PS: regarding "aiming systems" --------> "even walking down a flight of stairs requires a "stepping system".
Well; when you start playing seriously again, you might just regain the same speed you had back in your road days. Maybe not; I understand it's not the case with most people, but I'm 54 years and 5 months and I insist... I absolutely insist, my hand eye coordination on the pool table has not deteriorated one teensy weensy bit since I was 18I can't help but wonder how anyone could think you could play pool (or anything else) at the highest level without a system. Whether we want to realize it or not there is a conscious or unconcious system for all aspects of pocket billiards. That goes for pocketing balls, playing zone position, lining up your eyes correctly relative to the line of the shot, etc.
The main thing with aiming is the way we connect the two balls together BEFORE getting down on the shot. If anyone doesn't think we have a system for that I will tell them they're living in a fantasy world.
The thing that intermediate players are missing is there's 2 lines when aiming and one uses the edge of the cue ball and the other uses the center of the cue ball. And to understand this you must stop looking at the balls like they're round....they are, for all intents and purposes FLAT and one dimensional for the purposes of aiming.
I go over a lot of this in my 3rd volume of Ultimate Pool Secrets, but after talking to Stan, Hunter, and Corey, I realized I was doing something else unconsciously that is more of the foundation of his system.
This has done wonders for my understanding how it all comes together and has enabled me to "remember" exactly how I was doing it in my prime. When playing good (gambling) I would expect to miss about one ball an hour (that I was trying to pocket) , and when I was playing great I would not make one ball every 2 hours.
When I played Efren in Seattle for 14 hours I missed 6 balls total (that's my top speed). If anyone thinks I didn't use a system to do that that's fine.....but I'd challenge them to shoot a gun or bow without sights, because that's how they're playing pool if they don't know how to utilize systems in their pool game. 'My Game is the Teacher'
PS: regarding "aiming systems" --------> "even walking down a flight of stairs requires a "stepping system".
I understand why Pros say some of the things they do about him not having an aiming system....however, I also don't think they would say the same things to me in private....everyone has a system, and you also know if you analyze it too much without completely understanding it your game will suffer greatly....at some point it's essential to keep from "thinking" about the unconscious activity too much.
However, I for one have sacrificed my level of play quite a bit to figure this stuff out and when I start playing seriously again I'll also try to "not think about my game"....that's why it's virtually impossible to teach at a world class level and play at that level at the same time..
That's pretty funny, but also very true. Just the other day my three year-old grandson was showing me his system for going down the basement stairs without falling under the hand rail and onto the floor below. He actually had a specific method that he explained to me in great detail. I didn't share my system with him, but it would have been something like, "Well, Papa steps down with his right foot first, because that's the leg with the bad knee, and he doesn't want to bend it, then he quickly..."
You get the picture. Anyway, great post, CJ.
That's right, he's going to be "the apple of your eye" (our pupil).
Sometimes we forget {over time} that driving, walking, talking, writing, etc. requires a system before we can do it "naturally". Pool is a very complex game with very little "margin for error," therefore we have to use a systematic way to stand, set up for the shot, go down on the shot, hold and control the cue, judge all the physics involved with each shot, not to mention the "aiming," and aligning to the Line of the Shot.
To do this consistently we must utilize a system that may someday become "unconscious" for some, and others will always need a "check list," either mentally, or physically. It's the same way in golf, tennis, martial arts, and even communication.....thank Goodness we don't have to think about every aspect and can rely on our subconscious to "take care of the details" once we create our way of doing things. 'The Subconscious Game is the Teacher'
You know as well as I do this is pre shot routine. Letting the conscious mind make the decision on the course of action, then click it off by visualizing this course of action allowing the "visual" to engage the subconscious to execute what you've just "seen" in the minds eye. It's rote routine, never wavering & yes that can be called systematic, almost machine like when you're in the zone.
Why am I the Colonel? Because I always get the chicken
You know as well as I do this is pre shot routine. Letting the conscious mind make the decision on the course of action, then click it off by visualizing this course of action allowing the "visual" to engage the subconscious to execute what you've just "seen" in the minds eye. It's rote routine, never wavering & yes that can be called systematic, almost machine like when you're in the zone.
Why am I the Colonel? Because I always get the chicken
That's right, it was the "zone" that really got me obsessed about understanding the deeper level's of pool.....physically, mentally, and even emotionally.
Reading books like 'Inner Tennis,' 'Zen in the Art of Archery,' and studying martial arts, meditation, hypnosis, helped to unlock the mysteries of the subconscious for me. It's amazing what's possible when we start to train our "minds" to work together instead of suffering in the separation. It's humbling when we "real eyes" that our minds don't always tell us the truth.....and in some instances outright lie to us.
The pace and stress of this world age has really torn people apart mentally, and emotionally. Unless we are shown how to change our ideas, attitudes and emotions we have a long, arduous journey ahead of us. 'The Game {of Life} is the Teacher'
The "playing field" is certainly correct and complete and geometric. So it follows that it should be the easiest of all games to master.
The game unfortunately involves a human.
I agree, I think it's one of the main reasons we humans are fascinated by this game.