The Pre-Shot Ritual and getting down onto the line of aim

[stjimmy18-1991]

Hello everyone. I have a few questions of which to ask regarding a player assuming their address position from the standing position, as i think this could be perhaps where i myself go wrong.

When i address the cue ball for the first time, rarely do i find myself addressing what i believe is the centre. Very often i catch myself then glancing up at the cue ball and finding my cue on the line of aim.

Therefore, can someone talk me through how to assume the address position from standing properly?

My knowledge reaches as far as this:

1) Most of the aiming is done while standing up, the line is visualised while standing up and the potting angle is seen.
2) The player walks into the shot and places their straight foot on the line.
3) The player then places their other leg to form their stance and begins to drop down.
4) The tip is placed as close to the white ball as possible without touching it.
5) The bridge is placed about a hands distance away from the cue ball. Does the bridge have to SLIDE to the ball?
6) The chest is placed on the cue.
7) An address pause is achieved, where the player can check if they are on the line of aim.

Does this sound correct to any coaches? I aim to be posting some videos of myself very soon.

[stjimmy18-1991]

Here's a quick vid of me potting some easy balls. Any thoughts on how i get down to my address position? Im aware that i am digging down on the ball some times and im working on ironing that out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQVq4...1&feature=plcp

[DeanH]

5) Does the bridge have to SLIDE to the ball?

In my mind, no, the brdige does not have to SLIDE to position, just a habit by some players and not for others.
But also I would say it is not necessarily bad to do it or not to do it, personal preference.

[nrage]

Your steps are correct, there are just a few thoughts/ideas I've heard which may be useful.

One phrase/thought I've heard used when describing getting down on the shot is, I think, from Nic Barrow and it's something like the cue should come down on the line of aim like an eagle striking a rabbit. So, that implies to me that there is no sliding into position but rather than the bridge hand "lands" on the table with the cue on the line in one smooth motion.

I've had a coach show me this, and he was perhaps over-exaggerating it a bit but essentially his two arms and cue were fairly fixed and moving as one unit as they "landed" on the table vs what I can best describe as being a more organic/fluid motion. I think the idea behind this is that if you keep everything as fixed/still as possible, you're less likely to shift it slightly off line.

That said, I think Shaun Murphy and several other pro's do slide the bridge hand slightly as they come into position so, perhaps whether you slide or not is not the important factor - especially as it's in a forward/backward direction which should hopefully not cause any alignment issues, assuming you're starting on the line and only moving along it.

I think the most important thing to bear in mind is that the cue and bridge hand /must/ be on the line of aim, and the tip /must/ be in the center (or intended striking point) of the white. And, everything you do as you get down on the shot should ensure you find that line and don't move off it at any point. So, no adjusting you aim once you're down

Another thought, as you walk into the shot can you/do you keep your head still and on the line of the shot or does it sway left then right (right hander). If it moves, then placing the cue on the line is going to be harder. I believe you can keep the head on the line if you bend from the hips as you walk into the shot.

[vmax4steve]

Hello everyone. I have a few questions of which to ask regarding a player assuming their address position from the standing position, as i think this could be perhaps where i myself go wrong.

When i address the cue ball for the first time, rarely do i find myself addressing what i believe is the centre. Very often i catch myself then glancing up at the cue ball and finding my cue on the line of aim.

Therefore, can someone talk me through how to assume the address position from standing properly?

My knowledge reaches as far as this:

1) Most of the aiming is done while standing up, the line is visualised while standing up and the potting angle is seen.
2) The player walks into the shot and places their straight foot on the line.
3) The player then places their other leg to form their stance and begins to drop down.
4) The tip is placed as close to the white ball as possible without touching it.
5) The bridge is placed about a hands distance away from the cue ball. Does the bridge have to SLIDE to the ball?
6) The chest is placed on the cue.
7) An address pause is achieved, where the player can check if they are on the line of aim.

Does this sound correct to any coaches? I aim to be posting some videos of myself very soon.

You haven't mentioned once just what you are looking at when going through this ritual. What you are looking at is the most important thing when addressing the shot for that is what dictates the line of aim of the cue.
If you have ever wondered just why the pro players pick up little bits of fluff from the table prior to getting down on the shot it's for this very reason. Anything that attracts the eye off the line of aim when getting down on the shot will result in the line of aim being wrong. The line of aim is from the cue ball to the point of contact on the object ball and one judges this subconsciously while walking around the table, eyes flicking from cue ball to object ball until one is standing right behind the shot.
Some players just get right down as they subconsciously know they are on the correct line of aim, others then have to consciously ritualise this aiming process and get down on the shot to an exact pattern where they consciously place their feet in a certain place, look at the cue ball and object ball at certain moments.
But what all seriously good players do is focus on the point of contact on the object ball when getting down on the shot. Some do it without looking at the cue ball until they are down on the shot, some do it while flicking their eyes from cue ball to point of contact on the way down.
What you have to do if you are an inconsistant player is to find out through ritual just what it is you do when you are playing well and consciously repeat that ritual until it becomes habit. This may be the one reason why you are inconsistant, it may be one of many reasons but getting the cue on the correct line of aim is for certain the most important thing in snooker.
The next most important thing is keeping it there.

[stjimmy18-1991]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I've noticed that i do most of my aiming with my straight foot, rather than with my eyes. I know the potting angles and line of aim; i can instantly tell if the cue ball is on its intended path the second after i've hit it, and if i have missed the ball thick or thin etc. But the trouble is hitting the angle i'm aiming at!

Back to the pre-shot. I'm not sure if i am walking on the line with my nose. I've heard of this before, but i find it hard to understand when the straight leg has to go on the line.

[DeanH]

Back to the pre-shot. I'm not sure if i am walking on the line with my nose. I've heard of this before, but i find it hard to understand when the straight leg has to go on the line.

Not heard of "walk on the line with the nose" but several coaches on TSF and elsewhere (to me) have said, get the first (straight) leg on the line of the shot, then walk into the shot (first leg down, second leg out to usual position) then the HEAD drops down in line of the shot. So head/nose is already on the line of the shot as you go down to the delivery position.

[nrage]

Not heard of "walk on the line with the nose" but several coaches on TSF and elsewhere (to me) have said, get the first (straight) leg on the line of the shot, then walk into the shot (first leg down, second leg out to usual position) then the HEAD drops down in line of the shot. So head/nose is already on the line of the shot as you go down to the delivery position.

Terry has mentioned this a couple of times IIRC. As you walk in you need to lean a little to the right (right-hander) to keep the head(nose) on the line of aim while you place the back/right foot. Then as you place the left/front foot you need to push the hips to the left - again to keep the head(nose) on the line of aim, and by this point you should be able to drop the head(nose) straight down on the line.

I think I recall seeing footage of Hendry walking into the shot, perhaps on the Terry Griffiths snookerlab website, from front on showing how little side-to-side movement his head had as he walks in and goes down on the shot. IIRC there are also some vertical lines showing how compact his walk in is, in a side-to-side direction .. as in, he does not move very far left-right as he walks in.

[stjimmy18-1991]

Thanks again guys. I found the video you are referring to nrage and it was very useful! I'm not sure i quite align properly and seeing hendry like that was very interesting. I'm gonna study it and see if i can take some points and add them to my game, its gonna be hard though as i'm working on a few other things at the moment. I've changed my grip and im working on uncocking the hand more on the backswing, as well as looking more at the object ball as i get down. Hard to say if it's working well yet, but i did have 30,30 and 27 in the same frame today, not great i know, but something to build on.

[stjimmy18-1991]

Just thought i'd share this video with everyone. It's a vid of me getting down on my dinner table and doing my cue action. What are people's thoughts on my grip? I've watched the video in slow-mo and i think the backfingers are closing a little too early in the delivery for my taste, which could potentially put some pressure on the cue and twist it. What does everyone think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS3Jn...ature=youtu.be

[nrage]

Nic just posted a "strike analysis" video which is interesting, but it reminded me of this one of his earlier videos on walking into the shot:
http://www.dartfish.tv/Presenter.asp...FtOTEzMzA4AAAA

[stjimmy18-1991]

Thanks for that link nrage. Very helpful. I've been working on walking into the shot with my eyes on the line of aim, something i didnt do before these videos. I used to essentially aim with my left foot (im left handed). Obviously i can't expect to suddenly improve 50 points but i still think im doing something wrong. I struggle to keep the cue on the line of aim as i am getting down, i still often find myself having to correct the tip position once i am down to centre ball. I can imagine by doing this i am moving the cue across the line of aim.

[nrage]

Thanks for that link nrage. Very helpful. I've been working on walking into the shot with my eyes on the line of aim, something i didnt do before these videos. I used to essentially aim with my left foot (im left handed). Obviously i can't expect to suddenly improve 50 points but i still think im doing something wrong. I struggle to keep the cue on the line of aim as i am getting down, i still often find myself having to correct the tip position once i am down to centre ball. I can imagine by doing this i am moving the cue across the line of aim.

It does take practice to be able to focus the eyes on the line of aim or back of ball spot and still manage to drop the bridge hand into the correct place on the table. Keep with it, and eventually it will become 2nd nature. I think you can allow yourself to flick your eyes down then back up naturally during the process of the walk in, I seem to and I think it's how I manage to get my hand in the right place more consistently now. I still find the odd occasion where I am not on the line and I have to get back up and try again.