I would bet that your friend's stance isn't helping him any. Most people don't realize that most of the whole staying down thing is to put your body in a position that facilitates staying down. If he is standing off-balance and out of alignment, of course he will want to get up sooner. Wouldn't you? Wouldn't anyone?
Teaching a Newbie to stay down
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I would bet that your friend's stance isn't helping him any. Most people don't realize that most of the whole staying down thing is to put your body in a position that facilitates staying down. If he is standing off-balance and out of alignment, of course he will want to get up sooner. Wouldn't you? Wouldn't anyone?
I was going to suggest something less kinky, but this will do.
Freddie <~~~ might have this in my dungeon... basement, I meant basement
This is a real issue that can be easy to deal with. I am surprised you did not receive more serious answers.
Playing pool is more like shooting a rifle than it is like playing tennis. Therefore, the player needs to learn to place their weight on their heels like a pistol shooters' stance.
Second, after the player is in the address position lean straight back three to six inches. The player not only gets a better sighting picture down the cue stick, their weight iis now centered to the rear of their body.
Third, the player must see the cue ball make contact with the object ball. If you do not see the actual contact it is difficult to determine what went wrong. This last piece of advice is one of the most important for resolving this issue.
Realizing that the body is the equivalent of a gun it is easy to understand that the head and body must be completely still or the firing mechanism can not fire correctly.
A temporary fix is to straighten the back leg at the knee joint. This works but is hard on the body over time.
Playing pool is more like shooting a rifle than it is like playing tennis. Therefore, the player needs to learn to place their weight on their heels like a pistol shooters' stance.
Second, after the player is in the address position lean straight back three to six inches. The player not only gets a better sighting picture down the cue stick, their weight iis now centered to the rear of their body.
Third, the player must see the cue ball make contact with the object ball. If you do not see the actual contact it is difficult to determine what went wrong. This last piece of advice is one of the most important for resolving this issue.
Realizing that the body is the equivalent of a gun it is easy to understand that the head and body must be completely still or the firing mechanism can not fire correctly.
A temporary fix is to straighten the back leg at the knee joint. This works but is hard on the body over time.
Actually, I've had success with the cue over the head thing. My championship teams in the '80s used this method when simply a reminder didn't work.
One of my students denied he was raising his head during the business stroke and it took holding that cue just above his head to convince him.
Have your friend think about keeping his head still on every shot during his or her warm-up and nothing else. Even if they miss shots. Better to get rid of that terrible habit than have it happen at crucial times.
A trick that helped me in those pressure situations was to take an extra stroke AFTER striking the cue ball. If you're head is still for the extra stroke it will almost surely be still for the business stroke...
IMO my answer i gave earlier is the only answer, it fixes two things in one, special for the holiday, Happy Thanksgiving..
In pool you have to minimize things to think about. Follow through is the most critical while cue is moving to ensure ball pocketing, this will aromatically force you to stay down, and ensure your butt hand does not go inward, also very smooth shaft helps a lot.
I really like that last part...very good idea. I just don't think too many people would dig it if someone was following us around the table holding a cue over our heads on every shot, especially if there's other people around. Some people just need that though I guess..
This is a little trick I learned overseas. Have him remove his shoes and socks. Place an unused ball in one of the socks. If he jumps up, whip that f#&!&¡ Across the back of his head. He will go down and stay down.
Ok but seriously, it's a confidence issue. Try a lil psychological trick. Inform him that even if he's not a real player yet he can at least look like one. Demonstrate to him how good players look rock steady and don't look like startled rabbits when they hit a ball. Play up the fact that it looks like fear to everyone watching. Make a teasing "Ribbit!" sound whenever it happens. Don't be mean about it but stress it's hurting his game and makes him look ridiculous and noobish.
Posted from Azbilliards.com App for Android
Ok but seriously, it's a confidence issue. Try a lil psychological trick. Inform him that even if he's not a real player yet he can at least look like one. Demonstrate to him how good players look rock steady and don't look like startled rabbits when they hit a ball. Play up the fact that it looks like fear to everyone watching. Make a teasing "Ribbit!" sound whenever it happens. Don't be mean about it but stress it's hurting his game and makes him look ridiculous and noobish.
Posted from Azbilliards.com App for Android
This is the advice that I give to students on staying down. I'll ask them how they missed the shot and if the answer is I don't know, then they didn't watch the cue ball make contact with the object ball.
For myself, I like to watch Niels Feijen on video. He freezes the cue tip perfectly still in follow through position after the stroke is complete.
Watch Niels here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eIWJ1uZfSg
I believe he developed or was taught this technique by a snooker player to prevent jumping up. It's almost impossible to do this with any significant body movement during the final stroke.
Watch Niels here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eIWJ1uZfSg
I believe he developed or was taught this technique by a snooker player to prevent jumping up. It's almost impossible to do this with any significant body movement during the final stroke.
The drill that Dr. Dave calls MOFUDAT makes you stay down on the table while waiting for the cue ball to return with the added benefit of identifying any problems with your stroke (which is probably the real purpose). I do think it is the most useful drill for developing a good stroke and that includes staying down on the ball.
Thanks Dr. Dave!
Here is the link that explains it.
http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2008/sept08.pdf
Good luck. Unfortunately many people really don't want to listen, it bruises the ego I guess. I hope your friend does.
Thanks Dr. Dave!
Here is the link that explains it.
http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2008/sept08.pdf
Good luck. Unfortunately many people really don't want to listen, it bruises the ego I guess. I hope your friend does.
Keeping head down is a reaction to good follow through. It does not matter if you keep your head still and not follow through.
NYC cue dude
Banned
Get a fine tip sharpie and write on his index finger (between the hand and first knuckle) of his bridge hand, the words STAY DOWN. Worked for me MANY years ago.
Id like to thank you all for your responses both serious and funny!! I will incorporate some of your methods with him in our practice session tonight..I will let you know how he fares thank you all very much!!!
Really good advice here except this drill can get real boring fast. People like to see balls drop in the hole and this back and forth drill can get monotonous. I agree that it's beneficial though if you have the stomach for it.
I honestly had that same issue (and still rarely do), until I read the "Pleasures of Small Motions" or whatever that book is.
At that point, I stopped jumping up and wondering about that shot and started staying down to enjoy the shot I imagined in my mind play out in real life. Hence, I enjoyed the pleasure of the shot, I stayed down and enjoyed the artistry of the shot I imagined in my head. I didn't worry about missing as much as I stayed down to see the beautiful motion I put in place. I lived in the moment and loved the moment I created.
That made all the world of difference in my playing.
At that point, I stopped jumping up and wondering about that shot and started staying down to enjoy the shot I imagined in my mind play out in real life. Hence, I enjoyed the pleasure of the shot, I stayed down and enjoyed the artistry of the shot I imagined in my head. I didn't worry about missing as much as I stayed down to see the beautiful motion I put in place. I lived in the moment and loved the moment I created.
That made all the world of difference in my playing.