - which is strictly a "know your cue, get a feel" type of adjustment.
But, the point I've seen raised a few times this week is that, knowing how to aim is one thing, but getting the cue delivered on the correct path is something else. Can anyone argue against that? Is anyone here saying that cuing is less important than aiming?
I am no expert on anything, and my time in the game is less than most, but seems to me that all of these things, these aiming systems, these fundamental systems etc, are all *tools* we can use to better our own game.
Huh??? I said your opinions were just as valuable as anyones. All I ask from anyone on this forum is to not call someone's opinion "wrong", but rather say that you simply disagree with them.
I don't really see anything in my post that was "against your opinion" as you say. I was merely asking/pleading for a little restraint between the two sides in the "aiming system" debates so that the thread doesn't get bogged-down with silly, name-calling arguments not worthy of an elementary school playground.
Maniac (should've known better than to post in an aiming vs. fundamental thread)
Thank you for the very interesting read. I'm not going to expand on aiming wars as they have been explored ad nauseam. But, I don't necessarily agree with Truth #1. A book that has been mentioned before on the forums "Talent is Overrated" would dispute your claim. The real "Talent" is the overwhelming desire to do what it takes such as time (10,000 hours) and deliberate practice to reach that upper tier of players. Most won't or can't make the commitment it takes reach that level. Read the book and see if it changes the way you look at the talent issue. It did with me.
I've come to believe in my 6 years on this forum that there are those that will/can argue about ANYTHING just for the sake of arguing :sorry:!!!
Maniac
P.S. stljohnny, thanks for you opinions!!!
TheThaiger
Banned
Being able to hit the white ball good is a better asset than being able to hit the object ball good.
It was a fine attempt. Sadly, doomed to be ignored, but a thought that should be expressed here more frequently.
Thanks for trying. The playground stuff does get old at times...
The problem is, according to some of the zealots on this forum it is the single most important aspect of playing great pool and adopting “their” method is the only path to pro level.
The fact is the aiming part of the equation is a very minor one, snooker players don’t even consider it much and the level of accuracy over distance they achieve would put most pool players to shame.
The reasons for not pocketing a ball (that is all were talking about here right?) for me any way is almost never an aiming issue, usually it’s eye off the ball, body movement or poor cueing.
On the days that my mechanics are working well I play well.
Playing winning pool involves so much more, mental strength, cue ball control, strategy, safety, breaking, kicking etc, aiming is such a small part of this it’s amazing it is getting so much attention, but hey there are lots of equipment junkies out there thinking if I only knew how to aim I could be a world beater.
Spend more time on the other aspects of the game, simplifying and refining your mechanics and you will get a much better return on investment.
Chicken Little and the sky is falling.
My $.02 on threads about aiming systems:
I think the naysayers have come to an incorrect conclusion about what the yeasayers believe. Grill Cheese and a few of the naysayers THINK that the yeasayers want everyone else to believe that their aiming system is going to or can make you a great player. I don't know one aiming system advocate who believes that.
Another incorrect conclusion by naysayers is that aiming systems advocates believe that the long, hard practice is not necessary just as long as you have an aiming system. I don't know of one aiming system advocate who believes that.
Another incorrect conclusion by naysayers is that aiming system advocates believe that they don't need feel or experiences just as long as they have their aiming system. I don't know of one aiming system advocate who believes that.
Another incorrect conclusion by naysayers is that anyone can learn how to aim well just by hitting lots of balls. That simply isn't true for everyone.
Just read the responses from people who have played pool their entire life yet they get an aiming system lesson from Geno or Stan and now they are "seeing" the shot better than they have in their entire lives. Do you really think these people are lying or that they haven't really improved their aiming by learning an aiming system?
I find it particularly funny that the naysayers want to bring up all of these points, yet none of them are valid.
Another funny thing I find is that aiming system advocates don't doubt for a minute that hitting a million balls is a good thing but some of the naysayers think the sky is falling if someone uses an aiming system.
Grill Cheese, other than these minor mentions, you made some excellent points. I doubt that many on this forum practice harder or more often than I do and the chances of me becoming a pro are about the same chances a snow ball has of lasting a week on the sidewalk in Louisiana on a summer day.
And I put in a lot more time on other fundamentals than I do practice aiming. :wink:
Naysayers, it's just another aiming system, chill. (They aren't trying to make YOU drink the kool-aid)
My $.02 on threads about aiming systems:
I think the naysayers have come to an incorrect conclusion about what the yeasayers believe. Grill Cheese and a few of the naysayers THINK that the yeasayers want everyone else to believe that their aiming system is going to or can make you a great player. I don't know one aiming system advocate who believes that.
Another incorrect conclusion by naysayers is that aiming systems advocates believe that the long, hard practice is not necessary just as long as you have an aiming system. I don't know of one aiming system advocate who believes that.
Another incorrect conclusion by naysayers is that aiming system advocates believe that they don't need feel or experiences just as long as they have their aiming system. I don't know of one aiming system advocate who believes that.
Another incorrect conclusion by naysayers is that anyone can learn how to aim well just by hitting lots of balls. That simply isn't true for everyone.
Just read the responses from people who have played pool their entire life yet they get an aiming system lesson from Geno or Stan and now they are "seeing" the shot better than they have in their entire lives. Do you really think these people are lying or that they haven't really improved their aiming by learning an aiming system?
I find it particularly funny that the naysayers want to bring up all of these points, yet none of them are valid.
Another funny thing I find is that aiming system advocates don't doubt for a minute that hitting a million balls is a good thing but some of the naysayers think the sky is falling if someone uses an aiming system.
Grill Cheese, other than these minor mentions, you made some excellent points. I doubt that many on this forum practice harder or more often than I do and the chances of me becoming a pro are about the same chances a snow ball has of lasting a week on the sidewalk in Louisiana on a summer day.
And I put in a lot more time on other fundamentals than I do practice aiming. :wink:Naysayers, it's just another aiming system, chill.
(They aren't trying to make YOU drink the kool-aid)
The original post is one of the best ever on AZ Billiards. Agree or disagree as you will --- just give credit for a great composition.
By the way, it sure makes a lot of sense.
By the way, it sure makes a lot of sense.
And of course, the aiming advocates can't help themselves, and come into the "naysayer" originated thread chiming in and criticizing the OP.
The exact same thing they criticize as being done to them, when all they ever wanted in life is to be able to discuss aiming in a peaceful uninterrupted manner.
But apparently, it is PERFECTLY OK, for the aiming proponents to chime into an aiming discussion thread that downplays the importance of aiming systems and focuses on other aspects of pool.
The word hypocrite comes to mind.
The exact same thing they criticize as being done to them, when all they ever wanted in life is to be able to discuss aiming in a peaceful uninterrupted manner.
But apparently, it is PERFECTLY OK, for the aiming proponents to chime into an aiming discussion thread that downplays the importance of aiming systems and focuses on other aspects of pool.
The word hypocrite comes to mind.
Last edited:
Preperation for a shot is done through our eyes!
You must develop a delivery system first, this is
called fundamentals! If you have a consistant
delivery the only way you can miss is your aim!
If your delivery is wrong and you miss, you will
never know whether it was your stroke or your aim!
If you know your fundamentals are correct, then
you learn something about your aim!!
You must develop a delivery system first, this is
called fundamentals! If you have a consistant
delivery the only way you can miss is your aim!
If your delivery is wrong and you miss, you will
never know whether it was your stroke or your aim!
If you know your fundamentals are correct, then
you learn something about your aim!!