Opposite handed

3RAILKICK

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't shoot with the opposite hand.

How do you learn? Just hit balls? Try to mirror image, stance, bridge pendulum stroke?

Sight and aim with same dominant eye?, head position as you do when shooting with your normal approach?

Thanks for any suggestions-I'm feeling as much or more awkward as when I first picked up a stick.
 
I think its going to be like baseball and switch hitting its just going to take repetitive movements to become comfortable before ever even approaching the ball. luckly i already play with my less dominate hand... don't ask me why but it do, so switching back and forth isn't that difficult but it still is awkward... good luck:thumbup:
 
I have been playing off handed for a couple of years in tough spots and it feels better now but still awkward. Like Matthias says, you gotta put in the time.

Even if you only make a few shots close to the pocket it can really be an advantage in a game situation so its worth it to practice.

I would think this is the perfect time for video to help iron out the kinks.

A pro lesson would take months off the learning curve.

I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous!
 
I don't shoot with the opposite hand.

How do you learn? Just hit balls? Try to mirror image, stance, bridge pendulum stroke?

Sight and aim with same dominant eye?, head position as you do when shooting with your normal approach?

Thanks for any suggestions-I'm feeling as much or more awkward as when I first picked up a stick.


Solid pre-shot routines will help you, both when you are shooting with your dominant hand and your off hand.
 
I don't shoot with the opposite hand.

How do you learn? Just hit balls? Try to mirror image, stance, bridge pendulum stroke?

Sight and aim with same dominant eye?, head position as you do when shooting with your normal approach?

Thanks for any suggestions-I'm feeling as much or more awkward as when I first picked up a stick.

Take some balls and gather them at one end of the table. One at a time, place a ball about 7 inches from the head rail and 7 inches from the side rail. Shooting off handed, shoot the ball down the long rail into the far corner pocket. Focus completely on your arm movement. This is exactly how we have our students practice their stroke in class, and while we usually don't spend much time having them shoot off handed, the same principles will apply to either arm.

Repetition, but doing things the right way.

Steve
 
That's a nice question my friend.



I don't shoot with the opposite hand.

How do you learn? After I do Mother Drill 1 fourteen times I turn around and try the same drill 7 times off handed.

Just hit balls? No, drills.

Try to mirror image, stance, bridge pendulum stroke? YES.

Sight and aim with same dominant eye?, head position as you do when shooting with your normal approach? Unless you only have one eye we both sight & aim with both eyes. My head position is very differtent.

Thanks for any suggestions-I'm feeling as much or more awkward as when I first picked up a stick.
So did I.
 
Off Handed

I have been playing pool about 7 years now. About 4 years ago I was shooting on a 9' table and came across a shot that would be really easy for a Lefty but me being right-handed I would have to grab the bridge. I just got down and shot it lefty and made it. For the next couple weeks when I practiced I play my right hand vs my left hand. I still come back and practice lefty every so often.

To my surprise when I shoot lefty my left arm has a decent straight stroke, the only issue is my right hand is not as steady of a bridge.

Practice, practice, practice until you are comfortable.
 
take it easssssyyyyyyyyyyyy................baby that stroke

I shoot with both hands.......I'm a lefty but play a decent game righty and well enough so when I need it while normally shooting I can shoot tight cuts or whatever I really need to so long as its not asking for too much power or something.......as I know my right hands limits and dont push past them in competition as it will get you beat.

Lefty I'm pretty square and plumb from head to toe shoulder,arm, hand bla bla bla........now right handed I shoot chicken wing like Keith but I don't stand nearly as high.

I stand about 2 to 4 inches above the cue lefty and around 8-12" righty........My higher stance is mostly dictated by the fact that I have the chickenwing stroke.

BUT my chicken wing is "somewhat" repeatable it would be completely repeatable if I did more work on that end..........even tho my right side stroke arm will kick out I still use a pendulum style stroking action as I don't move the shoulder..........

My right side even has a finish spot except its not the hand thats hitting the dead end spot......its the center of my forearm dead-ending on my bicep

If I try inducing the shoulder or I don't "finish" right handed I GAFF the shot horribly........if I just focus on finishing I shoot well in regards to standard shots and even handle some not so standard shots

The biggest factor besides that is the grip hand itself............b/c I have the cockeyed arm a perfect grip became even more important....or better yet a better cradle.........i found a great grip that worked for me right handed and it actually became the grip that I use left handed now I consider it to be a perfect cradle as the cue is only touching the hand/fingers in one spot effectively taking my "grip" out of the picture so I cant "steer" the cue.......

Steering the cue was a major problem for me at one time right handed.......the grip so effectively negated that problem that I adopted it left handed with great results.

I think its funny when I go mess with the fish I'll play right handed and just roll the balls in the hole and get out pretty well........they bang the crap out the balls and play normal......but I try to tell them you got to stay within the means of your stroke.........I adhere to that playing right handed and they don't do it with their normal hand and they get beat............I usually don't even have as good of a stroke as the opponent on my right hand but taking care of the shot/CB does me very well indeed and is a verification that you don't have to do much to get out just fine.

and honestly the best outs are when you gave just enough and not too much anyways.......


In the past 3 months I've practiced my right side a little more and more mostly by way of mothers drill and straight in shots..........I'm now just getting to where I can get a nice break, spread and "semi" CB control off the break along with some draw shots with a decent gap b/t...........some semi masses' i can do, but i can't really jack up too high to jump or any kind of full masse tho I'm not really worried about being able to do that in the least bit as it will come with time


Those harder shots I don't really need to be able to use anyways both hands......

I'll say one more thing...........besides playing with both hands.......if anyone especially likes to play one pocket you should really learn to use a "free hand" bridge where your bridge is in the air not on the table.......this skill comes up when your buried in the stack and need to masse draw the CB but cant place the hand anywhere good..........it takes a steady hand and good practice but its a deadly addition to the bag and comes up in other games as well.........when I don't have to jack up too high on this shot i use an underhand brige making a loop with my index and thumb w/ the other 3 fingers open so the shaft can slide in my palm also.........

for high jacked up I'll make a fist and make a loop with my index and thumb and overhand it with the shaft just gliding through the loop.........

(I just added the "free hand" bridge tidbit because the topic had me thinking of why we use the opposite hand when body hooked and such........with the free hand bridge being more of a being "bridge hooked" situation)

4000+ cats skinned,:wink:
-Grey Ghost-
 
It also helps alot if you're somewhat ambidextrous. There are things I do right handed and things I do left handed. I play pool right handed, but can shoot left handed when I need to. Like a previous poster said, I have a good stroke left handed, but not the greatest bridge. I work on it every now and then, though, and I'm to the point that in many situations, I'll shoot a shot left handed before I'll use a bridge. One thing I can say for certain is I can definitely control the cue ball better left handed than I can with a bridge.
 
I will break a nine or eight ball rack and then practice left handed shooting using the "ball in Hand" for each shot for three or four racks, the practice on another three shooting in any order. If it seems like a shot that I will see a lot, I will set it up and practice it. I read or had someone tell me it engages the opposite hemisphere of the brain and helps to integrate the game. However, it is just nice to not use the bridge unless I have to. Good luck, John
 
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