How have you changed your shooting?

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I was thinking the other day about a few things that I've been doing in the last few months that I'd like to think are making a difference.

1. Paying attention to which foot I am putting more pressure on.

2. Adjusting for cuts depending on side I'm on.

3. Trying to eliminate 'adjusting' on straight-in shots.

The first two have made the quickest/most obvious changes. The last is something I know I need to ditch before it becomes more of a crutch than a calibration tweak.

In a couple of months, I'll probably start complaining that the adjusting for cuts isn't working, but hopefully it'll be because the adjustment has been almost all worked out.

(Not enough pool stuff lately!)

Darren said I needed to get a regular pre-shot down, as my practice strokes ranged from something like 3 to 15. I'll get there eventually. :o
 
I agree about the pool stuff.

Changes:
Ghost ball
cte
Back to ghost ball
Cte/ ghost ball mix

Downward pressure on grip hand for rail shots

Using more English

These are just a few in the past year.
 
Advice that helped me by others.

1. Shorten up your bridge.
2. Do not pause on your backstroke before you break.
3. (Years ago..) Tighten up your closed bridge and twist it slightly so the "web" between thumb and forefinger closes it entirely.

Ken
 
Changed a few things to add consistency to my setup/stroke and it has resulted in more consistency in my play.

Bridge arm straight on all shots when possible.

Constant bridge length on all shots when possible, but stroke length changes depending on shot. Gives a consistent distance and view of the CB for all shots.

3 different stroke lengths depending on the shot, but same tempo. Helps create a gauge for CB speed control.
 
I somehow developed a chicken wing elbow and a bent wrist in my stroke over the last year or so.

So I'm working hard to get rid of that and back to my old pendulum. Seems to be helping already, but I need to get it into muscle memory.
 
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
 
Trying to stay lower over my cue in my stance.

Trying to insure that I shoot through the ball and not jab or poke.

Trying to slow down the whole process for better control.

Trying to not let my mind wander during the shooting process.

Trying, trying, trying....probly a hundred other things, too.
 
Here are a few I've recently done:

1) Cleared out the dungeon of a basement and did a full remodel
2) bought and repaired a table to above decent standards
3) at least a couple hours a day knocking the dust/rust off my stroke, aim, stance & pre-shot routine
4) work on various old habits that keep surfacing or are newly discovered
5) stop taking 10+ year breaks from the game

In just a few short months, I have gone from a few ball runs to at times throwing out some 2-3 10ball BnR packs (playing at home alone, relaxed on decent equipment). I'd say I'm just over 60% to where I had hoped to be ( and roughly 40% of what I was capable of years ago ) by the end of my first year back. Sadly, I think I'm now at the point where progress has reached a plateau in rapid progress. From here on out it will be small incremental improvements that will be hard for me to notice right away.
My biggest issues don't lie in my stroke, aim or anything of the sorts, my biggest hurdle will be the mental aspect of the game in competition. I've played in a couple local 9-ball tournaments just to test the waters so to speak (9ft gold crowns in horrendous condition, dirty cloth, dirty balls & shimmed pockets that reject good hits). Needless to say I've sharked myself right out of competition before my first match begins. Muscles get tight, butterflies kick in high gear, brain starts to race and before I know it I've lost before the coin flip hits the table. The environment of the place is really uncomfortable and fears of being shot or robbed are always on the mind just adding to the mental stress.
Back to the topic at hand, I have changed my shooting, well, to actually shooting again.......

Dopc.

Sorry for the life story book, life happens I guess.....
 
Last edited:
Ken_4fun said:
Advice that helped me by others.

1. Shorten up your bridge.
2. Do not pause on your backstroke before you break.
3. (Years ago..) Tighten up your closed bridge and twist it slightly so the "web" between thumb and forefinger closes it entirely.

Ken
Click to expand...

What does #2 do for you?

randyg
 
i started using a glove to make sure i had a smooth glide. worked on making sure i kept my wrist straight ive been thinking about putting the brace on again i need to get rid of the rotating i do with my wrist. and working on the center to edge cuts
 
randyg said:
What does #2 do for you?

randyg
Click to expand...

I used to pause on my final practice stroke before I broke the balls. The entire team that I play on insisted that I change it to get more power.

They also wanted me to change to a second ball break on 8 ball.

The removal of the pause according to them, allows me to break harder.

According to them, it is working, and I am seeing some success. I felt the pause allowed me to focus on the spot of the cue ball a little better.

Ken
 
Ken_4fun said:
I used to pause on my final practice stroke before I broke the balls. The entire team that I play on insisted that I change it to get more power.

They also wanted me to change to a second ball break on 8 ball.

The removal of the pause according to them, allows me to break harder.

According to them, it is working, and I am seeing some success. I felt the pause allowed me to focus on the spot of the cue ball a little better.

Ken
Click to expand...

I agree with you.

randyg
 
Been trying to improve my position play. Slowed my ball down and am trying to follow what the table has given me rather than forcing the cue ball all over the table. Still a work in progress, when I get out of position I tend to try to force the cue which invariably leads to missed shots. I'm trying to improve my safety play for times like that.
 
I've been focusing on that feeling of repeatedly delivering a buttery smooth, accelerating cue tip. Also, actually looking at the cueball when standing on the shot line in order to make sure I'm dead on.
 
More power on the break - easy to tell - did you check it with the Break Speed phone app? There used to be a great video on youtube about power breaking - got moved to a pay site - recommended pausing on the break. Getting more power is about standing up a bit higher than normal / lengthening the bridge distance / adding in wrist action (difficult) / or even adding in shoulder (I know a guy breaks 28mph by adding shoulder to it but I can't do it).

Craig
 
2 biggest things are A) keeping my head down, I though rj was going to kill me. And B) leaving position for natural angle.
 
Keeping your head down is hard if you don't have a good reason to keep it down. After you execute your stroke - check the line of your cue to make sure you hit it straight before you stand up. Gives you a focus other than 'don't stand up' and accomplishes what your after.

Craig
 
I been missing long straight in shots most of my life. I tried all sorts of things but no luck. was starting to believe it was my eyesight.

well I decided to get down on my cue more . it helped immediately. trouble is this old body don't bend like it used too.
 
I tried and get used to hammer grip, also discover the magic power of stop/stun shots. It makes difference.
 
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