Your opinion on the preshot routine

[girlwon1]

Wow, glad to see you on here in this capacity...


Anyway, was wondering what your stance is on what you get down on when you address a ball? I teach that you get squared up with the shot while standing looking at all the lines, what not, making your decisions, then when you get down, look at the exact spot that you are going to hit when getting down on the object ball.

I tell them that your body naturally gets in line that way, versus getting down looking at the cue ball. I even tell them not to dart their eyes back and forth while getting down, that all focus in on the exact spot.

I tell them that it is nonnegotiable, meaning there is not two ways about it.

What do you think?

Thanks!

girlwon1

 

[Louis Ulrich]

Wow, glad to see you on here in this capacity...


Anyway, was wondering what your stance is on what you get down on when you address a ball? I teach that you get squared up with the shot while standing looking at all the lines, what not, making your decisions, then when you get down, look at the exact spot that you are going to hit when getting down on the object ball.

I tell them that your body naturally gets in line that way, versus getting down looking at the cue ball. I even tell them not to dart their eyes back and forth while getting down, that all focus in on the exact spot.

I tell them that it is nonnegotiable, meaning there is not two ways about it.

What do you think?

Thanks!

girlwon1

Hi Girlwon,

Thanks for the post!

I am pretty much along the same line with you on the preshot routine.

My big thing is to make sure that I do all of my calculating when I am standing up. I get in line with the shot, decide on where I am going to hit the ball, the spin that I need to get shape, and then visualize the shot going in before ever getting down on the ball. I can't stress the visualizing the shot part enough. If you can already see in your mind what is supposed to happen, then the rest of the shot becomes much easier.

Once you are down on the ball, now is the time to check your line of aim, take your practice strokes, then execute the shot.

I've watched plenty of great players go through this routine (or a similar one) many times before they actually pull the trigger. I think Johnny Archer is a prime example on the importance of being "right" before shot execution. I've seen him go through his routine 5 or 6 times before he shoots.

Off the subject, but does this mean you are back to playing?

Good to hear from you

Louis

 

[girlwon1]

No, no, not back to playing. I like to give lessons to some APA members that are good people, who have a passion for the game, are talented somewhat, and really are willing to do the work to be a better player. All at no charge, of course.

I definately agree with the visualization part. I try to stress that to those I teach, but I dont think that is lesson that they are quite ready to hear sometimes, until they see the benefit sometime down the road. It is like when you hear a great player tell you something, but arent just ready yet to understand it, or the importance of it.

Still wondering though, is it a definate (and I should teach it that way) that you look at the exact spot getting down on the ball, or is that negotiable?

Thanks!

Tina

 

[Louis Ulrich]

Still wondering though, is it a definate (and I should teach it that way) that you look at the exact spot getting down on the ball, or is that negotiable?
Tina

I don't think that there are too many absolutes in how to go about playing pool but I think that you're correct in saying that you should be looking at the exact contact spot while you get down on the ball. It's ok though to make micro adjustments to your aim while you are down.

 

[9ball101]

Pre shot routine

Hey Louis,
Hey, this is Chris. I dont know if you remember me, but I watched you play at On cue a lot.
Anyways, since you and Tina were talking about pre shot routines, since Ive been in Iraq for the last 3 months, thats all I have been doing is working on fundamentals and pre shot routines.
Alright Question.
When working on Pre shot, and fundamentals, do you have any drills I could set up to help me practice.
Thanks

By the way congrats on your victory.

 

[Louis Ulrich]

When working on Pre shot, and fundamentals, do you have any drills I could set up to help me practice.
Thanks
QUOTE]

Hey Chris,

Here's a couple of things that you can work on. These drills are tedious and frustrating but are effective for causing you to focus.

This first shot is nothing more than a long straight in shot. What you want to do is start with shooting a stop shot. Be very critical about the cueball stoppin dead in its tracks. You also want to make sure that you see no side spin on the cueball. What this is doing is causing you to be precise with your aim as well as where you are striking the cueball. After the stop shot becomes easy, practice drawing the cueball all the way back to the tip of your cue, again with no side spin. This part of the drill will help you focus not just on the shot, but on staying down on your follow through.

http://CueTable.com/P/?@4AXNY1PSpL4UXNY4UbSy1kSpL4kXFH@

This next drill is further practice on concentrating on where you are hitting the cueball. With top english shoot the cueball at the center diamond and bring it back through the gap in the two balls. Start off with a lag speed, then go to three rails, then go to four rails.

Stan Shuffett showed me this drill. It was one that I haven't seen before. It didn't look hard or helpful but after I tried it a few times I could see how "off" I really was when trying to stay on the center axis of the cueball.

I have separated the lines in the diagram for visual purposes. You should strive for a straight line back and forth.

http://CueTable.com/P/?@2AHuU1BILW1PALV1kALV4kAfm1kBEj4kBlk@

There are many things that you can do like this to help improve mental focus in your preshot routine, as well as improve fundamentals. The most important thing is to concentrate on being precise.

 

[9ballrun]

I have recently started a preshot routine, I never realized how important it was. My issue is that a lot of time I can see the angles and the path of the cue ball when I am down on my shot. I have tried to focus on it while standing at the table but once I get down it all looks different. Any help for this or am I the only one that does this?

 

[Louis Ulrich]

I have recently started a preshot routine, I never realized how important it was. My issue is that a lot of time I can see the angles and the path of the cue ball when I am down on my shot. I have tried to focus on it while standing at the table but once I get down it all looks different. Any help for this or am I the only one that does this?

You are going to have a different perspective when standing up then you will when you are down on the ball. The purpose of doing all the calculating while you are standing up is so that when you get down on the ball, all you have to concentrate on is execution. You should however be able visualize what's going to happen while you're down on the ball. This will become second nature with practice. Repitition of the shots during practice is the key.

Thanks for the post!

 

[stan shuffett]

In reference to the cuetable/speed drill above....the error gap is only one ball wide to each side of the cueball.

To set this up as I showed Louis place the cueball on the spot and 2 object balls to each side of the cueball then remove the balls touching the cueball to obtain the proper gap. The lag speed is very doable but the drill gets progressively harder as you finally get to four rails worth of speed.
Stroking through the cueball on the vertical axis is a must!!

Stan Shuffett

 

[wiseold1]

Hi Girlwon,



My big thing is to make sure that I do all of my calculating when I am standing up. I get in line with the shot, decide on where I am going to hit the ball, the spin that I need to get shape, and then visualize the shot going in before ever getting down on the ball. I can't stress the visualizing the shot part enough. If you can already see in your mind what is supposed to happen, then the rest of the shot becomes much easier.


Louis

Hi Louis. This is half of an old fan club.

And I have been trying to do the visualizing thing but my opponent keeps intercepting my visual images and changing them to misses. Being "Wise" I have adoped a technique that was tried by Bobby Fisher and Earl Strickland, that is, I have wrapped my head in tin foil. Dean says that it acts like a lightning rod and is a fire hazard. Bob says it should be banned along with jumpsticks. Sparks says its a "B" player shark, Sammy says I should wear a black knit hat over it. Dan W. says his camera flash setting creates too much "Bling" for his taste. But most important is Laura say "you can't color coordinate with tinfoil. What should I do?

Also, I have been trying your most common shot drills but every time I get close to making it a hundred times, I miss and have to start over. Again what shall I do?

Don't you miss this insane place?

 

[Louis Ulrich]

Hi Louis. This is half of an old fan club.

And I have been trying to do the visualizing thing but my opponent keeps intercepting my visual images and changing them to misses. Being "Wise" I have adoped a technique that was tried by Bobby Fisher and Earl Strickland, that is, I have wrapped my head in tin foil. Dean says that it acts like a lightning rod and is a fire hazard. Bob says it should be banned along with jumpsticks. Sparks says its a "B" player shark, Sammy says I should wear a black knit hat over it. Dan W. says his camera flash setting creates too much "Bling" for his taste. But most important is Laura say "you can't color coordinate with tinfoil. What should I do?

Also, I have been trying your most common shot drills but every time I get close to making it a hundred times, I miss and have to start over. Again what shall I do?

Don't you miss this insane place?

Hi Steve! (guessing)

I actually do miss that crazy place and somehow your story doesn't sound too far fetched! Nice to hear from you and say hello to the Misses.

Oh, and I maybe I should have made it clear that I am not necessarliy making my drill shots 100 times IN A ROW! Take care.

 

[LanceRichardson]

Hi Louis. This is half of an old fan club.

And I have been trying to do the visualizing thing but my opponent keeps intercepting my visual images and changing them to misses. Being "Wise" I have adoped a technique that was tried by Bobby Fisher and Earl Strickland, that is, I have wrapped my head in tin foil. Dean says that it acts like a lightning rod and is a fire hazard. Bob says it should be banned along with jumpsticks. Sparks says its a "B" player shark, Sammy says I should wear a black knit hat over it. Dan W. says his camera flash setting creates too much "Bling" for his taste. But most important is Laura say "you can't color coordinate with tinfoil. What should I do?

Also, I have been trying your most common shot drills but every time I get close to making it a hundred times, I miss and have to start over. Again what shall I do?

Don't you miss this insane place?

Damn, I never thought I'd see the day that you'd have your very own fanclub. I can only assume that the members of this club are indirectly fans of mine, as well, since I am your hero.

Been playing a (very) little bit, and am proud to report that I am not hitting 'em quite as bad as usual! Keep me updated on your tournament schedule, and I'll try and meet up with you when you're a little closer to San Diego.

 

[cuetechasaurus]

Wow Tina, you have no idea how glad I am that I saw this thread. Today I went to hit some balls with what you said in mind. I was wondering how well it would work by not looking at the cueball at all, and sort of 'feeling' where your tip is pointing at when you are getting down on the shot. All I can say is that it's been a while since I was hitting the ball this pure. I think this might have been the missing link to my pre shot routine that I've been searching for. Over the last few years, I have never been able to 100% completely figure out why I line up to the ball wrong sometimes, and other times, on pretty much the same exact shot, I'd line up perfectly. You rule. I am in your debt

 

[cuetechasaurus]

Today I had a little more time to practice than I did yesterday, and I implemented Louie Ulrich's advice of visualizing the shot completely before shooting it. After about 10 minutes doing this I really started to play well. I think for beginner players who don't have an image in their brain about how a shot looks when you hit it perfectly, they might have trouble with it. This is for more advanced players IMO. Actually visualizing the shot sure seems to help alot. It kind of clears your head and lets you focus on the only thing you should be focused on. This is great advice, Louie. Thanks again.

 

[Jaden]

The visualization thing is kind of an advanced method.

Today I had a little more time to practice than I did yesterday, and I implemented Louie Ulrich's advice of visualizing the shot completely before shooting it. After about 10 minutes doing this I really started to play well. I think for beginner players who don't have an image in their brain about how a shot looks when you hit it perfectly, they might have trouble with it. This is for more advanced players IMO. Actually visualizing the shot sure seems to help alot. It kind of clears your head and lets you focus on the only thing you should be focused on. This is great advice, Louie. Thanks again.

You're right that beginners will have trouble using visualization as an aiming method.... They just don't have the experience of what is the right way to make shots and with whatever english they are putting on the ball etc... to be able to accurately visualize, plus you still have to stroke it right even if you visualize it correctly...

When I was first teaching Chris, (9ball101) how to play I started him out using ghost ball as an aiming method and then once he got past a certain point I had him start using visualization as the main method. Then I set him off on his own and suggested some other methods to try...

I agree with and use myself almost everything that Louis and Tina stated in this thread and it works well when I can keep my concentration from lapsing or am just screwing around ( which I have almost completely stopped doing), and anyone who has the ability to use these techniques absolutely should IMO.....