Do You Focus more on the Shot or the Stroke

oldplayer

oldplayer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
just curious about what importance you on putting on either. after my PSR I have been focusing more on the shot, taking the "pro" time and pause on the shot before the stroke but then starting thinking maybe it should be the stroke. when I do the perfect stroke I make every shot and position (well 95% of the time) so maybe I should focus more on the stroke and let my initial alignment be more automatic. I know it is all about being an automatic thing but, hey, I'm an old guy and can't remember last week! :eek:
 
During play, trust your stroke and focus more on the shot or strategy. If you want to make an improvement on your stroke or any part of your routine, then focus on that during a training session in a controlled environment.
 
oldplayer said:
just curious about what importance you on putting on either. after my PSR I have been focusing more on the shot, taking the "pro" time and pause on the shot before the stroke but then starting thinking maybe it should be the stroke. when I do the perfect stroke I make every shot and position (well 95% of the time) so maybe I should focus more on the stroke and let my initial alignment be more automatic. I know it is all about being an automatic thing but, hey, I'm an old guy and can't remember last week! :eek:
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Becomes just like walking.... are you focused on your legs/feet and steps or where you are going?
 
oldplayer said:
just curious about what importance you on putting on either. after my PSR I have been focusing more on the shot, taking the "pro" time and pause on the shot before the stroke but then starting thinking maybe it should be the stroke. when I do the perfect stroke I make every shot and position (well 95% of the time) so maybe I should focus more on the stroke and let my initial alignment be more automatic. I know it is all about being an automatic thing but, hey, I'm an old guy and can't remember last week! :eek:
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Once you have your alignment, or aim, everything that results after that is dependent on the stroke. Where you hit the cb, at what angle you hit the cb, what speed you hit the cb, is all a result of the stroke.

That said, you should only be marginally consciously thinking about the stroke, and more subconsciously focusing on it. After the shot is taken, you should KNOW exactly where you hit the cb and at what speed. You then observe what happened to be able to repeat or make any adjustments in future shots.
 
JeremiahGage said:
During play, trust your stroke and focus more on the shot or strategy. If you want to make an improvement on your stroke or any part of your routine, then focus on that during a training session in a controlled environment.
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The stroke happens once you are down on the shot. You should never be thinking strategy when down on the shot. Strategy should be thought of before you get down on the shot and decide just what you want to do.
 
I've always thought of them as mutually exclusive; I've never thought of it as an either/or proposition.

I focus on the shot until I'm down on the shot addressing the CB. While my eyes are still focused on the OB-contact point, I'm "feeling" my stroke via practice strokes: does it feel like my upper-arm/elbow/forearm are in a straight line with the cue? does my grip feel good and my wrist loose? Etc.

I guess I think of the "shot" as visual, while the "stroke" is tactile. Both can happen at the same time.
 
Don't "THINK" in the shooting position and don't "SHOOT" in the thinking position. :thumbup:

After you visualize what you want to happen, there is really nothing left to do but get down and shoot the shot following your "PSR" then after the shot evaluate what happened.
 
oldplayer said:
just curious about what importance you on putting on either. after my PSR I have been focusing more on the shot, taking the "pro" time and pause on the shot before the stroke but then starting thinking maybe it should be the stroke. when I do the perfect stroke I make every shot and position (well 95% of the time) so maybe I should focus more on the stroke and let my initial alignment be more automatic. I know it is all about being an automatic thing but, hey, I'm an old guy and can't remember last week! :eek:
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I just look at the shot and think about stratigities and so on. I don't want to even feel the cue or think about where I am holding it or am I stroking straight and so on. That is what you do in practice. When you are competing you have to stick with the task at hand.
 
ENGLISH! said:
Some individuals are multitaskers while others are not.:wink:
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That's actually a very good point that I hadn't thought of. I am a multi-tasker, something I learned while in the military. That can have a bearing on what one does during a shot.
 
Most shots I execute on auto-pilot. The tougher shots or trickier position shots/kicks/etc. I like to feel in my soul for a few seconds while studying the table....then get down and let it rip!
 
Neil said:
That's actually a very good point that I hadn't thought of. I am a multi-tasker, something I learned while in the military. That can have a bearing on what one does during a shot.
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Although just the act of playing pool is sort of multi-tasking as you say,
most is not on a conscious level. Once you start thinking about different things at the same time, you are doomed. What causes it is second guessing yourself. That is the last thing you want to be doing.
 
macguy said:
Although just the act of playing pool is sort of multi-tasking as you say,
most is not on a conscious level. Once you start thinking about different things at the same time, you are doomed. What causes it is second guessing yourself. That is the last thing you want to be doing.
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Big difference between very careful and accurate to second guessing oneself. Big difference!
 
Neil said:
Big difference between very careful and accurate to second guessing oneself. Big difference!
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That can be true but you can see it in the guy. He starts taking extra strokes on shots. Between innings he is stroking on an empty table looking back at his grip hand. He is moving his head around like he is looking for some illusive focal point. He is losing confidence by the minute, his mind is going and he thinks just being slow and extra careful is going to change something.

If he does not normally play like that and he switches to this deliberate awkward play. It is because he is losing a feel for his game. His instinct is to pull back going into a survival mode type of play fearful of making mistakes. In other words, he stops playing his game.
 
oldplayer said:
just curious about what importance you on putting on either. after my PSR I have been focusing more on the shot, taking the "pro" time and pause on the shot before the stroke but then starting thinking maybe it should be the stroke. when I do the perfect stroke I make every shot and position (well 95% of the time) so maybe I should focus more on the stroke and let my initial alignment be more automatic. I know it is all about being an automatic thing but, hey, I'm an old guy and can't remember last week! :eek:
Click to expand...

I don't think it's automatic 100% of the time! Maybe 99%! That being said, almost all of your easy and medium hard shots should be automatic. But if we all think about, we have shots that we are not that good at, for me it's long straight draw shots where I am jacked up a bit! When this shot comes at me, I always think about everything before hand and when I get down to shoot, I shoot! BUT, as I am down, I get my aim dialed in, after that I focus on a clean smooth stroke! This is what got % up on making the shot!

It's not for everybody, but that's what I do! I think we all have them, but I also think it has a lot to do with caliber of player. I don't see what I just said mean anything much to a C player but a B player or better understands(may or may not agree) what I'm trying to say!

Eli
 
macguy said:
That can be true but you can see it in the guy. He starts taking extra strokes on shots. Between innings he is stroking on an empty table looking back at his grip hand. He is moving his head around like he is looking for some illusive focal point. He is losing confidence by the minute, his mind is going and he thinks just being slow and extra careful is going to change something.

If he does not normally play like that and he switches to this deliberate awkward play. It is because he is losing a feel for his game. His instinct is to pull back going into a survival mode type of play fearful of making mistakes. In other words, he stops playing his game.
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That's when one is putting too much into the conscious as I stated earlier. One can be aware, yet not consciously thinking about it. Therein lies the difference. One is very good, one is bad.
 
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