any ideas on how to slow down and staying down on shots?

CreeDo said:
Single best slow-down trick I ever read was in Mark Wilson's book.

Make your backswing slo-o-o-o-o-o-w.

Most players, even if they're working on improving their stroke,
don't understand the importance of the backswing.
It might seem like the forward swing is the only one that matters,
but the backswing is tied to the forward swing. It decides how straight
the forward swing is, and whether it's rushed or not.

Plus doing the backswing calmly makes you just feel more calm and controlled.
You won't have the urge to jump up or rush after you do a slow backswing.

Someone recently posted a clip of Mark Wilson winning the first Mosconi Cup,
and you can see he practices what he preaches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPQ9qou1FQ0&t=120

Also watch videos of Buddy Hall or Niels Feijen. Very rare to see them jump up.
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This, In my mind I like to compare a good pool stroke to a baseball pitcher's windup and delivery. On the backstroke, I'm thinking to pull the cue back to the same spot every time. After that, the thinking stops.

RE: The Mosconi video, anyone notice the blatant sharking at 2:15 ? :grin:
 
most people cannot stay down in the shot, because they never actually get down in the first place.take whatever time you need to do what you gotta do.
 
stay down

i am playing luther lassiter in an exhibition he was doing at a small pool hall in downey ca sometime in the 70's. i was wanting to learn, after we played i ask him what i could to improve my game. he told me he could tell me something that would improve my game by 20%, but only if i really did what he said, i agreed.


he said ' never miss an easy shot ' stay down and watch it go into the hole.
when i notice myself jumping up, i force myself to count to 4 as i stroke the cue 4 times, then shoot, that counting just reminds me to stay down.
 
Staying down is something I have fought ever since I started playing. When I get to stroking pretty well sometimes I catch myself going to the next shot with the ob halfway to the pocket. Then i have to start thinking about it.:frown:
 
RobertR said:
This, In my mind I like to compare a good pool stroke to a baseball pitcher's windup and delivery. On the backstroke, I'm thinking to pull the cue back to the same spot every time. After that, the thinking stops.

RE: The Mosconi video, anyone notice the blatant sharking at 2:15 ? :grin:
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Yes! LOL.
"oop, what do I do with my hands? Let me just...
maybe if I wave them around a bit and then casually grab my hair..."
 
Gwenn said:
Just do it instead of searching for ways how to do it or excuses why you did not do it ;-)

Best wishes
Gwenn
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Yeah that about covers it


Why am I the Colonel? Because I always get the chicken
 
It takes a great deal of confidence and trust in your stroke and setup to not move an inch until after the shot is completely over.
I think it makes a player look very solid and intimidating at the table, like they're never going to miss.
That alone should be enough incentive to incorporate a post-shot freeze into your routine.
 
In Mark Wilson's new book, 'Play Great pool', on about page 40 to 43 -left hand side of the pages (someone has my book at the moment) there is a reference to his fail proof method of 'staying down on your shot'.

Depending on how stubborn you are and how fast you learn this technique I'm SURE you'll find it has merit. This technique will give you a new perspective on how serious you are about your issue...fyi, hint: also you might needs some bandaids especially if you practice often and are a 'slow learner like I was. I would advise starting with a small gauge (base cleft) at first... and if necessary quickly more upscale to the treble cleft gauges (larger gauge equals smaller diameter) for the 'advanced paced' learning technique. Marks technique is best used in a private setting as it is hard to explain to others why playing pool can 'appear to be' so emotional at times. :sad:

Like learning about electricity ...no pain no gain!! :grin:

Randy
 
When practicing, have someone balance a small book on your head and a small object on your bridge hand before you take your final stroke. Practice until you can shoot power shots without either falling off.
 
Two things absolutely solved my standing up.

1. Just before you take your first practice stroke. Shift your weight to the rear by two to six inches. In addition to helping you stay down, you also get a better perspective on the stick and where the tip will hit the cue ball. It takes practice to make this an automatic part of your PSR. Once embedded you will never stand up on a shot again. With your weight slightly shifted you have more of a tendency to concentrate on the swing and less of a tendency to lunge into the shot. It will benefit your game in many ways.

2, Do not move anything (including the stick) until the CB strikes the OB. I convinced myself that I must see the CB hit or I could not tell exactly what I had done wrong. You quickly learn how often you swing your arm off line and you learn if your eye was in the right position.
 
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getsome01 said:
any ideas on how to slow down and staying down on shots? it seems when i;m playing good i start rushing shots and before long up jumps the devil. any help would be awesome, thanks
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My suggestion would be to not get up until after you shoot.
 
Slowing down: When you are about to pull the trigger, dont, take a couple more practice strokes.

Staying down: Tell me when you find one that works for you.
 
Staying down on a pool shot is easy.

You've seen ESPN's coverage where the camera shows the shot from behind where the shooter is.

Well, you make your eyes work like ESPN cameras. You remain in your shooting stance watching the table until the cue ball stops rolling.......you see much more and can see why you miss a shot.......do not get out of your shooting stance until all the balls stop rolling.......it's not hard....just do it....make it a new habit and you'll love it.

Shooting slower is easy too......always walk to the next shot the long way even if it means walking around the table rather than stepping a couple of steps for the next shot. IT slows you down.....you see the shot from the intended pocket.....stop and "confirm" your aim line to the pocket on your walk back to the cue ball.

Establish your bio-ryhtm and stay within it or get out of your shooting stance and resume it when you feel relaxed. Remember the last 3 balls decide who wins the match......how many times do you miss or see someone miss on the last 3 balls.....step up the intensity when you reach the last 3 balls......measure twice and shoot only once......no reason to miss on the last 3 balls but everyone does sooner or later or even often........the last 3 are the finish line and you take more time.

Do the above and you discover that you won't have any issues like you're asking about.

Matt B.
 
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Slather a glob of Gorilla Glue fast-setting on the front of your shirt. You will stay down on the ball for sure!!!
 
Icon of Sin said:
Slowing down: When you are about to pull the trigger, dont, take a couple more practice strokes.

Staying down: Tell me when you find one that works for you.
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Typically people don't stay down because they are focused on the cue ball instead of on the object ball during the stroke. This cause them to jump up to see what is happening after the stroke. If that isn't the problem, then you can always apply more pressure between your bridge hand and the table. If you are firm there then it is really hard to not stay down.
 
How this guy does it.
 

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For me I have used a little pre-shot routine which is checking to see what I would call the sweet spot on my shaft is always facing up. I have a sugar mark on my shaft that I make sure is facing up so that grain line is always on top, I just check for that before I shoot and works for me to slow down some.
 
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