I am throwing out some questions and hopefully some info to anyone wanting to improve their run out ability. Although these concepts are somewhat confusing they do help tremendously when applied correctly.
First a question for any of the top instructors. When teaching someone to play patterns or any shot for that matter, often times students are told to focus on their pre-shot routines, stance, grip, bridge, etc...and to visualize the shot completely through execution to the final end result.(ball is pocketed and the cueball travels to its designated resting place for shape on the next shot)I am curious to know what instructors are actually expecting the student to visualize.
With this said, I would like to say I have spent years playing good pool and at times great pool however, I was always told to do the previous things. Now, last year I spent some time analyzing what was meant by visualizing the shot? What did that actually mean? well it could mean a number of things, 1.) just like stated above 2.) seeing the shot from above the table(overhead) 3.) from cueball level(low to the table).
Now, what I've discovered from my analysis is this, at different times during a match or practice or even on certain shots when people are told to visualize a shot thru to completion, will generate different visual images to correspond with the shot. Examples, these come up a lot...tell yourself you are playing for the world championship or practice the way you want to play. Each of these generate different visual points of reference(the first one automatically generates a third person visual point of view) the second forces you to visualize a low table pre-shot routine. Now all of this is subjective to an individuals own visual practices but I know they are fairly consistent among the many players and instructors I've encountered over the years. So, the real gem to this post is as follows, I have gone from running 1-3 racks of nineball sporadically to running 4-5 racks fairly consistantly!!! How is this possible?
Well, I would have never guessed in a milion years just how important CORRECT visual practice could improve my game but it has. So this is how I did it. First, I took the time to figure out how I actually viewed my shot making and realized I viewed about 70 % of my shots from the stands...LOL that sounds funny but its true. Clearly from a third person (watching myself perform)20% of my shots from cueball level(low to the table) and 10% from an upright position (overlooking the table).Next I had to find out which method produced the best results, so I went to the table and practiced for three days and discovered a pattern.
Next I matched up for some cheap sets and also discovered a pattern. To my surprise these were different ways to visualize my shot making. So I combined the two and the results are as follows....(ready for this?) before assuming a stance to take a shot while looking over the table I am always looking from a first person(self) view meaning analyzing shot selection, ending position etc...and once I have visualized the shot completely I assume my shot making stance.then I switch to a third person view!!! and am actually visualizing the shot from another view completely( just like a fan watching the game) This is absolutely amazing and the results are profound!!!!
Now, this is the most important part of this post. When I am home or retired for the night I practice running racks by visualizing myself from both visual perspectives I see myself both at the table ready to break from the cue ball level then switch to the third person view and watch the break be executed and then switch back to cue ball level to feel teh execution.....this is some heavy stuff. try it, it works guaranteed.
Good luck and happy visualizing.
Raecarmia
First a question for any of the top instructors. When teaching someone to play patterns or any shot for that matter, often times students are told to focus on their pre-shot routines, stance, grip, bridge, etc...and to visualize the shot completely through execution to the final end result.(ball is pocketed and the cueball travels to its designated resting place for shape on the next shot)I am curious to know what instructors are actually expecting the student to visualize.
With this said, I would like to say I have spent years playing good pool and at times great pool however, I was always told to do the previous things. Now, last year I spent some time analyzing what was meant by visualizing the shot? What did that actually mean? well it could mean a number of things, 1.) just like stated above 2.) seeing the shot from above the table(overhead) 3.) from cueball level(low to the table).
Now, what I've discovered from my analysis is this, at different times during a match or practice or even on certain shots when people are told to visualize a shot thru to completion, will generate different visual images to correspond with the shot. Examples, these come up a lot...tell yourself you are playing for the world championship or practice the way you want to play. Each of these generate different visual points of reference(the first one automatically generates a third person visual point of view) the second forces you to visualize a low table pre-shot routine. Now all of this is subjective to an individuals own visual practices but I know they are fairly consistent among the many players and instructors I've encountered over the years. So, the real gem to this post is as follows, I have gone from running 1-3 racks of nineball sporadically to running 4-5 racks fairly consistantly!!! How is this possible?
Well, I would have never guessed in a milion years just how important CORRECT visual practice could improve my game but it has. So this is how I did it. First, I took the time to figure out how I actually viewed my shot making and realized I viewed about 70 % of my shots from the stands...LOL that sounds funny but its true. Clearly from a third person (watching myself perform)20% of my shots from cueball level(low to the table) and 10% from an upright position (overlooking the table).Next I had to find out which method produced the best results, so I went to the table and practiced for three days and discovered a pattern.
Next I matched up for some cheap sets and also discovered a pattern. To my surprise these were different ways to visualize my shot making. So I combined the two and the results are as follows....(ready for this?) before assuming a stance to take a shot while looking over the table I am always looking from a first person(self) view meaning analyzing shot selection, ending position etc...and once I have visualized the shot completely I assume my shot making stance.then I switch to a third person view!!! and am actually visualizing the shot from another view completely( just like a fan watching the game) This is absolutely amazing and the results are profound!!!!
Now, this is the most important part of this post. When I am home or retired for the night I practice running racks by visualizing myself from both visual perspectives I see myself both at the table ready to break from the cue ball level then switch to the third person view and watch the break be executed and then switch back to cue ball level to feel teh execution.....this is some heavy stuff. try it, it works guaranteed.
Good luck and happy visualizing.
Raecarmia
Last edited:
