Newbie and nerves

[7stud]

I seem to have quite a bit of success looking at the cue ball last. When I look at the object ball I have a tendency to hit the cue ball off center, which is really annoying. So is it the cue ball last or the object ball last?

Have you ever checked where your "vision center" is? If not, maybe this video will help you improve your aiming accuracy:

Dr. Dave also has some vision center resources. Here's one of his vision center videos:

Other's here:

Vision Center - Billiards and Pool Principles, Techniques, Resources

Answers to frequently-asked questions about how to find your personal 'vision center' in pool.

billiards.colostate.edu

 

[8intheside]

I tend to let pressure and nerves get the best of me. I’ve discovered that the more you play, the better you’ll handle it. Also try deep breathing

 

[straightline]

I view pressure as unnecessary and a waste of time. You can also infer that I believe it is deliberately added as a function of corporate thinking. The danger is adopting it as your fault and operating in a state of sympathetic resonance - going with the flow like a good dog so to speak.
However you react to it, it is simply a distraction. Ideally, the best way to cope is to be fluent with enough pool (optional activity substitution here) and just ignore it. In fact ignoring it might be the only option you have.

Granted this does not address physical manifestations; trembling, sweating, etc... it can get debilitating - The winner's circle is a very private charity and in that world, only the winner will win.

 

[SeniorTom]

7stud​

AzB Silver Member​

Silver Member

• Yesterday at 9:04 PM

I seem to have quite a bit of success looking at the cue ball last. When I look at the object ball I have a tendency to hit the cue ball off center, which is really annoying. So is it the cue ball last or the object ball last?

Have you ever checked where your "vision center" is? If not, maybe this video will help you improve your aiming accuracy:


I am right handed in every aspect of sports and function. Although, I am left eye dominant. Maybe this is a result of my baseball pitching days when I was younger, working from the stretch and looking into home plate with my left eye all the time. I think for pitching it requires the use of the left eye more so than the right eye. Applying this to Billiards is another challenge, although I think I use my left eye to line up. I shoot pistol and rifle as a hobby, and I use my left eye to aim in that as well. I will have to check my alignment with the pool stick to see which eye I actually use. I have never looked into that before. As the videos suggested, I need to find that Central Focus portion that is probably very close to the left eye.

 

[DeeDeeCues]

7stud​

AzB Silver Member​

Silver Member

• Yesterday at 9:04 PM

Have you ever checked where your "vision center" is? If not, maybe this video will help you improve your aiming accuracy:


I am right handed in every aspect of sports and function. Although, I am left eye dominant. Maybe this is a result of my baseball pitching days when I was younger, working from the stretch and looking into home plate with my left eye all the time. I think for pitching it requires the use of the left eye more so than the right eye. Applying this to Billiards is another challenge, although I think I use my left eye to line up. I shoot pistol and rifle as a hobby, and I use my left eye to aim in that as well. I will have to check my alignment with the pool stick to see which eye I actually use. I have never looked into that before. As the videos suggested, I need to find that Central Focus portion that is probably very close to the left eye.

I'm left eye/right handed. Doesn't really matter.

 

[7stud]

I'm left eye/right handed. Doesn't really matter.

My experience is different. I'm right handed/left eye dominant, and my vision center is directly under my left eye. That can be a troublesome combination for cue sports. The problem with being "cross dominant" is that you have to crane your neck over your cue in order to get your vision center lined up with the cue. If I try to stand close to my cue, so that I don't have to crane my neck as far, then I have clearance issues with my hip and the side of my chest. I believe being cross dominant is what screwed up John Morra's neck bad enough that he had to quit. Then he came up with another idea: he switched to playing left handed.

On the other hand, if you are cross dominant and you don't believe in lining up your vision center over your cue, then you don't have to deal with that.

 

[bbb]

i am left eye dominant and right handed
but i have found if my cue is more right than my vision center i shoot better
this book advocates a mid face position for the cue stick and let your brain figure it out
you can decide if you agree

Answers to a Pool Player's Prayers Paperback – November 20, 2000​

by Richard Kranicki (Author)

 

[straightline]

I use double vision. Solves all of it. One thing doing double vision proved to me is it's all stroke alignment.

 

[SeniorTom]

I use double vision. Solves all of it. One thing doing double vision proved to me is it's all stroke alignment.

Double vision ?

 

[straightline]

Double vision ?

Yes exactly that; chin centered over cue, I stare blankly ahead at the now two pool cues. I use this fork to straddle whatever I want to aim at. Winking either eye shows identical left or right bias.

 

[SeniorTom]

Yes exactly that; chin centered over cue, I stare blankly ahead at the now two pool cues. I use this fork to straddle whatever I want to aim at. Winking either eye shows identical let or right bias.

Wow, I would never have guessed that this would be an accurate consistent method. Thanks for your information.

 

[straightline]

Wow, I would never have guessed that this would be an accurate consistent method. Thanks for your information.

You're very welcome. Hope it makes a positive difference.

 

[dardusm]

I'll add a couple of things if they weren't addressed in earlier replies. First, develop a rock solid pre shot routine. The psr is everything you do till you actually hit the cue ball. Eye patterns, practice strokes, visualization, alignment, etc., etc., should be uniform and developed so that it doesn't change under pressure situations and if it does then it will stick out like a sore thumb.

The other one is that Dr. Chris Stankovich (Sports Psychologist) developed a program called Mind of Steel specifically for pool. It's very reasonably priced and gives some good advice dealing with nerves.

 

[ShootingArts]

I'll add a couple of things if they weren't addressed in earlier replies. First, develop a rock solid pre shot routine. The psr is everything you do till you actually hit the cue ball. Eye patterns, practice strokes, visualization, alignment, etc., etc., should be uniform and developed so that it doesn't change under pressure situations and if it does then it will stick out like a sore thumb.

The other one is that Dr. Chris Stankovich (Sports Psychologist) developed a program called Mind of Steel specifically for pool. It's very reasonably priced and gives some good advice dealing with nerves.

I haven't been reading much for years and don't place the good doctor offhand. I did send a question his way and depending on his reply I will purchase his pool package, or not.

Hu

 

[dardusm]

I haven't been reading much for years and don't place the good doctor offhand. I did send a question his way and depending on his reply I will purchase his pool package, or not.

Hu

I like it because it gives practical advice such as taking a deep breath when your nerves are an issue which I'll see great players do occasionally. Some of the psych stuff can seem impractical or hard to understand. I bought it a few years back and it died when my old computer crashed and just bought it again recently as a refresher. I believe he might have had some articles on AZ for awhile.

 

[dr_dave]

Have you ever checked where your "vision center" is? If not, maybe this video will help you improve your aiming accuracy:

Dr. Dave also has some vision center resources. Here's one of his vision center videos:

Other's here:

Vision Center - Billiards and Pool Principles, Techniques, Resources

Answers to frequently-asked questions about how to find your personal 'vision center' in pool.

billiards.colostate.edu

FYI, here’s the best video I have on this topic: