Good thoughts there... Thus far I've only been considering a standard 'potting' approach. Makes total sense that the focus of intention shifts toward the key aspect of the shot at hand.
It appears you got a mixed message when it comes to the intention concept.
No I think I'm interpreting what he is trying to convey in a different manner than you are. I watched the second video and it really just fortified what I took from the first.
I didn't doubt that for a moment. ...and please view my counters to your comments as an effort to dig into the subject and not just gleen face value.
I take it as a communications, shared understanding thing.
The idea of constraints in this context relates to motor skill development.
Exactly... ....and while attempting to break out of my mold I have discovered some realities about certain aspects of my shot process. That's what spurred this thread into being. I wanted to know if others were actually doing what I had been, and how many were attempting what I'm currently trying.
Looking at the object ball last, allows the shooter to get immediate feedback on their chosen cueing and aiming.
Nearly everyone claims this, but based on my experience it's only the case on the most rudimentary shots. Unless 'done' means completed everything you need to do while standing up. My opinion isn't fact so take it for what you may think it worth.
If you'd like a little experiment, do just what you're doing, but look at the OB first and while you get down on the shot, keep looking at the OB. Give a quick glance at the CB to set it up, then as you have been doing focus on the OB last. You still have the ability to know something is off and get up and rechalk. What I've found though is, by watching where you want to hit the OB as you get down, you end up not having to get up and rechalk nearly as much. The correct alignment just happens way more frequently if you watch the OB while getting down.
Very true... and even more so when you're on a track. You to think at least 100ft ahead of where you are at all times.
If your doing the same thing every time, meaning walking up to the shot and placing your bridge hand on the table and getting set.
Traveling thru the so. on my moto, yrs ago/light rain/dark going 45mph in a 350 Ducati I came upon....4 sets of Rail Road tracks running at a 45 degree angle from left to right nearly parallel to the direction I was headed. I was ready to lay it down, but it didn't slip or catch a groove. My pulse rose Dramatically when I saw that wet/buffed/street light lit steel with spacing between, and that too was metal sheeting.
Looking ob last is overrated myth. It all depends who is playing where to watch.
From the perspective of (advanced beginner? Lower intermediate? I'm a 5 in APA 9-ball playing recently like a 3 . . . . . )I had a thought while shooting last night. I have an 8.5' in my basement but often play at a friend's shop, where he has a 7' Valley with Penguin rails and I think 4 1/4 pockets, so a tough table. Now when you get shooting good, and only shoot on one size table (say the 8.5' in my case), you start realizing, "hey, this ball is 4" from the rail and 3.5' from the pocket. If I hit/rub the ball like so it goes in." No need to take an aim line or look at a pocket because I know how to move a ball 4" in a given distance. No need for visual focus because you know how to hit it. I'm lazy by nature, figuring out the most efficient way to do stuff, etc. So this laziness is easily fed and leads to not aiming. The dastardly thing is, this is a mistake, but you keep making balls, so there is no negative feedback. The lazy, no aiming rewards you, and quickly leads to a bad habit of not aiming, because you know how far to push a ball over in a given distance. You've got your HAMB certificate so why waste time with all this aiming stuff? Your mind begins to wander and you start getting worse shape. You had no baseline (where you aimed) to start your shape from, so the CB just ends up somewhere close instead of where you wanted it. These small mistakes add up, and 3 or 4 shots later, you're doing trick shots to keep your run going. Kind of like painting yourself in a corner, you're fine at the beginning, but sooner or later, you're stuck.
Another bad part about making balls while getting lazy and not aiming (or not having your intention set): When you play on a different size table, all those shots you were getting away without aiming no longer go in. You'll think your aim is off, but your aim isn't off, you've got into the habit of not aiming. It can be sorted, but you don't want to be in the middle of competition when you realize what's going on because it can be tough to overcome. So a takeaway is, always aim, even if you don't need to. The aiming should be a part of your PSR, even if you don't really have a structured PSR. It's way too easy to get lazy and it can wreck havoc on your ability on different size tables, gives sloppy leave, etc.
To add another layer to the onion, it's not just aiming, it's choosing your intention and deciding what area demands your focus, along with patterns, back up balls, 2 way shots, strategy and the myriad of things this game makes us think about. Focus on too many things and you soon feel like your brain is dripping out of your ears and you'll be praying it works. Focus on too little and you'll fall into bad habits. What a difficult simple game!
