Drifting into a Target from One Side...

Colin Colenso

Colin Colenso

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was wondering if others could share thoughts and experiences about whether there is an advantage to moving toward a target in a sweep from one direction, be it in pool, shooting, art or whatever.

Consider this analogy: In the carnival duck shooting game, the ducks travel at constant speed in one direction. Imagine if they traveled back and forth along a 12 inch path at the same speed, but changing direction. Would this bring parts of the brain into play that would distract the shooters ability to intuit the aim or shot timing?

Though not a perfect analogy, it may help to compare two type of aiming.
1. Where we try to slide directly into the shot line, tweaking a little left and right as we try to feel the correct line.
2. Sweeping in from one side, either thin to thick or thick to thin until we feel the correct line.

I'm sure both work, but there are times when I feel sweeping slowly from the side helps me lock into the pot angle in a more comfortable way... less brain strain or processing.

At some point, our final bridge setting tweak must come from one side or the other, unless one has robotic precision from back of stance.

I wonder if artists have used such methods when bringing their brush to the canvas when it requires accuracy, rather than just a dart like approach. Perhaps other skills provide insights.

Colin
 
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Falling on Shot line?

Colin Colenso said:
I was wondering if others could share thoughts and experiences about whether there is an advantage to moving toward a target in a sweep from one direction, be it in pool, shooting, art or whatever.

Consider this analogy: In the carnival duck shooting game, the ducks travel at constant speed in one direction. Imagine if they traveled back and forth along a 12 inch path at the same speed, but changing direction. Would this bring parts of the brain into play that would distract the shooters ability to intuit the aim or shot timing?

Though not a perfect analogy, it may help to compare two type of aiming.
1. Where we try to slide directly into the shot line, tweaking a little left and right as we try to feel the correct line.
2. Sweeping in from one side, either thin to thick or thick to thin until we feel the correct line.

I'm sure both work, but there are times when I feel sweeping slowly from the side helps me lock into the pot angle in a more comfortable way... less brain strain or processing.

I wonder if artists have used such methods when bringing their brush to the canvas when it requires accuracy, rather than just a dart like approach.

Colin
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How else would you know if you are truly on the shot line unless you direct your gaze a little left or right?

If you fall straight down on the shot all of the time are you to assume you are right just from the falling position? All of the time?

Aiming is an exercise in depth perception as much as a perfect alignment you are sending a ball to the pocket and not a contact point. If you were to fall a little towards one side or the other adjustment left and right will tell you that before you lock in.

That is my experience and it takes just a little movement to hone in your feel for the pocket. I think its a fine thing to do.
 
I feel the opposite. I am not comfortable sliding across. I understand the duck analogy; it just doesn’t work for me. I see sweeping as more brain damage. Sort of like putting a square peg in a round hole.

I find my center core (My Vertical Crease), align to the cue ball center core (Cue Ball Vertical Crease) I adjust the crease left or right as needed to my aim point. I drop down in the line and and fine tune my tip (if needed) to what I was sighting from above. I am not making 1/4, 1/2 tip adjustments, moving a hip. My adjustment is measured in eyelashes.

I feel when I drop in; I am on my aim line 100 or 99.9% every time, I fine tune no matter what the percentage is.
This feels comfortable for me, there aren't any forced movements, everything is natural from the core, I don't think about what I am doing I just line up through my core, I look and drop in, it's all in the feet.
I have tried sweeping or sliding across (To Experiment) and it does not feel right for me.

I have a friend who has a very large sweep coming in. He adjusts his bridge hand 900 times; he jumps up on every shot. He runs 100 balls at will, and can play rotation with anyone on the planet.

There is more than one way to skin a cat; players of all styles play fantastic pool.

Sincerely: SS
 
When I'm playing my best I notice that I will do one of two things

1. Move straight down the shot line.
2. Move in from the left of the shot line, and just bend straight down. Since I'm coming in from the side I don't have to rotate my hips as much as when I'm moving straight in. The move is very similar to a Pro One visual right sweep.

I haven't really bothered to figure why I do it two different ways, but I figure it has something to do with the angle and cut direction.
 
Interesting points.

Robin, the depth perception may be aided by looking at the shot from different angles. Don't know if you've seen Mark Selby play snooker, but he's quite rare in that he often (at least used to), moves his head side to side while setting the bridge.

Smoothstroke: Thanks for the input. When I start feeling strong, with aim, it's usually 2nd day of the tournament and I start feeling more comfortable sliding straight in to shots the way you described, especially fuller angles. It may be that I need a few more visual clues to see the line and check my alignment when playing occasionally (not tuned in).

BL: I think there's something to a right sweep as the body tends to fall that way. So there may be less tension in the body compared to trying to hold still on a straight in slide.
 
I was taught the textbook Steve Davis way. Gliding into the shot sideways is WRONG, lol;). Still there are some small side to side head movements to fine tune. It seems to work ok for me, at least as well as pivot aiming anyway, so I don't see any reason to change it, unless a new method blows my mind. I've tried all the pivot methods and they all work, but I like the straight forward approach better.

The problem with sweeping into the shot from the side is the footwork. If you do it wrong, you'll be off balance and misalligned.
I think if you look at it objectively, the SEE system has one of the best approaches of all aiming techniques, since there is a lot of emphasis on footwork combined with cue/head position. You have a controlled step in combined with a controlled pivot. IIf you try to adjust head positions etc without the proper footwork, you'll be uncomfortable and misalligned a lot.
 
As ling as I keep my line of aim locked and therefore my head position locked and moving straight on the line of aim it doesn't matter if my cue sweeps, pivots or what ever...it eventually ends up straight on the line of aim I've chosen.
 
The Snooker Chaps

I see such great posts from the snooker influence on here about foot position and alignment. I can definitely see that I will be taking some time to look up some snooker and some snooker coaches websites.

Colin I will look that fellow you suggested up.
 
Hi Colin,

Just to clarify, are you referring to the mental sighting aspect or the physical placement of the cue?

Please see Pidges post.

I took you to mean how we mentally obtain the line visually & had not thought of the cue until a few posts were made. By that I mean, I might be 'working' the sighting of the line from thick to thin in the right to left direction but then actually place the cue on that line with the tip coming from the left to right. I'm not saying that is what I actually do. I'm just using that to differentiate between the mental visual sighting & the physical placement of the cue.

I'd like to hear what Gene Albrecth thinks about this as he seems to differentiate much with the direction of the cut left vs. right.

Does the portion of the pocket that one targets affect the method? By that I mean, if one is a center pocket aimer vs one that targets the full or thin hit side of the pocket.

I previously mentioned to you that I went from the full hit side out but since it was on my mind, I noticed yesterday while playing 1 pocket that that seems to not always be the case. I did not do any analysing since I was playing but I think there must be something that influences our subconscious to choose one method over another.

Also, I think it's important to realise as SmoothStroke said regarding the adjustments & just how extremely small they are & actually need be.

It's almost as if the muscles in our hand, arms etc. can't even actually make such small moves & that they come from our mind in the form of our will. I know that will sound absurd to most. But...Tom Weiscoff has said that about Jack Nicklaus's putting. He's said, It's almost like he just willed the ball into the hole.

I made one such full table shot yesterday playing 1 pocket. I was zeroing in & had stopped & was ready to shoot but something told me 'no' & I made the most slightest of tweaks of the type that SmoothStroke mentioned. It was virtually invisible even to me over the cue. Yet, I made the shot & I very seriously doubt that I would have without that extremely minute tweak.

Sorry for the rant but it is a very interesting subject that I think brings up many associated other questions.

Best 2 You & All,
Rick

PS For what SmoothStroke mentioned & from my own experience I find it very difficult to believe that individuals think that they can consistently & always drop down with the vertical center line of the cue precisely 6mm to one side of a visually determined line & not have to tweak that at some point in some manner, a manner that to me is certainly subconsciously or feel based.
 
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I look at the shot while standing and sometimes use my cue aimed at the GB, using aiming systems, aimed though the center of the CB. With the cue in position, I drop down on the shot with no lateral motions. If I change my mind about that line when applying English etc., I get up adjust and get back down.

I see more better players get up and down rather than move from side to the side.

Be well.
 
LAMas said:
I look at the shot while standing and sometimes use my cue aimed at the GB, using aiming systems, aimed though the center of the CB. With the cue in position, I drop down on the shot with no lateral motions. If I change my mind about that line when applying English etc., I get up adjust and get back down.

I see more better players get up and down rather than move from side to the side.

Be well.
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Hi E,

Perhaps so & one can easily see another get up & get back down.

That said, I doubt that anyone could see the minute adjustments one might be making while down so I'm not so sure that many very good players, pros included are not making those tweaks when down.

I for one would certainly not have wanted to get up & get back down on the shot to which I just referred. I'm not sure I could have come again upon that exact line again without much difficulty in trying to do so.

'Something' just told me to make that extremely, probably invisibly small tweak & when I had it just 'felt' right & indeed it was.

It's an interesting topic.

Best 2 You & You Stay Well,
Rick
 
ENGLISH! said:
Hi E,

Perhaps so & one can easily see another get up & get back down.

That said, I doubt that anyone could see the minute adjustments one might be making while down so I'm not so sure that many very good players, pros included are not making those tweaks when down.

I for one would certainly not have wanted to get up & get back down on the shot to which I just referred. I'm not sure I could have come again upon that exact line again without much difficulty in trying to do so.

'Something' just told me to make that extremely, probably invisibly small tweak & when I had it just 'felt' right & indeed it was.

It's an interesting topic.

Best 2 You & You Stay Well,
Rick
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Rick,
I thought this tread was about sweeping and not vibrating...never mind. :rolleyes:
 
When people step directly down the line, they almost never do. They perceive they do, but most don't. Just like when most think their cue is perpendicular into the face of the CB, it's not.
 
LAMas said:
I look at the shot while standing and sometimes use my cue aimed at the GB, using aiming systems, aimed though the center of the CB. With the cue in position, I drop down on the shot with no lateral motions. If I change my mind about that line when applying English etc., I get up adjust and get back down.

I see more better players get up and down rather than move from side to the side.

Be well.
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How would you know that? Do you think it's apparent to onlookers when you make small adjustments to your aim? What makes you think you can tell when other players are doing it?

pj
chgo
 
How would you know that? Do you think it's apparent to onlookers when you make small adjustments to your aim? What makes you think you can tell when other players are doing it?

pj
chgo
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LAMas:
My eyes of course.
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OK, you don't want to talk about it - your choice, of course. But then why post it on a discussion forum?

pj
chgo
 
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