There are several different ways to do most anything and pool is no different. Some use a long bridge every shot. Some use a short bridge every shot, while some use a bridge length that is needed per the shot's request. In other words, each shot needs a "specific" bridge length, height etc...etc. there is no one bridge that is best. We should use the best tool for the task.
Take english (top/bottom) and spin (left/right), most everyone, even the elite have a favorite shot. Why? Well, that's what they feel most confident with. Most feel more comfortable with a touch of bottom or a touch of inside etc...etc on most shots BUT, they will use ALL variations of spin at one time or another. Why? Well, they have to if they want to be competitive and win. You can't always use what feels best.
Just like a stance, nobody and I mean nobody uses the exact stance on every single shot. Everyone from the least to the very best on the planet adjust their stance to meet the shot's needs.
I said all of that to say this: kicking is no different. I see people all the time that kick by feel on all kicks or will use one particular system for all kicks and they are usually the loser's at the end of the day.
There are many, many ways to kick at a ball or pocket. Having said that, IMO, I think the worst thing a person can do is learn to kick at a ball or the pocket. IMO, everyone should learn to kick at a target.
When learning to kick, if a person gets hung up on kicking at "the ball", well, most will get lost in the details during competition because if playing an advanced player, you will seldom have a kick where the track line isn't blocked and that in itself usually forces people to fall back on feel and forget everything they drilled in practice. At that point we see jump cues pulled out faster than a gunslinger in a shoot out.
Even people that run kicking drills fall apart and seem to temporarily forget what they know and fall back on kicking by feel only to end up hoping to "just hit" the ball but, end up selling out.
As mentioned, there are many ways to kick but, most of the time just like with any shot, there is almost always a "best" way that increases your odds of getting out of jail or kicking safe instead of "just hitting" the ball and selling out.
The whole point of this post is:
Don't be the player that has but one tool for kicking. Learn to kick by all systems. Run kicking drills often.
I'm not saying never use "feel" while kicking. Nope, far from it acually. What I am saying is:
Any time you need to kick, start off with the system that matches and increases your odds and use feel when necessary coupled with that specific system.
Some people do ok with feeling their way while wiggling around until they "feel" good, but, the players that get out of jail and then put you in jail are the very players that know many systems and know when to inject feel into the shot.
There is a reason kicking is dreaded by most. The reason isn't because it's extremely hard. The reason is however because they do not know how to kick. Why, well....in their list of priorities, kicking is usually nonexistent or at best at the bottom.
Jeff
Take english (top/bottom) and spin (left/right), most everyone, even the elite have a favorite shot. Why? Well, that's what they feel most confident with. Most feel more comfortable with a touch of bottom or a touch of inside etc...etc on most shots BUT, they will use ALL variations of spin at one time or another. Why? Well, they have to if they want to be competitive and win. You can't always use what feels best.
Just like a stance, nobody and I mean nobody uses the exact stance on every single shot. Everyone from the least to the very best on the planet adjust their stance to meet the shot's needs.
I said all of that to say this: kicking is no different. I see people all the time that kick by feel on all kicks or will use one particular system for all kicks and they are usually the loser's at the end of the day.
There are many, many ways to kick at a ball or pocket. Having said that, IMO, I think the worst thing a person can do is learn to kick at a ball or the pocket. IMO, everyone should learn to kick at a target.
When learning to kick, if a person gets hung up on kicking at "the ball", well, most will get lost in the details during competition because if playing an advanced player, you will seldom have a kick where the track line isn't blocked and that in itself usually forces people to fall back on feel and forget everything they drilled in practice. At that point we see jump cues pulled out faster than a gunslinger in a shoot out.
Even people that run kicking drills fall apart and seem to temporarily forget what they know and fall back on kicking by feel only to end up hoping to "just hit" the ball but, end up selling out.
As mentioned, there are many ways to kick but, most of the time just like with any shot, there is almost always a "best" way that increases your odds of getting out of jail or kicking safe instead of "just hitting" the ball and selling out.
The whole point of this post is:
Don't be the player that has but one tool for kicking. Learn to kick by all systems. Run kicking drills often.
I'm not saying never use "feel" while kicking. Nope, far from it acually. What I am saying is:
Any time you need to kick, start off with the system that matches and increases your odds and use feel when necessary coupled with that specific system.
Some people do ok with feeling their way while wiggling around until they "feel" good, but, the players that get out of jail and then put you in jail are the very players that know many systems and know when to inject feel into the shot.
There is a reason kicking is dreaded by most. The reason isn't because it's extremely hard. The reason is however because they do not know how to kick. Why, well....in their list of priorities, kicking is usually nonexistent or at best at the bottom.
Jeff