How do you get down?

[Johnny Rosato]

How do you get down?
I get down with '50's & '60's Motown music.​

 

[gregcantrall]

My memory of Cole's wide spread legs leads me to favoring a wide stance which helps relieve the lower back. Billy Incardona might have had the widest stance that I have seen.
My entry to the stance compares to cranking the auger. Slow too.

 

[hang-the-9]

so much word salad gobbldy gook
for getting down on the shot jesus

It may not be very important for the top players, but beginners and even intermediate players may be helped with adjusting their stance. I look for as many different ideas as I can to try to get new players into a comfortable stance for them since the body motions needed for poor are so new and awkward feeling to them. Some topics are definitely prone to over-thinking, like "what is the best tip", but mechanics can be so varied but work the same I think there should be several options to learn from.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

It may not be very important for the top players, but beginners and even intermediate players may be helped with adjusting their stance. I

over complicating doesnt help any level of player

 

[hang-the-9]

over complicating doesnt help any level of player

Not making it more complicated, I think it's seeing more options as to how you can stand. It is a pretty complex motion, not as bad as a golf swing because there is no body movement, but a lot of factors are involved to get a good stance to allow a straight stroke. When you break down the pool stance and stroke, there are a lot of parts that need to work together, we just don't think about it after a year or more of shooting 4 times a week. Things that are almost instinctive to experienced people need to be broken down in chunks and explained to beginners as steps. You can't just say "bend over and move your arm", you need to place the feet just so, your torso just so, your wrist not wiggly, your shoulder and arm aligned, your eyes and head in a certain place, etc... if those are not all correct for the person, they will be missing or having trouble down the line with being more precise for high level play.

 

[eg9327]

Part of the aiming process is to use your eyes to align the cue to point parallel to the intended travel path of the cue ball, depending upon planned English to be imparted. Micro adjustments must be part of that process. Anyone who thinks they can step up to the table and just bend over and be perfectly aligned with feet, tip, etc. perfectly positioned is just doing a lot more than they think.

 

[cueball2010]

Part of the aiming process is to use your eyes to align the cue to point parallel to the intended travel path of the cue ball, depending upon planned English to be imparted. Micro adjustments must be part of that process. Anyone who thinks they can step up to the table and just bend over and be perfectly aligned with feet, tip, etc. perfectly positioned is just doing a lot more than they think.

This is exactly what I was thinking. But many people here are saying that I will pay in the long run for these "micro adjustments" or never increase skill

So since opening up this thread, I have started going through all the advice. I noticed that if I routinely make sure that my right foot is in-line with the shot before getting down, It has made me start thinking more about whether my bridge hand was coming down in-line with the shot too.

As a result, I have added a "line up bridge hand" thought to my brain's "get down" routine, and this has drastically reduced my "micro adjustments".

 

[straightline]

Line up an easy cut or straight in that allows leaving your stick on the table. Walk around it; make observations if you like. Now keeping in mind the shot is now locked in, walk up to the stick and get into shoot position "around" it.

 

[Garo 7]

Yes, "from the hip" is a good reference, especially with the tip being close to the cue ball, as you mentioned.

Most players, unfortunately, though, have too large a gap between the tip and the cue ball. Additionally, players need to lower themselves into their stance with a sense of feel, since no professional is going to lay the cue on the table to start.

Therefore, I've had some of my students measure while standing using the hand bridge, as I suggest, but in the air above the shot, and then come down onto the cue ball with their eyes closed. Again, the goal is to foul the CB with the tip for those who have persistent, large tip gaps.

Here's C J on the topic. Hopefully his salad suits your taste. Shrug

And remember, "The Game is the Teacher".

Jasmin Oushan addresses "going down" in this video. She gives a good presentation and is easy on the eyes while doing it. A win win.

Edit: Oops I see it's already been recommended. Oh well.

A good friend had a unique settling that could compare to a waddle. Once he was settled in he was a rock.

Here's C J on the topic. Hopefully his salad suits your taste. Shrug

And remember, "The Game is the Teacher".

Yes, "from the hip" is a good reference, especially with the tip being close to the cue ball, as you mentioned.

Most players, unfortunately, though, have too large a gap between the tip and the cue ball. Additionally, players need to lower themselves into their stance with a sense of feel, since no professional is going to lay the cue on the table to start.

Therefore, I've had some of my students measure while standing using the hand bridge, as I suggest, but in the air above the shot, and then come down onto the cue ball with their eyes closed. Again, the goal is to foul the CB with the tip for those who have persistent, large tip gaps.

I sometimes experiment with the long bridge gap. I have heard it said that it can lengthen naturally as a person progresses, over the years. I don't think I am there yet. lol

 

[straightline]

These lessons all presume the player knows what he's pointing at. Like Albin with his samurai windmill. Obviously very effective if you see where the stick lands and by the same token, possibly incidental. Makes more journeyman sense to me if you figure out where TF the stick goes in the first place. (popular notion before the glitz of youtube)

 

[eg9327]

what is a blind cut?

Ray Charles in the hood.

 

[straightline]

Ray Charles in the hood.

Only if he's on someone's case.

 

[Iwishiwasrich]

I just approach the table and proceed to get down with my bad self. Works every time