Is he a former student of yours Scott, he talks just like an instructor would lol
I always discuss my personal experiences and the reality of the game through my eyes 
Inconsistent stroke
- Thread starter EddieBme
- Start date
Is he a former student of yours Scott, he talks just like an instructor would lol
I always discuss my personal experiences and the reality of the game through my eyes 
I had this problem a while ago. I couldn't do anything consistently except be inconsistent. I talked to a pro who agreed to help me. She found that most of my problem was my stance. The money I spent for a few lessons were well spent as I was so frustrated I was going to quit playing.
I highly recommend finding an experienced teacher and work with them. It is well worth the money.
I highly recommend finding an experienced teacher and work with them. It is well worth the money.
your not familiar with the term "steering", i know its happened to youI am advanced enough to know why i missed when i miss without going through a checklist lol I was discussing the raising up during a shot and the reason i have figured out when ever i have personally done it
Gotcha. But I am familiar with "steering" enough to know that it is entirely different than "rising up."
No offense intended. Most of my remarks were directed to the OP not you necessarily.
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EagleMan
Is he a former student of yours Scott, he talks just like an instructor would lol
Actually I am as a matter of fact...and of:
Stan Shuffett
Allison Fisher (two full weekend Pool Schools and maybe a hundred hours since then)
Johnny Archer/Earl Strickland day long group lesson.
Bobby Pickle...hundreds of hours.
Gerda Hofstatter (dozens of hours)
Tony Robles (playing lessons)
Thorston Hohmann (playing lessons)
45 years in the School of Hard Knocks.
And I actually remember a little bit of what those folks taught me.
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EagleMan
(Former BCA Instructor. I no longer teach and have nothing to sell).
Wise man! Good for you.
For other readers....I find it truly shocking that such a relatively small number of pretty serious players don't get at least "foundation basic" lessons from respected pro instructors.
The vast majority of players just think they can work it all out for themselves..."like Willie did."
BUT WILLIE DIDN'T! He played a year-long (or more...I forget) series of matches with Ralph Greanleaf...the best player on the planet at that time and possibly...in his prime and when he was sober...the best player EVER.
Virtually ALL the top players back in the day learned (by getting robbed for quite a while) from the best players in the country and would have had to be brain dead not to learn a massive amount of information.
So, folks can try the "million ball method" if they want...but they need to be playing those million shots
with...oh....SVB...Appleton...Schmidt...Soquet....Archer etc. Then FINE don't get any formal lessons!!!
I can't even remember how many times I've heard...."DAMN...I wish I had done this years ago."
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EagleMan
(Former BCA Instructor. I no longer teach and have nothing to sell).
See the difference between me and you is i know my stroke and game. I have caught myself in a rise off a shot and was able to figure out what caused the rise. it was that i was off the aiming line but I was not able to catch it, my original perception was that i was on it and my subconscious clicked in as i started my stroke and it tried to correct it. its pretty simple to figure out for me anyways.
Sure no kidding, I read what you posted and it is right out of the "bca instructors manual" thats repeated over and over by a bunch of people on here. Your an old school guy and you repeat what you have read and heard, we have all seen it and read it. I give real answers on here from my table experience that people can actually relate too. No offense but i dont look for pool 101, i look for facts that will improve my game and not keep me an average player. I try and weed out the simple/safe answers and look for the truth. Now am I right? i dunno but i seem to always be improving my game by being honest with myself. I have never had a lesson and i would play you anytime even
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What is the rational for advocating against lessons? Is it the money? Is it accessibility to instructors? I learned more in a weekend then I have in all my years of playing. There is something to be said for "understanding" why things happen or work. I don't disagree that a person can become an awesome pool player without lessons by going through the school of hard knocks (lord knows I have run into plenty of these guys and have taken my share of lumps). I also believe that there are people that just have a natural aptitude for the game and god given ability for pool (similar to talented athletes in other sports). However, I can't see any rational for a player who is passionate about the sport of pool to not seek out lessons - particularly fundamentals. It is the foundation by which everything is built and will be based on your entire pool playing life. The price you pay for the lessons will be a small one spread over the value it will have for your lifetime of play.
No disrespect at all to any of the other opinions here. I appreciate all points of view, this just happens to be mine.
Steve
No disrespect at all to any of the other opinions here. I appreciate all points of view, this just happens to be mine.
Steve
This is my favorite drill to do to get my stroke in top notch shape.
I have a dresser that is approx. the same height as a pool table and it has a mirror on back of it. I take my stance looking straight into the mirror, aligning my stick straight with its reflection. I then stroke back and forth as straight as I can over and over, sometimes slowing the speed down to a pace that is incredibly slow.
This drill has taught me perfect sight alignment and an incredibly smooth stroke.
Hope this helps.
I have a dresser that is approx. the same height as a pool table and it has a mirror on back of it. I take my stance looking straight into the mirror, aligning my stick straight with its reflection. I then stroke back and forth as straight as I can over and over, sometimes slowing the speed down to a pace that is incredibly slow.
This drill has taught me perfect sight alignment and an incredibly smooth stroke.
Hope this helps.
Sure no kidding, I read what you posted and it is right out of the "bca instructors manual" thats repeated over and over by a bunch of people on here. Your an old school guy and you repeat what you have read and heard, we have all seen it and read it. I give real answers on here from my table experience that people can actually relate too. No offense but i dont look for pool 101, i look for facts that will improve my game and not keep me an average player. I try and weed out the simple/safe answers and look for the truth. Now am I right? i dunno but i seem to always be improving my game by being honest with myself. I have never had a lesson and i would play you anytime even
Really????
How do I get a copy of the BCA Instructors Manual?
randyg
Sure no kidding, I read what you posted and it is right out of the "bca instructors manual" thats repeated over and over by a bunch of people on here. Your an old school guy and you repeat what you have read and heard, we have all seen it and read it. I give real answers on here from my table experience that people can actually relate too. No offense but i dont look for pool 101, i look for facts that will improve my game and not keep me an average player. I try and weed out the simple/safe answers and look for the truth. Now am I right? i dunno but i seem to always be improving my game by being honest with myself. I have never had a lesson and i would play you anytime even
HA! If you had read the manual, you would know the difference between steering and rising up. You seem to be trying to set the world speed record in reverse, but the post I responded to TRYING TO BE OF HELP BY THE WAY....referred to your ORIGINAL comment about rising up.
Then, you switched gears to "steering" which is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT issue.
Do you ALWAYS insult people who are trying to help you?
Do you think it is WRONG to study from authoritative sources...remember what you've learned and pass on that knowledge??????
Just curious.
And finally...if you HAD read more and taken lessons from a professional instructor...then you wouldn't have to post on a forum like this regarding rising up OR steering...BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T BE DOING THOSE THINGS.
EagleMan
LOL! I was going to make the same comment...but figured I'd busted his chops enough!!!
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EagleMan
Excellent technique. Also...if you haven't already done it...get someone to take a video of your stroke from EXACTLY behind...in front...and from both sides.
Shoot at least 10 fiarly difficult shots and announce out loud whether you made or missed them. That way you MIGHT be able to detect a stroke or alignment issue that correlates with your misses.
Maybe NOT...maybe the issue was just aim/throw/squirt etc. but at least you'll get an "at table" view of what you're doing...or not doing correctly.
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EagleMan
I am trying to say when i rise up it is because i catch myself steering the ball? Obviously i was initially off the correct aiming line
This doesn't happen often lolWhat are you trying to help me with lol?
I not against lessons and I like it when you guys all preach the same simple/safe answers, it makes me lol :grin-square: and you haven't busted my chops yet, dont worry
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I am trying to say when i rise up it is because i catch myself steering the ball? Obviously i was initially off the correct aiming line
What are you trying to help me with lol?
I not against lessons and I like it when you guys all preach the same simple/safe answers, it makes me lol :grin-square: and you haven't busted my chops yet, dont worry
That's what I was thinking about asking you. They are two separate movements but they can happen together.
When i first figured this out, I was experimenting with a closed bridged techniques. One time I really locked my cue in my bridge and it could only move in a straight line. I took a shot which i initially thought was correct but my subconscious tried to make an adjustment as my tip was approaching the Cb and at the same time i started rising off the shot and naturally i missed.
Here is a few shots to really test your stroke.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=288782
Just like you can take all the music lessons you want,if you dont put in the practice, you will never be a musican, just someone making a bunch of noise.
Lessons will never replace experince, practice. Thinking that taking lessons will automaticlly improve your game will lead to future disappoint when you do not improve.
Your stroke has to work from any position, even arkward ones, and maybe one handed. No lessons will provide you the same level of experince as 2 or more hours a day, at least 5 days a week. The thing is, if you put in this amount of time and really apply yourself, you will figure out yourself what works for you and what doesn't.
People I play are amazed at my cue ball control from any shooting positions and the reason is I put in the time and they don't. When you cross that line that separtes those that play at pool to the side of a pool players, evrything changes. And if you have to ask what the difference is, you still are playing at pool.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=288782
Just like you can take all the music lessons you want,if you dont put in the practice, you will never be a musican, just someone making a bunch of noise.
Lessons will never replace experince, practice. Thinking that taking lessons will automaticlly improve your game will lead to future disappoint when you do not improve.
Your stroke has to work from any position, even arkward ones, and maybe one handed. No lessons will provide you the same level of experince as 2 or more hours a day, at least 5 days a week. The thing is, if you put in this amount of time and really apply yourself, you will figure out yourself what works for you and what doesn't.
People I play are amazed at my cue ball control from any shooting positions and the reason is I put in the time and they don't. When you cross that line that separtes those that play at pool to the side of a pool players, evrything changes. And if you have to ask what the difference is, you still are playing at pool.
Greg,
Fairly well stated. Since my Dad showed me the basics when I was 13, I have not had any lessons other than maybe a tip here & a piece of knowledge there. It can certainly be done the way you, I & many others have done it.
That being said, I do not believe that lessons have to be a curse. A lesson is like most things in life, take it for what it actually is & do not give it or anything more importance than it deserves. A proper perspective is of much importance. The right lesson can be of value just as a wrong lesson can be costly. One has to learn to judge that on their own for one's self.:wink:
Balance is of much importance, even when you only have one toe on the floor.:wink:
Fairly well stated. Since my Dad showed me the basics when I was 13, I have not had any lessons other than maybe a tip here & a piece of knowledge there. It can certainly be done the way you, I & many others have done it.
That being said, I do not believe that lessons have to be a curse. A lesson is like most things in life, take it for what it actually is & do not give it or anything more importance than it deserves. A proper perspective is of much importance. The right lesson can be of value just as a wrong lesson can be costly. One has to learn to judge that on their own for one's self.:wink:
Balance is of much importance, even when you only have one toe on the floor.:wink:
I am trying to say when i rise up it is because i catch myself steering the ball? Obviously i was initially off the correct aiming line
What are you trying to help me with lol?
Well...for example, you cannot possibly have been "steering the ball" before you hit it. Right? LOL
Unless you BLOW....REALLY REALLY HARD on your forward stroke. LOL
You can steer your STROKE before you hit the ball but you can't "steer the ball." LOL
Now, you wont' find that advice in the BCA Instructors Manual...because there isn't one as far as I know. LOL
I not against lessons and I like it when you guys all preach the same simple/safe answers, it makes me lol :grin-square: and you haven't busted my chops yet, dont worry
You might just consider a couple of things. When many of the most accomplished pool instructors on the planet "preach the same thing" they just might be correct. YA THINK???? LOL
And you might also work on the concept that very, very often the simplest and safest methods are the BEST. Or, do you like to masse' all your shots in? LOL
And I HAVE "busted your chops." You see "Bust your chops" is an idiom which means...."Give someone a hard time." (Google it) LOL
If someone actually means to threaten, they'll say something like..."If you do that again, I'm going to rip your head off and crap in it."....something like that which tends to indicate that the speaker isn't KIDDING!!! LOL
Finally...do you rise up because you're steering...or because you just feel like you're going to miss for some OTHER reason...or out of nerves...or out of a compulsion to SEE the shot in progress better????
Or, do you steer because you rise up?
Whatever you THINK the reason is, it is quite possible that you are wrong but a competent pro instructor could tell you exactly why.
But ooops, I forgot. The only use you have for instructors is to get laughs.
You must be SOME monster player. Have you ever considered giving lessons???? LOL
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EagleMan