Pre Shot Routine

Katie Girl

Katie Girl

Pool Newbie
Silver Member
I turn to a lot of different sources for advice and guidance on getting to be a better player. I've read in books and heard on the internet that it is essential to develop and stick to a solid, well defined pre shot routine in practice as well as play. And I think I have a rudimentary concept of what that means, but I have questions....

Will someone please give me an example of what a solid pre shot routine looks/feels like? I understand that it's personal and different for everyone... I'd just like some guidance on what must be included, what should be included, what could be included, and what really should not be included. And also, how best to effectly apply and utilize a pre shot routine for maximum gain and benefit.

I'm really having a great time hanging out with you all here on AZB. Thank you for taking the time to help a girl out. :p

Katie
 
A Simple Routine

Here is a simple routine that you can modify to fit your needs. Keep it simple and everything should have a well defined purpose.

1. Chalk the tip
2. Address the Cue Ball
3. Rest my cue and check my Set Position
4. Fine tune my aim
5. Practice strokes
6. Rest the cue in my Set Position
7. Is my aim still dead on?
8. Backswing
9. Pause
10. Finish
11. Freeze and evaluate
 
Non-mechanical pre-shot

Two golf books that translate well to the non-mechanical aspects of a pre-shot routine for both golf and pool are "The new golf mind" by Dr. Gary Wiren and Dr. Richard Coop. and "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose". I believe both are still in print. Good luck.
 
eye movements

Mark Avlon said:
Here is a simple routine that you can modify to fit your needs. Keep it simple and everything should have a well defined purpose.

1. Chalk the tip
2. Address the Cue Ball
3. Rest my cue and check my Set Position
4. Fine tune my aim
5. Practice strokes
6. Rest the cue in my Set Position
7. Is my aim still dead on?
8. Backswing
9. Pause
10. Finish
11. Freeze and evaluate
Click to expand...

Did you purposely omit the movement of the eyes from focussing on the CB to focussing on the OB?
 
Katie Girl said:
I turn to a lot of different sources for advice and guidance on getting to be a better player. I've read in books and heard on the internet that it is essential to develop and stick to a solid, well defined pre shot routine in practice as well as play. And I think I have a rudimentary concept of what that means, but I have questions....

Will someone please give me an example of what a solid pre shot routine looks/feels like? I understand that it's personal and different for everyone... I'd just like some guidance on what must be included, what should be included, what could be included, and what really should not be included. And also, how best to effectly apply and utilize a pre shot routine for maximum gain and benefit.

I'm really having a great time hanging out with you all here on AZB. Thank you for taking the time to help a girl out. :p

Katie
Click to expand...



Hi Katie.

In all reality there are three pre-shot routines that one must form. Granted they will all flow together and become your normal Process.

Mark Avlon is not far from you. It would be in your best interest to spend some time with Mark, he's an Excellent Instructor.

SPF=randyg
 
berlowmj2 said:
Did you purposely omit the movement of the eyes from focussing on the CB to focussing on the OB?
Click to expand...

Katie,
Dont let anyone persuade you about CB or OB last. its personal preference. seemingly most players/instructors say OB last, but thats not the 11th Commandment.

If you prefer to look at the CB last when you shoot, have at it!

Mike
 
Oh my goodness, Ridinda9.... I've played with that woman in league. Fortunately for me pool cues aren't sharpened to a lethal point.

Mark Avlon, thank you, thank you, thank you for clearing this up for me. When I first read your list, I thought in alarm, "That many steps to a pre shot routine!?! How will I ever remember?" But I printed your list with great big font and stuck it to the wall in my pool room last night, referring to the list as I shot two-and-a-half hours of straight in stop and stun shots the full length of the table. What I realized as the night wore on is that each step does not have to take long, and that the steps can be clear, defined, in perfect order, while at the same time flowing through each other, one after another, in a nice fluid motion that begins with picking up the chalk and ends with the last ball in motion coming to a stop. It felt good, and I feel as though some barrier inside of me that has been holding me back is beginning to dissolve a little bit. I just can't thank you enough.

After drilling for a couple of hours, my partner came in to shot a few racks with me before bed. I found that I experienced the full impact and benefit of your suggested pre shot routine on those super easy, straight in shots that inevitably present themselves. It's so easy to get over confident and just step up and knock the ball in, but blowing shape in the process, or worse, casually shooting at the ball with an air of over-confidence and impossibly missing! It felt good and clear and pure to follow the pre shot routine on the simplest shots, and I found that shooting every single shot as if it was the most critical shot of the game really built my confidence and calmed me down when facing the most difficult shots, and even when executing a delicate safety maneuver.

Most important of all, I found that when I felt most out of control in a game, when the rolls were going for my opponent and against me, reaching straight away into the pre shot routine as I approached what looked at first glance like a table of impossible shape, the PSR got me right out of the head-space of "I'm totally boned here" and into the mindframe of "This is the shot in front of me, and that's where I want to be next." It helped so much!

I'm playing in my first non-league tournament tonight; I am extremely excited to bring what you've taught me here to the competition in the hopes that I'll be able to hold my own in the games I play, whether I win or not.

Again, thank you!
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Katie,
Dont let anyone persuade you about CB or OB last. its personal preference. seemingly most players/instructors say OB last, but thats not the 11th Commandment.

If you prefer to look at the CB last when you shoot, have at it!

Mike
Click to expand...

Katie, don't listen to that opinion. There is an exact routine that we follow and Mark will show it to you.....randyg
 
This coming from someone who claims to be the most inconsistent player on AzB...even after receiving instruction from some highly skilled instructors. :rolleyes: Your cue goes where your eyes go...period.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

DrCue'sProtege said:
Katie,
Dont let anyone persuade you about CB or OB last. its personal preference. seemingly most players/instructors say OB last, but thats not the 11th Commandment.

If you prefer to look at the CB last when you shoot, have at it!

Mike
Click to expand...
 
Scott Lee said:
Your cue goes where your eyes go...period.

www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

Katie,
Its up to you what you believe and feel works best for you. All i am saying is you be the judge for your own personal stroke and after receiving quality instruction and tips you should make your own decisions.

Looks like a couple of instructors are saying "HERE'S HOW YOU HAVE TO DO IT!" and to me that is 100% wrong. Johnny Archer and Ralf Souquet have said recently they look at the CB last.

and as far as "The cue goes where the eyes go" comment......sorry, to me that is just plain ridiculous. somebody told me its like riding a motorcycle down the middle of the road and then looking over into the ditch. i was told the motorcycle would go into the ditch because thats where the eyes were looking. my motorcycle would go straight down the middle of the road.

Mike
 
Thanks Mike. I really like Mark's suggestion of "addressing the cue ball" up front (I love that!) And what feels pure, true and in-the-natural-flow for me is to settle in after my practice strokes (as Mark suggests), relax into an easy focus on my target, and visualize the object ball rolling straight and true to it's target. I think what I get from Mark's suggestions is that I'm laying the groundwork for a perfect execution at the beginning of each shot, and then trusting in that groundwork so I can focus on the task at hand... connecting perfectly with my intended target.... object of my attention. At least, that's how it feels to me.
 
Katie Girl said:
Thanks Mike. I really like Mark's suggestion of "addressing the cue ball" up front (I love that!) And what feels pure, true and in-the-natural-flow for me is to settle in after my practice strokes (as Mark suggests), relax into an easy focus on my target, and visualize the object ball rolling straight and true to it's target. I think what I get from Mark's suggestions is that I'm laying the groundwork for a perfect execution at the beginning of each shot, and then trusting in that groundwork so I can focus on the task at hand... connecting perfectly with my intended target.... object of my attention. At least, that's how it feels to me.
Click to expand...

Katie,
You have access to some outstanding instructors here on this website. Mark, Scott, Randy are all world class teachers. I just happen to somewhat disagree with their ideas at times. and please understand having one of these guys help you can only benefit your game a ton. To me the main thing is whatever works for you, thats what you go with.

Mike
 
I am NOT an instructor so I won't give you any advice that could possibly be wrong, but I will give you one piece of advice that I found wasn't very good when I was establishing my pre shot routine.

It was Step 4: take a shot of tequila .... I ended up abandoning that step after a few horrible nights of pool.
 
Thanks Paulie. I'm guessing that barfing on the table as part of a pre shot routine is also off the list.
 
Mike
Not trying to be rude or argue about the CB or OB thing but how do I know "What's Working for Me" How is that defined?
I'm winning most of the time?
I always run out?
I feel good?
.
.
.
This is the source of the Instructor-Student argumentative relationship. Yes we can't and don't want to entirely eliminate individualism but a blanket statement "Its up to you what you believe and feel works best for you." :scratchhead:

I don't need no stinkin instruction. :rolleyes:
 
3kushn said:
Mike
Not trying to be rude or argue about the CB or OB thing but how do I know "What's Working for Me" How is that defined?
I'm winning most of the time?
I always run out?
I feel good?
.
.
.
This is the source of the Instructor-Student argumentative relationship. Yes we can't and don't want to entirely eliminate individualism but a blanket statement "Its up to you what you believe and feel works best for you." :scratchhead:

I don't need no stinkin instruction. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

i agree with what you said. but i disagree when instructors say "HERE'S HOW YOU HAVE TO DO IT!" like i have had instructors tell me.

Just seems like an instructor should say "Here's what i believe, but here's both sides of the issue and you see which one works best for you. Then i will help you go from there."

All i was trying to tell Katie is to try both ways and find out, through repetition and plenty of practice, which way things in pool work best for her.

Mike
 
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