Pool dvds?
- Thread starter RunEm
- Start date
I am an accu-stats video of the month club member. I learn a lot from watching the pros play. You can pick the games and pros you are interested in. I learn something from every one. Specifically, in each one, there is always a shot I have faced before that I have difficulty with; or a specific way to get position on the next ball that I have difficulty with. It is great to see how the pros think and address these scenarios.
Steve
Steve
Accu-stats is better than being there because of the camera angles and expert comentary. If you are
an action player they will pay for themselves many times over. You WILL get better and be intertained at the same time. IMHO the best value to be had in the pocket billiard world.
an action player they will pay for themselves many times over. You WILL get better and be intertained at the same time. IMHO the best value to be had in the pocket billiard world.
It depends on your level and the intended target of the DVD. An A/B level player who knows how to use english and make shots may not benefit as much as a D level player on on DVD concentrating on fundamentals. I think the same goes for an Accu-Stats DVD on one pocket strategy would go over the head of a player struggling to make the ball, but will immensely help a higher level player.
For me these are some DVDs that I recommend.
Joe Tucker Guaranteed Improvements
Joe Tucker Racking Secrets
For me these are some DVDs that I recommend.
Joe Tucker Guaranteed Improvements
Joe Tucker Racking Secrets
I got the Buddy Hall 9 Ball Instructional DVD from Accu-stats. There were some shots on that DVD that he shows you that will certainly improve your game. Some of them I had to work at for an hour before I could reliably hit them. It definitely bumped up my "crap, I got out of position and now I have to fix it" portion of my game.
Grady Mathew's VCR tapes were extremely helpful, for banks, kicks, one pocket to the point and sweet
I play pool daily and love watching videos on pool. Some videos I get nothing out of, like match play, but really enjoy. Then there are the instructional videos, some good and some have nothing to offer. Over the years I have picked up some fundamentals, ways to get position that I have not thought of. So for me through the years I think that they have made a difference to some degree. I'm still gonna watch them anyway, for enjoyment if nothing else.
I had, at one time, a fairly extensive collection (all One Pocket) of DVD's, and I can say without equivocation that they were of considerable benefit to my game.
My two favorites were: Willie Jopling, and Scott Frost. :smile:
My two favorites were: Willie Jopling, and Scott Frost. :smile:
I couldn't agree more. With most any other sport, be it baseball, hockey, basketball, an aspiring player has the benefit of watching the game being played. Not so with pool. It's difficult to emulate great play if you've never seen it, or even better, had it explained as you see it.
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Sorry, sorry ... the following is getting off on a tangent a bit, but has everything to do with improving your game. I started typing and just wanted to continue and explain this to up and coming players. Don't read on if all you are concerned with is the DVD aspect of the thread.
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That being said, I will admit that many of the years I spent trying to improve were wasted on aiming the CB to the correct spot on the OB. I've said this before, if you remove the CB and were allowed to pocket all OBs with your stick, you would probably never miss.
We all know where to hit the OB to make it go in the pocket. That is evident from what I just said above.
The illusive part of the game, and the part that isn't explained as often as it should be is the delivery of the CB to the correct spot on the OB.
Many pros can't explain it because it is more than likely a natural motion in their stroke that they either never had to discover or discovered early on and don't even realize that most average players don't share that stroke characteristic.
The single most important, hidden, illusive, subtle, magic bullet is proper alignment and "accelerating delivery" through the CB to the OB.
If you aligned properly, and if you have a good pendulum stroke, your cue stick wants to go straight as you deliver it. But only if it is accelerating as it goes "through" the CB. Practice this if nothing else.
Accelerating does not mean slamming. Accelerating is very very very subtle. I used the word very three times to drive home the idea that it doesn't mean blasting. You can, and should accelerate through the CB even on a very light touch shot that only moves balls inches.
This is one reason I believe watching straight pool where they are not slamming balls 2 or 3 rails around the table will afford you more opportunity to dissect a good stroke.
As I mentioned the cue stick wants to go straight during your stroke if it has some acceleration to it as it goes through the CB. Anything less than finishing your stroke with this very subtle acceleration will have your muscles tighten as you pull up on your stroke. Even if you are following through a bit. The acceleration is key.
I want to call it a slight push effect as you go through the CB, but fear this term will be misunderstood. For lack of a better word I use the word subtle to describe it.
This almost insignificant amount of muscle movement at the butt end of your cue stick multiplies at the cue tip when it strikes the CB if you do not accelerate.
I am a big proponent of that Dave Mullen aiming system. However, in my mind it isn't so much an aiming system as it is an "alignment system". It allows you to visualize the two lines that form the angle CB to OB and then OB to pocket.
When you are upright looking at the shot you have to be able to see and drop down in your stance with proper alignment. In that respect it is very helpful. But any method you use to visualize proper alignment is fine. Just know that it is the first half of the magic bullet and cannot be overlooked. Alignment / Delivery.
Anyway, once you can see the angles, drop down in proper alignment to the shot, the delivery with acceleration through the CB is the key.
Slamming balls around with english, especially inside english is another animal that requires compensation for deflection and squirt. Forget all that for now and focus on what I've harped on. This is the single most important thing.
(I know they are part of a recently debated thread....but....)
Honestly, the first pool DVD's that I watched were the Jimmy Reid "No Time For Negative", "Almost All I Know", and "Art of 8 Ball" collection. If you are a newcomer or intermediate level player, and you don't learn something from each of them, you might want to give up playing pool.
Others that are great:
"Banking With the Beard, the Movie" - Freddie Bentivegna
"VEPS" - Dr. Dave Alciatore
"Bert's 10 Best Hustles" - Bert Kinister
"Gamebreakers" - Robert Byrne
Honestly, the first pool DVD's that I watched were the Jimmy Reid "No Time For Negative", "Almost All I Know", and "Art of 8 Ball" collection. If you are a newcomer or intermediate level player, and you don't learn something from each of them, you might want to give up playing pool.
Others that are great:
"Banking With the Beard, the Movie" - Freddie Bentivegna
"VEPS" - Dr. Dave Alciatore
"Bert's 10 Best Hustles" - Bert Kinister
"Gamebreakers" - Robert Byrne
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Zero X Kicking and Banking DVDs for 10 dollars each.
If you search UTube for Zero X Billiards, you will find two, 3 hour instructional videos for
absolutely free.
If you use Face Book, Zero X Billiards has a page that has access to both videos plus links to other UTube videos to watch as well.
Planning on purchasing John Brumbacks Banking DVD because ya just know that one is going to be a good one. That and I have heard good things about it too.
John is about the best banker in North America and probably unrivaled in the World. If you can't pick up your banking game with that one, something is wrong.
If you are into books, 99 Critical Shots is a must have.
If you search UTube for Zero X Billiards, you will find two, 3 hour instructional videos for
absolutely free.
If you use Face Book, Zero X Billiards has a page that has access to both videos plus links to other UTube videos to watch as well.
Planning on purchasing John Brumbacks Banking DVD because ya just know that one is going to be a good one. That and I have heard good things about it too.
John is about the best banker in North America and probably unrivaled in the World. If you can't pick up your banking game with that one, something is wrong.
If you are into books, 99 Critical Shots is a must have.
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Thanks alot Blue!! I appreciate that. But I also want to say that I learned all of my fundamentals ( Plus alot of other good things all about pool) from Ray Martin's book "The 99 Critical Shots in Pool" I haven't read alot of pool books but I don't think they could be much better than this one!! John B.