Stroke Trainer review

TommyT

TommyT

Obsessed
Silver Member
got a stroke trainer for Christmas. It's now been 3 months and I'm ready to give my review. I've been doing 500 strokes per day for 90 days and that equals 45,000 perfect strokes. Let me start off by saying I'm a pretty accomplished player and felt my stroke was the least of my problems, but thought the stroke trainer couldn't hurt. It took 2 months before I could sense something was different. Slow rolling shots were more accurate and hard draws came back straighter. It's been just the last couple weeks that I've noticed a bigger change. This device definitely helps you hit the cueball where you intend to.
I think that for someone who's stroke might be a little shaky, the results would come sooner. I haven't bothered working on my off hand, because I wanted to see if this thing really worked. It does and I expect my left handed shots to improve with a commitment of working with the device. I struggled with the decision to share this with anyone because it is definitly an edge.

TommyT
 
TommyT said:
got a stroke trainer for Christmas. It's now been 3 months and I'm ready to give my review. I've been doing 500 strokes per day for 90 days and that equals 45,000 perfect strokes. Let me start off by saying I'm a pretty accomplished player and felt my stroke was the least of my problems, but thought the stroke trainer couldn't hurt. It took 2 months before I could sense something was different. Slow rolling shots were more accurate and hard draws came back straighter. It's been just the last couple weeks that I've noticed a bigger change. This device definitely helps you hit the cueball where you intend to.
I think that for someone who's stroke might be a little shaky, the results would come sooner. I haven't bothered working on my off hand, because I wanted to see if this thing really worked. It does and I expect my left handed shots to improve with a commitment of working with the device. I struggled with the decision to share this with anyone because it is definitly an edge.

TommyT
Click to expand...

I've been toying with the idea of getting one but i would like to hear from an AZB Board member. This is your first post-your credentials are rather weak.
 
Nostroke said:
I've been toying with the idea of getting one but i would like to hear from an AZB Board member. This is your first post-your credentials are rather weak.
Click to expand...

He's legit. He's been around CCB for years.
 
Welcome

Thanks for the review. I am going to work on my off hand stroke. I've had one since the 2003 US Open. Made by a Virginia guy. One of Frank Glenn's friends.
Don P. :cool:
 
Thanks for the review Tommy. I was very interested in the fact you found this most useful on slow rolling shots and hard draw shots, in terms of accuracy. These are 2 shots I have been having problems with recently, especially because I usually still make the ball due to the relatively large margin of error (assuming a straight-in shot into a corner pocket not too close to a rail) so was unaware initially of my stroke inaccuracy.

How to do you feel the Stroke Trainer improves over the traditional solution of setting up and shooting the shot over and over until accuracy improves? Do you feel the Stroke Trainer improves accuract faster, or is it just the convenience of being able to "work out" on your stroke without being at an actual Pool table?
 
At the beginning of every season my game is off a little. As the season goes on I start shooting better and make more shots. I think that this is due to the extra practice time I put in. If I made 45,000 shots in the last 3 or 4 months I am sure that I would have improved tremendously. Not only would my stroke improve but I think that my aim would get better also.

I think that your stroke is getting better because you put more time into it. I also think that you could improve much more if you just practiced stop shots that were straight in at various distances. This would also show if you are hitting to the left or right and/or putting english on the CB.
 
Fantastic device!

I agree with TommyT 100% - it's a terrific idea and well worth the expense (IMO). Although my picture and quote are on the StrokeTrainer Web site, I have never received any money - just a StrokeTrainer to use. I simply believe it's a very effective product and I mentioned that in my second column here on AZB. The reason it is so effective is because it forces your arm to move back and forth in a straight line, thereby training the muscle; you learn how it actually feels to stroke straight (which at first was quite alien to me!). This is much better than simply shooting spot shots because it foregoes the trail and error involved with attempting to train muscle memory that way (although I do think that technique is extremely useful to ensure you're hitting the cue ball dead center). And you don't have to do 500 strokes per day to see results - I saw great results with about 150 strokes per day. Unfortunately, lately I've been a bit lazy - I haven't been practicing with it as I should have, and it shows. This is motivation for me to get back on track. Thanks! :)
 
Howdy, I'm new to the boards, but not new to pool :)

I'm sure that's a very fine product, but I may have an alternative.

A 20 oz. plastic soda bottle

Let me explain...

I worked as a help desk tech support person on mid shift (11:30pm - 8:30am) and on those long boring nights when the phone wasn't ringing, I figured I'd work on my stroke. At first I just imagined a pool table with balls, but as you know, it's not the same as really being at one.

The break room had a vending machine that sold 20 oz. soft drinks. I had a few empty bottles in my cube and was bored and was tossing them around (I was only one there on this dreadful shift). While working on a call, I had knocked over a few on their sides while reaching for some reference material.

Then I had an epiphany.

After I was done with the call, I went to the bathroom and washed out all the bottles and dryed them out with the hand blower in the rest room. Being that I always carried my sticks with me, I went and got them. I then proceeded to set bottles up, on their sides, all over the place. I go down and stroked through the throat of the bottle, ensuring that I didn't touch any of the sides.

I worked on my slow stroke, power stroke, and control stroke in this manor.

After about three weeks of this, I started to notice a huge differance in my performance.

I don't mean in any way not to purchase the item mentioned, but that this is an alternative in case you maybe visiting out of town, or are unable to get to a table, but you still want to work on your stroke in your free time.

Hope this helps somebody :)
 
Ronoh said:
Howdy, I'm new to the boards, but not new to pool :)

I'm sure that's a very fine product, but I may have an alternative.

A 20 oz. plastic soda bottle

Let me explain...

...
Click to expand...

This is by no means something new. If you reinvented it good for you, but it is a training technique that's been around for ages.

I've tried it and I've tried the stroke trainer. The stroke trainer is far superiour because the bottle technique does nothing to control your back hand. You could have a stroke crooked as hell and make a last moment adjustment and stroke through the neck of the bottle just fine. Developing the adjustment to come through the end of your stroke correctly is an improvement, but I think also having your backhand controlled results in a greater improvement. People talk about "muscle memory" which I don't believe exists. What does happen IMO is that you develop all the little micro muscle fibers to resulting in finer control over the stroke. You build up the fibers that will keep your stroke straighter.

Just one man's opinion.
 
Nostroke said:
I've been toying with the idea of getting one but i would like to hear from an AZB Board member. This is your first post-your credentials are rather weak.
Click to expand...

LOL...........unless the person is posting under their real name and are well known...........then who knows who's credentials are what............

VAP
 
catscradle said:
This is by no means something new. If you reinvented it good for you, but it is a training technique that's been around for ages.QUOTE]

I never claimed in my post it was new, nor that I "reinvented" it, just how it dawned on me at the time since no one ever told me in the 30+ years of playing pool about it. This was mearly an alternative in case you didn't have access to the trainer. Thanks for the warm welcome.
Click to expand...
 
vapoolplayer said:
LOL...........unless the person is posting under their real name and are well known...........then who knows who's credentials are what............

VAP
Click to expand...

I know that I wouldn't take any advise from a person with a name like VAP.
I've heard too much about that guy.

Or anybody named Dave for that matter. From what i heard, that guy is a fruit-cake.
:D :) ;) :D :rolleyes:
 
BiG_JoN said:
I know that I wouldn't take any advise from a person with a name like VAP.
I've heard too much about that guy.

Or anybody named Dave for that matter. From what i heard, that guy is a fruit-cake.
:D :) ;) :D :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

not that asshole.........don't ever listen to that MFer...........total fruitcake.

did i end up on your random shit list when you woke up this morning??? LMAO

come to think of it i don't think i'd ever take advice about pool from a guy named big jon..............now food recipes..........thats a different story........ :D

FRUITCAKE
 
Ronoh said:
... Thanks for the warm welcome.
Click to expand...

If you think I was giving you a hard time, I apologize. :)
You sounded like you didn't know it has been around a long time and I just letting you know it wasn't new. Also I wanted to explain what I thought the difference was between the stroke trainer and just using a bottle or the Buddy Hall stroke training device.
I do sincerely welcome you,although in fact I haven't been around here long enough to constitute a welcoming committee anyway.
 
I have one and have used it for about two months. I use it 2-3 times a week and only do 50-100 strokes each time, with both right and left. It seems to have helped, especially with my left side stroke which needed the most work. Right side can still improve, but the differences are much more subtle.
 
Ronoh said:
Howdy, I'm new to the boards, but not new to pool :)

I'm sure that's a very fine product, but I may have an alternative.

A 20 oz. plastic soda bottle

Let me explain...

I worked as a help desk tech support person on mid shift (11:30pm - 8:30am) and on those long boring nights when the phone wasn't ringing, I figured I'd work on my stroke. At first I just imagined a pool table with balls, but as you know, it's not the same as really being at one.

The break room had a vending machine that sold 20 oz. soft drinks. I had a few empty bottles in my cube and was bored and was tossing them around (I was only one there on this dreadful shift). While working on a call, I had knocked over a few on their sides while reaching for some reference material.

Then I had an epiphany.

After I was done with the call, I went to the bathroom and washed out all the bottles and dryed them out with the hand blower in the rest room. Being that I always carried my sticks with me, I went and got them. I then proceeded to set bottles up, on their sides, all over the place. I go down and stroked through the throat of the bottle, ensuring that I didn't touch any of the sides.

I worked on my slow stroke, power stroke, and control stroke in this manor.

After about three weeks of this, I started to notice a huge differance in my performance.

I don't mean in any way not to purchase the item mentioned, but that this is an alternative in case you maybe visiting out of town, or are unable to get to a table, but you still want to work on your stroke in your free time.

Hope this helps somebody :)
Click to expand...

cool...this is something I've heard for a long time as a good way to develop muscle memory and sighting...and its recyclable! :)
 
vapoolplayer said:
not that asshole.........don't ever listen to that MFer...........total fruitcake.

did i end up on your random shit list when you woke up this morning??? LMAO

come to think of it i don't think i'd ever take advice about pool from a guy named big jon..............now food recipes..........thats a different story........ :D

FRUITCAKE
Click to expand...
Yes you did, it just seemed like every post i read, you were there, and saying something i thought was either funny or stupid :D .

It's not your fault or mine, it's bigger than the both of us. It should be someone else by monday.

And no, no recipes for you.
ChefJeff might be able to help you there.
Any that i have... are mine!!!!!!! :D

Thanks,

Jon ~~~ Never trust a skinny Chef. :cool:
 
St

Here is what I am gonna do. I got one, I never shoot left handed. I have one. It will give me something to do during down time at work. 500 a day with practice on my table. I got plenty of game and am interested to see what happens. OH, I must admit that I have never spent any time with the thing. I was gonna use it as a training aid for beginners.
Purdman :cool:
 
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