I need advice on aiming

8pack said:
I agree with your post here.As far as adjusting we all do it .As a player you learn to place your hand and body on what you feel is the right line.
We fall down on that line we sight with our cue the eyes go back and forth from cb to ob untill we feel where rite.Everyone makes adjustments,some just dont know there doing it.:D
Click to expand...

You may not, but I do.

I am certainly no champion, nor will I ever be. But I went from mediocre
shot maker to high level with this change. It sounds to me like you don't
know exactly where to hit the Object Ball untill you are down in your
stance. You need to learn how to determine the target exactly, before
you ever bend over.

As far as shifting your eyes from CB to OB - I supose everyone does that.
I don't consider that to be an adjustment - unless you actually change
your aim. BTW - there is a difference between aiming and sighting.

FWIW - I am well aware that you and masay aren't ever going to agree
with me, and as much fun as pointless arguments are, my reason for
continuing to explain is really for the benefit of players who need
improvement in shot making skill that are/will be, reading this thread.

Dale
 
pdcue said:
Go ask a coupla dozen world beaters - see if any of them think fiddlin'
aroud while in your stance is a good idea.

Dale
Click to expand...
Asking them means less than watching them. There is absolutely no question that many if not all world beaters fiddle around while in their stance on some shots. It's pretty obvious for anyone that actually watches them.

Freddie <~~~ wonders why people don't actually just watch
 
The best thing I've ever done to improve my shot making was to completely TRUST my PSR and falling into line on the shot w/o making adjustments after I've dropped down for the shot. I FORCED myself to trust what I had done in my PSR/aiming and even when I felt uncomfortable about the shot for some reason after I was down ready to shoot I resisted the temptation to make any adjustments and thought to myself "If I don't make the shot, so what, it's just a game."

Well, guess what, I'd say 90-some precent of the time when I did this, I MADE the shot and the few times I missed, I BARELY missed. It's brought a whole new confidence level to my game.

I've made some incredibly hard long table thin cut shots in the last few months that made myself and others watching just go "WOW, what a shot!" and that's the best feeling in the world of pool to me. :)
 
Cornerman said:
Asking them means less than watching them. There is absolutely no question that many if not all world beaters fiddle around while in their stance on some shots. It's pretty obvious for anyone that actually watches them.

Freddie <~~~ wonders why people don't actually just watch
Click to expand...

I don't think so - and I have been watching closely for decades -
in person on video - in slo motion and stop action.

Of course there are occasional exceptions. Anyone who can make three
balls knows that sometimes even great players do bad things. Consider
Eark Strickland.

But, would you advise a beginer to roll his shoulder and twist his wrist?

Perhaps you should learn to just watch.

Dale(world beating observer)
 
Last edited:
pdcue said:
I don't think so - and I have been watching closely for decades -
in person on video - in slo motion and stop action.

Of course there are occasional exceptions. Anyone who can make three
balls knows that sometimes even great players do bad things. Consider
Eark Strickland.

But, would you advise a beginer to roll his shoulder and twist his wrist?

Perhaps you should learn to just watch.
Click to expand...

This post can only make me laugh. You're straying from your point. And just because you say you've been watching, clearly you haven't been.
 
Last edited:
8pack said:
I dont always adjust ..i always fall on the thick side of the ball on purpose or dead on the right line.When i fall on the thick side i have but one way to move.The strongest things on how to aim is the starting point.(and the cue)I no why i do it.If a person where to use the fractional aiming system it would require you to aim at certain targets after that you have to determine if you on line or not.That would require you to move one way or another while your down and the movement isnt much.I dont think anyone in the world can fall dead inline on every shot while up with out some adjusting.
Heres my you tube name mybuster14 watch some of my videos let me no if you can see me adjusting?
No ,but i do .:wink:
Click to expand...

I watched some of your vids a while ago but didnt know that mybuster14 is you. Those vids are great, I love them alot. I am still working on some shots from your vids. I'd love to see how you run out a game!
 
Cornerman said:
This post can only make me laugh. You're straying from your point. And just because you say you've been watching, clearly you haven't been.
Click to expand...

Well if only I had the ability to read minds like you do.

Do me a favor. In lou's thread you said you were now within striking
distance of Ray Martin - ask him if he thinks making adjustments
after you are down on the shot is something one SHOULD do.

I can relay the opinion of both Steve Cook and George Rood if you happen
to be interested.

Dale(long time keen observer)
 
pdcue said:
Well if only I had the ability to read minds like you do.

Do me a favor. In lou's thread you said you were now within striking
distance of Ray Martin - ask him if he thinks making adjustments
after you are down on the shot is something one SHOULD do.

I can relay the opinion of both Steve Cook and George Rood if you happen
to be interested.

Dale(long time keen observer)
Click to expand...
I don't need to ask anyone, which was my point. I and you can say all the feel-good crap we want, but the proof is always in the actions. Observation trumps feel-good fluff.

You said that its' the worst problem you can have (to make adjustments when down). Yet every world beater will not only do it, they can be observed on nearly every rack at least one time if there's any questionable tough shot. That is truth and undeniable for anyone who actually observes.

Choose a world beater.

- Buddy Hall (adovocate of purposeful Tuck and Roll)
- Nick Varner (locks in his english while he's down on the shot)
- Mike Sigel and Allen Hopkins (the best known fidgeters while down on the shot)

It doesn't take any time to observe these and any world-beater make adjustements while down on their shot. Even the great snooker players like Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan are constantly making adjustments while down on the shot, especially when it's a particularly challenging shot.

Someone just put up that Archer and J. Engel are on the SBE stream. First shot I saw, Archer was all kinds of adjusting while down and he never got back up.

So, that's reality and truth. Please proceed how you wish, but all world-beaters will not only occasionally but quite often make aiming adjustments while down on the shot. Regardless of the good advice to make all alignments prior to going down, it's not always reality and it's not doom and it certainly isn't the worst that can happen.

If you really observed, you'd agree. It's not like everyone stops their fidgeting just because you're watching. Now I'm challenging you to look closer. I don't need to look closer to see them *not adjusting* since I see them adjusting. It's like all these "observers" are sure that all professionals use centerball and rarely use english. Yet any passerby can see that patently false and that the professionals use english upon english . I don't know why people can't see it. I chalk it up to blinders and pre-judgment.

Freddie <~~~ only deals with reality and hates feel good fluff
 
Last edited:
With a good preshot routine, when you get down on the shot you should be locked in - especially when you are in deadstroke (no adjustments are necessary - just fire the son of a b**** in the hole - simple as pie).

In general, I agree with Fred. Even the pros make adjustments, especially Mike Sigel as I get to watch him shoot in person all the time.

However, if the shot doesn't feel right, you have probably set yourself up wrong and it is time to stand up and start all over again.

Charlie Williams in class lectured on not feeling it when you get down, and said to get back up. His method was to walk around the shot, look at the contact point on the object ball - anything to clear your mind. Then you get back over the shot again.

It will take hours and years of practice and playing to be able to get 'the feel'. In the meantime I hope you have learned a few methods to deal with the problem.
 
Adjusting whilst down on the shot isn't best practice but everyone does it, not least through sheer laziness.

Just play the flipping game already!
 
Slh said:
I usually stay on the line of the shot and while I'm watching the ob i go down slowly, but often when I'm down I notice my aiming is off and I need to make slight adjustments... Rarely I go down on a shot and my aiming is correct...
some advice?
Click to expand...

Main thing is to know where to aim for every possible CB condition how fast, stun, draw, follow, swerve, cue deflection then you go down i will be highly surprised if after say 1/2 hour practice you are off. Practice 2-3 diamonds combination shots that will teach you how to accurately line up, remember every shot has different aim. I find it helpful to walk to the shot couple of steps. Another thing, practice closing your eyes immediately after you go down and shoot few see how your line up is.
Good luck.
 
pdcue said:
I make shots that require extreme accuracy all the time. What you
seem restiant to is the fact that getting set up right is a skill that can be learned.

Go ask a coupla dozen world beaters - see if any of them think fiddlin'
aroud while in your stance is a good idea.

Dale
Click to expand...

No, I know that getting set up right is a learned skill, but that doesn't mean that it is optimal to stroke from where you get down. It is optimal to stroke from the point you feel that the ball will go in (provided you have good feel, which all pros do).

I know several world beaters and have beaten several of them in tournaments playing even. All of them adjust while they are down. They might not 'fiddle' like you say, but they are not stroking simply from where they first got down. They are making tiny adjustments until they feel that they are 100% going to make the ball.
 
Last edited:
Masayoshi said:
No, I know that getting set up right is a learned skill, but that doesn't mean that it is optimal to stroke from where you get down. It is optimal to stroke from the point you feel that the ball will go in (provided you have good feel, which all pros do).

I know several world beaters and have beaten several of them in tournaments playing even. All of them adjust while they are down. They might not 'fiddle' like you say, but they are not stroking simply from where they first got down. They are making tiny adjustments until they feel that they are 100% going to make the ball.
Click to expand...

Probably no one shoots from exactly where they went down very single time. That's one reason people miss and everyone misses, even professionals. But I'll suggest that a pro player is more disciplined and way more likely to get up off the shot if he doesn't feel right and re-enter it again to where he feels he got down on it correctly aligned than the average amateur is of doing this. And consider that pros are certainly more practiced at coming into a shot properly so the instances of them having to make adjustments are farther and fewer between, especially to the extent they have to move their bridge hand.
 
Last edited:
DogsPlayingPool said:
Probably no one shoots from exactly where they went down very single time. That's one reason people miss and everyone misses, even professionals. But I'll suggest that a pro player is more disciplined and way more likely to get up off the shot if he doesn't feel right and re-enter it again to where he feels he got down on it correctly aligned than the average amateur is of doing this. And consider that pros are certainly more practiced at coming into a shot properly so the instances of them having to make adjustments are farther and fewer between, especially to the extent they have to move their bridge hand.
Click to expand...

Yea I mentioned that earlier. Good players know where they can adjust and where they have to get up. If their initial alignment is just too off to fix with a tiny adjustment, they will get up and restart.
 
Every player makes adjustments while down. I don't care if you're the champion of the galaxy...you will move your tip after setting your stance. It's not a bad thing as long as it's not extreme.

I think whoever says they don't adjust at ALL from the time they set until they pull the trigger can be easily disproven with an overhead cam. Gimme a break people.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
 
SpiderWebComm said:
Every player makes adjustments while down. I don't care if you're the champion of the galaxy...you will move your tip after setting your stance. It's not a bad thing as long as it's not extreme.

I think whoever says they don't adjust at ALL from the time they set until they pull the trigger can be easily disproven with an overhead cam. Gimme a break people.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

You should not adjust while you are down and bridge planted, in order to adjust you have to swing your bridge fingers a bit to left or right while your hand is fixed to the cloth, often your fingers when you about to shoot get reset to original "used to tension" and position and loose your adjustment and often miss the shot. yes for easy small cuts shots it does not matter, but for long shots it is critical.
John Bromback, go down on the shot three or 4 times to get his line straight.
 
naji said:
You should not adjust while you are down and bridge planted, in order to adjust you have to swing your bridge fingers a bit to left or right while your hand is fixed to the cloth, often your fingers when you about to shoot get reset to original "used to tension" and position and loose your adjustment and often miss the shot. yes for easy small cuts shots it does not matter, but for long shots it is critical.
John Bromback, go down on the shot three or 4 times to get his line straight.
Click to expand...

Nobody moves their bridge hand after stepping into the shot. I'm saying everyone adjusts their tip position somewhat. If they say they don't, I'd bet they did if there was an overhead cam available.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
 
Aiming

A big part of aiming is done with the back foot placement and the body. Yes there are minor adjustments to be made when on the shot, I call this fine tune aiming. Also a lot of people don't realize when they are coming down on the shot that their body turns to the outside of their body and this causes them to be out of alignment. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Charlie Bryant
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top