"The Secret Art of Pool" - Lee Brett's NEW Book!

[levartze]

Just received my own copy of “The Secret Art of Pool” :thumbup: by Lee Brett late Wednesday November 23, 2011 after getting home around 10pm. Even though I had a busy schedule planned for Thanksgiving the next day, I couldn’t resist taking a quick peak… Wow! Simple, easy-to-read format, new ways of looking at things and clear diagrams – thanks to Wei Chao’s cue table (http://www.pool.bz).

Lee Brett has made everything simple and clear; no table of contents, no page numbers; just all the most important secrets you need to be a better pool player. The book is simplified so anyone can understand it. It includes tests you can take to show whether you understood what you read. The “toothpaste” and the “poke” tests are really good; the PST +/- stuff is critical to playing great pool; the drills are excellent and if you want to know how to find your natural rhythm, this is it! The book covers all aspects of what every pool player needs to make balls. I highly recommend Lee Brett’s book “The Secret Art of Pool” to pool players that want to improve their game.


Bob Beaulieu
WorldPPA
11/25/11

 

[K Knight]

I also got this book right after it came out. I was most interested in the elbow drop "chapter" that was really just a few pages of copy. There were no pictures of his unique V grip. The drills were not clearly explained as to their emphasis and what skills they were reinforcing. And finally the value of content vs cost was not great. ($40)

There are some great takeaways and a lot of good information that I have incorporated into my game and noticed some improvements. The section on stance was well thought out and explained. Also my pre-shot routine is better now than it was prior to reading the book. I do need to revisit the section on aiming inside vs outside cuts. I must have missed something because it completely doesn't make sense to me.

All in all I did find value in this book and will give it another read and might gain more, but the reason I bought the book is for the elbow drop and v grip because that is what the author has identified as the two aspects that differentiate his teaching philosophy from everyone else. The analogy of a Bugatti to a Ferrari is a compelling sales technique, but it needs to be backed up with facts legitimizing it. I can use top speed, luxurious interiors, hand sewn steering wheels, acceleration, stability, safety, etc... as quantifiable and qualifiable attributes and benefits to explain why I would rather drive a Bugatti over a Ferrari. I can't understand an analogy about cars as justification to change my pool game.

What are the benefits of the elbow drop? Increased accuracy? More Power? More Power at the expense of accuracy? but you can't stop here. How does it equate to a benefit? Is there more torque on the cue ball? Are you maintaining stability better through the shot allowing you to use more force? How, specifically, does this help improve stroke? And what are you physically doing? What does elbow drop mean to you? Why are there no pictures of stance and form at each of the points in the shot? When does the elbow actually drop? at the point of contact or after? or before? should I be lowering my elbow at some point during the shot?

I guess I just have more questions than answers to what elbow drop means.

 

[MOJOE]

I'd like to see pictures of this "V" grip. I read the description in the book but it is not spelled out so well.

For those of us that spent the money, and this being one of the key aspects of the book, I feel we deserve to at least see what it should look like.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Lee!

 

[lee brett]

I'd like to see pictures of this "V" grip. I read the description in the book but it is not spelled out so well.

For those of us that spent the money, and this being one of the key aspects of the book, I feel we deserve to at least see what it should look like.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Lee!

here is a pic of Alcano head on. He virtually lets the cue go, but you can see the distinct v shape his index finger and thumb is creating. I had trouble inserting the pics, so left them out as i am doing a dvd just on the grip in the next month or 2.

As for the elbow drop, that will be in the advanced version of the book, as i wanted to keep it simple for everyone to understand, beginners and advanced players, so my apologies if i didn't cover what you wanted. If you meet me at any tournaments i'm at this coming year just ask me and i will show you briefly.

Lee

 

[JimmyWhite]

It is a short book but it has a lot of information. For me, it is a plus that it is small. I own plenty books on pool and most of them just repeat the same information again and again, making them huge for no reason.

If a beginner reads this book and visits an instructor from time to time, he will build strong fundamentals. Short, without any unwanted information, Lee keeps it simple, as pool has to be anyway. No aiming systems or other gimmicks can magically turn you into a good player after a few hours. In my opinion, Fundamentals, PSR, Lining Up etc. are maybe the most important things (mental game aside) in pool. Shotmaking, accurate position play and such derive from proper fundamentals (stroke etc)combined with table time (practice, drills, matches). The secret art of pool covers these subjects in a simple but precise manner.

If a novice with poor fundamentals (or not, it is not necessary to have bad fundamentals) came to me and asked me what to do to become a better player, I would tell him to go to an instructor, practice hard (drills etc.), and also study this book as it is a useful addition in this process. In my opinion, when you take a novice as an instructor to teach him, you must keep it simple and not overload him with information. This book helps "polishing" this information with small details that are also very important to someone's game.

Personally the book helps me as I see it as a detailed checklist of "do's" and "do not's" in my game. Most things mentioned in the book are things I already know and do but there are some details I didn't know and will help my game.

Is it worth your money? Yes. The first time I opened up the mail package and saw the size of the book I was all like "I just got ripped". Then I opened up the book and realized it is written by a true coach and not some pool author. Simple, small but full of information.

P.S. The V grip is not that hard to visualize. Make your hand into a fist, then relax your index finger and touch the tip of your thumb with the tip of your index. The thumb-index "system" looks like a V. If you look at JA's stroke action it is very similar to what Lee describes in his book (steady wrist etc), except that he doesn't touch the thumb with his index.
P.S. 2 My coach has also advised me that it is not bad to drop your elbow after tip contact in order to finish your stroke.

 

[MOJOE]

Thanks for the pictures Lee.. I got your email too, I am grateful.

Glad you sent them along as I was way off base.

Cheers,

JoeyK

here is a pic of Alcano head on. He virtually lets the cue go, but you can see the distinct v shape his index finger and thumb is creating. I had trouble inserting the pics, so left them out as i am doing a dvd just on the grip in the next month or 2.

As for the elbow drop, that will be in the advanced version of the book, as i wanted to keep it simple for everyone to understand, beginners and advanced players, so my apologies if i didn't cover what you wanted. If you meet me at any tournaments i'm at this coming year just ask me and i will show you briefly.

Lee

 

[troi]

V-Grip Additional Information...

I'd like to see pictures of this "V" grip. I read the description in the book but it is not spelled out so well.

For those of us that spent the money, and this being one of the key aspects of the book, I feel we deserve to at least see what it should look like.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Lee!

I liked Lee's description of the V grip and thought his analogies and examples were on point.

I also found this thread useful:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=168237&page=3

-Troi

 

[Mikjary]

here is a pic of Alcano head on. He virtually lets the cue go, but you can see the distinct v shape his index finger and thumb is creating. I had trouble inserting the pics, so left them out as i am doing a dvd just on the grip in the next month or 2.

As for the elbow drop, that will be in the advanced version of the book, as i wanted to keep it simple for everyone to understand, beginners and advanced players, so my apologies if i didn't cover what you wanted. If you meet me at any tournaments i'm at this coming year just ask me and i will show you briefly.

Lee

The grip is the reason I bought this book. Many pros use it and I have been unsuccessful in trying to integrate it into my game. That's gonna change!:grin:

Best,
Mike

 

[Ratta]

And also here again,
i already made a thread in the *instructional materials* section-

but this new book is worth to post here also a 2nd time. In my opinion the best book i read since a very long time. Lee really trys to keep it simple and brings his stuff straight to the point. All with great tips, well choosen words. He s pointing every single important thing you need to play successful pool, and also showing up what you really need to execute it
No matter if he s talking about pre-shot-routines, about technical point-of-vies or stong fundamentals- until he s ending with useful drills. In my personal opinion a brilliant book,

UPDATE: The more i read it, the more my first opinion is even more strengthened-
This book is a must have!

hats off Lee,
hope to see more of such good instructional stuff!!

lg

Ingo

 

[lee brett]

Thanks to everyone who has bought my book so far. It is #5 on bestsellers on amazon, was as high as #3.

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Books-Billiards-Pool/zgbs/books/16536/ref=zg_bs_nav_b_3_16533

 

[ronscuba]

here is a pic of Alcano head on. He virtually lets the cue go, but you can see the distinct v shape his index finger and thumb is creating. I had trouble inserting the pics, so left them out as i am doing a dvd just on the grip in the next month or 2. .......


Lee

I must be a little slow. Do the tips of the thumb and index finger touch each other ? When I read that part of the book I interpreted it as a thumb and index finger tips touch each other and the other fingers cradle the cue.

Looking at the pics it looks like the index finger and thumb are holding the sides of the cue and don't touch each other ?

 

[lee brett]

I must be a little slow. Do the tips of the thumb and index finger touch each other ? When I read that part of the book I interpreted it as a thumb and index finger tips touch each other and the other fingers cradle the cue.

Looking at the pics it looks like the index finger and thumb are holding the sides of the cue and don't touch each other ?

Hey Ron,

After contact these fingers extend, especially the index finger. A starting point of the grip is to have these fingers touching, so the cue is relaxed and able to move freely. The diagrams above give different examples of how this grip technique works, all slightly different but with a clear "V"

Hope this helps. Happy Holidays Lee

 

[eezbank]

Will this book be available for Kindle?

 

[ronscuba]

Hey Ron,

After contact these fingers extend, especially the index finger. A starting point of the grip is to have these fingers touching, so the cue is relaxed and able to move freely. The diagrams above give different examples of how this grip technique works, all slightly different but with a clear "V"

Hope this helps. Happy Holidays Lee

Is the cue "pinched" in between the index finger and thumb ? Guess I am having trouble understanding what is exactly holding the cue. Is the weight of cue supported under the cue or on the side ? By which fingers ? Does this change before/after contact ?

Sorry for all the questions, I am more of a visual learner.

 

[JoeyA]

Hey Ron,

After contact these fingers extend, especially the index finger. A starting point of the grip is to have these fingers touching, so the cue is relaxed and able to move freely. The diagrams above give different examples of how this grip technique works, all slightly different but with a clear "V"

Hope this helps. Happy Holidays Lee

Lee, just to be sure:
Are you saying that the index finger acts as a hinge only on the preliminary warm-up strokes and final backswing but that on the final forward swing, the index finger actually straightens, instead of being looped under the cue?

Thanks,

 

[TheThaiger]

What advantage will holding the cue in a V shaped wedge give me?

 

[The Renfro]

Lee, just to be sure:
Are you saying that the index finger acts as a hinge only on the preliminary warm-up strokes and final backswing but that on the final forward swing, the index finger actually straightens, instead of being looped under the cue?

Thanks,

It straightens after contact letting the cue finish down the line.... At least that is my understanding....

 

[lee brett]

Will this book be available for Kindle?

working on it as we speak.

i am doing a video on the grip, so i can go into detail and clear things up for people who dont understand the full concept of it.

Joey yes its a hinge that extends on follow through, for the best and most accurate results. i will post some videos of me playing so you can see what i mean. sorry to everyone who didnt understand it properly

 

[champ2107]

What advantage will holding the cue in a V shaped wedge give me?

having a bit of trouble understanding the british pool instructor are we? :thumbup:

 

[Ratta]

It straightens after contact letting the cue finish down the line.... At least that is my understanding....

Absolutley right- at least the result