Going to start Tor's stroke drill - few questions for those who have done it.

Pryme

Pryme

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I want to start Tor's stroke drill, im going to be aiming to get 3000 shots in over a week or so lets so how it goes.

Since i started playing I have learned so much about the game, overwhelming at times, but I have definitely seen good progress within the 4 months.

for those who have done it,

what is your opinion did you feel your stroke has improved?
did you focus on your eye pattern while doing the drill?


I seem to have a problem being left eye dom and right handed, i have heard that at the end of the follow through your tip should touch the felt, for me when i follow through to get my tip down my back hand (right hand) always touches the lower part of chest. being left eye dominant i have to keep my cue closer to my body.

what do u guys think?
 
Haven't done the drill, but I would assume the purpose is to go through everything you would do when shooting a normal shot without the distraction of trying to make an object ball. So yes, you should work on your preshot routine, pay attention to stance, grip, eye patterns, etc.

I know statistically only 10 or 15% of people are right handed and left eye dominant, but seems quite a few people (including myself) have posted about issues relating to that. Yes your setup may differ slightly - personally I like clear my hips out of the way a bit more, and my head is slightly tilted when in my setup so my left eye can pick up visual information before the right. I'm not as completely over my left eye as some, but we all have to figure out how to see a true alignment picture for our stance and eye dominance. This drill should help you settle on that as well.

As for the tip hitting the cloth, I wouldn't worry about that too much. If you use a true pendulum stroke and relaxed grip, the tip should dip down toward the cloth as you follow through and your hand comes up toward your chest. But depending on your body makeup and arm length it may not completely reach the cloth, and it won't either if you drop your elbow somewhat. Just be sure on your follow through with a normal center ball stroke that you keep things simple and the tip should move downward to some degree and no worse than straight ahead, it certainly shouldn't be raising on a normal stroke.

Good luck!
Scott
 
i see, i guess as i progress through the drill I will have to work on the different aspects. I cant wait to start should start tonight, I know Tor recommends not to play any pool while doing this drill so it will be tough as I get limited to play anyways but it should pay off hopefully. thanks for the reply.
 
I've started it -- about 60 shots a day before doing any other drills or playing. So, I've not been religous about it by doing 2,000 without any other playing, but it has helped my stroke.

The best thing about it is that you're not trying to pocket a ball; you're just focusing on your stroke. I find that really helps me concentrate on each of the stroke's individual elements (grip, forearm position, elbow in line, follow through, etc). IHMO, tip-to-the-felt has helped a lot because I had a bad habit of looking/getting up too soon; you can't make that mistake if you're focused on finishing with the tip on the table.

I also found that my shoulder gets sore, shooting shot after shot in quick sucession. Hopefully, that's part of "muscle memory." :grin:
 
I checked the points out they were helpful, I just finished I did about 11 racks of 15 balls so 165 in about an hour, with pre shot routine and if for some reason missed a ball I wouldn't count those.

So far id say a very powerful drill, about 5-6 racks I had figured out few things I was doing wrong, my tip would vibrate a little and the end of my follow through, because inwas tightning up. Plus I found a more appropriate position for my head over the cue to reduce hitting my chest at the end of my stroke.

Only thing I struggled with was my eye pattern and practice strokes, I wasn't consistent, sometimes id look at the cue ball sometimes at the pocket, I guess with some more time spent I will be able to figure it out.

My opinion a great drill and really helps u stay down on ur shot.
 
Can you hit center ball?

Pryme said:
I want to start Tor's stroke drill, im going to be aiming to get 3000 shots in over a week or so lets so how it goes.

Since i started playing I have learned so much about the game, overwhelming at times, but I have definitely seen good progress within the 4 months.

for those who have done it,

what is your opinion did you feel your stroke has improved?
did you focus on your eye pattern while doing the drill?


I seem to have a problem being left eye dom and right handed, i have heard that at the end of the follow through your tip should touch the felt, for me when i follow through to get my tip down my back hand (right hand) always touches the lower part of chest. being left eye dominant i have to keep my cue closer to my body.

what do u guys think?
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I wouldn't recommend you do this until you can hit center ball. Tor's videos are very good, but I would recommend you work with a certified instructor.
 
Big C said:
I wouldn't recommend you do this until you can hit center ball. Tor's videos are very good, but I would recommend you work with a certified instructor.
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very good advice. I was going to start this drill way before but since I have started playing about 4 months ago, I had lessons booked with Scott Lee but due to some unfortunate circumstances on his side he wasnt able to come to Canada, however since then I have been taking lessons with a local pro he also teaches, Erik Horliefson he just won the canadian 10 ball division and he really sorted out many basic problems such has hitting centre ball, eye dominance, and stroke, so I thought i would start now after speding about 3 months learning from him.
 
Stroke trainers

Ive got some stroke trainers I could sell you....... ;)

Chuck
 

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Keep doing this drill, during it you'll find and fix many problem. After the last stop at the ball, move your eyes to the pocket, so in future the object ball will be the last you see. Also slow down the routine, and exaggerate the pauses.
I shoot 2100+ shots, and this drill improved my stroke. I shoot the center ball, draw, follow, high power, pocket speed, slow speed, you have to try all types of shots.

Good luck!

PS I don't see the reason why you can't do this drill if you don't have an instructor.
 
AlexandruM said:
Keep doing this drill, during it you'll find and fix many problem. After the last stop at the ball, move your eyes to the pocket, so in future the object ball will be the last you see. Also slow down the routine, and exaggerate the pauses.
I shoot 2100+ shots, and this drill improved my stroke. I shoot the center ball, draw, follow, high power, pocket speed, slow speed, you have to try all types of shots.

Good luck!

PS I don't see the reason why you can't do this drill if you don't have an instructor.
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Good advice will do, I did find it helps and im barely into it.

Well I guess its possible someone may have a really big flaw in there stroke, grip, stance or maybe there not even hitting centreball at all like me when i started i would get down more to the right of centre, and if they hit like 3000 shots there just doing it wrong over and over. The instructor can fix major issues and the player should work on those. Everyone has different opinions on it, I think its a great drill for someone who has sound fundamentals and is looking to improve.
 
If you're opposite eye dominant, I suggest going to YouTube and searching for videos with John Mora. He plays jam up, is opposite eye dominant, and has very sound fundamentals. Wouldn't be a bad player to emulate!

Hope this helps.
 
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playonepocket said:
If you're opposite eye dominant, I suggest going to YouTube and searching for videos with John Mora. He plays jam up, is opposite eye dominant, and has very sound fundamentals. Wouldn't be a bad player to emulate!

Hope this helps.
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Yeh I know john I see him at our local pool hall every week, great player and hes the same age as me lol.
 
BeiberLvr said:
One thing that helped me (also being right handed/left eye dominant) is to use a modified "boxer" snooker stance. I read that it helps get your left eye over the cue. Not sure if there's any truth to it, but it seems to work for me.
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Never heard of boxer snooker stance. Where can I find some info on it.
 
pt109 said:
Sean Leinen thinks this is a good example of the boxer stance...
...I never had a name for it before,,,but I agree.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=316635

See post #8
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great info, I googled more info on the stance and realized over the last few months of learning i kinda of adapted a similar stance, i keep my left leg foward and slightly bent and my right leg behind. is the right leg suppose to be slightly bent or straight.
 
Pryme said:
I want to start Tor's stroke drill, im going to be aiming to get 3000 shots in over a week or so lets so how it goes.

Since i started playing I have learned so much about the game, overwhelming at times, but I have definitely seen good progress within the 4 months.

for those who have done it,

what is your opinion did you feel your stroke has improved?
did you focus on your eye pattern while doing the drill?


I seem to have a problem being left eye dom and right handed, i have heard that at the end of the follow through your tip should touch the felt, for me when i follow through to get my tip down my back hand (right hand) always touches the lower part of chest. being left eye dominant i have to keep my cue closer to my body.

what do u guys think?
Click to expand...

Practice alone is not enough. You need to do same number of shots under pressure, match or money game. When your pocketing skill for practice and pressure matches are high, then you can consider yourself reaching a good play level. keep at it, never loose track of your cue pivot point for english shots as well as no english shots.
 
Pryme said:
great info, I googled more info on the stance and realized over the last few months of learning i kinda of adapted a similar stance, i keep my left leg foward and slightly bent and my right leg behind. is the right leg suppose to be slightly bent or straight.
Click to expand...

Straight.......
 
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