Practicing with no chalk ... Try it!

Angle Detective

Angle Detective

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Someone mentioned this before, but I tried it today with incredible success, and I just want to encourage others to try it. I wiped my tip clean and threw all the balls out on the table hitting only center ball shots at various speeds to control the cueball. I did this for about 3 hours. Rack after rack. By taking the spin and options out of the game I started to see everything from a center ball perspective. Normally difficult shots became easy. Finding patterns and paths from one ball to the next became automatic. Predicting the path of the cueball became much easier than it ever has been.

It was the best practice session I've ever had. I rarely missed, and I normally miss a lot of easy shots.

It really showed me how I've been overusing spin. It complicates things. After a while I really got to love feeling the full weight of the cueball and the power that I got from hitting center ball.

I didn't expect much from doing this and I came away with a ton of confidence.

Try it!!
 
I have commented on this subject before...

It is a great way to teach yourself natural 2 rail shape patterns. It really can change your perspective on rotation games. teaches you the simplist ways to get out and makes you focus on fundamentals at the same time.
 
bluepepper said:
Someone mentioned this before, but I tried it today with incredible success, and I just want to encourage others to try it. I wiped my tip clean and threw all the balls out on the table hitting only center ball shots at various speeds to control the cueball. I did this for about 3 hours. Rack after rack. By taking the spin and options out of the game I started to see everything from a center ball perspective. Normally difficult shots became easy. Finding patterns and paths from one ball to the next became automatic. Predicting the path of the cueball became much easier than it ever has been.

It was the best practice session I've ever had. I rarely missed, and I normally miss a lot of easy shots.

It really showed me how I've been overusing spin. It complicates things. After a while I really got to love feeling the full weight of the cueball and the power that I got from hitting center ball.

I didn't expect much from doing this and I came away with a ton of confidence.

Try it!!
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I do this every so often just to get the little faults and bad habits that get picked up over time in my stroke. I start off shooting easily and as I progress I shoot harder and harder. In doing this, any time your stroke slips and you don't contact center ball, where you should be hitting the cue, you are reminded with a miscue.

Dick
 
rhncue said:
I do this every so often just to get the little faults and bad habits that get picked up over time in my stroke. I start off shooting easily and as I progress I shoot harder and harder. In doing this, any time your stroke slips and you don't contact center ball, where you should be hitting the cue, you are reminded with a miscue.

Dick
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Yes. It definitely gets the kinks out. I'll be using it often.
One thing I noticed is that even after 3 hours, the small amount of chalk that's ground into my tip still allowed for a tiny bit of spin. And my tip is the same tip that came with the cue 3 years ago. It's pretty hard by now. I use a tip pick rather than roughing it, so it has lasted and still has its shape. Maybe just a slight mushroom.
Maybe next time I'll wet it and burnish it to make center ball even tougher.
 
Interesting...I never thought of or heard of this before but I'll have to give it a try.
 
I've never done this, but I learned to play using a minimum amount of english. I had a real hard time finding center on the cue ball for several years, also. For some time, I had to address the ball and then move the tip to the right. Some kind of optical allusion, I guess. Still have to pay close attention some times.
 
I use my j/b cue with a phenollic tip. Same thing. I get into the habit of using a lot of spin to get shape so this tames that desire after about 5 miscues. :D
 
Try practicing with NO TIP, that is interesting.
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I always practice that way to improve my stroke and make sure that I am hitting center ball. It also helps develop your control by using just speed.

As most real good players will tell you: Keep it simple and don't complicate the game.
 
TheBook said:
I always practice that way to improve my stroke and make sure that I am hitting center ball. It also helps develop your control by using just speed.
Click to expand...

Yes. That control from speed is something I found to be liberating. You expect to be severely handicapped by practicing this way, but it turns out that things get pure and simple and consistent.
 
no chalk?

practice with no "chalk" the answer is yes1 all the old timers i learned from told me to do it i used to practice 4 or 5 hrs a day like that. makes u stroke better and play the natural angle better. sparky
 
I agree with the concept of hitting center ball in practice, but I'm not crazy about the no chaulk thing. To me, chaulking is a critical part of your preshot routine. Why not just practice hitting center and leave everything else the same?
 
This is an eye opener, one of the best players at my local hangout uses a bar stick and never chalks it, I think his secret is no longer a secret. He plays great position too. I will definitely try this.
 
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