Grip/Stroke/Stance fundamentals suck

[Colin Colenso]

imho the bridge hand positioning is 10 times more important than trying to tweak one's stroke.

By the time you develop accurate bridge hand placement, the stroke will have had plenty of time to work out how to hit harder, softer, higher, lower and so on.

To get the bridge hand positioning right, alignment needs to be developed, via a consistent stance and comfortable head / eye position relative to the cue and target.

If the bridge isn't on the right line, the back hand can only correct it with swiping and off center hitting, or by working in concert with a shifting bridge (all bad habits). So the more you focus on the back hand, the more a player gets into a habit of steering shots, rather than stroking straight.

Many players assume their bridge position is pretty much a given, that they are placing it accurately enough, but their stroke is letting them down. They are wrong 90% of the time. Their bridge placement is very often inaccurate, a rough guess, from which they try to steer shots in. Typically, these players avoid the power shot, especially over distance, like the plague, because it makes steering nearly impossible. For an accurate bridge placer, power is their friend.

Colin

 

[West Point 1987]

imho the bridge hand positioning is 10 times more important than trying to tweak one's stroke.

By the time you develop accurate bridge hand placement, the stroke will have had plenty of time to work out how to hit harder, softer, higher, lower and so on.

To get the bridge hand positioning right, alignment needs to be developed, via a consistent stance and comfortable head / eye position relative to the cue and target.

If the bridge isn't on the right line, the back hand can only correct it with swiping and off center hitting, or by working in concert with a shifting bridge (all bad habits). So the more you focus on the back hand, the more a player gets into a habit of steering shots, rather than stroking straight.

Many players assume their bridge position is pretty much a given, that they are placing it accurately enough, but their stroke is letting them down. They are wrong 90% of the time. Their bridge placement is very often inaccurate, a rough guess, from which they try to steer shots in. Typically, these players avoid the power shot, especially over distance, like the plague, because it makes steering nearly impossible. For an accurate bridge placer, power is their friend.

Colin

Great observation. I've noticed many top players have a tendency to slide their bridge hand forward simultaneously as they get down with their stick already on the stick line...kind of like reaching forward, sliding forward to the optimal bridge length/position. Makes a lot of sense, especially for consistency...

 

[azbluemach1]

Drop - Personally I think sighting is the most important fundamental. Repeatedly getting your eyes into the exact position that lets YOU see the shot accurately is job #1. One you have that figured out, then being able to deliver the cue tip to the exact spot on the object ball is job #2.

The preshot routine is all about getting your eyes in exactly the right spot, EVERY TIME, and then setting your body around the stroke line in a way which will allow you to deliver an accurate strike on the cueball with an efficient (no wasted movement) stroke. Develop a rock solid preshot routine, and use it every single shot.

Try setting up to a shot, and then ONLY looking at the cueball when you shoot, making sure you are delivering the tip exactly to the intended spot. Focus on what the tip is doing, and be mindful of what your arm/body is doing in the stroke. If you can't make shots like this it means that your brain is compensating during your stroke due to poor alignment. You might be surprised to find your wrist turn/flick issue has more to do with subconscious compensation than with mechanics.

 

[Drop The Rock]

Well

I'd love to multi quote everything here but instead I'm just gonna say this:

Mark Wilson does indeed have a great book, I just need to crack it open again. Practicing properly and observing other fundamentals will probably help me a long my way rather than focusing so much on stroke because I can already put plenty of spin on the cue ball (its the tweaking thats makes it tough to be consistent). I really can't afford to spend $300-$500 on pool school or anything like that (although I could get Charlie Bryant to help me adjust a little bit.

For me I need to stop looking at every pros stroke because not all of their types of strokes will work for me and I know that. Shane's stroke may look pretty but its manufactured just like everybody else's and what matters most is his final stroke.

The reality is this is MY game, my body and my stroke and I need to let them be while enforcing basic principles rather than "technique overhauls". A huge part of all of this is confidence. The reality is making my stroke look like so pro isn't going to make me play like them.

Thanks for all of the feedback everybody. I do need to remember that my style is my own.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Never mind.

 

[GoldCrown]

How about attending a Pool School in Dallas?

randyg

This is the best advice and help you will get. If you are serious about learning/improving take Randy's suggestion. You can read books and watch videos all day long but there is no substitute for a professional instructor working closely and directly with you. Watch a video analysis of your stroke.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

2 words
scott lee
hes been through htown twice this yr already and ive taken advantage

 

[Drop The Rock]

Everything centers around your dominant eye.

The things you do to make this right or that right with your stance and stroke can contort your body so it can seem like nothing is right.

Your probably opposite eye dominant and by getting everything right in the preshot and coming down right your body will find it's natural position needing just a few little tweaks here and there but nothing major.

This is a one time offer for free so take advantage of it for sure.

I know what I'm talking about.

Just give me a call when your by a pool table.

I have a site called perfectaimbilliards.com and have helped thousands of players get this right for themselves.

715-563-8712 after 3:00 PM central time is the best.

Talk to you soon..........

Gene,

I'll probably call you around 5:30 central.

 

[GoldCrown]

2 words
scott lee
hes been through htown twice this yr already and ive taken advantage

He's the one. Scott will teach you how to play pool. Don't think that all instructors are created equal.

 

[StraightPoolIU]

One tip I have about Mark Wilson's book is that if you can buy Jerry Briesath's "A Pool Lesson" dvd set it is fantastic supplemental material. It covers a lot of the same ground in a more visual way. Helped me a lot. I plan on going to see Mark for lessons some time, but in the mean time it was a nice stopgap.

 

[Dragon21]

I'm from houston.

i know someone who can really help your game. How much are you willing to pay? he's a great teacher and if you have a low budget it's fine by him. just tell me the range. He can go to bigtyme to teach you.

 

[Dragon21]

just reply to my private message.

i'll be waiting. good luck!

 

[the chicken]

1 - Stroke arm must be able to swing freely. Don't matter how you stand.
2 - Keep your head high enough so that you can "see the tangent line."
If you incorporate these two items in your psr, you'll make progress.

Shoot safe,

John