Justifiable deviation from computational restrictive linear dispersion (Aiming)

I do not think we can empirically test this hypothesis, but please for a minute consider your missed shots on a pool table.

I am willing to wager that a high percentage of your missed shots are due to putting excessive english on the cueball. A result of less than perfect cueball position, or simply a difficult layout.

Perhaps worrying about the position caused you to misstroke the cueball.


I am further willing to bet that your next highest percentage of misses is caused by awkward body position. Maybe you have to reach further than is comfortable, maybe you're bridging on the rail, or bridging over a ball. This causes your mechanics to break down, putting unintentional spin on the cueball.

I am willing to bet that the two situations above account for the majority of your misses, say, 90% or more.

I will further hypothesize that maybe 9% of your misses are due to lack of concentration, no matter what the reason is.


That leaves about 1% left over. 1% of your misses will be due to improper aiming.

So.... We have 5 million posts on AZB about aiming, and it only accounts for about 1% of your missed shots.

WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!
 
In practice, I would agree. In competition - or against quality opposition - I'd say 99% of my misses are due to stress/pressure/playing the opponent rather than the table.

Aiming threads: diverting attention from the fact you suck since 2002.
 
In practice, I would agree. In competition - or against quality opposition - I'd say 99% of my misses are due to stress/pressure/playing the opponent rather than the table.

Aiming threads: diverting attention from the fact you suck since 2002.

You are wise. I'd like to give you some green reputation.
 
I think your percentages are off.

First, shots that are aimed properly, even with center ball, can still be missed because of poor delivery, or even a perfect delivery but having to compensate for effects such as CIT. This certainly accounts for a decent percentage, especially amongst the vast majority of players (i.e. non-professionals).

I agree that among high level players, shots are typically aimed properly (by whatever method) because those players have hit a million balls. And they are almost always stroked properly as well. Therefore among those misses, yes, it would be likely due to compensation for the effects of english and perhaps the occasional lack of focus, twisting or flinching, body movement, etc.

Nice try on invalidating all of the hundreds of aiming threads though... :)

Scott
 
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I wonder how many shots are missed because we did not strike the cue ball where we addressed it?
 
Simply put, it's all in the execution, in other words, some people have the talk but not the walk.
 
At least 30% of my misses are poor concentration/focus. Another 40-50% is not holding my head at the right angle, so the curve of the lenses of my glasses distorts my aim (I have terrible eyes). I'm an APA 7-9 but with my head slightly up or down and I'm an APA 4 lol. I would say maybe 10% of my misses are from misjudging squirt/swerve/throw.
 
Aiming systems, regardless of which one you use, are about creating a consistent repeatable pre-shot routine. You have to back up any aiming system with solid fundamentals, that is a given. The greatest of players (those that have already HAMB and are very comfortable with their ball pocketing) may have no use for a system to change what they already do very well.

Eventually, aiming systems help a player fall into a procedure of subconscious movements. Shot recall will take your conscious mind to other parts of the shot, and make shot making itself much more automatic. HAMB is a system! Don't forget that. It is just that some systems are more efficient than others for different people.

If we address a system known as CTE/Pro1, it starts with a very discreet system of movements using pivots. Eventually (moving to Pro1) it replaces manual pivots with eye movements. HAMB is a system that also works. You shoot and shoot and shoot until you can pocket balls without thinking. Aiming systems try to reduce the amount of effort to reach this goal. Each approach may work differently for different people.

IMHO that is the purpose of aiming systems, to minimize the journey to subconscious ball pocketing. Some like HAMB/PIITH/ROTE, some like fractional aiming, some like stick aiming, some like pivots. There is no argument here, it's just how you want to take the journey to ball pocketing proficiency. They all lead to the same place, but some are easier/better/faster for different players.
 
Just a forethought: I am one of the few who can still do calculus problems in my head 40 years after taking my last ciollege class. I am also skilled in the art of simulating physical system on computers. So I disagree that the aiming problem cannot be solved using physics and calculus. But I digress.

I do not think we can empirically test this hypothesis, but please for a minute consider your missed shots on a pool table.

I am willing to wager that a high percentage of your missed shots are due to putting excessive english on the cueball. A result of less than perfect cueball position, or simply a difficult layout.

Perhaps, certanly when I try to really punch a shot that also requires some english, my percentages go way down.

Perhaps worrying about the position caused you to misstroke the cueball.

I think it is the other way arround. Worrying about position probably causes me to focus on position, and the mind solves the problem of getting the position, without first (or simultaneously!) solving the ball in pocket problem.

I am further willing to bet that your next highest percentage of misses is caused by awkward body position. Maybe you have to reach further than is comfortable, maybe you're bridging on the rail, or bridging over a ball. This causes your mechanics to break down, putting unintentional spin on the cueball.

When Iam in a poor position, I tend to be more focused on potting the ball and less on the resulting position. This partially compensates from the previous response.

I am willing to bet that the two situations above account for the majority of your misses, say, 90% or more.

Well, I think that at least 30% of my misses are pure stupidity--attempting a shot that should not have been shot. So, 90% HAS to be too high.

I will further hypothesize that maybe 9% of your misses are due to lack of concentration, no matter what the reason is.

I might be inclined to go as high as 40%, here.

That leaves about 1% left over. 1% of your misses will be due to improper aiming.

In my case it would be less than zero%, due to the aforementioned.

So.... We have 5 million posts on AZB about aiming, and it only accounts for about 1% of your missed shots.

We have a forum and people get to chat about whatever suits their fancy. Whether it does anyone any good is not for those who input ideas to record, but for those who take the ideas and run with them.
 
I do not think we can empirically test this hypothesis, but please for a minute consider your missed shots on a pool table.

I am willing to wager that a high percentage of your missed shots are due to putting excessive english on the cueball. A result of less than perfect cueball position, or simply a difficult layout.

Perhaps worrying about the position caused you to misstroke the cueball.


I am further willing to bet that your next highest percentage of misses is caused by awkward body position. Maybe you have to reach further than is comfortable, maybe you're bridging on the rail, or bridging over a ball. This causes your mechanics to break down, putting unintentional spin on the cueball.

I am willing to bet that the two situations above account for the majority of your misses, say, 90% or more.

I will further hypothesize that maybe 9% of your misses are due to lack of concentration, no matter what the reason is.


That leaves about 1% left over. 1% of your misses will be due to improper aiming.

So.... We have 5 million posts on AZB about aiming, and it only accounts for about 1% of your missed shots.

WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!

I think you are on track, I might give a little more to concentration, or a fight between your conscious and subconscious. Good post.
 
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