Understanding Aiming as a Shot Picture

[PoolFan101]

Cj Wiley covers this pretty heavy in his Videos. The stance helped me tremendously as I was just a hair off to the right. My Son and I got to take a Lesson with Cj and we Learned a lot in the 4 hr session. I had been away from the game for 20 years and Some things you would think are basic he takes to another level. You see why he was a Professional and Champion player. Attention to detail and the little things that sometimes we overlook. I also watch his videos on his website as reference. But seeing it in person made more of a difference for me. He could show me were I was not landing so to speak.

 

[mnorwood]

Are you describing visualization which is common among professional golfers and encouraged by golf instructor?

I never really studied golf so I am not quite sure.

 

[book collector]

Been away from the game for a while. I pursued other interests and widened my experience. One activity that I took up was traditional archery. I had some very knowledgable and gracious teachers and friends help me develop my shooting skills. I have managed to win multiple archery tournaments and shoot high in USA archery individual achievement. One thing that helped my archery develop when I did not have the benefit of having sights was understanding my aiming as a shot picture. In other words its the visual frame that I see each time I shoot in very precise detail. I do not ever recall a book or thread here on AZ as addressing aim where a shot picture is learned and maintained. The closest aiming system to this that was shown to me was Gene's aiming system that emphasized dominant eye placement. After several years of studying and practicing archery I have a new understanding of my pool shot aiming. I understand pool aiming as a visual discipline as much as anything else. I am an archery coach now and aiming is the most difficult thing to teach. Its such a personal and in your head kind of thing.

Thoughts???

Most people who are good at another eye hand coordination game or sport , will also do well at pool,

 

[Brookeland Bill]

I never really studied golf so I am not quite sure.

It’s not about golf.it’s about visualization. Visualization in and of itself. ¿Comprende?

 

[mnorwood]

It’s not about golf.it’s about visualization. Visualization in and of itself. ¿Comprende?

If you mean seeing the shot before you take it no. I am referring to how you see the shot while you are down.

 

[straightline]

If you mean seeing the shot before you take it no. I am referring to how you see the shot while you are down.

Since you specified, I'd say just prior to and during the trigger pull, tunnel vision.

 

[Scratch85]

One thing that helped my archery develop when I did not have the benefit of having sights was understanding my aiming as a shot picture. In other words its the visual frame that I see each time I shoot in very precise detail.

Thoughts???

I understand what you’re saying and, for a long time, have used the same shot picture processes for pool that I have used for shooting.

I put my right foot on the shot line, place my bridge hand on the table, touch my chin to my cue and grip the cue, as closely as I can, the exact same way each time. This creates a consistent “visual frame” for every shot. Just like anchoring in the same place, kisser buttons, grips and sights create a consistent “visual frame” for shooting an arrow.

Of course, there are exceptions and times you can’t create that perfect visual but your brain recognizes your visual has varied, from the standard, and adjusts more easily,

I’m pretty sure everyone does it to some extent. Trying to describe it in a few words can be difficult.


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[boogieman]

I’m pretty sure everyone does it to some extent. Trying to describe it in a few words can be difficult.

In haiku form:

Now see the picture
Clear the mind and take the shot
Ball goes in the hole

 

[MattPoland]

I do my aiming while standing. I can visualize the contact point on the object ball and it’s corresponding point on the cueball. So as I walk around the table I can see those two points are initially miles apart and are converging. It’s something I see in my mind equally as I see it with my eyes. There’s an emotional feeling of satisfaction when they are lined up like something internal just went *ding*. As my head has that lined up my body can step into the shot, get down and maintain that alignment.

I can visualize the shot similar to Mosconi’s parallel lines approach. This is what it looks like in my mind when I’m standing.

And this is what it looks like when I’m down.

But that’s usually if I’m focusing extra hard. That can burn my brain out. So many times I’ll cut corners and visualize equal overlaps and it’ll look like this when I’m standing.

And like this when I’m down on the shot.

It has really helped me with thin cuts, thin cut crossover banks, and rail shots. I used to overcut those because I was thinking I needed to hit as thin as possible. But really even thin cuts have overlap to them and this has helped me to dial in aiming when the overlap is a lot or a tiny amount.



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[RacerX750]

This book was recommended to me by a very good player. It discusses pool vision in detail and gives you a lot to explore, eventually providing consistency for your stance (and pre-shot routine really). It isn't the ultimate secret, just more information to consider.

Answers to a Pool Player's Prayers​

by Richard Kranicki

Amazon.com

 

[dr_dave]

This book was recommended to me by a very good player. It discusses pool vision in detail and gives you a lot to explore, eventually providing consistency for your stance (and pre-shot routine really). It isn't the ultimate secret, just more information to consider.

Answers to a Pool Player's Prayers​

by Richard Kranicki

Amazon.com

This series of related articles I wrote for Billiards Digest might also be of interest:

• “Aim, Align, Sight – Part I: Introduction and Ghost Ball Systems” (June, 2011).
• “Aim, Align, Sight – Part II: Visual Alignment” (July, 2011).
• “Aim, Align, Sight – Part III: Sighting” (August, 2011).

Enjoy!

 

[chas1022]

I agree with "shot picture". Without getting too much into it, I think a shot picture ties into theories on "quiet eye".

Basically you "see the shot" whether before and/or after alignment or getting down on the shot; then right before shooting the "shot" is a picture in your head of the information the individual needs to make the shot (eg. pocket, object ball, table path, etc.) And this is where quiet eye takes place to ingrain the shot in mental consciousness. I'm shooting from the mental picture, rather than what my eyes see in front of me (I know this sounds confusing or hard to understand for some people).

An added reinforcement is also mentally visualizing the shot going in the pocket within this mental shot picture before shooting. The above paragraph and this happens real quick in the head, and is part of my shot routine or procedure.

"Shot picture" is important and I think the ability of one to shoot with their eyes closed supports this theory. On times I've shot with my eyes closed, I basically freeze the shot picture in my head, look away, and shoot to what's in the mental shot picture. I also think some people are better at creating or maintaining this picture.

Another point I'll add is that, a shot picture helps me with visual illusions that may occur, which lower level players may more frequently fall victim to. As long as I'm able to maintain the shot picture, everything else is blocked out and distractions won't affect the shot as long as my focus is on the shot picture and of course if I "pictured" the "shot picture" correctly.

Good clarification

 

[dardusm]

Phil Capelle brought up the term shot picture in one if his books (I think Play your Best Pool). When I did some instruction, I used this term when working on aiming. I always mention that there are several methods to aim but I still believe that most top players aim by experience and "see" the shot based on that. As a side note, many beginning players have issues with alignment due to not having experience where to aim. It's a chicken and egg thing that they have to work through with experience. Some new players just have a knack with alignment while I have had a few that struggled with it.

 

[dr_dave]

I do my aiming while standing. I can visualize the contact point on the object ball and it’s corresponding point on the cueball. So as I walk around the table I can see those two points are initially miles apart and are converging. It’s something I see in my mind equally as I see it with my eyes. There’s an emotional feeling of satisfaction when they are lined up like something internal just went *ding*. As my head has that lined up my body can step into the shot, get down and maintain that alignment.

I can visualize the shot similar to Mosconi’s parallel lines approach. This is what it looks like in my mind when I’m standing.

And this is what it looks like when I’m down.

But that’s usually if I’m focusing extra hard. That can burn my brain out. So many times I’ll cut corners and visualize equal overlaps and it’ll look like this when I’m standing.

And like this when I’m down on the shot.

It has really helped me with thin cuts, thin cut crossover banks, and rail shots. I used to overcut those because I was thinking I needed to hit as thin as possible. But really even thin cuts have overlap to them and this has helped me to dial in aiming when the overlap is a lot or a tiny amount.



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Excellent images! FYI, I've added them as a quote on the Contact-Point-to-Contact-Point and Parallel-Lines Aiming Systems resource page.

Good job,
Dave

 

[MattPoland]

Excellent images! FYI, I've added them as a quote on the Contact-Point-to-Contact-Point and Parallel-Lines Aiming Systems resource page.

Good job,
Dave

Thanks. It was my first time using Illustrator. It came out just as I was picturing it.

 

[Protractor]

I think seeing the shaft/stroke, CB, OB, and pocket simultaneously is key - of course they can't all be in focus at once, but visual awareness of them can be practiced and improved.

pj
chgo

What do you do for 'blind' back cuts, where the pocket is not in your visual field?

 

[MattPoland]

What do you do for 'blind' back cuts, where the pocket is not in your visual field?

I know you didn’t ask me but my perspective is that you should be able to get most of it in your visual field while standing. From there you need to hold the object ball contact point in your mind and not lose it. Then the most important things are to (1) be able to step into the shot and get down without losing your alignment you had while standing and (2) being able to execute the shot while down while trusting everything that happened before and staying locked in, e.g. no second guessing, no adjustments, no hesitation, etc.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

What do you do for 'blind' back cuts, where the pocket is not in your visual field?

As Matt says, then I'm especially careful to visualize the OB contact point accurately (you might use some other "landmark") while keeping everything else visual. Work with what ya got.

pj
chgo

 

[Protractor]

Yes.... To make sure you are seeing them the same way each time that's where the body, head and eye position comes in. From shooting pool for 20 years and shooting archery for 6 I believe that after you have sufficient competence at seeing a shot from a consistent body position which in archery is called set up then you can effectively comprehend it from other odd positions. I believe the hardest part of shooting over a ball or bridging off the rail is rooted in insufficient visualization of a normal shot. I also think that many struggles that I have had with using extreme English is also a visual problem. Another benefit of more practice is when I can adjust my shot picture when using extreme english. Don't ask me to fully explain that its a tough concept.

I am completely self taught and came by my stance through what felt comfortable and I observed worked for others: feet splayed, cue almost touching the chin, down as low as I could get, treating it much like firearms target shooting which I had been doing for many years. The picture was of cue tip, CB strike position and OB contact point which has always been directly opposite from target pocket. I keep my focus on the contact point so that is apparently my aim point because I don't shift or adjust co compensate for CB width unless I am doing it subconsciously.

Sometimes there is no warm up strokes, depending on the shot, but I only use CB last for short shots where I need spin, and with some of the breaks I use. I find using the cue as a sight line useful only when hiked up over an interfering ball, shooting sidearm, and with some jump shots. Otherwise I focus on the OB, which I consider the target.

I have coached a couple beginners in one of the leagues but only on how to see the OB contact point and stance/stroke/bridge fundamentals. They seem to sort it out from there, pocketing more balls, moving up in average, with some getting low over the cue and others standing more upright.

My point would be that it seems to come naturally and once you learn to see the sight picture and get some success you are off and running. I've never used any sort of aiming system and to me most of them I've read about seem to be an unnecessary complication. We learned to use spears, arrows and rock slings back in the day to feed ourselves, so there seems to be some sort of innate ability there that works well, as long as we learn to trust it.

That said, taking one's game to the next step might benefit from additional coaching but if that aiming ability is not there, it won't be productive.

 

[Protractor]

As Matt says, then I'm especially careful to visualize the OB contact point accurately (you might use some other "landmark") while keeping everything else visual. Work with what ya got.

pj
chgo

Ok. With most blind back cuts I don't even look for the contact point until I get down on it and I seem to have a knack for making them.