what is YOUR preshot routine?

Andrewjoseph said:
In my humble opinion the pre shot routine is one of the most important factors in being a run out player. I also feel it's one of the most over looked.

So i thought it would be fun to hear what everyone's specific routine is and see if there is anything to add our take away from mine. Here's mine:

Chalk
Take a step back
Look at table
Decide on shot or safety
Look at OB straight to pocket or intended target
See where stun takes the CB then use that as a point of reference to decide where to hit the CB
Step into shot.
Practice stroke. pause. Smooth follow through.

Yes i know it's pretty generic but i have only played Pool for 18 months. But i find when i start sloping steps is 4 or 5 balls into my run and that's when i miss.

Lets hear yours!



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Very critical that was missed:

If you need to be accurate with every shot, you need a guide for your shaft to go 100% straight to the contact point, one point for shaft at you chin center (shaft rub against chin center), the other is butt touching your rib cage, like snooker players. Head all the way down, cue leveled
The other you must pull slow while shaft rubbing against chin center
Then smooth follow through, very short pull for long soft shots, very slow long pull for hard shots
Most important is to figure where to aim based on how hard, soft, english, draw, follow, stun ..etc find the sweet spot, at times it might take long to find it, continue to stair until it is developed, other wise you will miss, no matter how you stroke, at times it helps to find the 100% straight aim and then judge from there, also, as OB gets further from pocket the sweet spot range narrows take longer to find sweet spot
one more, most pros use long bridge to get rid of shaft deflection, and to get the long stroke warm ups it helps line up the shot with aim better
Look at exact tip contact point at CB not OB last, some might argue, but i feel if you look at OB last you might look at different spot and miss
Best of luck.
 
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Here is a trick to use with your breathing. First learn deep muscles relaxation. When you have learned to breathe deeply and slowly it too is something that is triggered and then “forgotten.”

Part of learning the deep breathing technique is that you become more aware of your heart beat and its relation to you physical activity. During practice sessions you can use your heart beat to control the rhythm of your shot making. This helps your body to use its own rhythms to execute a shot. The timings that are used to execute are most easily arranged when based on and coordinated with your natural rhythms and this is all based on the heart’s functioning.

If you learn (during practice sessions) how to use your heart’s beat or simply feeling the different processes as synchronized with your heart’s beat it will quickly become automatic and you can forget about it. Once learned your aiming and stroking will feel natural, comfortable and will be like dancing your body into a shot with fluid rhythms.

When you have learned a dance pattern it feels awkward at first and often you have to count steps and movements. Later, when it has been learned all of the motions are fluid and you don’t think about it because thinking will break the fluid process. So too with learning a shooting process. It is a dance. Whne you know that you “dance” into a shot it is a simple matter of overlearning the steps.
 
naji said:
Very critical that was missed:

If you need to be accurate with every shot, you need a guide for your shaft to go 100% straight to the contact point, one point for shaft at you chin center (shaft rub against chin center), the other is butt touching your rib cage, like snooker players. Head all the way down, cue leveled
The other you must pull slow while shaft rubbing against chin center
Then smooth follow through, very short pull for long soft shots, very slow long pull for hard shotsMost important is to figure where to aim based on how hard, soft, english, draw, follow, stun ..etc find the sweet spot, at times it might take long to find it, continue to stair until it is developed, other wise you will miss, no matter how you stroke, at times it helps to find the 100% straight aim and then judge from there, also, as OB gets further from pocket the sweet spot range narrows take longer to find sweet spot
one more, most pros use long bridge to get rid of shaft deflection, and to get the long stroke warm ups it helps line up the shot with aim better
Look at exact tip contact point at CB not OB last, some might argue, but i feel if you look at OB last you might look at different spot and miss
Best of luck.
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What works for you may not work for him, I have found that you cannot be this specific as to what to do until you have seen quite a bit of their game; in person or on video; you will note that I have bolded some things that are NOT done by some of the greatest players the world has ever seen. And as for the last point that is just plain hogwash, you can do either that is a personal preference, most players (by far) look at the OB last; this is not 100% the best and correct for absolutely everyone but to suggest the most uncommon action is really bad advice.
 
PGHteacher said:
What works for you may not work for him, I have found that you cannot be this specific as to what to do until you have seen quite a bit of their game; in person or on video; you will note that I have bolded some things that are NOT done by some of the greatest players the world has ever seen. And as for the last point that is just plain hogwash, you can do either that is a personal preference, most players (by far) look at the OB last; this is not 100% the best and correct for absolutely everyone but to suggest the most uncommon action is really bad advice.
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Thanks PGH, for the last 30 years i have tried everything under the sun, i have recorded every change i made for last three years, i have more than 50 or 60 documents of changes made to make me shoot better, nothing made me shoot more consistent that what was described, which is the way snooker players play. For new players i feel giving them exact location for cue shaft and butt helps them, rather than focusing on foot position and steps and others, once they are experts they can venture into more comfortable position. True shaft for others might be slightly off center of chin, but you must have a guide for the cue, this position guarantees that the body is in right position.

Again, it is opinion, others might like venturing into, for some that cannot bend all the way, they will have to relay on lots of warm up practice before they start shooting straight.

As far as looking at CB last, once aim point is found, it really does not matter where you look, but i find it is helpful since CB is close to the eye, it is easier to look there than far away OB and make you hit tip at exact CB position, plus looking at OB at wrong place, under a bit of pressure could reset the focus and look at tip contact point at OB of which will make you under cut why do that. Again opinion from over 30 years experience.
 
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My Routine

Stay out of the box until you have decided how to shoot the shot. Look at the shot being played from both directions......from behind the cue ball and from behind the pocket being aimed at......swipe the chalk 2-3 times....no rubbing......align my right leg and right side to be on the aim line.......reach with my bridge hand and shoot the shot within my rythm (3-4 practice strokes).....stay as low to table in shooting stance as possible when aiming the shot and shooting it....and remain in that position until every ball on the table is motionless. I want to see everything that took place after stroking the cue ball......watch the object ball go in the pocket or miss the pocket....doesn't matter, just remain in your shooting stance until all the balls on the table are motionless. See everything that happens after I strorke the cue ball....if you watch closely, there's a ton of information that can be gained.....watch the cue ball and see its pathways and how it behaves.....the cue ball never lies.

Matt B.
 
Granted that there are some players who look at the CB last but they are in a very small minority, and with good reason, IMHO. Looking at the CB last is similar, in my view, to focusing on the rear sight of a rifle before shooting. Further, if you have to look at the CB to make sure you're hitting the intended point, this is evidence of a serious flaw in the stroke.

As a previous poster mentioned, what works for you may work for you, but it's not good advice to give. Rather than prolong this post, I invite you to search for some previous AZB threads that discuss this matter in detail.

With respect,

VIProfessor
 
PGH -- many thanks for the comments. This thread is giving me a lot to think about, try and practice.

IMHO no one system works for everyone. You have to try out different things and go with what feels right to you. For example, I'm still at the stage where I need to focus on the tip-CB (not the OB). Maybe my stroke will improve to the point where I can focus on the OB, but I'm not there yet.
 
PGH made the best point, that the execution and analysis are distinct phases. Never wonder about another shot when you are down on a shot. I don't care how much it annoys my opponent, I will get up from a shot as many times as I need to before I am certain it is the shot I want.

As far as looking at cue ball or object ball last in your routine, I noticed one thing for me personally. When I looked at cue ball contact point last I made position more often and missed the object ball more often ... when I looked at object ball contact point last I made the shot more often but was slightly off on position more often. I decided, *for myself*, that until they start giving "style" points for perfect position, I would rather look at contact point on the object ball last and make the ball. :)

Try all suggestions and settle on what works best for you, then combine that with professional instruction when you are ready.
 
PaulieB said:
PGH made the best point, that the execution and analysis are distinct phases. Never wonder about another shot when you are down on a shot. I don't care how much it annoys my opponent, I will get up from a shot as many times as I need to before I am certain it is the shot I want.

As far as looking at cue ball or object ball last in your routine, I noticed one thing for me personally. When I looked at cue ball contact point last I made position more often and missed the object ball more often ... when I looked at object ball contact point last I made the shot more often but was slightly off on position more often. I decided, *for myself*, that until they start giving "style" points for perfect position, I would rather look at contact point on the object ball last and make the ball. :)

Try all suggestions and settle on what works best for you, then combine that with professional instruction when you are ready.
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If you watch snooker players they tend to get their cue touching chin or very close to it, due to snooker requires more accuracy in aim and stroke, also, the master Dennis Orculio, his chin almost touches shaft true pool have more error tolerance to play with, why not play it like snooker and be accurate. The other benefit of have head down, is you can see contact point much easier.
As far as looking at CB or OB last, it really does not matter, people look at OB because that what was taught early on, the proof is if you line up your shot as usual, close you eyes and shoot, will be surprised if you miss! I stated earlier the advantage of looking at CB last, and disadvantage of looking at OB last.
Again, agree that everyone have a preference and should try everything until they master it. We are here to provide expert opinion so everyone see the options available.
Best of luck to all and thanks for all responses. That is how we learn

Check link below for Steve Davis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIEwKXaujH0
 
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The break and some draw shots are the only shots where I look at the cb last. Here is why. Extensive research by Joan Vickers among others Leads to the idea that one should be looking at the target for at least one second prior to the final swing. See:

http://news.ufl.edu/1999/06/15/pool/

http://www.pbs.org/saf/1206/segments/1206-1.htm

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TECH/03/21/spark.quiet.eye/index.html

The final target for most shots is the contact point on the object ball. When you are in the final moments of shooting your eyes are used to help your body create all of the micro positional adjustments that will place the cb in the right spot some distance away. The brain “knows” where the cue stick is. It knows the location of the CB and it knows the location of the tip on the cb. These are all quite close to the body and are the easier things to locate. It has the most difficulty rolling the CB down the line to the contact point and to accomplish this it should be looking at the final place the CB should hit.

On the break shot I am looking at the cb last. The intent here is to move the CB down a particular line with maximum power (or nearly so). Actually, I am looking at the contact point on the cb and a line about two feet through the cue ball. This is similar to what some golfers do when the pick a spot ten – twenty feet in front of the golf ball.

I find that this type of aiming is also needed on some draw shots where maximum speed is needed and the distance to the object ball is "not too far."
 
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Here is an idea for many of the newer players who want to develop a solid pre shot routine.

Copy and paste the comments made in this thread that appeal to you. Arrange them in some sequential order for a set of directions that you can use to build your own routine. If it were me, I would take the list to the pool table and work with it checking the ones I want to keep and “X” out those to discard. Over some period of time you will have a routine that works for you.

A good pre-shot routine takes time and attention to detail. When you have a good one it will take you far.

You will also need some way to assess your own progress. I like playing the ten ball ghost (with ball in hand following the break). Score one point for each ball pocketed over ten games.

If any of these techniques work for you they should raise your average by about two balls before you can say that the addition of X or Y improves your game.

Currently there are 31 posts and 546 views so itis safe to say that lots of people are reading but not commenting.
 
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JoeW said:
The break and some draw shots are the only shots where I look at the cb last. Here is why. Extensive research by Joan Vickers among others Leads to the idea that one should be looking at the target for at least one second prior to the final swing. See:

http://news.ufl.edu/1999/06/15/pool/

http://www.pbs.org/saf/1206/segments/1206-1.htm

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TECH/03/21/spark.quiet.eye/index.html

The final target for most shots is the contact point on the object ball. When you are in the final moments of shooting your eyes are used to help your body create all of the micro positional adjustments that will place the cb in the right spot some distance away. The brain “knows” where the cue stick is. It knows the location of the CB and it knows the location of the tip on the cb. These are all quite close to the body and are the easier things to locate. It has the most difficulty rolling the CB down the line to the contact point and to accomplish this it should be looking at the final place the CB should hit.

On the break shot I am looking at the cb last. The intent here is to move the CB down a particular line with maximum power (or nearly so). Actually, I am looking at the contact point on the cb and a line about two feet through the cue ball. This is similar to what some golfers do when the pick a spot ten – twenty feet in front of the golf ball.

I find that this type of aiming is also needed on some draw shots where maximum speed is needed and the distance to the object ball is "not too far."
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I saw the articles in the links before and read again, the problem is they compare pool to other sports, and it is completely different, all sports shoot at a specific target directly, pool has to account for ghost ball which makes it complicated.
You are making perfect since by looking at CB for certain shots, might as well look at it all the time it is much easier than looking at OB.
 
naji said:
If you watch snooker players they tend to get their cue touching chin or very close to it, due to snooker requires more accuracy in aim and stroke, also, the master Dennis Orculio, his chin almost touches shaft true pool have more error tolerance to play with, why not play it like snooker and be accurate. The other benefit of have head down, is you can see contact point much easier.
As far as looking at CB or OB last, it really does not matter, people look at OB because that what was taught early on, the proof is if you line up your shot as usual, close you eyes and shoot, will be surprised if you miss! I stated earlier the advantage of looking at CB last, and disadvantage of looking at OB last.
Again, agree that everyone have a preference and should try everything until they master it. We are here to provide expert opinion so everyone see the options available.
Best of luck to all and thanks for all responses. That is how we learn

Check link below for Steve Davis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIEwKXaujH0
Click to expand...

I never made a comment regarding chin being close to the cue or ever compared snooker to pool games. I only said that I found that if *I personally* focused on the contact point on the object ball instead of contact point on the cue ball for position as my last focus point, that I tended to make the OB more, even if my position could possibly be off a bit more.

I also appreciate your advice of closing my eyes completely, I am assuming this is your advice only when I am playing against you?
 
I think there are some folks that make the mistake of thinking a PSR involves stuff like chalking, and walking around the table, and taking a deep breath and stuff like that there. Now, don't get me wrong -- that stuff can be valuable, but the PSR starts when you are standing before a shot, how you are holding your cue, and then all the motions you do in a particular sequence at specific speed. All that becomes your PSR when you do it consistently. IOW, the PSR is really about orienting all the mechanical parts of you body and putting them into positions that will allow you to sequence them so you can execute and deliver a stroke that will make the OB go into the pocket and the CB do what you expect it to do.

THAT'S a PSR.

Lou Figueroa
IMO
 
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PaulieB said:
I never made a comment regarding chin being close to the cue or ever compared snooker to pool games. I only said that I found that if *I personally* focused on the contact point on the object ball instead of contact point on the cue ball for position as my last focus point, that I tended to make the OB more, even if my position could possibly be off a bit more.

I also appreciate your advice of closing my eyes completely, I am assuming this is your advice only when I am playing against you?
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apologies, you indirectly supported a poster who highlighted some of my post. No problem. The point is once you lock in the aim and sweet spot, and do warm up strokes you are 100% done, and the shot will be made regardless where you looking, if your bridge positioned at cue pivot point and shooting the ball fast speed, there is no way you will miss the shot even with worst stroke ever (assuming you counted for throw if needed). if aim is wrong you will miss no matter where your eyes are looking last.
I played a game with a friend and my eyes closes before i shoot i beat him, actually, it makes you focus on smooth stroke and follow through, only problem, you might miss what happens, but the pocketing sound helps out. I am not suggesting you play like that, but to get the point across. At times we do not know where we are looking last when we fire, you will be in the zone..
 
Once you have decided on the shot, do not doubt or change your decision as you shoot. Otherwise, always loudly complain of a bad neck pain or a bad back before each shot, just in case....

Ok, back to the serious note, always make sure you have chalked the cue before each shot. Even when it is not needed, its better to do so and get into the habit. Remind yourself as you get down to aim, not to come up right after the shot. Follow through with your mind and stroke mentally with the ideal shot before you shoot physically. Imagine the details of the shot and compare afterwords with your final result.

When the mental projection and your shot match - try not to hurt yourself as you pat yourself on the back. That's where the back pain and the bad neck comes from actually.... :-)
 
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The VERY First Step

I scanned most of these posts, and i'll agree with the "do what works for you" crowd.
I'm going to tell you the 1st thing I do even b-4 my PSR,....... (but actually is the beginning of my PSR as I do it now no matter what game or who I play.

No matter from where I approach the table at my turn, I walk one complete time around the table. WHY ? Read on and try it and you'll see.

When I "take a spin" around the table, I get more than just the 1 aspect view of the table as I would have had I sized up my options standing at one spot. I can't tell you how many times I seen something that I would not have seen had I stood there looking at my highest probability shot, or my best position shot. TRY IT,..... you'll soon see what I am talking about ! :cool:
 
naji said:
I saw the articles in the links before and read again, the problem is they compare pool to other sports, and it is completely different, all sports shoot at a specific target directly, pool has to account for ghost ball which makes it complicated.
You are making perfect since by looking at CB for certain shots, might as well look at it all the time it is much easier than looking at OB.
Click to expand...

See the first article referred to it is about pool players
 
Lou's got it straight. A lot of people say a good PSR leads to good pool. But that's got the chicken and the egg backwards.

Certain good, useful habits will help you shoot better pool. And there's really no reason you can't do all of them on every shot, and no reason you shouldn't do them in the same order every time. You can label this combination of habits a preshot routine.

The preshot routine doesn't cause good shooting, it's the result of good habits any serious player should have. Those good habits lead to fewer misses and better position.

In other words, practice stroking exactly five times doesn't automatically result in better shotmaking. But if you have a good rhythm, one accidental side effect of that is that you might take 5 practice strokes on the majority of your shots.

One thing I've noticed is that no matter what your personal steps are... if you skip one, it nags you somewhere at the back of your head. And that will cause you to miss a shot you didn't have to miss.
 
Staying focused and finishing the rack.

lets talk about when running a rack, and 1 or 2 balls away from the 8 or 9 or 10 and staying focused and closing out the rack.

Lately I have been having trouble closing out the rack last monday night at league playing 9 ball I broke and make the 8 and ran 1,2,3,4,5 and got to the 6 in good position to get to the 7 and 9 (8 went on break) I knew what I had to do but I hit it bad and didnt get position on the 7 and had to play a combo. then in a cash tournament on Thursday I ran from 1-8 twice and missed the 8 and twice left the other player and easy two ball run out.

I have and idea of why im missing a combo of

  1. being under pressure
  2. rushing
  3. lack of confidence in stroke
  4. skipping steps of PSR

but even knowing this I cant seem to prevent it from happening.

QUESTION:
Any tips, tricks, or advise on this problem?
 
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