dquarasr
Registered
I offer not questions for instructors, rather, more observations on my unique challenges.
I've been using the spot-to-spot shot for alignment and stroke. (I'm aware this is not an original drill.) This has really helped alignment. I have a donut on the head string, and of course, there's the usual rack spot. CB on one, OB on the other. Objective is to drive the OB to the short rail, and if perfect, the OB will rebound to the CB. The more squarely the OB rebounds to the CB, the better the shot.
I especially like this drill because I can check my alignment before I shoot. When aligned correctly, the cue stick will be directly over the short rail center diamond. When I am shooting other shots, and I notice I am off consistently either right or left, it's almost always because when I go the the spot-to-spot shot to check my alignment, I'm off. Consistently missing right is usually because the cue uncovers the right side of the diamond, and missing left is when I can see the left side of the diamond.
That drill may help others with alignment.
For my particular game: every since I started playing long ago, I've gravitated to bottom. When faced with shots, I nearly instinctively choose the CB path resulting from a lower than center hit on the CB. Yes, I acknowledge that's bad. To break that habit, in addition to drills, I've been practicing racks where I'm only allowed to hit the CB center or above.
This is really teaching me the natural path of a rolling CB. I'm finding I can very easily get better position using a natural rolling CB than I can with stun or draw, sometimes, even ending in the same target zone. This is having multiple positive effects.
I notice I can usually shoot with less speed and still move the CB around the table because stuns and draws typically require more speed. As a result, my shot making is more accurate, and I have less tendency to rattle shots.
I'm sure these observations are already well-known, but sometimes we just need to discover them ourselves.
I also need to work on not getting inside my own head. Last night I played a 4 (I'm a 5). APA target 31-38 race. In the second rack I broke and ran to the 9 ball. I missed the g-damned 9 on a shot I had to stretch and use my cue extension (I need to work on use of the bridge, too. LOL ) So I screwed up my first break-and-run in competition. (During the week I had done that twice at home - missed the 9!!!) Even so, I won that rack 10-0. I was up 14-6. The miss messed with my head, and I ended up losing that match despite being in good form early. At least I was able to compose myself between 9-ball and 8-ball, which I won as a 4 against a 6.
So much to learn, physically, mentally, and emotionally! WORKING ON IT and enjoying the journey.
I've been using the spot-to-spot shot for alignment and stroke. (I'm aware this is not an original drill.) This has really helped alignment. I have a donut on the head string, and of course, there's the usual rack spot. CB on one, OB on the other. Objective is to drive the OB to the short rail, and if perfect, the OB will rebound to the CB. The more squarely the OB rebounds to the CB, the better the shot.
I especially like this drill because I can check my alignment before I shoot. When aligned correctly, the cue stick will be directly over the short rail center diamond. When I am shooting other shots, and I notice I am off consistently either right or left, it's almost always because when I go the the spot-to-spot shot to check my alignment, I'm off. Consistently missing right is usually because the cue uncovers the right side of the diamond, and missing left is when I can see the left side of the diamond.
That drill may help others with alignment.
For my particular game: every since I started playing long ago, I've gravitated to bottom. When faced with shots, I nearly instinctively choose the CB path resulting from a lower than center hit on the CB. Yes, I acknowledge that's bad. To break that habit, in addition to drills, I've been practicing racks where I'm only allowed to hit the CB center or above.
This is really teaching me the natural path of a rolling CB. I'm finding I can very easily get better position using a natural rolling CB than I can with stun or draw, sometimes, even ending in the same target zone. This is having multiple positive effects.
I notice I can usually shoot with less speed and still move the CB around the table because stuns and draws typically require more speed. As a result, my shot making is more accurate, and I have less tendency to rattle shots.
I'm sure these observations are already well-known, but sometimes we just need to discover them ourselves.
I also need to work on not getting inside my own head. Last night I played a 4 (I'm a 5). APA target 31-38 race. In the second rack I broke and ran to the 9 ball. I missed the g-damned 9 on a shot I had to stretch and use my cue extension (I need to work on use of the bridge, too. LOL ) So I screwed up my first break-and-run in competition. (During the week I had done that twice at home - missed the 9!!!) Even so, I won that rack 10-0. I was up 14-6. The miss messed with my head, and I ended up losing that match despite being in good form early. At least I was able to compose myself between 9-ball and 8-ball, which I won as a 4 against a 6.
So much to learn, physically, mentally, and emotionally! WORKING ON IT and enjoying the journey.
