I take all 15 balls to one end of the table and put them in those pockets and then I shoot at least 60 straight in, diagonal corner to corner shots a day. I'm VERY methodical about this process focusing on preshot routine, on "THE PROCESS".
On any shot that is not straight in I go behind the ob to see the angle and in my mind draw a line between the point in the pocket I want the ob to hit, the center of the ob and a precise point on the rail closest to me and visualize that angle.
I go 3 ot 5 ft behind the cb, get my chin in line with the shot, re-visualize the shot line and get a clear picture of the angle across the table, visualize the ghost ball and the cb going where I need it to make the next 2 shots. This may take a few seconds as I make the shot plan come clear in my mind and get ALL the planning done.
I take slow, very measured, steps into the stance position, keeping my chin in line with the shot, placiing my left foot (I'm left handed) so that the toe is in line with where I want the butt of the cue to be and then place the right foot.
I place my hands on the proper positions on the cue with the back hand almost off the handle, VERY slowly lower my body and the cue into the shot line, making sure my right arm is straight out in front of me, that my body is turned so that the left arm has freedom to stroke through the shot, lower my chin to touch the cue seeing that my head is properly in line with the shot and then raise it a few inches.
I stroke 6 practice strokes...3 quick to loosen the arm and 3 slow to fine tune the aim, concentrating on the movement of the forearm as a pendelum hanging from the elbow, keeping the shoulder and upper arm motionless and noticing that my grip is light/loose and that my fist is moving exactly towards the line of my shot.
As these practice strokes are being taken I again find that ghost ball and fine tune it's positon noticing the precise spot in the pocket that I want to hit and the angle from that precise spot through the ob and the ghost ball.
Final practice stroke of the 3 slow practice strokes is very slow, pause at the back (llike Buddy or Allison) then stroke the shot (not HIT it....stroke it) and follow through fully with my fist coming to rest at my chest.
Then BE SURE to stay down until the balls have stopped rolling and notice where the cue tip has ended up, whether it is in line with the shot line and whether it is pointing down and notice the cb and whether it is spinning with unwanted and unplanned english and did it have draw or follow on it (I have a "measles" cue ball so it's easy to see the spin).
Then do it all again, VERY METHODICALLY, knowing that if I repeat every one of the very necessary steps a few thousand times then each step will become a habit and I'll have good habits that will perhaps win a game and match.
I take time to do all of these steps, VERY METHODICALLY for at least 60 and sometimes up to 300 potted balls a day, taking from 1 to 5 hours if I feel that something is not right in "THE PROCESS". I think of each shot as a "Process" with very specific and precise steps being NECESSARY to complete the Process correctly.
When I'm done and happy with how THE PROCESS has been accomplished I'll go on to play some 4 or 5 or 6 ball run out throwing out from 4 to 6 or 7 balls leading up to the nine and attempting to run out...usually not with ball in hand but allowing some positioning of the cb on the first shot to allow room to see and make the first shot.
I practice at least 2 hours a day and sometimes 5 or 6 hours.
I've always believed that every shot taken on the pool table should be taken very seriously, never just "knocking some balls around", but Mark said it best in the November edition of BD....."Complete every stroke of the cue to perfection, regardless of how simple or difficult the shot may be. Make no distiction between the difficult or less difficult shots, but apply yourself completely to each opportunity to strike a pool ball."
APPLY YOURSELF COMPLETELY TO EACH OPPORTUNITY TO STRIKE A POOL BALL!!!!!!! I love it!!
ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE PERFECTION KNOWING THAT PERFECT OUTCOME COMES FROM PERFECT PROCESS.
On any shot that is not straight in I go behind the ob to see the angle and in my mind draw a line between the point in the pocket I want the ob to hit, the center of the ob and a precise point on the rail closest to me and visualize that angle.
I go 3 ot 5 ft behind the cb, get my chin in line with the shot, re-visualize the shot line and get a clear picture of the angle across the table, visualize the ghost ball and the cb going where I need it to make the next 2 shots. This may take a few seconds as I make the shot plan come clear in my mind and get ALL the planning done.
I take slow, very measured, steps into the stance position, keeping my chin in line with the shot, placiing my left foot (I'm left handed) so that the toe is in line with where I want the butt of the cue to be and then place the right foot.
I place my hands on the proper positions on the cue with the back hand almost off the handle, VERY slowly lower my body and the cue into the shot line, making sure my right arm is straight out in front of me, that my body is turned so that the left arm has freedom to stroke through the shot, lower my chin to touch the cue seeing that my head is properly in line with the shot and then raise it a few inches.
I stroke 6 practice strokes...3 quick to loosen the arm and 3 slow to fine tune the aim, concentrating on the movement of the forearm as a pendelum hanging from the elbow, keeping the shoulder and upper arm motionless and noticing that my grip is light/loose and that my fist is moving exactly towards the line of my shot.
As these practice strokes are being taken I again find that ghost ball and fine tune it's positon noticing the precise spot in the pocket that I want to hit and the angle from that precise spot through the ob and the ghost ball.
Final practice stroke of the 3 slow practice strokes is very slow, pause at the back (llike Buddy or Allison) then stroke the shot (not HIT it....stroke it) and follow through fully with my fist coming to rest at my chest.
Then BE SURE to stay down until the balls have stopped rolling and notice where the cue tip has ended up, whether it is in line with the shot line and whether it is pointing down and notice the cb and whether it is spinning with unwanted and unplanned english and did it have draw or follow on it (I have a "measles" cue ball so it's easy to see the spin).
Then do it all again, VERY METHODICALLY, knowing that if I repeat every one of the very necessary steps a few thousand times then each step will become a habit and I'll have good habits that will perhaps win a game and match.
I take time to do all of these steps, VERY METHODICALLY for at least 60 and sometimes up to 300 potted balls a day, taking from 1 to 5 hours if I feel that something is not right in "THE PROCESS". I think of each shot as a "Process" with very specific and precise steps being NECESSARY to complete the Process correctly.
When I'm done and happy with how THE PROCESS has been accomplished I'll go on to play some 4 or 5 or 6 ball run out throwing out from 4 to 6 or 7 balls leading up to the nine and attempting to run out...usually not with ball in hand but allowing some positioning of the cb on the first shot to allow room to see and make the first shot.
I practice at least 2 hours a day and sometimes 5 or 6 hours.
I've always believed that every shot taken on the pool table should be taken very seriously, never just "knocking some balls around", but Mark said it best in the November edition of BD....."Complete every stroke of the cue to perfection, regardless of how simple or difficult the shot may be. Make no distiction between the difficult or less difficult shots, but apply yourself completely to each opportunity to strike a pool ball."
APPLY YOURSELF COMPLETELY TO EACH OPPORTUNITY TO STRIKE A POOL BALL!!!!!!! I love it!!
ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE PERFECTION KNOWING THAT PERFECT OUTCOME COMES FROM PERFECT PROCESS.
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