Pre-Shot Routines

3

3Bros Billiards

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What do all pre-shot routines have in common, and how important is it to your game?

I have a few things that I do almost every time, but I don't necessarily have a set routine.
 
THE 3 STAGES OF A PRE-SHOT ROUTINE


THE FORM OF STUDY

A form of Visualization and Alignment

EXECUTION OF THE SHOT

STUDY – STAND - SHOOT
 
3Bros Billiards said:
What do all pre-shot routines have in common, and how important is it to your game?

I have a few things that I do almost every time, but I don't necessarily have a set routine.
Click to expand...

How important is a pre-shot routine? It depends on how important adding consistency to your game is.
Consistency comes from doing the same things, the same way every time. Your pre-shot routine is your checklist(s) to make sure you have everything covered before you shoot. Kinda like the pre-flight checklist pilots use before they take off....although your life isn't usually on the line in a pool game.

Steve
 
All good preshot routines have three stops involved in the process of execution...a stop at the CB, prior to the final stroke; a stop at the end of the backswing (so you can change direction easily, and accelerate forward through the CB); and a stop at the natural end of your range of motion. We use the LABELS 'Set', 'Pause', and 'Finish' to describe how the stops work correctly, to ensure a smooth, accurate and repeatable process.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
3Bros Billiards said:
What do all pre-shot routines have in common, and how important is it to your game?

I have a few things that I do almost every time, but I don't necessarily have a set routine.
Click to expand...
 
They all have "shoot" in common.

They all have warmup strokes, though some insist on doing these strokes in sets (like do 3, if you're comfortable yet, do exactly 3 more, repeat as needed)... possibly some advise to do the same number all the time no matter what.

They don't all have the pause in the backswing, though I personally think it works great.

I don't think it's super important to my game. People have made the point that maybe after 10 years of doing the same stuff, I have developed a routine without even knowing it, and it's somehow helping me. Maybe that's valid.

Nevertheless I never made a conscious effort to do anything the same way every time except stroke the ball. I don't chalk the same way (or even on every shot... terrible I know). I don't fret about my foot positioning. I don't worry about my breathing. I don't pay attention to my practice strokes. The only thing I work to do the same way every time is stroke the ball.

So my routine is basically:

1. analyze the table. Don't get down on the shot until 100% committed to a shot with a specific dime-sized leave area.

2. Get into my shooting stance, any way that feels natural.

3. Take warm up strokes while I'm dialing in my angle and speed

4. Shoot when I'm ready, never before (often with a pause in the backswing)

If you're looking for some general opinions on how important routines are, there are some longer debate threads already out there. I've seen good posts from preshot fans and the 'just step up and hit 'em' guys.
 
mikepage said:
I have a couple videos on the subject that may interest you:

preshot routine part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP5hLNkWjdo

preshot routine part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0hs4Ka1xMA
Click to expand...

Good stuff Mike. Now here comes the all-to-common 'but'....

I think I disagree with the "absoluteness" of the 2 'PONR' stages. I think I sometimes need to have an escape plan.. a way out of the mess I'm about to make of the shot.

On occasion I get through the planning stage... step back, make my move forward, lower the stick and my body into the shot, get setteled into the stroking position and then realize my plan sucks. I see it's just not feasible.

At this point I'm going to get up, walk around the table and reboot..... or move back into the planning stage.

There are times when planning while up gives me a view of things that I override when I view the shot from my shooting position and I see that I need to re-think this shot...... I need to reboot, as it were.

Reboot is the term I use which pretty accurately describes what I actually do. I begin all over again... I go back to the point where I was before this shot began.. whether that's coming out of the chair or coming out of my previous follow-thru position I reboot all the thinking that needs to happen to make the next shot work.

Maybe I'm somehow not understanding what you're saying about the 'PONR' poiints but I think I heard you say that once you pass the 'PONR' you NEVER go back. Which IS want a PONR is, so I guess I'm wondering if there is a better term for the transition points.

Help me out here.
 
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