How have you changed your shooting?

I've spent the last two years working on my mechanics...I had a long lay off and the old way of shooting wasn't doing it for me. After all the experimentation, I finally locked it all in and am shooting my best pool ever.

1. I adopted TOI. Enough said, I like it, won't go into more detail here, it's all been said.
2. I firmed up my bridge, digging in to get a very firm platform. I really didn't realize how unsteady it was until I took a closer look. Made a huge difference.
3. I've tried four different grips...they all work, but you need to find the one that works best for you and stick with it. I tried a loose three finger grip like Alcano/Orcullo use (thumb, index and middle finger, with the others dangling), a firmer version of that, the CJ Wiley hammer grip and a very light/loose thumb and index finger only grip with the other fingers wrapped around the cue, but not touching it (Efren's grip). For me, the verdict is either CJ's grip or Efren's. Both work fine for me, but I'm finding I'm a scotch more consistent with Efren's grip. I still use CJ's grip on thin cuts and rail shots, it's VERY accurate...but for absolute CB control if find Efren's grip works best for me...the touch is amazing.
4. Pointing my left/lead foot parallel to the stick line is critical. I anchor the cue line over my right big toe, step into the shot with the left foot pointed in the direction of the shot and that way my foot placement is always the same. VERY important/helpful tip I picked up here on AZB.

and finally,

5. Compete...even if it's with a banger. I find I get lazy playing myself or the ghost. Drills help, but I get bored with them fast. Playing in competition is the best way to knock off the rust and keep it off.
 
1. I use a shorter bridge to help my accuracy. I get more power with a long bridge, but my stroke isn't good enough to hit every shot perfectly and I seem to play better position when I shorten my bridge.
2. I play better when I don't shoot too fast. I like a good pace between shots, but I try to not rush like I've done in the past.
3. I used to aim by feel and I got to a level where I just had trouble with certain shots and it was a hit or miss proposition on whether I would make the more difficult shots. I learned how to aim much better after I watched CJ Wiley's first set of tapes. I modified what he described slightly and it has changed my game.
4. The last and maybe the best thing I've done to help my game is I started using Predator 314 shafts. I used to switch cues and struggle with deflection and my consistency went out the window. Using the same Predator shaft if I switch cues has given me confidence when I shoot off center of the cue ball.

James
 
This a good thread so I'll go ahead and admit to where I'm focusing...

Stance (thanks CJ) - I was using a typical American stance and my hip for consistency with the line but every once in a while it wasn't perfectly stable - although I was consistently on the same line based on prior work in that area. I'm adopting a snooker stance where I'm more square to the shot, leaning forward ever so slightly, putting more weight on my bridge so I have a true tripod for stability instead of just my legs. Also using a more deliberate approach to how I get into the stance from standing position to improve the consistency.

Cue ball quantification (Thanks Randy G - retreading old knowledge I let slip) - I didn't realize until trying the Billiards University tests just how terrible my cb control is on straight draw shots. My follow is pretty good but draw is all over the map. Using "tips of English" as a guide and drills with consistent speed I'm dialing in what to expect with 1/2 tip below center, 1 tip below etc.

Finally - embarrassing knowledge gap - over the years I had slipped into never using just left or just right - but instead always using top or bottom along with it. A teammate noticed the leave I gave myself on a shot (which I made but it wasn't as easy as it could have been), said he was surprised I didn't just use left and thankfully I was paying attention / light bulb went on.

Shoot well,
Craig
 
Wow, lots of good stuff here. I'll take a note of these things and give a few a try here and there, otherwise it would be overload! There are a few that seem to be repeated, that may be a good starting point. I was going to reply to most or all, but I didn't expect many responses. :embarrassed2:

RiverCity said:
I'm gonna quit playing on bar boxes and stick to the big track :thumbup:
Seriously though, I don't tweak things consciously anymore. I don't know how to accurately attribute improvements to changes made vs extra concentration in play.
For me concentration is what I would tweak, but I can't sustain it. Lol
Chuck
Click to expand...

Hi Chuck! I see that you're in Oregon. If you need practice on the bar boxes, I'm sure we could meet up and get you some games in so that you aren't so intimidated by them. :D

For me, I'm pretty confident that a change is working if I can shoot my usual half-focused game and see a difference.
 
Been paying more attention to the stability of my bridge and stance.
No more halfassed falling-over shots and wobbly air bridges.
Tough or easy, no matter what the result, I'm gonna shoot everything with control
and a definite gameplan.

Safing more often, even if it's just for fun. I want winning habits and I gotta practice
those little safety moves... those simple moves that should be easy,
but get botched if you keep them on the shelf too long.

Always working on the break, but still feel a little lost.

Trying to straighten my stroke, and avoid any kind of steering.
 
CreeDo said:
Been paying more attention to the stability of my bridge and stance.
No more halfassed falling-over shots and wobbly air bridges.
Tough or easy, no matter what the result, I'm gonna shoot everything with control
and a definite gameplan.

Safing more often, even if it's just for fun. I want winning habits and I gotta practice
those little safety moves... those simple moves that should be easy,
but get botched if you keep them on the shelf too long.

Always working on the break, but still feel a little lost.

Trying to straighten my stroke, and avoid any kind of steering.
Click to expand...

That first part is a bit of what I think I mentioned in my post. When I went to the Appleton/Varner clinic, Darren focused on one person's lack of proper balance. He said something about focusing on where she was putting her weight. I took that and started paying more attention to it. It was though I had a better sense of how I was balanced and how it affected my shot.

I got a little help recently on my 9b break and it's working really well.

That last part makes me want to scream, because I'm sure you have the same feeling of knowing exactly as it happens that it's going to fudge the shot. :(
 
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