Re: Comin' Into a Shot



Ron Shepard wrote:

I think there are two kinds of "alignment" that you need in order to play consistently. One is how your head is aligned over the cue when you stroke. If your head isn't in the right place (whatever that means for you, it is different for everyone), then you can miss a shot by some large distance without really feeling like you did anything wrong (e.g. your stroke might be smooth and straight, etc.). So this part is critical, and if you get down on a shot and you know your head isn't in the right place, then I think you need to get back up, eye the shot again, and step into the shot with the right alignment to get this part right.

Then after your head is in the right place, you need to get your upper body (say, shoulders down to your hips) lined up so that you can stroke straight. The problem here is that every shot is a little different. Maybe you have to reach over an object ball in a funny way, or maybe you have to stretch a little past the center of the table for the shot, or maybe it is one of those diagonal shots where the corner of the table prevents you from putting your feet where you would really like. Here, there is some leeway about how your feet are placed, which knee(s) are bent, and so on. The important part here is that your upper body is lined up right so that you can stroke straight. For this part of the alignment process, I think it is alright to move your feet while you are down on the shot. One of the keys here (for me) is how far is my grip hand from my hip. If it is too close, then I know I'm not lined up the right way, or if it is too far away, then I know I'm not lined up right. There are probably other keys too, but that is the one that I find that I pay attention to. Other players may have other keys.

This key thing is interesting. The grip hand key you use I know i use too but in a less conscious way. It is what I meant by a bound back hand. If my grip is too far forward I have no freedom of stroke and too far back the same. I don't key off my hip though, or not consciously. I simply note during my first practice strokes that something feels wrong. My arm feels bound.

Other than that I cue off my balance. Side to side (foot width) and forward and back and how low I am. I know what is wrong usually but in some alignments, notably (for me) shooting from the left side of the table downtable into the opposite corner (so that I'm cutting 30 deg or more to the right), I have trouble feeling comfortable and often overcut if I don't stand back up.

As for your 2 alignment idea I think the head is important but if you get the body aligned correctly then the head should follow. The only problem I have with the head is the head tilting to the side sometimes. This is generally caused by sloppy body alignment though.

Ed
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