How to check alignment

M

mnShooter

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
After reading Colin's thread I would like to get some ideas on how everyone here checks that they are aligned correctly.

I've been trying to change my stance so that it is more technically correct but now I can't tell if I'm pointed in the right direction or not. I guess I'm not used to this new stance yet.

Sometimes I will aim for a full hit and hit almost a quarter ball off.

Basically the only way I can check that I'm aligned correctly is to walk into the shot. But it doesn't seem to be working very well. Help please.
 
I use parallel lines...

I use parallel lines one going through the OB and one going through the CB combined with Ghost Ball and a visualization technique.
 
A good way that I ensure proper alignment on longer shots is to line the shot up visually first, then holding the cue at the butt, lay the cue onto the table as the shot should be aligned. Then, from there, bring your bridge hand to where the cue lies and form your bridge around it.

From there, if you're comfortable, practice, then execute. If not, stand slightly and look over the shot, or start the process over.

Take care,
-Matt
 
I must sound like a broken record here, but if you learn the Bert Kinister Mighty-X it will tell you whenever you are out of alignment and it will help you get back in. I gives you feedback on your flaws and helps you correct it. Warm up with this will get you in line as fast as anything for me.
 
Jaden said:
I use parallel lines one going through the OB and one going through the CB combined with Ghost Ball and a visualization technique.
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I'm not talking about aiming. I'm talking about alignment. I can see if my tip or the cueball is aligned to the object ball. I just can't tell if my stick is aligned also. I think I'll have to try getting the stick aligned and then moving your body around it like Matt suggested.
 
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MattRDavis said:
A good way that I ensure proper alignment on longer shots is to line the shot up visually first, then holding the cue at the butt, lay the cue onto the table as the shot should be aligned. Then, from there, bring your bridge hand to where the cue lies and form your bridge around it.

From there, if you're comfortable, practice, then execute. If not, stand slightly and look over the shot, or start the process over.

Take care,
-Matt
Click to expand...

That's a very good way to start the process. Now, take Matt's idea, but instead of getting down on the shot, do your best to stay quite upright, as best you can, similar to the way you were when standing. I bet there's a specific height over the cue when you are looking down the cue, with both eyes open, when the cue and the object ball and the pocket line up perfectly. Try to find that point. Once you find it, start your practice strokes and without moving your head, check to see if the cue is moving PERFECTLY in a straight line, on the perfect aim line you've already seen when standing upright. Make sure your cue tip is aligned to hit pure center ball, perhaps 1/2 a tip above center. Once everything looks good, shoot the cue ball at about lag speed, the speed it would take to make the cue ball go up and down table one time. Shoot the shot, don't move, and see where the cue ball goes. If it goes straight and doesn't curve even a bit, congratulations, you most likely shot without unintended english. See if the object ball pots correctly. If it does, congratulations again. Now, set that shot up and shoot it over and over and over. Groove it into your mind. Never forget how you did it. Then move on to other shots!

Cheers!

Flex
 
mnShooter said:
After reading Colin's thread I would like to get some ideas on how everyone here checks that they are aligned correctly.

I've been trying to change my stance so that it is more technically correct but now I can't tell if I'm pointed in the right direction or not. I guess I'm not used to this new stance yet.

Sometimes I will aim for a full hit and hit almost a quarter ball off.

Basically the only way I can check that I'm aligned correctly is to walk into the shot. But it doesn't seem to be working very well. Help please.
Click to expand...

This is why my practice begins and ends with shooting a bunch of medium to long straight in shots. A lot of times that is the only thing I have time for, but I rarely skip going down to the basement at least long enough to do the straight ins.
 
Some brief bullet point tips on methods that help me.
1. Have head and eyes at same position for each shot.
2. Be slow and careful moving into stance and bridge.
3. Stare that OB into the pocket while setting up.
4. Raise cue to center top of CB to check the line.
5. Feather strokes and feel if that would pocket the ball.
6. Feel...feel, if the OB will go into the pocket.
7. Avoid looking at cue or CB too much until final check tha cue is lined up center to CB.
8. Pivoting the bridge on the heel of my hand, following the center of the CB by turning accordingly with my upper body and cue.

That's just a few of the analytical stages I go through when aligning and when I'm not confident in my alignment on a shot.
 
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Flex said:
Now, set that shot up and shoot it over and over and over. Groove it into your mind. Never forget how you did it. Then move on to other shots!
Click to expand...

That's an interesting point Flex!

How much of alignment is memorization and how much is judgement (systemetized) ?

I do think memorization is very powerful potentially. Some shots we just bridge up to feeling very comfortable, without really paying any attention to points or lines. When players are in the zone, they may well be aligning on memory.

I have this feeling sometimes and it is hard to describe. I just kind of see the whole picture and can see where the balls will go. At other times, on other shots, I analyze points and lines in much more detail and form predictions about effects. The first method is more effortless (if I can use those two words together). But it doesn't work all the time on all shots. It happens more when we practice more though.

It makes me consider again an approach of practicing a range of angles such as straight, 3 degrees, 6 degrees, 10 degrees etc at various distances progressively, to enhance memorization, and then trying to recogize the angles of shots when they come up.
 
Flex said:
That's a very good way to start the process. Now, take Matt's idea, but instead of getting down on the shot, do your best to stay quite upright, as best you can, similar to the way you were when standing. I bet there's a specific height over the cue when you are looking down the cue, with both eyes open, when the cue and the object ball and the pocket line up perfectly. Try to find that point. Once you find it, start your practice strokes and without moving your head, check to see if the cue is moving PERFECTLY in a straight line, on the perfect aim line you've already seen when standing upright. Make sure your cue tip is aligned to hit pure center ball, perhaps 1/2 a tip above center. Once everything looks good, shoot the cue ball at about lag speed, the speed it would take to make the cue ball go up and down table one time. Shoot the shot, don't move, and see where the cue ball goes. If it goes straight and doesn't curve even a bit, congratulations, you most likely shot without unintended english. See if the object ball pots correctly. If it does, congratulations again. Now, set that shot up and shoot it over and over and over. Groove it into your mind. Never forget how you did it. Then move on to other shots!

Cheers!

Flex
Click to expand...


This might be the ticket. Watching pros they seem to back into their stance. They stand very close and then move their rear foot backward to get into position. It might have something to do with being closer to the same distance away from the cueball when you are standing and in your shooting stance.

I will have to check out that Mighty X video. I have seen a few of Bert's videos but this sounds like it could be very valuable.

I do own the third eye. I guess I haven't used it since when I first got it. I didn't really have any problems getting aligned back then. Maybe I'll have to dig it back out.
 
mnShooter said:
This might be the ticket. Watching pros they seem to back into their stance. They stand very close and then move their rear foot backward to get into position. It might have something to do with being closer to the same distance away from the cueball when you are standing and in your shooting stance.

I will have to check out that Mighty X video. I have seen a few of Bert's videos but this sounds like it could be very valuable.

I do own the third eye. I guess I haven't used it since when I first got it. I didn't really have any problems getting aligned back then. Maybe I'll have to dig it back out.
Click to expand...

Bert's Fundmentals and Mighty X teaches you to be closer to the ball and step back in to your stance. Anytime I feel out of line, I go back to this and I am instantly right back where I need to be. I know if you can get through them and take time to do them, you will get what I did from it. Just keep in mind, it is not easy to accomplish and will take persistance. I learned this on a 9 footer, but videos are some his older ones and they are done on a 7f ooter....much easier to do. Good Luck! PM if you need some help and I will call youif you want, or you can always just call Bert.
 
Colin Colenso said:
That's an interesting point Flex!

How much of alignment is memorization and how much is judgement (systemetized) ?
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One of the key things I got out of Joe Tucker's explanation of the tricks our eyes play on us and how the 3rd eye helps is to understand that sometimes things look wrong to us when they are right. Using his 3rd eye will help to retrain your eyes to see the shots differently, and after shooting the shot several times with the trainer, he says to take the trainer off your cue and shoot the shot like that. Say 5 times with the trainer, then 10 times without it. He says you need to get comfortable with sighting without the trainer. I think the biggest thing he helps with is convincing you to shoot the shot that looks wrong but is right. What happens after shooting the shot over and over and over and over is your mind is convinced that it needs to be shot that way, even though your eyes are lying to you. Believe me, it works...

Now, on those long shots, there is much more that can happen when the cue ball is traveling downtable: it can wander, roll off, any unintended english can wreak havoc, you can get throw on the object ball, especially if the shot is soft. When I have those long cut shots with a slight angle, shooting the cue ball softly maximizes the chances of pretty awesome throw. Shoot that shot hard though, and the throw is minimized. However, it does come down to a feel situation, IMHO. Shooting the shot over and over helps build an inner feel for the shot. And the adjustments to make those long pots oftentimes are quite small.

Flex
 
I originally posted this somewhere else, but if it helps even one person to get a better stroke, then it's worth me posting it again.


Ghosst said:
When I used to play snooker I had an alternative method of keeping my stroke in tune that worked very well. I used this for years and whenever I felt myself missing any shot that was easily pottable I would return to my practice and improve my game.

Start by placing a striped ball on the headstring, one marker in from the side. (Sorry, my laptop doesn't like the WEI table) Shoot straight across the table, so the OB follows the headstring. The OB should return straight back and hit the tip of your cue dead in the center. If it veers off the headstring before contacting the far rail you're aim is off. If the ball veers off the headstring after contacting the rail then you're applying side to your shot when it should be a center-ball hit.

To make this harder, I would also shoot the length of the table (~18-22' depending on how far up you started) to make even the smallest of errors apparent. Once I could consistently hit the length of the table and return the ball to my tip I knew my stroke was fluid and straight. After practicing this for a little while (20-30 mins) I was always able to shoot better.
Click to expand...
 
Donovan said:
I must sound like a broken record here, but if you learn the Bert Kinister Mighty-X it will tell you whenever you are out of alignment and it will help you get back in. I gives you feedback on your flaws and helps you correct it. Warm up with this will get you in line as fast as anything for me.
Click to expand...

I concur with Donovan, Berts "Mighty X" and "Advanced Fundamentals" will solve all alignment issues.
It will seem difficult at first, but you have to realize it is gonna take effort to change the problem that has felt "normal" for so many years.
"If you keep doin whatcha been doin, your gonna keep gettin whatcha been gettin."
If you want to PM me I can explain to you the best I can. Berts tapes (DVD's) are reasonably priced, and IMHO The Mighty X is worth many times the amount of the cost.
 
what i do when i'm having an off day is i look at the shot standing up for an straight in shot both cueball and objectball for any cuts, then if i have a cut toe the left with my feet together i slide my left foot over and get down over the shot this way i am getting on the correct side of the ball to make it then adjust for some fine tuning from there. Then the same with a right cut i use my right foot just something i do might not be for you. Other things i do is i tell myself what kind of cut shot it is so i will know where to hit and what part of the cueball to use to make the shot this way i can get myself in the correct alignment also. This is my main part of drill cause you must be in the correct alignment to make the shot you just can't get over the shot and make it even if you have the best aiming system out there. I use to do alot of different things like using my cue holding it in the air over both cueball and objectball, crazy things like this that i thought helped my game but it all caught up with me and had my mind on to many things at once. So i just keep it simple now and the feet movement really help me when i need it. Walking into the shot also helps you see how Helena get down over the shot she walks into it stops get down sorta gets back up then gets down again she makes shure she is align'd.
 
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