That's very interesting Sean. Thank you for sharing. I am surprised by the results but it does make me want to do some more research and find out for myself.
We must never stop learning!
Ken
Getting down perfectly straight on the ball?
- Thread starter mindtriplx
- Start date
That's very interesting Sean. Thank you for sharing. I am surprised by the results but it does make me want to do some more research and find out for myself.
We must never stop learning!
Ken
I'm not an instructor. I agree everyone's body is 'different'. That is why one size hat does not fit everyone...unless it is adjustable.
I'm not an instructor either, but foot angle seems to make a difference for me. In golf and pool.
Exactly. I was going to bring up golf as well. They are incredibly alike in so many ways. If someone made a comment that foot position wasn't all that important in golf because you don't hit a golf ball with your foot, they'd be laughed off the course.
Yes, I read that part too, and I'm hoping there was more to it than just reversing the patch back. That would have made the study inconclusive.
It sure does because.
Yuper
Probably
Kind of the same thing in pool, most people can feel this to a better degree in pool than they can in golf, that would be my guess anyway.
One would have to get to be at a very high skill level in both to answer that definitively, unfortunately man does not have a long enough life span to accomplish that JM2C. Just because there are more muscles in motion doesn't necessarily mean that it's more complicated, I don't know I haven't played enough golf, but if golf is as sensitive as pool to miniscule errors par would be double, like I said that is an opinion that is lopsided and I know it.
Yea after many years that works in almost anything. We are not talking about just foot angle and the like and I think that's what set Fran off with that statement, foot positioning is wildly important; and it doesn't matter what "kind" of stance you have. You could have a "pool" stance, feet in a line perpendicular to the table, or a "Snooker" stance feet positioned parallel to the table.
That back (or same foot that hand that holds the cue) foot has to be in line with the stick, if it isn't you have a big problem, try this; take your stance and move your back foot 1 way or the other outside your shot line and get back down, you don't have to move it very far before you are off balance so you are compensating by sitting into your hip, putting your arm on the table or putting too much weight on your bridge hand; then you can't breathe smoothly and your whole form collapses.
So yes foot positioning is actually one of the keys to building good fundamentals from the ground up. If you suspect you have foot positioning problems you are probably right and they are probably a BIGGER problem than you realize.
Hi Fran!
Apologies, as I'm just seeing this only now. (As you probably saw on the Main forum, I'm working with SpiderWebComm and Mike H. on the forum speed issues, and I've been busy.)
Unfortunately I don't have time at the moment to find the reference to the study, but let's let this response to you be a "placeholder" for later -- when I get time later, I'll revise this post to include it.
Will get back to you in a bit,
-Sean
Much appreciated, Sean. Take your time, and don't spend too much time looking if it's hard to find. I was just curious about the timeline of the study.
Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome is what both Keith McCready, and Willie Hoppie did as they both started playing pool as small children off a milk carton aka milk box because they were to short to stand on the floor. Show in how they set up for shot, but they Improvised, Adapted, and Overcame.
While all that is fine and well... You would never take a raw beginner and let them setup like they had a tiny milk carton base....
There are always "best" practices that take advantage of a consistent solid base... Foot position is a fundamental and should always be considered. I only argue that it is not as critical as other components because much of the time we cannot get the foot on the line and have to rely on body/head positioning and our awareness of our cue in relation....
Just noticed this post. Please allow me to clarify.
I normally shoot right-handed. For shots where I choose not to use a mechanical bridge and lean far across the table, one leg may be wholly atop the table.
When not in the regular "same every time stance" it is far more important to across the cloth so that my arm angles are maintained.
I sometimes stand on one leg to hit pool shots in clinics to drive the point home... I advocate standing the same way for most shots--but the priority is on the arms, stroke and aim for me... and for the many wheelchair players and amputees who play also.
Hi, Fran:
Do you play golf competively also? I teach golf also.
There are numerous exhibitions where pros and pro teachers drive balls 200-250 yards while on their knees to demonstrate the dynamics of good arm work. No one laughs them off the course. I hit golf balls and pool balls standing with a leg in the air or with one arm on the club/stick to demonstrate what I'm speaking about as well.
Typical instruction today goes something like this: “Fundamentals first”, “Stand like this and move your arm like this”, “If you’re going to build that new house you’ll first need a good strong foundation” - I am so sick of these expressions! How can you start to build a good strong foundation if you haven’t even seen the blue prints for the house? You can’t and you wouldn’t want to. You want a clear understanding of your ultimate goal and that goal is to be able to run racks of balls as often and as consistently as possible. And this is done MORE, I say again that is done MORE, by knowing how to identify & and play the correct shot than it is by standing or stroking like a generic, one-size-fits-all picture in a book. Fundamentals are important - don’t go quoting me that they’re not - but experience has shown me that I can get players to higher levels faster by explaining the unintentionally hidden beauty of our sport, how and why the pros play and execute shots the way they do, rather than spending hours making my students look like stick figures out of a book while using lots of center ball!
This is the truth about the drill!
2 poeple have spotted this!! Geno (over the phone) and Ekkes! with a video. I just wish I could understand what Ekkes was trying to tell me?
Things get lost in the translation sometimes.
The reason some others have not spotted it is possibly due to the fact that I might not have been doing it at the time.
I'm not dropping straight down on the shot line. I'm all over the place.
Fixing it is another problem in itself! :embarrassed2:
When I come down straight, I have way too much weight on my bent front leg! This is very uncomfortable and dare I say, shaky. :wink:
I have to find another stance or starting point to get into a better position that does not cause me to come off line when I get down? :wink:
Back to the drawing board. :frown:
Renfro, I wouldn't exactly call it a drill? For me it was just a little test and "bingo". I flunked.
Back to the drawing board. :frown:
Renfro, I wouldn't exactly call it a drill? For me it was just a little test and "bingo". I flunked.
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I am not an instructor.
The stance is very close to a stance that you would get into if you were going to fight someone. This stance keeps weight distribution equal.
The shot alignment in the standing postion is accomplished by keeping your grip hand on your hip bone and lining up the shot.
When you line uip a shot your focus should be on the OB you will see the QB in your peripheral vision when lining up a shot.
When you think you are lined up correctly you can move your body (from the waist up) a little side to side and you will see the shot line when you cross it.
When you get some extra cash you really should seek out a good instructor. It will save you a lot of frustration.
Most of all have some fun with the game.
John
Hope this helps
I am not an instructor.
The stance is very close to a stance that you would get into if you were going to fight someone. This stance keeps weight distribution equal.
The shot alignment in the standing postion is accomplished by keeping your grip hand on your hip bone and lining up the shot.
When you line uip a shot your focus should be on the OB you will see the QB in your peripheral vision when lining up a shot.
When you think you are lined up correctly you can move your body (from the waist up) a little side to side and you will see the shot line when you cross it.
When you get some extra cash you really should seek out a good instructor. It will save you a lot of frustration.
Most of all have some fun with the game.
John
Hope this helps
That position is the one I need to get into without losind my sight line on the way down. From where I start, this does not happen without a straight back leg, and a bent front leg. This puts too much weight on my toes of my front foot.
I need to change my start position, either stepping back, or forward of where I am now I think? I just have to work on it.
I'm trying to avoid the "side to side" on the way down.
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I am not an instructor.
I dont know who advised you that your back leg must be straight, thats simply not true. You stance should be comfortable.
In my stance both legs are bent....a little.
Notice the pro players, in most cases both legs a bent.
John
No one advised me to do that. That is just what was happening when I tried to stay perfectly aligned. That was a new problem.
I think I figured out it was because I was standing too far from the cue ball.
Now my first move is just like you said, cue by my hip.
My second move is as if you said to"duck" only keep your head in the same position. I just bend both knees and lower myself. Then I bend straight in to the shot with almost equal balance. Just a bit more weight on my left side that I can easily control with my bridge hand.
It seems better all around. :smile:
I'm still missing some, but I'm gaining on it! It feels totally different.
But it is not at all uncomfortable.
Glad I could help. May seem a little strange at first, just stay with it. Soon you will be doing it automatically without thought.
I'm 6'2" tall. From my belly button to the back of the QB I am 5' away. I then step into the shot line. As I am bending over on the shot line my domenent eye will come down straight on the shot line. Coming down on the shot line my focus is on the OB, the QB is in my paripheral vision. I dont look at the QB directly until I am in the shooting position.
John