The last part of your post is very true and something in going to take on board.
You cant always stand the same, but you always see the same.
Trying To Simplify Aiming
- Thread starter Pidge
- Start date
You cant always stand the same, but you always see the same.
Is most of your weight on the right leg (for a right hander) before you step in too, when you're sighting/aligning to the shot?
Not necessarily so. You stand normally when sighting the shot. Part of the PSR includes stepping into/onto the shot line for "one last viewing / get your visuals" (as well as to place that planted foot in its final position prior to bending down into the stance). Then, you bend over into your stance.
Obviously, the visuals dictate *where* you place your stance. That concept is as old as the hills and I'm surprised there are those that believe folks are advocating otherwise. The target doesn't move. You have to move into a position where you're able to sight, aim, and hit the target.
-Sean
Why not just line up the aiming eye, peck, back foot, elbow , grip hand and chin to the aiming line ?
The bent lead foot goes anywhere where the back foot can be kept stiff and in line with the stroke.
The bent lead foot goes anywhere where the back foot can be kept stiff and in line with the stroke.
I agree, Joey. That's exactly what the snooker stance advocates. Really, it's that back foot that determines how your hips, legs, and knees are lined-up to the shot. If your back foot is turned away from the shot line, so are your hips -- no matter *what* your front leg is doing.
-Sean <-- notices that his front door is aligned with the walkway when it's opened all the way.
Its not all down to the back foot. It has a major part to play but have you tried playing with your hips square to the shot with your front foot way out in front?
How you place both feet determines how your hips align. Stand with the feet 45 degrees to the shot line and your hips will be the same angle. Try standing with your hips 45 degrees to the shot line but the line between the feet at 90 degrees...feels like you should be shooting with the left hand.
Pidge, I'm talking about the square-shouldered snooker stance. Of course, if you step forward of the normal snooker stance with that left foot (assuming a right-handed player), you have to turn your hips to the right to compensate. Hence, you are no longer in a snooker stance, but rather the Lance Perkins pool player stance.
Even then, I contend that even with the rotated hips found in the Lance Perkins pool stance, the orientation of your front foot is less important than where your right foot is located, because this will determine where the right side of your body (again, assuming a right-handed player) is located over/adjacent to the shot line. The location of the right side of your body also determines where your right arm is located over the shot line. Where you have your left toes pointed really should have less effect than what that right foot is doing. Again, I contend that we're focusing on the chaff, when we should be focusing on the wheat.
-Sean
Why do pool players place so much focus on the lead leg? The planted leg (your right leg, if you're a right-hander) has more to do with your alignment to the shot (i.e. placing your foot onto and pointed into the shot line, a la snooker stance) than that other leg.
-Sean <-- ears parallel and pointing backwards
I noticed that, I always thought I was maybe doing something wrong cause when I stand behind the shot line I always have to take a step left with my left foot(front foot). I will try this aim technique, I think its similar to what I do. I line up center cue ball to back edge of object ball for cuts, real thin cuts I start thinning more and almost straight I aim 1/4s or 1/8s of ball. (still trying to learn, only been playing a couple years)
Hopefully you realized that not all shooting positions allow to use what I call the standard stance.
When using a bridge on certain shots, there is no way to get your feet any where the shot line, same with shooting one handed.
There are times I sit on the side of the table, one foot on the floor.
And so on.
I find that finding the most comfortable shooting position that the shot allows is more important that always trying to get my feet x position cause at times, you can not get your feet into x positions.
Why I even seen Bustamante shoot behind his back....something I do too....hmmmmm
When using a bridge on certain shots, there is no way to get your feet any where the shot line, same with shooting one handed.
There are times I sit on the side of the table, one foot on the floor.
And so on.
I find that finding the most comfortable shooting position that the shot allows is more important that always trying to get my feet x position cause at times, you can not get your feet into x positions.
Why I even seen Bustamante shoot behind his back....something I do too....hmmmmm
Pidge -- Apparently you are a highly skilled cueist:
Are you now really changing things in the way you align yourself to the shot to achieve "least amount of fuss" and "most amount of consistency"? A continual quest for improvement is admirable, but, at your skill level, I would have thought the fundamentals were hardened in cement.
P.S. Given what you have said about the frequency with which you play pool (maybe 20% as much as snooker), running "150 plus tens of times" is quite amazing!
Are you now really changing things in the way you align yourself to the shot to achieve "least amount of fuss" and "most amount of consistency"? A continual quest for improvement is admirable, but, at your skill level, I would have thought the fundamentals were hardened in cement.
P.S. Given what you have said about the frequency with which you play pool (maybe 20% as much as snooker), running "150 plus tens of times" is quite amazing!
Nothing has changed in my fundamentals, they remain as they have been for the past 10 years or so. What ive been trying to do is to discover how i arrive at the shot line. Ive tried more aiming systems than ive had hot meals, some worked well, but ive always steered back to what i do now, without really realising. I don't think for one second that a new comer to the sport could use the same method i use and get anywhere near the pocket, chances are i get the ball in the hole purely on experience, but when i know shot x is a y - z alignment, it gives me the confidence instead of wondering if its going in.
Trying to understand what i do was what i meant by the least amount of fuss. Not developing a new way. Maybe not understanding what i do and just getting on with it may have been what's worked for me, but now i have a decent understanding of how i envision a shot, i should have no excuses for a miss, other than i didn't hit the white where i should have.