head position question

[z0nt0n3r]

hi everyone, i have another question about head alignment since it seems to be one of the most complicated subjects.

basically what i want to find out (assuming that i have found my vision centre alignment) is : when coaches advocate that the face should be square to the shot, do they mean that it should be completely square with the nose pointed directly down the shot line or do they mean that it should be as square as you comfortably can with the nose pointed very slightly away from the shot line? for me it's more uncomfortable to get down on the shot with the face completely square. i'm right-handed so my nose points very slightly to the right of the shot line (from my point of view). it's a little harder on the neck to play with the face completely square, but i'm sure the body can get used to it with practice.

also another thing, let's say a player is slightly left eye dominant. if he plays with the cue center-chin but with his left eye slightly closer to the shot line than the right, is it the same as playing with both eyes completely square to the shot and the cue slightly under his left eye? would he view the same shot picture using these two different head positions?

 

[FranCrimi]

By square, they mean face be perpendicular to the shot line. Depending on how you see best, the cue can be placed in the center of your eyes or favoring either eye. Some players even place their cue solely under one eye. But the face as a whole remains perpendicular to the shot line.

That's how we normally see best --- with our irises centered in our eyes. You didn't ask this, but turning your head, even the slightest bit away from the shot, no longer centers your vision but forces you to look a bit sideways at the shot line. This can strain your eyes over time. Imagine reading a book with your head turned slightly to one side. Your eyes will feel strain in a short amount of time.

But keep in mind, squaring your face to the shot line must be coordinated with feet placement. If you feel neck strain but see the shot well in that position, then you need to adjust your feet.

As a guide, the more your body faces your pool cue, the more you will have to twist your neck to square your face to the shot line. You should never allow yourself to experience neck strain while playing. That's something a player should not try to get used to. Adjusting your feet so that you face the table more, resolves this issue.

 

[BilliardsAbout]

hi everyone, i have another question about head alignment since it seems to be one of the most complicated subjects.

basically what i want to find out (assuming that i have found my vision centre alignment) is : when coaches advocate that the face should be square to the shot, do they mean that it should be completely square with the nose pointed directly down the shot line or do they mean that it should be as square as you comfortably can with the nose pointed very slightly away from the shot line? for me it's more uncomfortable to get down on the shot with the face completely square. i'm right-handed so my nose points very slightly to the right of the shot line (from my point of view). it's a little harder on the neck to play with the face completely square, but i'm sure the body can get used to it with practice.

also another thing, let's say a player is slightly left eye dominant. if he plays with the cue center-chin but with his left eye slightly closer to the shot line than the right, is it the same as playing with both eyes completely square to the shot and the cue slightly under his left eye? would he view the same shot picture using these two different head positions?

For my stance, since my feet are near 45 degrees to the shot line, I allow my head to move (naturally move) with the trunk, whch brings my left eye closer to the balls than my right eye (I'm right handed).

Head position is a combination of vision center over the line, the degree of head rotation off perpendicular (if any) and the height of the head, which is also important--since the height of the body in the stance not only changes the height of the head but tends to move it laterally--beware. Mark all when you're playing well, using a mirror.

 

[z0nt0n3r]

By square, they mean face be perpendicular to the shot line. Depending on how you see best, the cue can be placed in the center of your eyes or favoring either eye. Some players even place their cue solely under one eye. But the face as a whole remains perpendicular to the shot line.

That's how we normally see best --- with our irises centered in our eyes. You didn't ask this, but turning your head, even the slightest bit away from the shot, no longer centers your vision but forces you to look a bit sideways at the shot line. This can strain your eyes over time. Imagine reading a book with your head turned slightly to one side. Your eyes will feel strain in a short amount of time.

But keep in mind, squaring your face to the shot line must be coordinated with feet placement. If you feel neck strain but see the shot well in that position, then you need to adjust your feet.

As a guide, the more your body faces your pool cue, the more you will have to twist your neck to square your face to the shot line. You should never allow yourself to experience neck strain while playing. That's something a player should not try to get used to. Adjusting your feet so that you face the table more, resolves this issue.

ok, so from reading what you're saying, i don't think it's technically wrong to have one eye very slightly closer to the shot line than the other but it's just a matter of comfortability, the eyes aren't as comfortable as they are when your face is completely square to the shot. i have been playing with my left eye slightly closer to the shot than the right for years and i haven't experienced the strain that you are saying probably because the degree of my head turn is fractional. i still think what comes natural to most players is having one eye very slightly closer than the other just like many pro players who play that way (probably the majority), but it is very hard to detect it on video since we are talking about very small fractions (the nose of the player points just to the right of the cue instead of right in the center of the cue).

but i agree if the player has his face turned too much away from the shot line and the nose points completely away from the cue, this can strain the eyes over time.

 

[WobblyStroke]

There's been a thread on this square face before. At least one. You can search them up and see a bunch of answers to your question.

I think the gist of it is that ideally we want to be square so we have as little distortions in sighting as possible, but if it is a choice between super ideal head placement and some strain vs good enough head placement where you still see str8 as str8 in complete comfort, go with option 2.

 

[FranCrimi]

ok, so from reading what you're saying, i don't think it's technically wrong to have one eye very slightly closer to the shot line than the other but it's just a matter of comfortability, the eyes aren't as comfortable as they are when your face is completely square to the shot. i have been playing with my left eye slightly closer to the shot than the right for years and i haven't experienced the strain that you are saying probably because the degree of my head turn is fractional. i still think what comes natural to most players is having one eye very slightly closer than the other just like many pro players who play that way (probably the majority), but it is very hard to detect it on video since we are talking about very small fractions (the nose of the player points just to the right of the cue instead of right in the center of the cue).

but i agree if the player has his face turned too much away from the shot line and the nose points completely away from the cue, this can strain the eyes over time.

I never said it's not okay to have one eye closer to the shot line than the other. Of course it's perfectly okay! They key is to keep your head straight as opposed to tilting or turning it so that it's no longer perpendicular to the shot line. Your face can still be perpendicular to the shot line while one eye is over the shot line, right?

 

[z0nt0n3r]

I never said it's not okay to have one eye closer to the shot line than the other. Of course it's perfectly okay! They key is to keep your head straight as opposed to tilting or turning it so that it's no longer perpendicular to the shot line. Your face can still be perpendicular to the shot line while one eye is over the shot line, right?

i think we are misunderstanding each other. when i say 'one eye closer to the shot line than the other' , i mean closer to the object ball & cue ball, so that means the head turned slightly, while i think you mean that the head should be as square as possible and not with one eye more forward than the other.

 

[FranCrimi]

i think we are misunderstanding each other. when i say 'one eye closer to the shot line than the other' , i mean closer to the object ball & cue ball, so that means the head turned slightly, while i think you mean that the head should be as square as possible and not with one eye more forward than the other.

Oh I see what you mean. You're right. I don't recommend that. But I'm sure you'll get a fair share of private messages from people who are afraid to post their opinions here because they may be challenged.