Pool Made Simple … HOW TO AIM USING SIDESPIN … with GoPro POV

dr_dave

dr_dave

Instructional Author
Gold Member
Silver Member
FYI, I just posted a new video that discusses and demonstrates four different ways to aim using sidespin, the most effective being the System for Aiming With Sidespin or SAWS. Also presented is a good drill and a collection of important types of sidespin shots you can use to test out and improve your current way of aiming. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:34 - Sidespin Effects
---- 3:23 - outside draw vs. inside follow
5:16 - Honest Appraisal
6:00 - 1 – Simplest Method
6:46 - 2 – Intuitive Method
8:19 - 3 – Basic BHE/FHE
11:00 - 4 - System for Aiming With Sidespin (SAWS)
---- 12:43 - sidespin shot examples
15:31 - Wrap Up

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
 
I watched the video and looked at your calibration document.

What are the percentages on the calibration document based on? Did I miss it?
 
bb9ball said:
I watched the video and looked at your calibration document.

What are the percentages on the calibration document based on? Did I miss it?
Click to expand...

You need to follow the instructions on the calibration document and in the SAWS video to find the numbers specific to your cue and bridge length (and other factors like how level your cue is, the style of your BHE/FHE pivots, and cloth conditions). The document includes example numbers for my bridge length (12”) using a Predator Revo shaft with the cue as level as possible with clean BHE/FHE pivots on Simonis 860HR cloth.
 
Well, I started watching it and you asked if we have perfect aiming intuition when using side spin over a wide range of shots, speeds, distances and various amounts of spin.

I answered yes. You said I don't need the video so I skipped it. I did give you a thumbs up though. :)

I love what you do, but I'm good with these shots and I really don't need more info cluttering my head. The more I know, the more I sabotage myself in the execution phase. Thanks for putting the info out there and thanks for the disclaimer up front!

All I need to know is that hot dogs come from the hot dog factory and how to cook them. I don't need to be thinking about pig lips and butt holes while I'm enjoying a Chicago Dog. ;)

Keep up the good work, and thanks for getting the info out there!
 
boogieman said:
Well, I started watching it and you asked if we have perfect aiming intuition when using side spin over a wide range of shots, speeds, distances and various amounts of spin.

I answered yes. You said I don't need the video so I skipped it.
Click to expand...

If you do in fact have “perfect intuition,” then I’m jealous. Even the top pros don’t make every shot with sidespin, especially the ones with fast speed and lots of spin.


boogieman said:
I did give you a thumbs up though. :)
Click to expand...

Thank you. Now I feel worthy. :geek:


boogieman said:
I love what you do, but I'm good with these shots and I really don't need more info cluttering my head. The more I know, the more I sabotage myself in the execution phase. Thanks for putting the info out there and thanks for the disclaimer up front!

All I need to know is that hot dogs come from the hot dog factory and how to cook them. I don't need to be thinking about pig lips and butt holes while I'm enjoying a Chicago Dog. ;)

Keep up the good work, and thanks for getting the info out there!
Click to expand...

SAWS is definitely not for everybody; and if you are willing to put in the necessary hours of smart practice and successful experience, the "Intuitive Method" described in my video (which is what most top players currently use) is definitely the good approach.
 
dr_dave said:
FYI, I just posted a new video that discusses and demonstrates four different ways to aim using sidespin, the most effective being the System for Aiming With Sidespin or SAWS. Also presented is a good drill and a collection of important types of sidespin shots you can use to test out and improve your current way of aiming. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:34 - Sidespin Effects
---- 3:23 - outside draw vs. inside follow
5:16 - Honest Appraisal
6:00 - 1 – Simplest Method
6:46 - 2 – Intuitive Method
8:19 - 3 – Basic BHE/FHE
11:00 - 4 - System for Aiming With Sidespin (SAWS)
---- 12:43 - sidespin shot examples
15:31 - Wrap Up

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

For those interested, complete and detailed answers to many common questions about SAWS can be found here:

 
dr_dave said:
If you do in fact have “perfect intuition,” then I’m jealous. Even the top pros don’t make every shot with sidespin, especially the ones with fast speed and lots of spin.




Thank you. Now I feel worthy. :geek:




SAWS is definitely not for everybody; and if you are willing to put in the necessary hours of smart practice and successful experience, the "Intuitive Method" described in my video (which is what most top players currently use) is definitely the good approach.
Click to expand...

Well heck I might have to check out the Intuitive method. I'll just plug my ears and say I'm not listening on the other part 😄
 
dr_dave said:
FYI, I just posted a new video that discusses and demonstrates four different ways to aim using sidespin, the most effective being the System for Aiming With Sidespin or SAWS. Also presented is a good drill and a collection of important types of sidespin shots you can use to test out and improve your current way of aiming. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:34 - Sidespin Effects
---- 3:23 - outside draw vs. inside follow
5:16 - Honest Appraisal
6:00 - 1 – Simplest Method
6:46 - 2 – Intuitive Method
8:19 - 3 – Basic BHE/FHE
11:00 - 4 - System for Aiming With Sidespin (SAWS)
---- 12:43 - sidespin shot examples
15:31 - Wrap Up

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

I would would like people's inputs and opinions concerning something I recently added to the SAWS resource page:

What should you look at during the SAWS aiming and shooting process?​

You should generally follow the eye pattern “best practices” used by most top players. When using sidespin, players who aim intuitively typically look at where they want the CB to go (with focus at the OB) during the final stroke, realizing that the cue and stroke are pointing slightly offline to send the CB in the desired direction.

When using SAWS, you first look at where you want the CB to go with a careful center-ball aim. Then you look at the tip contact point on the CB as you do the BHE/FHE pivots to ensure you are accurate with the pivots and the desired tip contact point. Then it is recommended you shift your focus back toward the OB but along the new direction of the cue. This will help ensure a straight stroke. You look where the cue is pointing, realizing that the CB will deflect to the desired target identified during the careful center-ball aim.


First, do you think the 1st paragraph is correct. When using sidespin, do most top players look where they want the CB to go and not along the direction the cue is pointing?

Also, do you think it is a good idea to follow the advice in the 2nd paragraph, to look at where the cue is pointing to help ensure a straight stroke in the desired direction? This is what I do when I use SAWS. Although, in the past when I tried to aim sidespin shots intuitively (which was less effective for me), I think I used to look where I wanted the CB to go.
 
dr_dave said:
I would would like people's inputs and opinions concerning something I recently added to the SAWS resource page:

What should you look at during the SAWS aiming and shooting process?​

You should generally follow the eye pattern “best practices” used by most top players. When using sidespin, players who aim intuitively typically look at where they want the CB to go (with focus at the OB) during the final stroke, realizing that the cue and stroke are pointing slightly offline to send the CB in the desired direction.

When using SAWS, you first look at where you want the CB to go with a careful center-ball aim. Then you look at the tip contact point on the CB as you do the BHE/FHE pivots to ensure you are accurate with the pivots and the desired tip contact point. Then it is recommended you shift your focus back toward the OB but along the new direction of the cue. This will help ensure a straight stroke. You look where the cue is pointing, realizing that the CB will deflect to the desired target identified during the careful center-ball aim.


First, do you think the 1st paragraph is correct. When using sidespin, do most top players look where they want the CB to go and not along the direction the cue is pointing?

Also, do you think it is a good idea to follow the advice in the 2nd paragraph, to look at where the cue is pointing to help ensure a straight stroke in the desired direction? This is what I do when I use SAWS. Although, in the past when I tried to aim sidespin shots intuitively (which was less effective for me), I think I used to look where I wanted the CB to go.
Click to expand...

Does anybody have any opinions on these questions?
 
dr_dave said:
Even the top pros don’t make every shot with sidespin, especially the ones with fast speed and lots of spin.
Click to expand...
Yes, but these shots are the ones that tend to have the most cue ball squirt, and the correct aim on these shots is, at least to a point, a function of the equipment with which one is playing. I'm not sure one can generalize about the aim for these shots, and that experience alone will be the guideline.
 
sjm said:
Yes, but these shots are the ones that tend to have the most cue ball squirt, and the correct aim on these shots is, at least to a point, a function of…
Click to expand...
How should I hit it to see swerve take over? Thankful for Dr. Dave’s diligence.
 
dr_dave said:
Also, do you think it is a good idea to follow the advice in the 2nd paragraph, to look at where the cue is pointing to help ensure a straight stroke in the desired direction?
Click to expand...
I think that's fair but maybe you could add something in there about the adjustments being small. Most players come down with it already in their mind what spin they need... any adjustments for bhe or fhe are pretty minute. I always feather the stick a bit after any adjustment to make sure I'm still pushing/pulling/stroking the cue in a straight manner. Why I say that is if you adjust too much you'll notice you're steering the cue which may require getting back up and resetting.

I did finish the video, good job! My head was too full that day to add anything else. :)
 
I think, because of its exact measurements -- balls and table -- when it comes to pool we can fall into the trap of over extending our faith in science and over thinking execution.

The science is great when it comes to the physics of colliding balls. But not so much when it comes to stroke execution. It is especially problematic to rely on science in this regard because we all have different set ups with variations in sighting, bridges, grips, cues, and stroking mechanics. So I doubt we're all doing things in exactly the same way and find prescribing an exact formula for this less than wise.

In my experience a player approaches the table and, assuming it's a straightforward layout, immediately knows what the shot is and the desired CB path and distance to the next shot. So unless you're a newbie, all that goes into your brain, gets run through your wetware and your brain issues instructions to all your body parts to get in a proper position to execute what you've visualized. IOWs, for the most part, you're looking at the entire table and letting yourself toss the wadded up piece of paper into the waste basket.

It's really that simple.

Lou Figueroa
 
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lfigueroa said:
I think, because of its exact measurements -- balls and table -- when it comes to pool we can fall into the trap of over extending our faith in science and over thinking execution.

I think the science is great when it comes to the physics of colliding balls. But not so much when it comes to stroke execution. It is especially problematic to rely on science in this regard because we all have different set ups with variations in sighting, bridges, grips, cues, and stroking mechanics. So I doubt we're all doing things in exactly the same way and find prescribing an exact formula for this problematic.

In my experience a player approaches the table and, assuming it's a straightforward layout, immediately knows what the shot is and the desired CB path and distance to the next shot. So unless you're a newbie, all that goes into your brain, gets run through your wetware and your brain issues instructions to all your body parts to get in a proper position to execute what you've visualized. IOWs, for the most part, you're looking at the entire table and letting yourself toss the wadded up piece of paper into the waste basket.

It's really that simple.

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...

Understood. Regardless, where do you think most top players are looking during a sidespin shot stroke? Are they looking in the direction they want the CB to go (after CB deflection), or are they looking in the direction the cue is pointing?
 
Texas Carom Club said:
first i break the balls
then i do the things
Click to expand...

Assuming you have your eyes open when shooting shots, what are you looking at during a sidespin shot stroke? Are you looking in the direction you want the CB to go (after CB deflection), or are you looking in the direction the cue is pointing?
 
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