What makes a good pre-shot routine?
- Thread starter Macint0sh
- Start date
Macint0sh said:
A good routine is one that lets you be trusting, decisive, and focused on the target. And it fits your personality.Good players feel that when they start thier routine it's like stepping into a bubble. A smal private world in which nothing can distract them.
One important note i'd like to make. In the pre-address part of your routine you must visualize your shot, and believe in your choice. Instilling this unwavering belief in the shot is one of the fundamentals without which the routine losses it's purpose. Remember, the point of the routine is not to go through a physical ritual. It is to get your body aligned properly and your mind in an effective state before every shot.
It's also advisable to make your routine as short and simple as possible. The best routines are often the simplest and take the least time. They are easiest to repeat under pressure. Good luck to you. St
This is a very important aspect to everyone's game! Mental, mental, mental!!! Here's my routine...
1) survey the table while chalking my tip and standing about 1'-2' from table.
2) once I know what I'm going to do on the table, I snap the chalk down on the rail, get down on the ball in the set position. I don't think about my shot selection, next shot, or anything to do with what I thought about while standing up. The only thing I check in this position is if my tip is in the correct position, alignment is good.
3) If at anytime I feel that something is not 99% correct, I stand up and start back at #1.
4) If everything is at 99%+, then I stroke the cue and finish and stay in the pause position to analyze my shot as a whole.
5) Do it again on the next ball!
This is taught by the BSACA and it works!
Zim
1) survey the table while chalking my tip and standing about 1'-2' from table.
2) once I know what I'm going to do on the table, I snap the chalk down on the rail, get down on the ball in the set position. I don't think about my shot selection, next shot, or anything to do with what I thought about while standing up. The only thing I check in this position is if my tip is in the correct position, alignment is good.
3) If at anytime I feel that something is not 99% correct, I stand up and start back at #1.
4) If everything is at 99%+, then I stroke the cue and finish and stay in the pause position to analyze my shot as a whole.
5) Do it again on the next ball!
This is taught by the BSACA and it works!
Zim
I could hardly improve on what's already written, but I'd add that along with all the other benefits of a good pre-shot routine is that it gives you a good playing rhythm.
From personal experience, I remember one time that I was practicing with George "Ginky" San Souci, and he noticed that I played a shot without chalking my cue, and he asked me why I hadn't done so. I was usually pretty good about this, but count me among those that occasionally played a shot without chalking my cue.
I told Ginky that I had applied a lot of chalk to my cue on the previous shot and that I didn't fear a miscue. His comment was "all the obvious reasons for chalking aside, one reason to chalk up on every shot is that it helps you maintain a steady playing rhythm."
Since that day, I've chalked on every shot.
From personal experience, I remember one time that I was practicing with George "Ginky" San Souci, and he noticed that I played a shot without chalking my cue, and he asked me why I hadn't done so. I was usually pretty good about this, but count me among those that occasionally played a shot without chalking my cue.
I told Ginky that I had applied a lot of chalk to my cue on the previous shot and that I didn't fear a miscue. His comment was "all the obvious reasons for chalking aside, one reason to chalk up on every shot is that it helps you maintain a steady playing rhythm."
Since that day, I've chalked on every shot.
Macint0sh said:
You want a routine that puts you in a comfortable, balanced position over the shot. The way a lot of players stand, a good wind would knock them over. They look like they are walking a tightrope or practicing the twist. Your routine should make you comfortable over the shot.
I like Steve Davis as a model to copy (with the possible exception of his head position). I look at him and wonder how he could ever miss any shot. In my view, he has made the ball before he has taken one stroke. He has the most perfect setup and stroke I've ever seen.
Chris
TATE said:
I want to be able to get down on the shot knowing I'm locked and loaded and get ready to fire.
I like to check the angle to the pocket while I'm chalking...walk over behind the ob and look at the line to the pocket and find the exact spot in the pocket I want to hit. Then look for the angle on the next two or three shots.
Get back behind the cb, line it up, visualize the ob going into the exact spot in the pocket I want to hit and visualize the cb going to the exact spot on the table for the next shot.
Begin to position my body, lower the cue slowly down the shot line, plant the feet, touch my chin to the cue and then raise my head slightly, take two long and two short strokes, hold, pull back, hold, stroke. "Smooth" is the stroke thought of the day (Thanks, Rod).
JimS said:
Great routine Jim.
This was a good thread. I've been applying these things in earnest since the discusion has come up and my game is breathing new life lol. There is one other thing i'd like to share before we declare this horse officialy dead. No matter what happens with any shot you hit, accept it. Acceptence is the last step in a sound routine.
This last step is soooo important. There's a gazillion great amateurs out there that run out from anywhere and play great pool. But put them in a pressure situation. Or a big match with equall or better tallent and suddenly those racks they run in practice don't look as easy to do....if they even happen at all. Why? Lack of concentration. You make a bad shot, it costs you a rack or two, now your tentative, dought kreeps in. Pro's make bad shots too, the difference is they can get over it and Concentrate 100 and ten percent on the next shot. Or if they get a little long or short or whatever which way on thier next ball. Oh well! We'll play it from here.
again...Acceptance is the last step in a sound routine.
St out.
I won't give away my whole recipe, but ingredient number one is:
WHY? That is, why am I shooting this shot, instead of doing something else? Without this premise, the shot holds no real meaning for me. How could it?
If this shot (the ONLY shot, btw) does not integrate with my long-term goals, then I'm doing the wrong thing, for me.
Have you ever tried to play pool when you know you should be doing something else? Even if you win, the victories end up being hollow, because something as, or more, important has gone undone and eventually must come to the forefront to be dealt with.
Knowing that this shot is the one place in the whole universe where I truly belong, really places this shot in the proper perspective, for me.
Jeff Livingston
WHY? That is, why am I shooting this shot, instead of doing something else? Without this premise, the shot holds no real meaning for me. How could it?
If this shot (the ONLY shot, btw) does not integrate with my long-term goals, then I'm doing the wrong thing, for me.
Have you ever tried to play pool when you know you should be doing something else? Even if you win, the victories end up being hollow, because something as, or more, important has gone undone and eventually must come to the forefront to be dealt with.
Knowing that this shot is the one place in the whole universe where I truly belong, really places this shot in the proper perspective, for me.
Jeff Livingston
I'd like to think that either do most of these things some of the time, or some of these things most of the time. 
It was mentioned in another thread about Santos Sambajon twirling his cue stick. He must be very confident of his chalking. I make sure not to twirl mine. One thing that I do, especially when I'm going to be hitting more than a little off center of the cue ball is, I make sure I use a side of the tip that has held the chalk well. When I'm chalking the tip, I've noticed occasionally that there can be spots that haven't held the chalk as well as others. So if I'm going to be hitting off center I'll notice which side of the tip I put toward the center of the cue ball. It seems to me that this has become part of my pre-shot routine so I put this in this thread. I think I chalk correctly, I mean I don't put the stick in the chalk and spin it. I rub the chalk across the tip, but still there can be spots on the tip that don't look chalked well. Then I'd try to chalk them, turn the stick and the other side now doesn't look chalked well. I gave up trying to make the entire tip look chalked and make sure to use a side that does.
Doesn't anyone else do this? Should it be necessary? Is this a sign of 'lack of confidence?' Should I change tips? (No, I don't know what kind or tip I use, I just tell Jim to put a medium tip on).
It was mentioned in another thread about Santos Sambajon twirling his cue stick. He must be very confident of his chalking. I make sure not to twirl mine. One thing that I do, especially when I'm going to be hitting more than a little off center of the cue ball is, I make sure I use a side of the tip that has held the chalk well. When I'm chalking the tip, I've noticed occasionally that there can be spots that haven't held the chalk as well as others. So if I'm going to be hitting off center I'll notice which side of the tip I put toward the center of the cue ball. It seems to me that this has become part of my pre-shot routine so I put this in this thread. I think I chalk correctly, I mean I don't put the stick in the chalk and spin it. I rub the chalk across the tip, but still there can be spots on the tip that don't look chalked well. Then I'd try to chalk them, turn the stick and the other side now doesn't look chalked well. I gave up trying to make the entire tip look chalked and make sure to use a side that does.
Doesn't anyone else do this? Should it be necessary? Is this a sign of 'lack of confidence?' Should I change tips? (No, I don't know what kind or tip I use, I just tell Jim to put a medium tip on).
poolguy123
Registered
CaptainJR said:
I'm with you Capt. on this. I don't spin it or "squeak it" a couple times and let it go. I rub it across and turn the cue around until all sides are covered. I don't see it as a lack of confidence- it's experience- half**s chalking has caused me so many miscues that I know it's worth the time to do it right.
Hmmm......I don't worry about those spots that seem to be not covered- I see that too, but I feel I've done all I can reasonably do about it.
Pre-shot routine for me (besides the obvious things pointed out by all above) is a point of concentration which prevents other thoughts,doubts & worries from muddying my brain. I think about giving myself the best opportunity to make the shot- and that's making sure all the fundamentals are solid and the aim/alignment is on target. Everything else (opponent, score, prize, etc.) is useless information at that point.