Is isolated straight-stroke practice really worth the time???

[Lanten77]

Sometimes I get obsessed with straight-stroke mechanics. And this is what happened: One day recently, I started practicing Mighty X straight-ins, pocketing the ball AND following the cue ball into the pocket (8-foot table with 5-inch pockets). I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I somehow managed to pocket the ball AND follow the cue ball into the pocket 40 (yes, that forty) times in a row! And it wasn't a total fluke, because the day before, I followed it in 31 out of 35 attempts. (I'm currently no better than an APA 6 -- no Fargo rating -- only playing/practicing seriously for the past 3 years). I happened to have it all on video.

When I looked at the video, many, if not most, of the follow-throughs were NOT straight. Maybe only 5-10 were straight.

It's important, I believe, to develop a straight stroke. (At least I think it's important.....). After seeing that steered stroke on video, in an attempt to correct the stroke "flaws," I did videos of myself every day for a week to try to straighten out my stroke, doing the same straight-in follows. But it NEVER got consistently straight in the videos.

After a full week of that, for a couple of hours each day, it burned me out. And frustrated me.

(Yes, I know, there are plenty of examples of pros, maybe more the old-timers, who don't have straight strokes. But I still want to develop one).

Anyway... After that week of straight-stroke / video practice, I then struggled to follow the object ball into the pocket with the cue ball even THREE times in a row! That week also took the fun out of practicing, which I normally love -- even if I'm only doing drills -- so much so that I had to take a week off in order to get the desire back to get on the table again.

WHAT TO MAKE OF ALL THAT?? I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW.......

This YouTube link is a very typical, steered follow-through example, if you want to see it.

(And yes, then you can say what I said when I saw it: How the hell did you make that many in a row with that stroke!

I should probably add that, since I'm semi-retired, I spend a good bit of time, almost every day, watching pro matches and watching quality instructors on YouTube. And I have had some lessons. Plus, I get some good advice from an experienced tournament player friend.

(PS My career for 45 years has been as a tennis instructor specializing in technique and player development, so I'm familiar with what it takes to develop skills for a precision game like pool -- or tennis).

Thanks for your time reading this. Your comments are welcome.
Bob

 

[Bob Jewett]

It's important to have a consistent stroke.

The problem with a stroke that is consistent but not straight is that it needs to be consistent across all spins and speeds. I think that is easier to do with a straight stroke than a crooked one. I'm not sure that's true, but it seems reasonable. To do a study of beginners to see if a truly straight stroke developed skills faster would be hard and expensive.

A lot of players like the Mighty X, but I think there are much better drills at which you learn more. Start from the shots you have problems with in games. Unless long straight-ins are your only weakness, of course.

And, if you are less than about 75% success at a shot you are working on, make it easier and work up to the more challenging distance or angle.

 

[Lanten77]

It's important to have a consistent stroke.

The problem with a stroke that is consistent but not straight is that it needs to be consistent across all spins and speeds. I think that is easier to do with a straight stroke than a crooked one. I'm not sure that's true, but it seems reasonable. To do a study of beginners to see if a truly straight stroke developed skills faster would be hard and expensive.

A lot of players like the Mighty X, but I think there are much better drills at which you learn more. Start from the shots you have problems with in games. Unless long straight-ins are your only weakness, of course.

And, if you are less than about 75% success at a shot you are working on, make it easier and work up to the more challenging distance or angle.

Thanks, Bob. Yes I agree that it definitely does seem likely to be true that a straight stroke is an important foundation. Long straight-ins are actually not a problem for me (at least as far as pocketing the object ball goes) since I have done many thousands of them over the past few years. And even my stop shots often have almost no drift and only a 1/4 turn or so of unintended spin at that distance. But up to 3 diamonds or so the stop shots are somewhat often no drift or spin. But having the cue ball follow in does seem to magnify any even a very small stroke error. Although I will say that I've heard from a few high level, very experienced players that even they are still working on their stroke. So I'm probably being somewhat unrealistic at this point to expect a consistently straight stroke. So, the journey goes on...