Staying down

SloRoller

SloRoller

Stuck in SLO
Silver Member
Hi gang. Hoping you can help.

Are there any drills or exercises to help you stay down on a shot? I watch the pros and they budge very little.

I played league this week and lost my last game because I didnt stay down on a few of the shots.

I do ok most of the time but it seems to come and go.

I was thinking of attaching an anvil to my neck...:-}

thx
SR
 
SloRoller said:
Hi gang. Hoping you can help.

Are there any drills or exercises to help you stay down on a shot? I watch the pros and they budge very little.

I played league this week and lost my last game because I didnt stay down on a few of the shots.

I do ok most of the time but it seems to come and go.

I was thinking of attaching an anvil to my neck...:-}

thx
SR
Click to expand...
I have been working on this lately as well and it has helped my game a lot. When I shoot I keep my head down. No need for an anvil.
 
Try keeping your head down and watch the OB drop or until all balls come to a stop.

Vinnie
----------------
Stroke.
 
my teacher used to tell me..." if you don't stay down I'm gonna tie fishing line around your neck, and a fishing hook to your nads....if you get up then....so be it!:D"


jush the thought keeps me down.....and gets a chuckle,

Gerry
 
one of the hardest practice in pool, unconciously, we don't stay down long enough because we want to see what will happen to the balls after the shot.

i think we just have to keep it in mind and be concious of our execution, which is sometimes really hard to do.
 
Do you play golf? The object is to put the ball in the hole, but when swinging the target is the ball not the hole. You must keep your eyes on the ball.

I think the word for it is 'concentration' and it applies to pool as well.
 
1) Train yourself to have the eyes roll back and forth from the cue ball to the object ball instead of tilting or moving your head.

2) once you are down in your stance, the only thing that should move is your shooting arm from the elbow down.

3) ensure that your bridge hand has constant contact with the table until the object ball drops.

Become aware of those 3 rules - and concentrate on that during practice. I would also recomend videotaping yourself to see when you are standing up, or moving anything that should remain stationary. I have had a lot of students that lift their bridge hand during their follow through, stand during their stroke, or lunge forward on the follow through. All these things will take you off the ball, and a few minor adjustments can alleviate this in most cases.

In the most drastic cases, I will place a quarter on top of the cue ball, and have the student stay down through the shot until the quarter drops on the felt. This works with most students, however it does not address problems in the stance, or pre shot routine that also lead to the jack-in-the-box syndrome. The best advice I was given was to break the shot down -

a) the pre-shot (set up)
b) the shot (execution)
c) the after shot (stay down and see the result)
 
I've been working on this one for many years. If I stay down and watch the cue ball contact the object ball, my likelihood of making the shot goes way up compared to what happens when I come up on the shot. Even if you can't stay down until the object ball reaches the pocket, and that's really hard to do on a long, slow shot, at least try to stay down and stay still until you see the cue ball contact the object ball. Beyond keeping your head down, you might try telling yourself to BE STILL over your entire body except, of course, for your shooting arm and your eye movements.
 
I HAVE THE ANSWER!!!

Jumping up was my absolute worst (pool) sin for the longest time. Finally I learned the solution. While practicing...tie a piece of yarn around your neck. Leave a foot and a half or so to hang down and take it and tie a small loop. A few tries & you'll get the correct and comfortable length for you. Then slide your cue through the bottom loop...and go hit balls. You want the length just long enough that there is no slack, yet you can't feel it. You can play normal...until you lift your head. The moment you start to lift, it'll about pull the cue out of your hands. No danger to the cue....but it'll freak you out the first few times. You will be absolutely amazed at how early you actually start to stand up. It makes you so aware that it takes no time & you'll be staying down like a champ. You may be shocked at how fast your game improves now. Solid fundamentals are everything. No need to send me cash...just thank me later.:)
 
Steve Davis's father used to hold a cue above Steve's head while shooting. Which made sure he didn't move or jump up on shots. I guess it works, Steve sometimes looks like a statue out there.
 
SloRoller said:
Hi gang. Hoping you can help.

Are there any drills or exercises to help you stay down on a shot? I watch the pros and they budge very little.

I played league this week and lost my last game because I didnt stay down on a few of the shots.

I do ok most of the time but it seems to come and go.

I was thinking of attaching an anvil to my neck...:-}

thx
SR
Click to expand...

If you simply focus on making a smooth, relaxed, well timed stroke through the cueball and hold the tip for a second or two in the follow through position, you will accomplish much, much more than just staying down. Just try this and you will see exactly what I mean. Make it a habit.

Chris
 
Thanks for the excellent replies.

I am going to print these out and stick them up in my pool room (ex-garage).

I'll let you know if its better next week.

thanks
SR
 
take lessons

Go to Allison Fisher's Academy With Gerda and you will keep your head down all the time. Great approach
 
Regardless of who you're playing even the ghost, always imagine you're playing superstars, then you gotta make every shot like a superstar. SPF, then Freeze like a superstar, cannot move, reporters are taking your photographs..my teacher's version..
 
Here is an easy drill to help practice staying down.

Place an OB on the spot and line the CB up to shoot it straight into the corner pocket about half way between the OB and the rail. Stroke the shot with draw and draw the CB back into your tip. This forces you to follow through and stay down. Once that is easily accomplished bring the OB to the dead center of the table and place the CB in a line to the corner pocket and start adjusting the distance between the OB and CB and continue drawing back into your tip. You will quickly see the benefits of staying down reflected in additional spin and control. This is also a great drill for straightening out a stroke.

Hope this helps.
 
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