Standing Behind The Shot

[Daniel Westhead 147]

Hello everyone, I was wondering about when standing behind the shot how should:
The left foot.
The right foot.
The left leg.
The right leg.
The hips.
The posture.
The bridge arm.
The cue arm.
The bridge hand.
The cue hand.
The cue.
The shoulders.
The head.
Be positioned to:
Sight the cue ball, object ball and pocket correctly.
Move into a balanced stance.
Have a vertical cue arm.
Have the cue hand cocked. (Held with the palm and little finger.)
Place the cue parallel to the bed of the snooker table.
Place the cue tip as close as possible to the cue ball without touching it.
Place the chin and chest to the cue vertically. (Nipple lower than cue.)
Keep the head still throughout the cue action.

Note: I am right handed and I am even sighted, slightly right eye dominant or right eye dominant. I think I am slightly right eye dominant overall though.

I have always had a theory about that if something is not right before the shot it will not be right during the shot and after the shot which will obviously result in a missed pot or an inaccurate positioning of the white ball and this is why I am asking this question.

Add me on MSN as well if you want to talk more about snooker: Daniel_Westhead@hotmail.co.uk

Many thanks to all Snooker Forum users from Daniel Westhead.

[thai_son22]

just look at steve davis. you aspire to be better/par with him.

[bongo]

The list you have made Daniel is just too long. What chance do you have of remembering all this? All you need to do is watch the pros and watch a coach explain it and try to incorporate that into your game. In the Bronze membership website (The Snooker Gym) there is a video on walking into the shot and pre-shot routine.
__________________
Originally posted at Http://www.thesnookergym.com/forums

[dantuck_7]

just look at steve davis. you aspire to be better/par with him.

Did you know Steve Davis has used two different stances and won world-titles with both!

[Terry Davidson]

Daniel:

It's real easy:
1. Stand behind shot with CUE ACROSS HIPS and with FINAL GRIP ALREADY ON CUE, select line of aim by looking at pocket, OB and CB. Decide on power/height/siding for position. KEEP EYES ON LINE OF AIM.
2. Place RIGHT FOOT on line of aim selected at spot where grip hand will be directly above when in address position. KEEPING EYES ON LINE OF AIM.
3. Place LEFT FOOT where comfortable with at least 15in between the heels (left foot can be even with right or even ahead of it a bit BUT NEVER BEHIND). KEEPING EYES ON LINE OF AIM
4. Looking at OB ONLY swing cue over to line of aim while forming your final bridge before hand hits table. ENSURE YOUR EYES DROP straight DOWN with no sideways movement.
5. Place hand on table with cue at address position and then do feathering or waggles, checking to see if you are lined up on CB where you want to be.
6. After feathering 2-3 times, stop cue at CB in address position, focus eyes on spot on CB you intend to hit, start slow backswing.
7. End of backswing pause (rear pause) for 1-2 seconds. Ideally eyes should shift to OB at some point in either the backswing or rear pause or start of delivery, but this is a matter of personal preference and some people leave their eyes on CB throughout delivery.

That's it

Terry
Master Coach for The Snooker Gym

[Daniel Westhead 147]

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

I just need to know how to position the feet behind the line of aim correctly now. Because sometimes when I walk onto the line of aim to move into my stance I am slightly off balance or sighting across the line of aim. How do I fix this and become consistent with a new better method?

[S Davis Fan]

Just keep practicing.

Try to look at the baulk line, then try to get into your stance, and if you can get the cue to run exactly along the baulk line, you know you have got down exactly on your line of aim. I also do this exercise in front of a mirror, where you can see if your cue is aligned before during and after the shot.

In the early years Steve used to place his right foot on the line of the shot when he walked around the table, and then just place his left foot in place as he placed his cue down on the line of the shot. I find it is difficult to get the balance right by this method. Also place a piece of tape on the floor in line with a straight pot, or the baulk line. Then get down on the shot, check how far you are off the line with the right foot, eventually through practice you will be able to place your foot in line with the shot without thinking about it. Good Luck!!

Paul

[Daniel Westhead 147]

Standing Behind The Shot

Just keep practicing.

Try to look at the baulk line, then try to get into your stance, and if you can get the cue to run exactly along the baulk line, you know you have got down exactly on your line of aim. I also do this exercise in front of a mirror, where you can see if your cue is aligned before during and after the shot.

In the early years Steve used to place his right foot on the line of the shot when he walked around the table, and then just place his left foot in place as he placed his cue down on the line of the shot. I find it is difficult to get the balance right by this method. Also place a piece of tape on the floor in line with a straight pot, or the baulk line. Then get down on the shot, check how far you are off the line with the right foot, eventually through practice you will be able to place your foot in line with the shot without thinking about it. Good Luck!!

Paul

thanks!

I will give it a try and tell you how it goes .

[Terry Davidson]

Daniel:

Getting down correctly on the shot is one of the most important things you have to do properly to ensure you are on the line of aim and also it's very simple to do.

As a beginner I think the tape on the floor mentioned by Steve Davis Fan is a very good idea. Place the tape right along the line of the shot. If you're right handed I would suggest you place a ball on the blue spot and the cueball on the baulk line near the yellow spot and then put the tape on the floor right along the line of aim.

Now take your cue and stand at least 18in behind the spot where you think you will end up when you are in the address position. I'd suggest you put your right foot on the line of aim (still 18" behind) and now lean to the right slightly so your nose is on exactly the same line as well. Keep your eyes on the object ball, in fact the spot on the object ball you want the cueball to hit.

Now you will take JUST 2 STEPS, so while keeping your eyes on the object ball place your right foot (somewhere between the back of the toes and the arch) on the tape and DIRECTLY BELOW where you think your grip hand will be when you are in the address position. Still keeping your eyes on the object ball place your left foot at least 18' to the side of the right foot and it can be anywhere from level with the right foot to maybe 6" in front of it, whatever feels most comfortable for you.

Your cue should be across your hips and you should have formed your grip already. Now, using the left bridge hand swing your cue over while forming your bridge in mid-air and drop your left hand on the table. Your eyes should remain on the object ball until you are down in the address position then you can move your eyes to the cueball to see if you're centered on the cueball. (This position is the first of 4 pauses you should have and you will be confirming your line of aim and centre-ball striking).

One other method I recommend you use is this...until you have it pat, and when you are standing 18' behind the shot (where you do your aiming by the way) place your cue behind the cueball on the line of aim with the tip no more than 1/4" from the back of the cueball. Now note where the spot is on the butt where you would normally hold your cue in the address position and place your right foot on the tape directly under that spot and then proceed as above.

This method is for practice only and once you are automatically getting that right foot planted correctly revert to the proper method of having the cue across the hips when you place the right foot. (There is one pro, I can't remember who, who uses the 'walk into the cue method' for every shot).

Also, as I think I've told you before, please go and join 'TheSnookerGym.com', the Bronze site (it's free) and then go to the Forum where every possible question you could have on technique is answered, but you have to be willing to do a little searching.

Terry

[Daniel Westhead 147]

Daniel:

Getting down correctly on the shot is one of the most important things you have to do properly to ensure you are on the line of aim and also it's very simple to do.

As a beginner I think the tape on the floor mentioned by Steve Davis Fan is a very good idea. Place the tape right along the line of the shot. If you're right handed I would suggest you place a ball on the blue spot and the cueball on the baulk line near the yellow spot and then put the tape on the floor right along the line of aim.

Now take your cue and stand at least 18in behind the spot where you think you will end up when you are in the address position. I'd suggest you put your right foot on the line of aim (still 18" behind) and now lean to the right slightly so your nose is on exactly the same line as well. Keep your eyes on the object ball, in fact the spot on the object ball you want the cueball to hit.

Now you will take JUST 2 STEPS, so while keeping your eyes on the object ball place your right foot (somewhere between the back of the toes and the arch) on the tape and DIRECTLY BELOW where you think your grip hand will be when you are in the address position. Still keeping your eyes on the object ball place your left foot at least 18' to the side of the right foot and it can be anywhere from level with the right foot to maybe 6" in front of it, whatever feels most comfortable for you.

Your cue should be across your hips and you should have formed your grip already. Now, using the left bridge hand swing your cue over while forming your bridge in mid-air and drop your left hand on the table. Your eyes should remain on the object ball until you are down in the address position then you can move your eyes to the cueball to see if you're centered on the cueball. (This position is the first of 4 pauses you should have and you will be confirming your line of aim and centre-ball striking).

One other method I recommend you use is this...until you have it pat, and when you are standing 18' behind the shot (where you do your aiming by the way) place your cue behind the cueball on the line of aim with the tip no more than 1/4" from the back of the cueball. Now note where the spot is on the butt where you would normally hold your cue in the address position and place your right foot on the tape directly under that spot and then proceed as above.

This method is for practice only and once you are automatically getting that right foot planted correctly revert to the proper method of having the cue across the hips when you place the right foot. (There is one pro, I can't remember who, who uses the 'walk into the cue method' for every shot).

Also, as I think I've told you before, please go and join 'TheSnookerGym.com', the Bronze site (it's free) and then go to the Forum where every possible question you could have on technique is answered, but you have to be willing to do a little searching.

Terry

Thanks Terry, I will give this a try as well :] :] :].