Alignment or aim?
- Thread starter Kress77
- Start date
L.S. Dennis
Well-known member
Dr Dave has a good video on just this where he set cue ball and object equidistant from each other and diagonal from two corner pockets. Shooting this several times will tell you if you're aiming and shooting in a straight line.
I air shoot. You can see immediately if the stick/stroke is on or off.
But then we have so many different options for ways to align/stand and ways to aim. The question is which is best for any given player? What one has been using and doing for years that's most comfortable and ingrained might not be optimal.
dquarasr
Registered
Set up a straight shot: OB against the short rail at the far end, exactly adjacent to the first diamond.
Set up the CB at the other end of the table, exactly on the line connecting the first diamond on the far short rail to the first diamond on the other short rail. This must be done very precisely for this to work. Get down on a shot intended to hit the OB flush such that the CB rebounds exactly in a straight line away from the OB. If the CB goes to either side, you did not hit it flush. (Even better if you are allowed to put down those reinforcement dots so it is repeatable.)
To check your alignment or aim, get down on the shot. Without moving, look down at your cue. It should be EXACTLY covering the diamond where you are standing, centered directly over the diamond. Hopefully this can tell you if you are aligned properly. Yes, it might still be aim, but this "drill", stepping into this shot, might be able to help correct any problems.
Another way is to set up a video facing directly at the camera (or phone). You can then see whether the cue is lined up.
Set up the CB at the other end of the table, exactly on the line connecting the first diamond on the far short rail to the first diamond on the other short rail. This must be done very precisely for this to work. Get down on a shot intended to hit the OB flush such that the CB rebounds exactly in a straight line away from the OB. If the CB goes to either side, you did not hit it flush. (Even better if you are allowed to put down those reinforcement dots so it is repeatable.)
To check your alignment or aim, get down on the shot. Without moving, look down at your cue. It should be EXACTLY covering the diamond where you are standing, centered directly over the diamond. Hopefully this can tell you if you are aligned properly. Yes, it might still be aim, but this "drill", stepping into this shot, might be able to help correct any problems.
Another way is to set up a video facing directly at the camera (or phone). You can then see whether the cue is lined up.
I don't understand the question. Alignment and aim are the same thing (IMO). Do you mean how to tell "if your aim is off" vs "is your stroke crooked", causing a missed shot?
Aim is do you estimate cut right vs Aligment is your stance and head position right. IMO
If you can say why you miss 50% of time you are very good and probably will still improve. I estimate my misses are 50% misjudging angle, 25% bad aim and 25% poor stroke/aligment. AND 80% all of those mistakes come because my focus suck ass.
Properly aligned will greatly assist you to AIM the tip of your cue in a straight line through the CB to the OB pre- chosen contact point.
So 1. Find the DesiredOB contact point while standing—2. Step into the shot line with your cue tip lined up straight thru the CB and OB contact points—-3. Once down on the shot re confirm the OB contact point with your eyes—- 4. —- 5. Take your desired warm up strokes — lock eyes on the OB contact point— let the stroke GO
All of this is based on one FIRST working diligently to insure that your stroke itself is delivered in a straight line very very consistently
So 1. Find the DesiredOB contact point while standing—2. Step into the shot line with your cue tip lined up straight thru the CB and OB contact points—-3. Once down on the shot re confirm the OB contact point with your eyes—- 4. —- 5. Take your desired warm up strokes — lock eyes on the OB contact point— let the stroke GO
All of this is based on one FIRST working diligently to insure that your stroke itself is delivered in a straight line very very consistently
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
I see we have some different definitions of these words lol. For the purposes of this response, the definitions I'm going with are:
aim: where I want to hit the OB.
alignment: how well I arrange my setup on the shot line to deliver the CB where I want (to my aim point).
A quick check to see if it is aim or alignment is to set up a shot a few times and see how consistent the miss is. For example, I was really struggling with a certain cut down the rail from the other end of the table. I missed it the same each time (after a long layoff and not just 'seeing shots' at this point). Well the issue was def aim. I did not account for enough CiT with the dirty pool balls and was actually intending to hit the OB where physics dictates it will go thick into the rail. But my alignment and ability to hit my spot was spot on and I reproduced the same miss till I adjusted my aim.
Of the 2, I think aim is a much easier/quicker fix, so I hope that is your problem. All it took for me was to adjust my aim point and that shot was back in the repertoire. Alignment issues are a different animal and any fix shouldn't be expected to work immediately or at least not consistently as this takes some drilling and eventually getting down on your intended line is a subconscious process. But as is the case with most subconsciously ruled processes, you need conscious competence first and walk yourself through it verbally for a while.
Once sidespin enters the equation I think aim issues become more prevalent than most people think. But in general, alignment is trickier and much more often the culprit responsible for a miss than aim imo. Picking the correct aim point is not all that difficult. Getting down in a way that allows one to both perceive the shot line accurately and sets them up for straight cueing along that line is much harder to get right.
Without seeing you play, if you've been playing any decent amount of time, it's your alignment, not your aim. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
aim: where I want to hit the OB.
alignment: how well I arrange my setup on the shot line to deliver the CB where I want (to my aim point).
A quick check to see if it is aim or alignment is to set up a shot a few times and see how consistent the miss is. For example, I was really struggling with a certain cut down the rail from the other end of the table. I missed it the same each time (after a long layoff and not just 'seeing shots' at this point). Well the issue was def aim. I did not account for enough CiT with the dirty pool balls and was actually intending to hit the OB where physics dictates it will go thick into the rail. But my alignment and ability to hit my spot was spot on and I reproduced the same miss till I adjusted my aim.
Of the 2, I think aim is a much easier/quicker fix, so I hope that is your problem. All it took for me was to adjust my aim point and that shot was back in the repertoire. Alignment issues are a different animal and any fix shouldn't be expected to work immediately or at least not consistently as this takes some drilling and eventually getting down on your intended line is a subconscious process. But as is the case with most subconsciously ruled processes, you need conscious competence first and walk yourself through it verbally for a while.
Once sidespin enters the equation I think aim issues become more prevalent than most people think. But in general, alignment is trickier and much more often the culprit responsible for a miss than aim imo. Picking the correct aim point is not all that difficult. Getting down in a way that allows one to both perceive the shot line accurately and sets them up for straight cueing along that line is much harder to get right.
Without seeing you play, if you've been playing any decent amount of time, it's your alignment, not your aim. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
Twocylndr
Well-known member
Uhhh, when I miss?
Well thought out and well written post. But the more I think about it, don't blame either because it'll cause the head to spin
as well as a lot of time spent trying to work with different alignments and ways to aim that could be an entire year of frustration and still not right.
So, what is the problem and fix you ask with curiosity? Blame the cue. Wrong weight, too heavy or too light butt or shaft causing the crooked stroke or timing...tip size, tip shape, tip material, one piece or layered...needs a different wrap; leather vs.
Irish linen, vs. nothing...inexpensive vs. expensive cue; an expensive cue is always better because it automatically makes us shoot better since nobody will admit to shooting worse after spending all of the money. Been there and done all of it.
I'm no expert, but the easiest way for me to check horizontal cue alignment is to take a few practice strokes that move the tip up and down like good old Efren. If I see any side to side tip motion while looking straight down the length of the cue, then that is a big hint that my cue or stroke alignment or aim is off. Once the practice strokes show even up-down motion without any diagonal movement, then I know I'm stroking straight!
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
Feather the cue a in short little strokes while down. If it's not traveling dead straight, ie wavers, you are likely not aligned right.