Pro Pool Workout #4
In
the last issue, we defined the standing
address as that section of the shot process that begins when you commit
yourself to a specific shot and ends when you are fully down on that shot.
I used this part of the shot process to demonstrate the principle of simplicity,
and in particular, simplicity of number.
To remind you, simplicity of number refers to how many separate parts, or movements, make up the whole. In our examination of the standing address, we looked at the number of foot movements a player uses to position his body on the shot.
Most professionals anchor to the shot line with their trailing foot and take one small step forward and then drop directly down. There is a small range of variance, but essentially, if you are taking more than a couple of foot movements, you are not conforming with the principle of simplicity. You are putting more movements into the action than are required, and therefore, you have more places for the activity to break down. Subsequently, you will undermine the consistency of your performance.
There are several reasons why people add excess movements to the act of getting down. Some players have been taught an incorrect routine. Others simply don’t know what to do first, and others have concentrated on one step of the process too deeply and knocked the whole thing out of kilter. In all these cases, the underlying cause is a flaw of sequence.
I am a good example of the first situation. A few years ago I followed the advice of a well known player on how to address the shot. He suggested I face the shot line squarely, as if the line was projecting straight out from my navel and through the cue ball and on to the object ball. I was to visualize the shot while holding my cue at port arms. Once I decided to get down on the shot I had to pivot my hips to take the proper angle to the shot line, step forward, bend at the waist, and then place the cue stick right on the shot line.
I trained extensively to do all this, and it helped my game a lot.
Looking back now I can see that just having a trained routine was a great
boost. But I have come to believe
that this routine has one great flaw in sequence.
There is a step in it that doesn’t need to be there, and I have spent a
great deal of time and effort training it out of my routine
If you look from the perspective of simplicity of sequence, you will find it. Why bother to face the shot squarely to visualize it, and then have to pivot to the proper angle before getting down? Why subject your visualized image to this unnecessary delay?
It is powerful to stand, address, and visualize every shot from exactly the same place, but this is the wrong place. Why not come to the shot line already at the proper angle and train yourself to see the shot from the same place relative to the cue ball. Then you can visualize the shot and come directly down on it. Much better.
Here’s another example. A well known professional has been competing at the national level for about fifteen years, but has never made it to the quarter finals of a major event. I was watching him one day and made a startling observation. Although his shot routine was obviously honed by thousands of hours of unrelenting practice, he had a flaw of sequence.
Once you stand on line and visualize the shot, it is natural to lead the movement downward with your cue stick. First you see the line, then you move your cue stick down and your head and body follow. Ray Martin told me several years ago that it was just like finding your mouth with a fork. It’s natural.
What this professional was doing was to bring his head down the line, almost fully into shooting position and then slide the cue stick in from the side. It was fascinating to watch, but I could see why he could never beat Strictland, Varner, or Reyes. He was out of sequence.
Well, pool players, I’m out of writing space. See ya next issue. Good luck and good shootin’!