What warm-up strokes and eye patterns do you use?
- Thread starter birdy
- Start date
I try to maintain a metronomic regularity to my warm-up strokes, and I glance alternately at the object ball and the cue ball in time with the practice strokes. I look at the object ball on the backswing and at the cueball on the forward swings. From my intial pause before my final backswing through the finish and at least until the cueball contacts the object ball, my eyes remain completely focused on the a precise contact point on the object ball.
We cover eye patterns extensively in our classes. Your eyes need to be focused to provide the information to your brain that it needs, when it needs it. If your brain needs to know if you are going to hit the cue ball where you intend, your focus should be on the cue ball. If your brain wants to know if you are aiming correctly, your eyes need to be focused on your line of aim. Shifting your eyes back and forth during warm-up strokes is not a good idea. If your cue is moving and you are not ready to shoot, keep your eyes on the cue ball. If you need to check your aim, stop moving the cue first. When you are ready to shoot, your eyes should be on your target.
Steve
Steve
steve knows what hes talkin about.
at one time i had my eye patterns down but when my local room closed i didnt get much shooting in the last 6 monthes, so now they are off.
what i try to do is find the spot on the object ball i want to hit and get down in my stance focused on that spot. Then ill leave the cue still while i glance back and forth making sure im lined up. Then I do a few small ministrokes glancing back and forth......then 2 practice strokes focused only on the cueball.....then a slow pull back and i shift my eyes up and stay on the object ball, pause, shoot
at one time i had my eye patterns down but when my local room closed i didnt get much shooting in the last 6 monthes, so now they are off.
what i try to do is find the spot on the object ball i want to hit and get down in my stance focused on that spot. Then ill leave the cue still while i glance back and forth making sure im lined up. Then I do a few small ministrokes glancing back and forth......then 2 practice strokes focused only on the cueball.....then a slow pull back and i shift my eyes up and stay on the object ball, pause, shoot
pooltchr said:
Yeah, a big part of the "SPF" method that Steve, randyg, Scott Lee, and others teach is what's above. The above post says it, but I think almost everybody would benefit from a lesson from one of these guys to really teach them how to do it.
-Andrew
I look at the shot before me, to find the "shot line" (path of the cue ball). I then address the "shot line" & start my warmup aiming/stroking routine. I focus my eye on the "shot line" through the object ball, after I have paused in my warmup strokes. Then I set, to once again check my aim, then carefully draw the cue back on the "shot line" & shoot the shot. My cue goes past "point of impact" & stops on the "shot line".
I also try to mimic the "speed of the shot" with my warmup up strokes. I like to think this assists my thinking for the stroke speed needed to properly shoot the shot. This is the way I was taught 40 years ago.
Good Luck with your game...
I also try to mimic the "speed of the shot" with my warmup up strokes. I like to think this assists my thinking for the stroke speed needed to properly shoot the shot. This is the way I was taught 40 years ago.
Good Luck with your game...
ceebee said:
Ceebee. How do you "mimic" your break stroke?....randyg
birdy said:
Birdy: SPF has the PEP included in the classes.....SPF=randyg.
Hi Randy, I can only try to "mimic" the Break Shot stroke. I stroke with some crispness to the warmup stroke, while focusing on the imaginary "shot line". I also try to imagine a small diameter clear cylinder which the cue has to pass through to the cue ball.
That's my story.... if you have a better one, please tell us. We alll know that you are a superb teacher, so please help us all.
That's my story.... if you have a better one, please tell us. We alll know that you are a superb teacher, so please help us all.
ceebee said:
No,No, I was just asking. I talk to a lot of people who mimic their game stroke. I find that hard to understand. Just looking for more wisom from your end...thanks...randyg
Eye patterns and Warm up strokes. This is a great topic for a thread. My friend VARick and I were talking about this the other day at the pool room.
As for me, I wasn't quite sure what my "style" of play was and asked VARick. I guess I've just never studied myself. He said I do short practice strokes, and then kind of like Buddy Hall pull the cue back, pause, and then execute. Heck...I'll take that as a compliment. Wish I could run as many racks like him.
As for my eye patterns. On your average shot I look at the object ball last before execution.
On jacked up shots, masse' shots, jump shots, and the break shot I look at the cue ball last.
On hard long shots that intimidate me..I'll line up and then look at the cue ball last. Works better for me, because if I look at the object ball last it will mess with me. If I line it up and focus on where I'm hitting the cue ball (especially if it requires a lot of force/english) I make those shots a much higher percentage of the time.
As for lining up the shot...I'll get in line with the shot before I even get down in my stance. That is the secret. That is why some pros go real low, some are more upright. Really doesn't matter. They're all in dead line...and do what is comfortable. That is the whole secret...knowing you're in line. That is the one thing Max Eberle taught me years ago...and boy did it make such a dramatic difference.
Good post.
As for me, I wasn't quite sure what my "style" of play was and asked VARick. I guess I've just never studied myself. He said I do short practice strokes, and then kind of like Buddy Hall pull the cue back, pause, and then execute. Heck...I'll take that as a compliment. Wish I could run as many racks like him.
As for my eye patterns. On your average shot I look at the object ball last before execution.
On jacked up shots, masse' shots, jump shots, and the break shot I look at the cue ball last.
On hard long shots that intimidate me..I'll line up and then look at the cue ball last. Works better for me, because if I look at the object ball last it will mess with me. If I line it up and focus on where I'm hitting the cue ball (especially if it requires a lot of force/english) I make those shots a much higher percentage of the time.
As for lining up the shot...I'll get in line with the shot before I even get down in my stance. That is the secret. That is why some pros go real low, some are more upright. Really doesn't matter. They're all in dead line...and do what is comfortable. That is the whole secret...knowing you're in line. That is the one thing Max Eberle taught me years ago...and boy did it make such a dramatic difference.
Good post.
In my "warmup strokes", I am trying to A: find the shot line B: get the feel of the shot (the speed in which to pocket the object ball & cause the cue ball to roll into position on the next object ball).
I don't know of another way, unless I just try to imagine what speed is required, to "get the cue ball into postion".
Using my "warmup strokes" to get the "feel of the shot" is the way I learned.
I don't know of another way, unless I just try to imagine what speed is required, to "get the cue ball into postion".
Using my "warmup strokes" to get the "feel of the shot" is the way I learned.
Eye patterns have nothing to do with "checking out the line of the shot" and the other things mentioned in these posts. Eye patterns are about where you look, when you look, how long you look, and how many times you look...at the CB and at the OB. See more at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/06/990615154337.htm, and www.quieteye.com (this link didn't work, but there were several other sources of information on "quiet eye" studies).
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
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