How to improve your aim!
- Thread starter Matt_24
- Start date
hahahaha
As funny as this may sound it is true. The more you shoot, the more confident you get, the less you miss.
I was practicing snooker on saturday and I noticed that there was a shot on the black that kept ending my run. It certainly wasn't an easy shot but its one that I should be able to make consistently. So set it up and shot it 85 times. I ended up pocketing the shot 20 consecutive times by the end of that practice. Soon after someone challenged me to a game of snooker and I made that shot every time it came up.
As funny as this may sound it is true. The more you shoot, the more confident you get, the less you miss.
I was practicing snooker on saturday and I noticed that there was a shot on the black that kept ending my run. It certainly wasn't an easy shot but its one that I should be able to make consistently. So set it up and shot it 85 times. I ended up pocketing the shot 20 consecutive times by the end of that practice. Soon after someone challenged me to a game of snooker and I made that shot every time it came up.
It is true, the shots become more familiar or have that feel to it. But some shots i can feel the angle of it but i still have to aim either by the 1/4 of the cueball or edge but most of the time the shots are familiar to me i can just aim center cueball because of pocketing balls over and over.
Matt_24 said:
That's pretty good advice, but one problem with it is that the same aim, or same contact point hit can result in the OB varying about 6 degrees from left to right depending on speed and spin of the CB.
Add to this the effects of squirt and swerve and then aiming gets real complex unless the player tends to play the same angled shots with the same spin and speed nearly all the time, which is what a lot of players end up doing, because even with 25,000 practice shots, it can be hard to memorize the correct aim for all the variations.
I do feel, the more I play, that I rely far less on any aiming visualization system, other than to visualize where I want the OB to go. No contact points, no lines through CB to OB. However, I adapt a system for adjustments for throw and squirt. Combined, this works well, and requires only 5,000 practice shots
I'm with Collin. My shot making was greatly improved when I took the time to understand what was going on with spins, speeds and all the phenomina associated with pocketing balls. With that information, I was able to aim the ball thick or thin, to compensate, with confidence.
Knowing why I was missing and why I was making balls was the number one improvement to my shot making. Before that, I was making balls but did not really know why. I beleive that held me back because I was never "sure" they were going in. All I could hope for was my subconscience would not let me down. Which, of course, it always did at the wrong times
Knowing why I was missing and why I was making balls was the number one improvement to my shot making. Before that, I was making balls but did not really know why. I beleive that held me back because I was never "sure" they were going in. All I could hope for was my subconscience would not let me down. Which, of course, it always did at the wrong times
pharaoh68
Banned
Repetition does not make for excellence. Take basketball's Mahmoud Abdul Raouf (Chris Jackson to some). He had tourette's and so, when he practiced, he would not stop shooting any one shot until he made the shot make the same exact noise going through the net 20 times in a row!!! You would figure a regimen like that would have made him a pro by the time he was ten and in the hall of fame by 12. Instead, he's only lasted a few unremarkable seasons in the NBA and now he's an Islamic minister.
If your stroke is consistent (big if), I think its different for different people. Im all about feel. I used to get in arguments with a friend of mine about aiming. I would say to him 'I dont aim', and he would get really mad. I just get down over the ball, and I know its going in. Once I have that feeling, I can close my eyes, and make the ball, no problem.
Where he on the other hand, actually select a spot on the OB that the cue ball is going to contact. I just cant imagine that. A round CB, a round OB, trying to focus on one part of the one ball contacting one part of the other. Are you crazy??? Factor in spin, speed, deflection, etc... Too much for me. I honestly think it was just repetition for me. I just visualize it happening, and it happens. You cant start off with that. 9 times out of 10, if I miss a shot, I know I am going to miss before I shoot (one of the most frustrating things).
I feel it is the same with controlling the cue ball. I cant think things like 'ok, half a tip above center, med pace, follow stroke'. I just look at where I want the cue ball. I try to use as many things as possible to help me picture exactly where I want it. I use the diamonds, other balls, chalk marks on the cloth. Something for me to look at to say, I want the cue ball right there.
Where he on the other hand, actually select a spot on the OB that the cue ball is going to contact. I just cant imagine that. A round CB, a round OB, trying to focus on one part of the one ball contacting one part of the other. Are you crazy??? Factor in spin, speed, deflection, etc... Too much for me. I honestly think it was just repetition for me. I just visualize it happening, and it happens. You cant start off with that. 9 times out of 10, if I miss a shot, I know I am going to miss before I shoot (one of the most frustrating things).
I feel it is the same with controlling the cue ball. I cant think things like 'ok, half a tip above center, med pace, follow stroke'. I just look at where I want the cue ball. I try to use as many things as possible to help me picture exactly where I want it. I use the diamonds, other balls, chalk marks on the cloth. Something for me to look at to say, I want the cue ball right there.
pharaoh68 said:
You can do repetitive drills but you still need talent to become the best. Besides there is more to playing basketball than free throws.
yongxingtennis
Registered
already know that. LOL
but hey, does everyone's back wear out after like 2 hours? mine does and i am only 20
but hey, does everyone's back wear out after like 2 hours? mine does and i am only 20
Matt_24 said:
WHILE using every available cueball english, speed, and rail positioning available in the process.
Learning the aim is good.
Learning the aim with spin is better.
Learning the aim while using spin, speed, and direction to move the cueball through the multitude of positional variations including rails is ...professional.
Chris
yongxingtennis said:
Nope, I can go a good 12-15 hrs before I have to stop.
Matt_24 said:
Which 25,000 shots? I think 25,000 should do it. Can I rename the title of this thread to "How do you get the cue ball to go exactly where you want it to go". If that were the title I'd recommend that 12,500 of these shots be long straight in shots. LONG! like object ball three dots from the foot of the table, cue ball one dot from the head of the table. Make this shot consistently and then when you practice the rest of the shots you will have the confidence that the cue ball is going where you meant it to go. And thus know if your aim was right or not.
Matt_24 said:
Taking 25,000 shots of vodka might make Rosie O' Donnell's appearance improve dramatically too!
Cameron Smith said:
I KNOW it is true. The joke is, everyone wants to simple aiming system and it just isn't going to happen easily. You have to play all of the time, and hit a million balls and from there you learn how to aim. There are tricks you will pick up for yourself to make it easier. Practice, practice, practice. Anyone trying to sell a system, is just trying to make money. Hit a million balls and come up with your own system/technique!
TATE said:
I guess the point is, if you hit 25,000 (sounds like a lot..but it really isn't) and study how your cue ball is reacting with the various applications of english you will develop your own system. That is the way I learned how to play. Just play, practice, experiment, try various techniques and I don't think you can help but improve.
I was helping a guy learn 9 ball the other day. He was playing a very good player, and he had the capability but not the knowledge to run out. He broke the rack and made a ball, and I told him on every shot what english, speed, (and tried to tell) and pressure to apply to the shot. On a few shots he had to create angles (thus applying extreme English), but he ran out his first rack of 9 ball from the break and acted as if he hit the lottery. It was a fun time!