BHE explained on Video
- Thread starter Colin Colenso
- Start date
The purpose of the pivot point is to pivot the cuestick to get your new line. That's it. The bridge length is entirely independent of the pivot.laser2507 said:
On many cues, the pivot length nearly coincides with a normal bridge length. That's a happy coincidence (and a reason for some confusion). On other cues, this doesn't happen. If you don't slide your bridge hand to a comfortable bridge after pivoting, then you wouldn't be able to shoot.
Again, you pivot before you do any warm up strokes. If you're pivoting on the last stroke, you'd need to be bridging at the pivot point. But, that limits the power of the system, which tells you to pivot before your warm up strokes.
Fred
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Ive used pivoting on the last stroke nearly all my life of pool playing, so I guess Im finding this very hard to visualize and try to use. My predator has approx a 12inch Pivot point, my natural bridge length is longer than this (I use a long bridge, dont know why) so i think a predaotr works well for me.
Hi Pete,pete lafond said:
Fred did a pretty good job of explaining my thoughts here, but I should say a couple of things.
In the video, I didn't emphasize enought the process of my aiming adjustments, and unfortunately the video was not clear enough to see me adjusting my bridge hand when I talked about adjusting my aim to the edge of the pocket.
Basically the process I follow is as follows:
I align for the pot center ball, as if to pot into the center of the pocket with rolling follow (no english) medium speed. (I often practice drills simply potting shots this way, without concern for shape.)
I have pre-calculated the adjustment required before I get down on the shot. Some once I have this initial aim, I will make the adjustment as necessary. This may require a slight roll of the hand or slight slide of the fingers, to move my bridge point anywhere from 0.5 to 5mm perhaps. Depneding on the distance between CB and OB and the type of shot I'm playing...this part takes a little practice to make accurate..but if you know where you need to aim to, it can be worked out with a little trial and error.
Once I have adjusted the bridge hand, it is in place. I simply have to pivot the cue for the english. Then I am pre-alligned. I can close my eyes if I wish, but I should keep them open so that I can hit the CB where I want accurately. There is not point to look at the OB once pre-alligned, other than as a positional guide for imagery.
The part that is hard for some is to keep the bridge hand solid throughout this. It takes practice, and some people just want to move the bridge as they shoot...to kind of second guess the shot.
Also, I didn't mention in the video, that my adjustment method of shifting the bridge isn't the only way to go. You can also shift the bridge length, in order to affect the amount of squirt, which will change the resultant contact point on the OB. However, my experimentation with this method of adjustment showed it was less consistant that the method I showed in this video. However, knoweldge of it is crucial for when you are playing BHE from a position where the bridge must be shorter of longer than your pivot point.
Re:Fred.
Yes, after making the adjustment, the bridge can be lengthened or shortened along the line of the new alignment without change in the final result. But I don't do this myself.
I do some similar stuff, such as when I can't hit the center of the CB when it is obstructed, I align over from behind it, using BHE knowledge, and then pivot and address the CB at the edge, where it can be hit.
Hope that makes sense,
Colin
A couple of you have mentioned pivoting on the final stroke.
I suspect this method is similar with the common tendency to pull across the shot to make a thinner contact with a touch of OE which a great many players fall into.
This works for many players because there is a natural tendency to want to align to undercut ball (hit thick or too full) and the pulling across, adding a touch of OE to the CB creates a slightly thinner contact and significantly more throw to cut the OB finer.
But this effect is not the kind of BHE I am recommending. Though understanding BHE helps to explain the origin and effect of this tendency.
BHE is probably most useful in applying Inside English, though it is very useful in performing some OE shots (most particularly power shots such as the power draw). Many soft OE shots change the throw so much, that adjustments can only put you in the ball park. Feel becomes very crucial.
Using BHE well requires very accurate pre-allignement to a pot, as if you were going to pot it with medium speed follow (well that is the pot angle I recommend people to align to, as it is intermediate in throw).
Many quirky actions requiring tuck & roll / swiping or last stroke pivoting or compensation are played that way as intuitive habits to try to correct original misalignment I believe. I know this was true of of my old game, and still sneaks through on occassion. I also see it in nearly every recreational player I watch.
If your pre-alignment is accurate, BHE will give you very accurate results. You may miss the pocket to the same side 10 times in a row, but you'll learn the correct adjustment after some trial and error.
I suggest players pot 50 or so balls just with medium speed follow before they start trying to use BHE. To get their eyes in for aiming for these pot angles. Then they can start making the minor adjustments to edge of pocket as is usual for most IE shots, or simply playing IE on 1/2 ball cut shots, medium speed, which doesn't require any adjustment.
After this, you should move to the OE shots. First the firmer shots that don't require much adjustment. Then to the slower OE shots, that can require significant adjustment of several degrees in pot angle.
Colin
I suspect this method is similar with the common tendency to pull across the shot to make a thinner contact with a touch of OE which a great many players fall into.
This works for many players because there is a natural tendency to want to align to undercut ball (hit thick or too full) and the pulling across, adding a touch of OE to the CB creates a slightly thinner contact and significantly more throw to cut the OB finer.
But this effect is not the kind of BHE I am recommending. Though understanding BHE helps to explain the origin and effect of this tendency.
BHE is probably most useful in applying Inside English, though it is very useful in performing some OE shots (most particularly power shots such as the power draw). Many soft OE shots change the throw so much, that adjustments can only put you in the ball park. Feel becomes very crucial.
Using BHE well requires very accurate pre-allignement to a pot, as if you were going to pot it with medium speed follow (well that is the pot angle I recommend people to align to, as it is intermediate in throw).
Many quirky actions requiring tuck & roll / swiping or last stroke pivoting or compensation are played that way as intuitive habits to try to correct original misalignment I believe. I know this was true of of my old game, and still sneaks through on occassion. I also see it in nearly every recreational player I watch.
If your pre-alignment is accurate, BHE will give you very accurate results. You may miss the pocket to the same side 10 times in a row, but you'll learn the correct adjustment after some trial and error.
I suggest players pot 50 or so balls just with medium speed follow before they start trying to use BHE. To get their eyes in for aiming for these pot angles. Then they can start making the minor adjustments to edge of pocket as is usual for most IE shots, or simply playing IE on 1/2 ball cut shots, medium speed, which doesn't require any adjustment.
After this, you should move to the OE shots. First the firmer shots that don't require much adjustment. Then to the slower OE shots, that can require significant adjustment of several degrees in pot angle.
Colin
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Thanks Fred and Colin.
It is hard to figure out sitting at my computer what differences might be in my stroke. The real problem is that we incorporate different shots to achieve the following (it is almost like you have to be in front of the shot);
1. Enable CB curve
2. do not enable CB curve
3. controled CB curve with stroke
4. minimize deflection
5. use deflection to a position advantage
6. kill CB with CB curve
again these being some, I'll have to figure out how I actually aim and shoot, then apply BHE according to the definitions you have developed to see differences.
It is hard to figure out sitting at my computer what differences might be in my stroke. The real problem is that we incorporate different shots to achieve the following (it is almost like you have to be in front of the shot);
1. Enable CB curve
2. do not enable CB curve
3. controled CB curve with stroke
4. minimize deflection
5. use deflection to a position advantage
6. kill CB with CB curve
again these being some, I'll have to figure out how I actually aim and shoot, then apply BHE according to the definitions you have developed to see differences.
It's embedded via Youtube.Harvywallbanger said:I can't even see the video. If its not utube I can't get it. That quicktime always just shows a damn ? mark.
Try this direct link and let me know if it works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERFTM8dbat0
Colin
wow colin thanks do much for taking the time to make that video......i finally understand what some of you guys have been talking about.
scottycoyote said:
yeppers, Thanks Calc. See Scotty this is what and how i am aiming when we chatted.
I think the hardest part for many will be the precise pre-alignment required.Snorks said:
I see very few players who align precisely and cue through the line. Most players align approximately and then intuitively swipe on delivery to make shots that they are not properly aligned to.
A way to cure this is to just pot a bunch of shots with natural follow, but after aligning to each shot, do not look at the OB. Just keep the bridge steady and deliver the cue straight through the CB.
Get this right so you can accurately pot shots this way and then you're ready to use BHE effectively.
One ready for BHE, you just have to learn the various throw adjustments, which require a shifting of the bridge on some shots.
Note: When I said I was adjusting aim in the videos, what I was doing was sliding or rolling my bridge hand slightly to the position. I was still aligning through the center of the CB.
Once set, there is not point looking at the OB. Except maybe to guage shot speed for shape.
Hope that helps.
Colin
ps: Can't believe you tried it straight away on league night...lol
Colin Colenso said:Hope that helps.
Colin
ps: Can't believe you tried it straight away on league night...lol
Hey I practiced for 1 hour before league... I figure I had mastered it since you made it look so easy on video.
(For the record, it wasn't the BHE shots that killed me. Those guys were really good last night and I'm well, still learning).
Thanks Blackjack,Blackjack said:
It could be done a lot better with some graphics, some close ups, slow-mos etc. There is also quite a lot I still haven't covered.
It would probably take a week for me to make a real good video on this....which would be a week of sacrificed practice. But I plan to get around to it in the not so distant future.
Colin
aaahhh, the old excellent opponent excuseSnorks said:Hey I practiced for 1 hour before league... I figure I had mastered it since you made it look so easy on video.
... Actually, a player who is very accurate with potting and position with just center ball shots (follow, stun, draw and the angles in between) and with good shot choice knowledge will be very hard to beat for anyone. You can probably play 90% of shots this way without making any significant sacrifices.
BHE is a great and valuable tool to have when opportunites arise. It increases one's options and will help a player to win a lot of matches they would otherwise have lost.
To compare to golf, being highly accurate with English would be about the equivalent of having an extra 3 clubs in the bag. But remember that tiger woods could probably play off scratch on club level courses if he had to use a 7 iron for every shot.
Colin