Pieces Of Eight - Tip Of The Week

Number: 61 Jim Tellier August 2012

TOPIC: Freeze!

CATEGORY: Beginner/Intermediate

INTRODUCTION:

Do you have a tendency to jump up as you finish your stroke? Or even before you finish it? Solving this problem is pretty simple: you make the process of executing the stroke take a longer time! Trust me: it wont hurt anything! J

TECHNIQUE:

1.     Try this: line up your shot; decide exactly where you want to hit the cue ball; position your tip; make your practice strokes. Finally, just before you take the shotclose your eyes, and make the shot. You will probably be surprised the first few times that you do this, and it works! J But do it for a while, shoot a few practice racks like this, and you will understand how it can help you be sure that your aim is what you think it is! This is training that automatically encourages you to stay down on the shot, because you cant see the cue ball contact the object ball! --- you have to at least wait to hear the balls click together and by that time, its OK to move your body!

2.     Stay in position until the object ball drops into the pocket: stay completely still until the ball falls in the pocket.

3.     Wait until the cue ball comes to a full stop: Try to remain perfectly still, watching the cue ball move around, then comes to a stop. THEN, its ok for you to move. Of course, if the cue ball, or other balls, are moving towards your hands on the table, you may need to get away more quickly. But in general, try to pay attention to what is moving, and be as still as possible for as long as possible.

Why is all this important?

Well, by over doing it, and practicing staying down on the shot for the longest possible time, what you are really doing is covering the minimum requirements: the fundamental objective of staying down is to ensure that your stroke and follow through are smooth, consistent and predictable. The longer you stay down, the less likely you are to introduce a problem during the stroke. Since it all really happens relatively quickly, stretching time out a little bit will work to your advantage! Give it a try!

ARRRR!!!! J