body anatomy relation to the stroke

[z0nt0n3r]

Everyone can have a straight stroke, yes, I've watched players run tables with one arm/prosthetics/bizarre grips and angles or done similar in a clinic. The issues that affect our perception of good play include:

1) The stroke can be fairly straight or even laser straight, but balls are missed because of faulty aim/aiming to the wrong portion of a pocket/not compensating for throw

2) The player's head position varies between shots, so their anatomy/mechanics work, but their aim is parallax/faulty on certain shots, causing frustrating inconsistency

3) The player has a straight stroke, but bangs the balls to hard, exacerbating multiple issues with squirt/deflection, etc.

4) The player has hampered their natural loop stroke because someone told them to practice using a Coke bottle and their timing is faulty

5) The player is doing something else funky, like jacking their stroke arm high in the air unconsciously on practice strokes, creating micro-jumps and excessive spin/curve on otherwise straight final strokes

The winning combination--a fairly straight stroke (need not be perfect) with consistent stance, knowledge of aim and spin, and the line of sight, aka vision center--the place where straight shots LOOK straight--centered over the shot line. Pool is a 3D game and a straight stroke has to come through an effective vertical plane . . .

if you have a fairly straight stroke that isn't perfect,won't you start aiming slightly incorrectly to compensate?

i imagine that the only way you would not start to compensate is if you pull back slightly offline and then always bring the cue back perfectly on the stroking line , but i think if you stroke forward even slightly offline on practice strokes/delivery i think you will start to compensate by aiming incorrectly.

 

[z0nt0n3r]

My evidence on the subject is anecdotal, however, many people who claim a (relatively) straight stroke is impossible, because they play inconsistently, have inconsistent aim as described.

To that end, I do a mix of free lessons for the needy and getting paid well to help people with a range of issues that helps them play MUCH better. By the way, I don't say "Everyone can have a straight stroke!", I say "It's a myth that you need superb hand-eye coordination or athletic talent to play pool at a high level. Most players needs stance and aim adjustments, plus some key knowledge."

You made a claim that a person who is anatomically able to move an object in space cannot move that object along a straight path. I disagree. Do you have evidence for your claim?

I'm not trying to hassle you but a fraction of a fraction of pool players take lessons and most instructors can help most players, so I dislike hearing we're liars who make unproven claims for money.

which part of my post are you referring to?

 

[BilliardsAbout]

if you have a fairly straight stroke that isn't perfect,won't you start aiming slightly incorrectly to compensate?

i imagine that the only way you would not start to compensate is if you pull back slightly offline and then always bring the cue back perfectly on the stroking line , but i think if you stroke forward even slightly offline on practice strokes/delivery i think you will start to compensate by aiming incorrectly.

An excellent question. Most players don't aim at pocket center and never have, so compensations include swerving the cue subconsciously to "fix" shots, or like you said, aiming [in their mind/from their viewpoint] slightly incorrectly!

Often, simply pointing to the correct pocket center increases percentage. Another fix that is simple but requires player commitment--commit to a straight stroke--anyone can make a near-straight stroke--even if you think your aim is off, then assess on a miss whether you undercut or overcut the shot, reset the shot, do the same thing again, committing to the stroke even if you question your aim or the chosen thickness of hit.

This is because it's usually the compensations and swerves that are the problem, not the lack of ability to stroke correctly. Swerves and compensations come from trying to make the balls go in the pockets--when the commitment to miss shots but make straight strokes helps the player to self-correct aim, so that ultimately, the shot making percentage goes way up.

 

[z0nt0n3r]

An excellent question. Most players don't aim at pocket center and never have, so compensations include swerving the cue subconsciously to "fix" shots, or like you said, aiming [in their mind/from their viewpoint] slightly incorrectly!

Often, simply pointing to the correct pocket center increases percentage. Another fix that is simple but requires player commitment--commit to a straight stroke--anyone can make a near-straight stroke--even if you think your aim is off, then assess on a miss whether you undercut or overcut the shot, reset the shot, do the same thing again, committing to the stroke even if you question your aim or the chosen thickness of hit.

This is because it's usually the compensations and swerves that are the problem, not the lack of ability to stroke correctly. Swerves and compensations come from trying to make the balls go in the pockets--when the commitment to miss shots but make straight strokes helps the player to self-correct aim, so that ultimately, the shot making percentage goes way up.

you bring up a great point.a player with aiming and stroking problems must put his ego aside and really focus on a straight stroke no matter if he misses or not . the player must also commit to a straight stroke on safety shots even if the object ball doesn't get safe, on escapes even if he doesn't hit the ball and on bank shots even he doesn't pocket the ball .

aiming slightly offline causes cueing slightly offline and vice-versa . it's a vicious circle and once you cure one of the two the other often still remains and you still miss . these two errors need to be both cured in order for players who struggle with this to reach a higher level.