aiming
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I am starting to think one aiming system doesn't work for all. I have played around with aiming systems and show everyone that would like to know how I aim. An aiming system is good for many reasons, first, it is great knowing a shot is being struck at the proper place, second, it stops a person from being lazy and missing the easy shots. When a person is "in the zone", the aiming system becomes natural "experience" aiming. The lines jump out at this time. When the pressure is on or the shot gets hard, you even see the top pro's walk over on the line or point at the OB... Now, if they don't have an aiming system, what are they doing?
The best thing to do when aiming regardless of the system, don't think of the pot. Once you have the spot to hit, make a straight path with the CB to that point and think only one thing, hit the CB straight! If you think about the pot or how hard it is, good chance you will miss. Once you have the spot, you should be stroking with the same confidence as shooting the CB into the pocket. Basically thats all you are doing only to a smaller pocket. No matter the angle or how hard the shot, you are hitting the CB in a straight line and focus doing so.
Telling your secrets, unless you make your living in pool, it is an obligation to help other players and hope one of us can take it to pro status! If someone asks me a question about pool, I show them exactly what I do. If they get better than me, it wasn't because I showed them how. They are better and just got that way quicker by asking. Nothing wrong with that.
The best thing to do when aiming regardless of the system, don't think of the pot. Once you have the spot to hit, make a straight path with the CB to that point and think only one thing, hit the CB straight! If you think about the pot or how hard it is, good chance you will miss. Once you have the spot, you should be stroking with the same confidence as shooting the CB into the pocket. Basically thats all you are doing only to a smaller pocket. No matter the angle or how hard the shot, you are hitting the CB in a straight line and focus doing so.
Telling your secrets, unless you make your living in pool, it is an obligation to help other players and hope one of us can take it to pro status! If someone asks me a question about pool, I show them exactly what I do. If they get better than me, it wasn't because I showed them how. They are better and just got that way quicker by asking. Nothing wrong with that.
Dave...While I agree 100% in your statement here, once a student has developed an accurate, repeatable stroke, aiming can certainly be taught very effectively. We do it successfully every day. I gave you a gentleman's name in LA to correspond with, regarding some of your questions. You never contacted him (I spoke with him last month, and he had not heard from you).
I've said this 1000 times...if you think you have trouble aiming, it is 10x more likely that you cannot deliver the cue accurately and repeatably! Even at your age, you CAN become a better player...if you choose to. Try me out...I offer a money-back guarantee!
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
I've said this 1000 times...if you think you have trouble aiming, it is 10x more likely that you cannot deliver the cue accurately and repeatably! Even at your age, you CAN become a better player...if you choose to. Try me out...I offer a money-back guarantee!
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Dave Nelson said:
Jim...and BEFORE those 11-21 minutes, you should spend 10-15 minutes practicing stroke development exercises (like the Mother Drills)! Even 'ghost ball' doesn't work well consistently, without an accurate, repeatable stroke.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
av84fun said:
Al Romero has his own visualization system.Patrick Johnson said:
Efren has his own.
None of them have been discussed here.
If you want Al's, he's at Hard Times.
If you want Efren's, take a lesson from Alex the owner of Stix.
Jason Robichaud said:
You may be the last person on the planet to realize this
.Kudos. I think everybody should have this attitude about sharing info, even those who make their living at the game.
Finding the object ball contact point is the easy part. "Making a straight path with the CB to that point" is the part of aiming that everybody has trouble with, and is what all aiming systems are about. The other thing everybody has trouble with is hitting the CB precisely along that straight path (executing the shot).
Aiming and executing are separate but inseparable challenges in shooting, and it's therefore very hard to tell for sure which one you're having trouble with (or how much of each).
pj
chgo
Wish I was in LA to follow that advice. Where's Stix?
pj
chgo
Stix is outside of LA at Rancho Cucamonga.
Learning to Aim
I get the impression that a lot of people on this forum don't relate well to what a newbie is going through. A lot of responses seem like "what do you mean you don't know where to aim, aim so the ball goes in". A good player has to remember the feeling of not making balls to help someone get over this hurdle. That is why not all pro's make good teachers, IMHO.
If someone starts out playing pool without taking lessons or at least reading a book, they might understand the basic geometry of a shot, but there are well-thought out concepts that make it easier to go from knowing basic geometry to building a good picture of successful shots. A newbie can bang balls around for a long time not knowing that this has been thought out so he doesn't have to reinvent the wheel.
Even the best aiming system has its drawbacks. But they give you a place to start each shot calculation from so you can make minor adjustments due to throw, CIH, etc. The half-ball hit, 3/4 ball hit, and 1/4 ball hit are good examples. If you know how a ball reacts to a half-ball hit, etc., it is much easier to judge a cut angle relative to hbh than from straight on. Adjust a little from the "known hbh" for the cut/speed/conditions etc and you will be able to judge the shot and the leave angle much better.
While an aiming system is no magic bullet for someone that already plays well, it helps new players get the feel and experience that everybody talks about.
This sport is a lot like golf. When golfing, do you line your body up to the flagstick or 3 feet to the left of the stick (for right handed players)? If you line your body up with the flagstick, your ball should always end up 3 feet to the right of your ideal line (assuming ideal conditions). Sometimes the obvious doesn't occur to people, you have to point these things out. Same with pool.
I get the impression that a lot of people on this forum don't relate well to what a newbie is going through. A lot of responses seem like "what do you mean you don't know where to aim, aim so the ball goes in". A good player has to remember the feeling of not making balls to help someone get over this hurdle. That is why not all pro's make good teachers, IMHO.
If someone starts out playing pool without taking lessons or at least reading a book, they might understand the basic geometry of a shot, but there are well-thought out concepts that make it easier to go from knowing basic geometry to building a good picture of successful shots. A newbie can bang balls around for a long time not knowing that this has been thought out so he doesn't have to reinvent the wheel.
Even the best aiming system has its drawbacks. But they give you a place to start each shot calculation from so you can make minor adjustments due to throw, CIH, etc. The half-ball hit, 3/4 ball hit, and 1/4 ball hit are good examples. If you know how a ball reacts to a half-ball hit, etc., it is much easier to judge a cut angle relative to hbh than from straight on. Adjust a little from the "known hbh" for the cut/speed/conditions etc and you will be able to judge the shot and the leave angle much better.
While an aiming system is no magic bullet for someone that already plays well, it helps new players get the feel and experience that everybody talks about.
This sport is a lot like golf. When golfing, do you line your body up to the flagstick or 3 feet to the left of the stick (for right handed players)? If you line your body up with the flagstick, your ball should always end up 3 feet to the right of your ideal line (assuming ideal conditions). Sometimes the obvious doesn't occur to people, you have to point these things out. Same with pool.
halhoule said:
Hal
I live in the U.K. and have no chance of calling you.
Can you PM me and explain you aiming system?
I have a system that I can guarantee with absolutely 100% certainy will improve your ball pocket ability. All kinds of shots from all over the table. Ask people on this forum about me. I'm trustworthy. If you send me $1000.00 I will share this secret with you. Unlike Hal Houle, I'm not giving it away for free........
Well, ok....I'll give it away for free. Practice every shot 1000 times each with center ball english. Banks, cuts from various angles, straight-ins. Do this for every pocket on the table for hours per day. This will improve your ball pocketing ability. This will develop your FEEL. Forget techniques, curve, swerve, etc. Practice and get your FEEL down for center ball. After that start practicing with the various englishes. In my opinion, the BEST players are FEEL players. If you do this, and still can't pocket balls then you might have enough natural talent to become a feel player and may be more analytical. At this point, you should get into aiming techniques from a qualified instructor just to get your started. When I took my first lesson from a PRO player the aiming technique portion only improved my knowledge and visual perception of the game. It opened up my mind a bit more to SEE more. Kind of hard to explain. That is MY honest and free opinion. You get what you pay for I guess.
Now....you want to learn to do that and move the cue ball? That is another $1000.
Sorry instructors to let the cat out of the bag on aiming techniques.
You want to learn pool theory once you can pocket balls? (Shot selection, patterns, etc) Contact Blackjack. He has a wealth of knowledge that won't cost you the $1000 I'll charge you, and will improve your gamesmanship immensely.
P.S. Jimmy Reid taught me how to aim w/ english (any english) on his home diamond table. This technique is the stone cold NUTS....and when I'm in stroke I don't play bad. Jimmy personally told me that I shouldn't share this with anyone for less than $500.00 (this was years ago). I've read Hal Houle's aiming system.....and it is nice. Spiderweb.com is going to show me live action the theory behind it someday.....but I've yet to encounter anything that beats the secret Jimmy taught me. This technique works well if you're using a laminated shaft or regular. It doesn't matter....seriously. And when you learn it, you can't believe it is as simple as it is --- but it just isn't something that is typically easy to figure out. I know I sound like I'm gassing it up. Not trying to, it is just an awesome system. Jimmy will teach you - but it's not cheap (and would probably be more than $500 and WORTH it).
Sorry for rambling so long.
Well, ok....I'll give it away for free. Practice every shot 1000 times each with center ball english. Banks, cuts from various angles, straight-ins. Do this for every pocket on the table for hours per day. This will improve your ball pocketing ability. This will develop your FEEL. Forget techniques, curve, swerve, etc. Practice and get your FEEL down for center ball. After that start practicing with the various englishes. In my opinion, the BEST players are FEEL players. If you do this, and still can't pocket balls then you might have enough natural talent to become a feel player and may be more analytical. At this point, you should get into aiming techniques from a qualified instructor just to get your started. When I took my first lesson from a PRO player the aiming technique portion only improved my knowledge and visual perception of the game. It opened up my mind a bit more to SEE more. Kind of hard to explain. That is MY honest and free opinion. You get what you pay for I guess.
Now....you want to learn to do that and move the cue ball? That is another $1000.
Sorry instructors to let the cat out of the bag on aiming techniques.
You want to learn pool theory once you can pocket balls? (Shot selection, patterns, etc) Contact Blackjack. He has a wealth of knowledge that won't cost you the $1000 I'll charge you, and will improve your gamesmanship immensely.
P.S. Jimmy Reid taught me how to aim w/ english (any english) on his home diamond table. This technique is the stone cold NUTS....and when I'm in stroke I don't play bad. Jimmy personally told me that I shouldn't share this with anyone for less than $500.00 (this was years ago). I've read Hal Houle's aiming system.....and it is nice. Spiderweb.com is going to show me live action the theory behind it someday.....but I've yet to encounter anything that beats the secret Jimmy taught me. This technique works well if you're using a laminated shaft or regular. It doesn't matter....seriously. And when you learn it, you can't believe it is as simple as it is --- but it just isn't something that is typically easy to figure out. I know I sound like I'm gassing it up. Not trying to, it is just an awesome system. Jimmy will teach you - but it's not cheap (and would probably be more than $500 and WORTH it).
Sorry for rambling so long.
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Hal's system is really, really strong. Hal pretty much changed my life when I took the time to visit him last July. I've been playing pool for about 15 years, but I've only learned how to play since meeting Hal.
These aiming threads tend to get heated for some reason. I compare Hal's system to some of those Stereogram pictures...ya know, where you see an image out of nowhere by looking past it? You either see it or you don't. Those who don't see it will say it's a joke, those who do would attest to the fact it's one of the strongest foundations in pocketing balls.
I don't think Hal really cares if anyone uses his system, likes his system, or whatnot. He just puts it out there for people to use if they want. My take on it is you can play for a decade and never develop your feel to pocket any ball or you can reduce that time greatly w/ Hal's system. I'm 11 months into it and my ball pocketing is at least 5x greater than it was a year ago...i'm confident that's not an exaggeration. For those who pocket balls really well by feel, etc... perfect. I envy you!
I don't like to pivot from right to left when aiming, it's really awkward feeling for me (just a personal thing). Therefore, I use a hybrid system between Hal's and Ronnie V -- to ensure I always pivot left to right. Stan Shuffet does something very similar.
Hal's center-to-edge system really changed my life with pool.... Thanks Hal
Dave
These aiming threads tend to get heated for some reason. I compare Hal's system to some of those Stereogram pictures...ya know, where you see an image out of nowhere by looking past it? You either see it or you don't. Those who don't see it will say it's a joke, those who do would attest to the fact it's one of the strongest foundations in pocketing balls.
I don't think Hal really cares if anyone uses his system, likes his system, or whatnot. He just puts it out there for people to use if they want. My take on it is you can play for a decade and never develop your feel to pocket any ball or you can reduce that time greatly w/ Hal's system. I'm 11 months into it and my ball pocketing is at least 5x greater than it was a year ago...i'm confident that's not an exaggeration. For those who pocket balls really well by feel, etc... perfect. I envy you!
I don't like to pivot from right to left when aiming, it's really awkward feeling for me (just a personal thing). Therefore, I use a hybrid system between Hal's and Ronnie V -- to ensure I always pivot left to right. Stan Shuffet does something very similar.
Hal's center-to-edge system really changed my life with pool.... Thanks Hal
Dave
I like the ghost cue ball method. That's how I learned. To me it's the basic architecture/physics of pocketing a ball. That's if you are 'just' pocketing THAT ball. Then adding english/draw/follow from there for othere ways of sinking it, and /or position, is where the "feel"/wizardry/knowledge/experience comes in.
It's amazing how many takes on one shot there can be....especially at my APA matches.......
It's amazing how many takes on one shot there can be....especially at my APA matches.......
I'm sure this is true for many players, but not for all.
That's what I mean when I say "for many players, but not for all". I think Hal's systems are very subjective, but if they fill a need for you they're probably invaluable. I suppose this is why Houligans are so enthusiastic about them (they fill that need) and why they're so hard to describe (they're very subjective).
pj
chgo