For over 40 years, I've been a student of the game. Everything about it has fascinated me since the first time I picked up a cue. I'm a good, but not great player; my high run is over 80. My shortcoming has always been inconsistent shotmaking. I can't tell how many times I've been on a 50 ball run, only to miss a moderately long shot any decent player should make every time.
I thought this might be due to aiming inconsistency, and I did a lot of work on eye patterns and adjusting for dominant eye aiming. This helped, but wasn't the key puzzle piece.
Next, I worked on my stance and alignment. After viewing photos of my stance, I saw that I was too over the cue and chicken-winged my elbow as well. So my plane was way off. I had it in my head that the fix was to turn my shoulders to nearly parallel the shot line and that that would allow my right shoulder to come on the stroking line and hopefully allow my elbow to follow. In practice, I'd have some moments of pure stroking and excellent shotmaking. But the fixes never stuck and I simply wasn't consistent.
So, after many years of trial and error, I'd improved somewhat. I knew I was on the right track, but still needed work.
Anyway, sorry for the tangential information, but I felt it was useful background before getting into Max's Power Pool.
I first became familiar with Max's game when I watched a DVD of him playing Thorsten Holmann in the '06 Worlds 14.1 quarter finals. Max ended up losing a close match. But what really impressed me was Max's pre-shot routine (PSR) and flawless stroke mechanics. Max was clearly very nervous at the start of the match. To calm his nerves, he'd use his PSR. Every time it was the same, and he executed his shotmaking flawlessly. His stance is as fundamentally perfect as the likes of Sigel and Rempe--which is to say, as good as it gets.
So, I ordered Max's DVD set, but not without some anxiety. I can't remember how many instructional videos I've watched, by both touring pros and teaching pros, only to feel disappointed after watching. Usually, there a few things of merit, but seldom anything new. Typically, it's the usual stuff, rehashed. Thus my concern, when I ordered Power Pool.
Well, halfway through the first of three DVD's, I knew my money was well spent. As a caveat, let me say upfront, this is a low-budget production. Do not expect multiple camera angles, fancy cuts or audio gimmicks. The production is rudimentary, but the audio is clear and the video quality perfectly adequate. So, expect to be informed by the content, not entertained by a splashy production.
Listening to Max, it's clear he's put in tons of work in building his flawless stance and stroke fundamentals. But it didn't come out of the box that way for Max. He confides that he had his own flaws to overcome. And maybe that's why he's so good at teaching. While pretty much every other instructor glosses over details, Max explores and explains them. He offers cause and effect so you can see for yourself how too much or too little of this or that will cause a predictable result.
I had described my odyssey in searching for my stroke mechanics. Max put the spotlight of elucidation on that for me. When I finished listening, I sat there in disbelief--OMFG, could it actually be that simple?!!!
I've been struggling with whether or not to describe Max's stance procedure. As an artist myself, I was concerned about intellectual property and protecting Max's rights. However, I think what I will describe is not a secret nor exclusive property--much of it, we've all heard 1000 times. But when you read this, you will get a sense of why I'm so impressed by Max and his instruction.
The STANCE: The feet are aligned 45* to the stroke line, and the rear foot bisects the stroke line. Max advises somewhere between 30 and 60 degrees and urges you to try different positions of stance width and angle to find the best for you. He also goes into the advantages and possible pitfalls with greater or lesser angles.
Now, that's pretty much what everyone says. But Max goes a step farther. He wants you to stand behind the shot and focus on the stroke line--"See the shot." Put your rear foot on the stroke line. Step into your 45* position with your other foot. But this now has moved your head off the stroke line, Rather than ignoring this fact, Max tells you how to get back online ... Push your hips back, while bending forward onto the stroke line. You will be leaning in at about a 45* angle. No twisting, no turning of the shoulders, no further manipulation necessary. This results in putting the rear shoulder on the stroking line and makes for easy and natural alignment of the stroking elbow and arm. Yes, it really is that simple!
That was my OMFG moment. It's real. It works. And after 2 weeks of experimenting, my stroke is the best it's ever been. Unbelievable!
Other than my Southwest cues, I'd say the money I spent on Max's Power Pool the best money I've spent in a lifetime of pool study. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Great job, Max!
I thought this might be due to aiming inconsistency, and I did a lot of work on eye patterns and adjusting for dominant eye aiming. This helped, but wasn't the key puzzle piece.
Next, I worked on my stance and alignment. After viewing photos of my stance, I saw that I was too over the cue and chicken-winged my elbow as well. So my plane was way off. I had it in my head that the fix was to turn my shoulders to nearly parallel the shot line and that that would allow my right shoulder to come on the stroking line and hopefully allow my elbow to follow. In practice, I'd have some moments of pure stroking and excellent shotmaking. But the fixes never stuck and I simply wasn't consistent.
So, after many years of trial and error, I'd improved somewhat. I knew I was on the right track, but still needed work.
Anyway, sorry for the tangential information, but I felt it was useful background before getting into Max's Power Pool.
I first became familiar with Max's game when I watched a DVD of him playing Thorsten Holmann in the '06 Worlds 14.1 quarter finals. Max ended up losing a close match. But what really impressed me was Max's pre-shot routine (PSR) and flawless stroke mechanics. Max was clearly very nervous at the start of the match. To calm his nerves, he'd use his PSR. Every time it was the same, and he executed his shotmaking flawlessly. His stance is as fundamentally perfect as the likes of Sigel and Rempe--which is to say, as good as it gets.
So, I ordered Max's DVD set, but not without some anxiety. I can't remember how many instructional videos I've watched, by both touring pros and teaching pros, only to feel disappointed after watching. Usually, there a few things of merit, but seldom anything new. Typically, it's the usual stuff, rehashed. Thus my concern, when I ordered Power Pool.
Well, halfway through the first of three DVD's, I knew my money was well spent. As a caveat, let me say upfront, this is a low-budget production. Do not expect multiple camera angles, fancy cuts or audio gimmicks. The production is rudimentary, but the audio is clear and the video quality perfectly adequate. So, expect to be informed by the content, not entertained by a splashy production.
Listening to Max, it's clear he's put in tons of work in building his flawless stance and stroke fundamentals. But it didn't come out of the box that way for Max. He confides that he had his own flaws to overcome. And maybe that's why he's so good at teaching. While pretty much every other instructor glosses over details, Max explores and explains them. He offers cause and effect so you can see for yourself how too much or too little of this or that will cause a predictable result.
I had described my odyssey in searching for my stroke mechanics. Max put the spotlight of elucidation on that for me. When I finished listening, I sat there in disbelief--OMFG, could it actually be that simple?!!!
I've been struggling with whether or not to describe Max's stance procedure. As an artist myself, I was concerned about intellectual property and protecting Max's rights. However, I think what I will describe is not a secret nor exclusive property--much of it, we've all heard 1000 times. But when you read this, you will get a sense of why I'm so impressed by Max and his instruction.
The STANCE: The feet are aligned 45* to the stroke line, and the rear foot bisects the stroke line. Max advises somewhere between 30 and 60 degrees and urges you to try different positions of stance width and angle to find the best for you. He also goes into the advantages and possible pitfalls with greater or lesser angles.
Now, that's pretty much what everyone says. But Max goes a step farther. He wants you to stand behind the shot and focus on the stroke line--"See the shot." Put your rear foot on the stroke line. Step into your 45* position with your other foot. But this now has moved your head off the stroke line, Rather than ignoring this fact, Max tells you how to get back online ... Push your hips back, while bending forward onto the stroke line. You will be leaning in at about a 45* angle. No twisting, no turning of the shoulders, no further manipulation necessary. This results in putting the rear shoulder on the stroking line and makes for easy and natural alignment of the stroking elbow and arm. Yes, it really is that simple!
That was my OMFG moment. It's real. It works. And after 2 weeks of experimenting, my stroke is the best it's ever been. Unbelievable!
Other than my Southwest cues, I'd say the money I spent on Max's Power Pool the best money I've spent in a lifetime of pool study. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Great job, Max!
