Great question! I taught a friend of mine how to draw and he had the same question. The cool thing is, I recorded it. Check out this video - ua-cam.com/users/shortsBtt-NVobEjM?si=YnbEb3rmmweEf4MZ
About the moving and jumping up on the shot. I was once told to shoot with my ears! What he meant was do the shot and wait until you hear the object ball fall before you move. "Sounds" kind of odd but it will keep you down on the shot!
While this technique 'sounds' like it could help, there are a significant amount of shots that a dropped ball isn't the desired outcome...~~Just me, RD
I was taught somewhere along my hustling and getting hustled journey of pool, to stay down till you see the ball go in the pocket. When I’ve made tough shots it really works often! I was battling an experienced one pocket player this week and made a straight back bank on my pocket left handed! I’m naturally right, but not staying down is the main flaw I see with players.
From someone who's been playing pool about 40 years, this is some excellent advice. Just getting back in to pool, I've noticed myself doing most of these things. Thanks for your effort.
Another way to practice your follow-through is to put a piece of tape or a rubber band on your shaft where your bridge hand should normally end up. On every shot, you should strive to reach that mark. One thing to note, the more practice one gets, the more comfortable on the table one becomes and the easier good habits come.
Great video and all valid points. To review - stable bridge, still body and head, follow thru stroke. So here's the thing - you can't think about all of those while you're shooting and still make a shot. Too much clutter in the mind. Here's a better approach. Focus on what TO do rather than what NOT to do. Imagine your cue is hanging on a long thin fragile wire that's stretched across the room. The wire runs thru the center of your tip and thru the cue and out the center of the rubber bumper. Make it a rule while you're shooting and immediately after your shot that the cue must not damage that fragile wire by moving off line. After that the only other thing is the follow thru. For that you imagine a spot past the cue ball where the cue will come to rest after the shot. So when you shoot you intend to literally toss the cue down the wire and the tip into a space that is beyond the cue ball. You need to visualize where the cue will finish and your stroke should be nothing more than going from point A to point B. How hard you toss is how hard you shoot. But your motion needs to be simple and pure. So if you focus on keeping your cue on line and finishing online and focus on throwing the cue tip to the point past the ball - all those other things like not moving and having a stable bridge automatically happen because you're focused on doing one thing as opposed to not doing three things. Add a loose grip to the mix and watch the magic happen. Resignation is also a big part of this mindset. Don't anticipate the hit and don't anticipate the object ball going into a pocket. You have to resign yourself to whatever happens after your stroke. After you stroke you need to become a spectator and just pay careful attention to what happens. But this is how you're supposed to cue a ball every time you shoot and for every type of shot.
Thanks Josh, appreciate the tips. I have noticed all 3 but didn't think they contributed as much as you pointed out. Thank you so much, I will be working on correcting these
I tell players that I help to stay down until they either make or miss the shot. Goes for safeties as well you either make the safety or you miss it. If you have ever shot a rifle or pistol you stay absolutely still during the shot. Your forearm is the trigger finger so just focus on the contact point and a smooth transition. Your game is getting stronger as well! Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Josh. These are simple mistakes I make. Your tips will make my game today unbeatable! 😁 Saying "stay still" to myself will help a lot. 😁 😁 I would really appreciate many more tips like this. 😁 😁 😁
Very good post Josh! Coming back to basic fundamentals seems to be necessary at all levels as we progress. I asked a friend ( fargo 709 ) if he could give me one tip that might help my game. ( I'm fargo 540 ). He said make sure the bridge hand is solid. Press down on the table and stabilize the bridge. A pro in Vegas told me to follow through. ( I thought I was? ). I asked what's one thing pros do that amateurs don't. He said pros use the rails extensively. Sometimes 4 rails around to get the best shape.
It's like playing Whack-A-Mole at Chuck E Cheese when a room full of players keeps popping up as they shoot. Just hilarious sometimes. BUT we all started out with tons of bad habits! My habit is to stay down until all the balls on the table stop moving and the tip of my cue at the end of my stroke just touching the cloth. Its taken years and I still mess up. I work with several players on thier stroke and this video will be shared with them. Thanks for another great video Josh! See you in Orlando!
Another great way to learn to stay down after your shot is to practice hitting the cue ball spot to spot and have it come back and hit your cue tip. Be sure to watch the cue ball as it goes down the table and comes back.
I can see your a good shooter. You have these three correct, because I am still making these same mistakes, after 50 years of playing Billards. Keep up the good teachings. Sam
@@samuelpoleson thanks, Sam! Also, just because I know these doesn't mean I always apply them. I'm an amature and still learning and honing my skills also! I appreciate you watching!
Another thing you can do in practice to help you get used to staying down on the shot is to have someone stand behind you and hold a cue butt an inch or so above your head while you are down on the shot so that if you jump up on it, you whack your head against the cue butt. Then when you get used to staying down you no longer need this method, especially as you cannot really use it anytime other than in practice. You can also when down on the shot say the word 'back' to yourself in your head when on the back part of your final backswing and then say the word 'hit' as you make contact with the cue ball, which can help you stay focussed on timing the cue making contact with the cue ball and can help you stay down.
@@veronicahawthorne3452 I cannot claim it as my own idea and it is from an author called W. Timothy Gallwey/Timothy Gallwey who wrote a series of books called The Inner Game of ___________. One was called The Inner Game of Tennis where the method used was 'bounce' and then 'hit' for whenever the opponent returned the tennis ball and you would say the word 'bounce' if the ball landed on the court on your side of the net and say 'hit' when you made contact when returning it. The idea being not to fill your head with several technical thoughts, as well as to be looking at the ball as it contacts your racket strings, rather than looking away to see where the ball would be heading before you had even hit it and risked making a bad contact. The Inner Game of Golf was another, where you used saying the 'back' and 'hit' method at the end of your backswing and when the club head makes contact with the golf ball, so as again not to fill your head with several technical thoughts and to also be looking down at the ball to say 'hit' at the point of contact, meaning that you are not prematurely raising your head on the shot to see the flight of your ball. I just thought the back/hit method could possibly work for cue sports too.
Another tip on staying down is to count to 3 after your shot. Actually watch the ball drop before moving. Helps with getting to know the table as well.
Hey Josh, I rarely comment and if I do I'm usually pretty snotty. But you nailed it. I went out and did the palm press and the robot arm and I noticed a difference right away. Thanks for the tip and good luck with your channel.
Great video I do all three Being from Taylor Michigan and growing up with a pool table but no instructions Joined a league and my pool journey has begun!
Really nicely explained. As an amateur, I tend to do all of these things. I’ve never heard of flat palming before and I’ve watched TONS of tutorials before. Subscribed! Thanks, brutha. 🫡
Great advice to straighten your back leg to avoid "popping up" during your stroke. It most certainly is difficult to continue this bad habit when you take the "spring" in your knees out of the equation.
3 Great tips Josh. Thanks. When I find that I am lifting my head, for the next few shots I close my eyes immediately after I strike the cue ball, which seems to solve the problem for me.
This is a great starting point for starting to teach newer players man. I harp on these 3 exact things to my guys all the time!!!! Very cool to put it all together in a slick video. And props for showing the $hitty follow through when you were demonstrating a bridge, then coming back to show it when talking about follow-through!!!! 💯💯💯💯
i see a lot of players that are decent but have the flaw where they will aim center ball for every shot and then dip as they stroke to get draw, or drop their elbow/shoulder to add top. While it may work sometimes, it is definitely not reliable. They always complain that they didnt get any draw and only got a stop shot when trying to draw for position. it's hard to get them to believe their flaw in a lot of these cases, I'm going to have to start slow-mo recording their stroke to show them i guess... lol.. also, a lot of people just bridge too far away from the cue ball and wonder why their accuracy is inconsistent. It's like a good golf swing, really. Just repeat the same motions every time and youll be a good player! One thing you can do to help the movement issue is to just learn to not move after your stroke until the cue ball stops or the ball is pocketed, of course making sure to get out of the way if a ball is coming at you lol... Keep up the good content sir!
My favorite bridge hand ever is Corey Deuel's when he makes a closed bridge, but he floats his palm and is entirely on his fingertips haha, I guess with insane talent and practice hours you can make it work.
@@Amateur_Pool you have to wonder how much better he could be with textbook technique from day 1; also his fingers bend like crazy so he's got more surface area on the table than typical people.
#2 & #3 are big for me. I've improved a lot... But my fundamentals can kill me from time to time. I'm too inconsistent. One day... I can't run balls together... Bad fundamentals.The next day... I beat a 652 6-5 in 8 ball with great fundamentals. So I agree with this. Those are big! I agree.
What about Efron. The GOAT. I have noticed his extreme body movements after a lot of his shots. He even is up and leaning towards where he wants the ball to go. ??
Great tips, been doing them for years. I think it is because I started with snooker and not pool that is why I never got into these bad habits you pointing out. Next time, either cue or stick and not cue stick, it's like saying stick stick, just a joke..😂
Great video! New subbie! I see so many people make these mistakes. I even pop up from time to time if I’m unsure or uncomfortable with a shot, especially a hard, long shot. Otherwise I stay down until the ball reaches the pocket.
going to sound stupid, but in practice, try closing your eyes just before stroking. it's very easy to stay down (not pop up) and stroke through the ball while your eyes are closed. repeat that over and over and your body will relax more during the stroke until it becomes muscle memory. feels real good to close em on your final back stroke, stay down and listen until the object ball falls in the pocket before you open your eyes then stand up.
doesn't sound stupid at all! Closing your eyes tricks your brain into not knowing when you will hit the cue ball, thus eliminating the "clench up." I've actually showed this in a shorts reels before. It's also how I show newer players to get draw on the cue ball. Great stuff!
Oddly enough when i shoot closed bridge I much prefer from the finger tips. Have no Idea why. I twist my wrist down which steadies my bridge. When i shoot open bridge which is most of the time I have as much of my palm on that table. I like the closed bridge because it exxagerates the english I'm trying to use. It doesn't cause me to miss. I was going to miss anyway. My biggest flaw in stroking is sometimes i will accidentally twist my cue hand which messes everything up.
Yes... That's partly why I stated "I struggle with this one as well." If you notice, I used that same shot as an example of poor follow through, in the next segment. Thanks for watching!
A question Josh , if you have your bridge hand flat on the table how do you put top spin on the cue Ball????? Tip is low Angle is downward !!!!! Please explain
average pool players at bars fully grip the buttend of the cue,i cradle the buttend with my first 2 fingers with limp wrist,the only time you fully grip the buttend when you break
I knew a player who only bridged half of the time, he would hold the stick and lay it on the rail and stroke and hit the cue ball…He would bridge if the cue ball was close to the rail or in front of a ball…He could run a table ten games of eight ball
I always used a closed loop finger tip bridge for following. Never really noticed bridge movement. Just become a habit. I’ll have to give the other way a shot to see how it is.
if you can stabilize it, great! There's just too much room for movement, in my opinion, when you're on your fingertips. Especially when you shoot with speed.
@@Amateur_Pool yeah going to go practice today. Fall leagues are coming up. See how I do with hand on table follow shot. Because that’s only what I noticed when I use it. Finger tips for following
I found the perfect solution. I had Little Timmy stand behind me with a rolled-up newspaper. When he spotted me doing any of these 3 things, he hit me in the back of the head with the newspaper. Not surprisingly, after the 3rd incident, I no longer had a desire to do those things.
That depends on what is preventing you from running out. If you're missing shots, you want to practice shot making (stroke) drills (like this one ua-cam.com/users/shortsan-Z7mPzi14?feature=share ). If you're having trouble shaping, run cue ball control drills (like this one ua-cam.com/users/shorts560jyILyCxM?feature=share ). If it's pattern play that's messing you up, throw up 5-6 balls and think about the pattern before you start running out. I also have several "pattern play" videos on my channel that can help you get into the right mindset of thinking about your patterns. Good luck!
The palm flat isn't necessary for a good controlled hit. Idc what anyone says. I can hit 9ft table length straight in shots and I don't think I ever play with a completely flat palm. Maybe I do and I don't realize it. I'm not around my cue or table right now to test it.
I am an 82 year old man who hasn’t played pool in about 50 years. I recently started playing and have difficulty with long shots and shots with the object ball frozen on the rail. One major problem is that I have a tremor which makes my cue hand shake. I use a closed bridge so that hand is stable. I can’t shoot over a ball due to my shaking. If I drink two or three beers the tremor is significantly reduced but the beer has other disadvantages. Any suggestions? My expectations are reasonable in that I will never attain an APA rating. I liked your video and I have done the three no-nos you mentioned.
Hello, perhaps these thoughts can help you as they have me. weight added to the wrist can significantly reduce the effect of tremors on stroke, think large wrist watch or large link worlds best grandpop, or in my case dad, bracelet - so players in the handicaps divisions wear actual exercise weights to calm tremors to except able levels. Good luck, play strong
@@gtm131 Thank you. I have added weight to my Quebec cue which seems to help some. Can you suggest any drills that will help develop a straight stroke and help pocket balls in 8 ball?
I appreciate you reaching out and love the fact that you're looking to play the best game that you can! I myself have a muscle disorder (myotonia congenita) that makes my muscles stiff, and sometimes in a weakened state. That actually has a similar effect. I have slight tremors when I first get down to shoot a shot. In my case, after a stroke or 2, my muscles relax and the tremors go away. I don't really have any good ideas for fixing this, but both of the people who replied have good ideas that I think could help (arm weights as well as smoking some weed, or taking an edible). I wish you all the best and appreciate you watching my videos! Best of luck to you, good sir!
Read ..... Zen Pool.$ 20.00 dollar cheap for the GREAT information easy to read . You could pick the book up start reading anywhere in the book jump around. The book talks about how to use your mind. To win. It works. It also says the same as Josh. As Josh is 100% correct Its by Max Eberle get the green copy
@tommyvercetti3260 likely, it's some minor flaws in your stroke that are creating inconsistencies. That's just a guess, though (no way to know without paying with you some)
my current fargo is 540ish i think. I was established back on 2017/18 when I played BCA. Haven't played many fargo related events since then (except an occasional tournament. Not sure how accurate it is
"Shakey Bridge"... Hahahahahaaha... My air bridge is not shakey, so my fixed bridge certainly isn't. My air bridge has to be firm in the air... I am the first airbender. So, the "don't pop up on your shot" thing is something that was told to you that you now tout as fact. Some people do not shoot with their head way down on the stick. Some people shoot over the table and examine both the cue ball and the object ball and the contact points between both... And then the spin and offsets get calculated in and then the shoot is executed... in my case. I know how to shoot down low on the stick, but have advanced past that. In the earlier years of folks doing jump shots the recommendation was to jab at the ball holding the stick like you were throwing a dart. Many folks now do not do that, but stroke at the ball full hand. They *also* use the jab style, but things have evolved. I would bet that I can shoot and "jerk up" or whatever you want to call it on every shot. My brain makes shots, not some discipline. Americans are the last dopes to be talking about table and shot approach and finish etiquette. So to see my "Air Bridge" Click my name and have a look at my bank shot videos and misses. I had to "jump up" to catch the cue ball that was about to hit me because I shot a little firmly... But I finished it firmly too, so firmness was not the culprit. My lofted cue ball that was floating and had top spin just as it hit the end rail caused it to book a Lear Jet for the trip back. That one was "1127 Fancy Six Tries". ua-cam.com/video/s4ceaURsVmk/v-deo.html
I do pretty well "upright" (like Fats) it gives a good perspective for a lot of shots.... People are different, styles and technics vary.... So many people say you should do it "this way" or "that way".... If you have a good understanding of the game and the physics involved, your brain will figure what is "best" and most beneficial for you to do.... (a solid bridge is a given)
@@2869may A solid bridge is meaningless without a co-linear stroke. Any non-co-linear action gets translated at the tip, which is why long bridge shots fail more often. The error is magnified by the bridge length. A slight variation in stroke linearity translates to the end of the stick more on a long bridge than a short bridge. So a good "fixed bridge" only works when coupled with a straight stroke. Click my name to see shots made with no fixed bridge at all.
@@rdskew even practicing bad habits will make you better than people who have perfect fundamentals that don’t practice. I can break and run 3-5 racks with what most people have said aren’t perfect fundamentals.
Your final statements where you declare that you "are only an amature myself, certainly not a pro, and certainly not a teacher" ..... Followed by your statement that "the fact you are even watching my video is abdilutely crazy" are really the only worthwhile things you've added to pool instruction in America. Just a waste of 10 minutes.
@davidwright2454 lol... you really hurt my feelings there 😂.. also, you only wasted 6:48 minutes, not 10.. also, I have no idea what abdilutely means.. thanks for watching!
Hey Josh I agree with you on the follow through with your stick but can cause the cue ball to comeback and hit your cue resulting in a foul hit?
Great question! I taught a friend of mine how to draw and he had the same question. The cool thing is, I recorded it. Check out this video - ua-cam.com/users/shortsBtt-NVobEjM?si=YnbEb3rmmweEf4MZ
About the moving and jumping up on the shot. I was once told to shoot with my ears! What he meant was do the shot and wait until you hear the object ball fall before you move. "Sounds" kind of odd but it will keep you down on the shot!
While this technique 'sounds' like it could help, there are a significant amount of shots that a dropped ball isn't the desired outcome...~~Just me, RD
"sounds" like pretty okay advice (i see what you did there)! LOL... good stuff, Dave!
I was taught somewhere along my hustling and getting hustled journey of pool, to stay down till you see the ball go in the pocket. When I’ve made tough shots it really works often! I was battling an experienced one pocket player this week and made a straight back bank on my pocket left handed! I’m naturally right, but not staying down is the main flaw I see with players.
@@joshmiller8192 100%... that and bridge!
I watch every shot go to the pocket when I can. I can see where my shots go down to the centimeter. It really helps
From someone who's been playing pool about 40 years, this is some excellent advice. Just getting back in to pool, I've noticed myself doing most of these things. Thanks for your effort.
Good job👍
Thank you! So glad that you're getting back into the game
Another way to practice your follow-through is to put a piece of tape or a rubber band on your shaft where your bridge hand should normally end up. On every shot, you should strive to reach that mark. One thing to note, the more practice one gets, the more comfortable on the table one becomes and the easier good habits come.
That's a great tip! I've never heard that one before but I love it I'm going to use your tip and make a short/reel about it! This is a good one!
100 ball runner here... You are spot on with your advice .Great job. Impressive.
@@robertdenson3375 100 ball run is impressive! Great job. Thanks for the support!
Great video and all valid points. To review - stable bridge, still body and head, follow thru stroke. So here's the thing - you can't think about all of those while you're shooting and still make a shot. Too much clutter in the mind. Here's a better approach. Focus on what TO do rather than what NOT to do. Imagine your cue is hanging on a long thin fragile wire that's stretched across the room. The wire runs thru the center of your tip and thru the cue and out the center of the rubber bumper. Make it a rule while you're shooting and immediately after your shot that the cue must not damage that fragile wire by moving off line. After that the only other thing is the follow thru. For that you imagine a spot past the cue ball where the cue will come to rest after the shot. So when you shoot you intend to literally toss the cue down the wire and the tip into a space that is beyond the cue ball. You need to visualize where the cue will finish and your stroke should be nothing more than going from point A to point B. How hard you toss is how hard you shoot. But your motion needs to be simple and pure. So if you focus on keeping your cue on line and finishing online and focus on throwing the cue tip to the point past the ball - all those other things like not moving and having a stable bridge automatically happen because you're focused on doing one thing as opposed to not doing three things. Add a loose grip to the mix and watch the magic happen. Resignation is also a big part of this mindset. Don't anticipate the hit and don't anticipate the object ball going into a pocket. You have to resign yourself to whatever happens after your stroke. After you stroke you need to become a spectator and just pay careful attention to what happens. But this is how you're supposed to cue a ball every time you shoot and for every type of shot.
Very well documented. Learnt the 3 big mistakes every one makes . Presenter is very good in simplifying which makes it easier to understand 👍👍👍
Thank you!
Thanks Josh, appreciate the tips. I have noticed all 3 but didn't think they contributed as much as you pointed out. Thank you so much, I will be working on correcting these
I tell players that I help to stay down until they either make or miss the shot. Goes for safeties as well you either make the safety or you miss it. If you have ever shot a rifle or pistol you stay absolutely still during the shot. Your forearm is the trigger finger so just focus on the contact point and a smooth transition. Your game is getting stronger as well! Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
Thanks, Josh. These are simple mistakes I make. Your tips will make my game today unbeatable! 😁 Saying "stay still" to myself will help a lot. 😁 😁 I would really appreciate many more tips like this. 😁 😁 😁
You got it, my man! I'll try to put out more videos like this in the future
Yes the follow through working on mine also.....I have all 3 problems but getting better thanks to watching your videos
@terellwalker2352 thanks, Terell!
5:40 Yep. I try to launch the cue at the object ball. This takes care of the follow through and the anticipated cueball contact.
That works for me also!
Very good post Josh! Coming back to basic fundamentals seems to be necessary at all levels as we progress. I asked a friend ( fargo 709 ) if he could give me one tip that might help my game. ( I'm fargo 540 ). He said make sure the bridge hand is solid. Press down on the table and stabilize the bridge. A pro in Vegas told me to follow through. ( I thought I was? ). I asked what's one thing pros do that amateurs don't. He said pros use the rails extensively. Sometimes 4 rails around to get the best shape.
good stuff Tom! I'm just spreading what works for me, and what i've learned. It's nice to hear that pros have told you the same thing!
It's like playing Whack-A-Mole at Chuck E Cheese when a room full of players keeps popping up as they shoot. Just hilarious sometimes. BUT we all started out with tons of bad habits! My habit is to stay down until all the balls on the table stop moving and the tip of my cue at the end of my stroke just touching the cloth. Its taken years and I still mess up. I work with several players on thier stroke and this video will be shared with them. Thanks for another great video Josh! See you in Orlando!
Great stuff (staying down until the balls stop rolling). I appreciate you sharing the video (and watching it yourself as well)! Thank you!
Another great way to learn to stay down after your shot is to practice hitting the cue ball spot to spot and have it come back and hit your cue tip. Be sure to watch the cue ball as it goes down the table and comes back.
thankyou!! josh sir you are fantastic! im 59 yrs old and always learning something new about pool ok take care. owens.
@owensdaniels6244 thank you, Owens! You're the man!
I can see your a good shooter. You have these three correct, because I am still making these same mistakes, after 50 years of playing Billards. Keep up the good teachings. Sam
@@samuelpoleson thanks, Sam! Also, just because I know these doesn't mean I always apply them. I'm an amature and still learning and honing my skills also! I appreciate you watching!
Another thing you can do in practice to help you get used to staying down on the shot is to have someone stand behind you and hold a cue butt an inch or so above your head while you are down on the shot so that if you jump up on it, you whack your head against the cue butt. Then when you get used to staying down you no longer need this method, especially as you cannot really use it anytime other than in practice.
You can also when down on the shot say the word 'back' to yourself in your head when on the back part of your final backswing and then say the word 'hit' as you make contact with the cue ball, which can help you stay focussed on timing the cue making contact with the cue ball and can help you stay down.
I’m loving the “back, hit” method! 👍
@@veronicahawthorne3452 I cannot claim it as my own idea and it is from an author called W. Timothy Gallwey/Timothy Gallwey who wrote a series of books called The Inner Game of ___________.
One was called The Inner Game of Tennis where the method used was 'bounce' and then 'hit' for whenever the opponent returned the tennis ball and you would say the word 'bounce' if the ball landed on the court on your side of the net and say 'hit' when you made contact when returning it. The idea being not to fill your head with several technical thoughts, as well as to be looking at the ball as it contacts your racket strings, rather than looking away to see where the ball would be heading before you had even hit it and risked making a bad contact.
The Inner Game of Golf was another, where you used saying the 'back' and 'hit' method at the end of your backswing and when the club head makes contact with the golf ball, so as again not to fill your head with several technical thoughts and to also be looking down at the ball to say 'hit' at the point of contact, meaning that you are not prematurely raising your head on the shot to see the flight of your ball.
I just thought the back/hit method could possibly work for cue sports too.
Great tip. Getting hot on the head would make you stay down, for sure!
Another tip on staying down is to count to 3 after your shot. Actually watch the ball drop before moving. Helps with getting to know the table as well.
That's a great tip!
Hey Josh, I rarely comment and if I do I'm usually pretty snotty.
But you nailed it. I went out and did the palm press and the robot arm and I noticed a difference right away.
Thanks for the tip and good luck with your channel.
Thank you bro! I'm glad it helped you.
Great video
I do all three
Being from Taylor Michigan and growing up with a pool table but no instructions
Joined a league and my pool journey has begun!
@edwardwallace1633 thanks, Ed! Good luck in league.. maybe we'll run into each other. I play down river every now and then
I just now realized when i use a closed bridge i am sometimes on the fingertips.
Keep em coming
Really nicely explained. As an amateur, I tend to do all of these things. I’ve never heard of flat palming before and I’ve watched TONS of tutorials before. Subscribed! Thanks, brutha. 🫡
@@thegodofpez thanks for the sub! I appreciate it!
Great advice to straighten your back leg to avoid "popping up" during your stroke. It most certainly is difficult to continue this bad habit when you take the "spring" in your knees out of the equation.
3 Great tips Josh. Thanks. When I find that I am lifting my head, for the next few shots I close my eyes immediately after I strike the cue ball, which seems to solve the problem for me.
i write on my bridge hand "stay down" between my thumb & forefinger in red - Great video Josh!!
What a great idea!
@@Amateur_Pool thank you! i am in my 2nd year of the APA and i struggle!! :)
This is a great starting point for starting to teach newer players man. I harp on these 3 exact things to my guys all the time!!!!
Very cool to put it all together in a slick video. And props for showing the $hitty follow through when you were demonstrating a bridge, then coming back to show it when talking about follow-through!!!! 💯💯💯💯
You noticed that too. I was going to call him out on it, but he covered it on the 2nd tip, 😂👍
@drewvonporte i'd like to say it was on purpose, but it wasn't. I did notice it though, which is why I used it for the second example!
@@drewvonporte btw, I'm holding editing lessons for 10 million an hour... sign up please, lol
@@Amateur_Pool that wasn’t on purpose?? Even better of you to use it as an example 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼
Wow that’s cheap! Where do I sign?? 🫠
@@drewvonporte lol... 🤣😂
Well, you made it so simply easily to understand thank you.
My Pleasure! Thank you for watching
Spot on….. I can add a couple of more…. That would be rushing your shot…. And not walking around the table completely before deciding what to shoot…..
@danathomas7870 both are good ones! See them all the time.
Nice tips and after watching this video I showed it to one of my teammates and he went from a SL3 to a SL5 in APA just on the bridge tip alone
@@willshire316 🙌
Thanks for sharing what works for you.
For sure! Thanks for watching it!
i see a lot of players that are decent but have the flaw where they will aim center ball for every shot and then dip as they stroke to get draw, or drop their elbow/shoulder to add top. While it may work sometimes, it is definitely not reliable. They always complain that they didnt get any draw and only got a stop shot when trying to draw for position. it's hard to get them to believe their flaw in a lot of these cases, I'm going to have to start slow-mo recording their stroke to show them i guess... lol.. also, a lot of people just bridge too far away from the cue ball and wonder why their accuracy is inconsistent. It's like a good golf swing, really. Just repeat the same motions every time and youll be a good player! One thing you can do to help the movement issue is to just learn to not move after your stroke until the cue ball stops or the ball is pocketed, of course making sure to get out of the way if a ball is coming at you lol...
Keep up the good content sir!
Thanks, Rae! Good stuff
Having a smooth straight stroke is very important :) Solid fundamental is a key to playing high level pocket billiards
@@josephnewcomb5670 100%
@Amateur_Pool A Family friend of mine taught Me all this when I first started playing @13 :) he was Texas 9 Ball Champion in his younger years
This is great advice. I catch myself popping up sometimes.
me 2!
My favorite bridge hand ever is Corey Deuel's when he makes a closed bridge, but he floats his palm and is entirely on his fingertips haha, I guess with insane talent and practice hours you can make it work.
@@benfgreatestever8915 when you have his talent, I guess it doesn't matter
@@Amateur_Pool you have to wonder how much better he could be with textbook technique from day 1; also his fingers bend like crazy so he's got more surface area on the table than typical people.
Good advice! I would like to see more videos like this one Learned a lot from video Short and simple
I could contribute 90% of every miss to one of those. And you usually realize right after you shoot.
truth !
#2 & #3 are big for me. I've improved a lot... But my fundamentals can kill me from time to time. I'm too inconsistent. One day... I can't run balls together... Bad fundamentals.The next day... I beat a 652 6-5 in 8 ball with great fundamentals. So I agree with this. Those are big! I agree.
What about Efron. The GOAT. I have noticed his extreme body movements after a lot of his shots. He even is up and leaning towards where he wants the ball to go. ??
@harveygabel2868 same with SVB.. his stroke is completely unconventional. I guess when you have that kind of talent you don't need to be technical
Great tips, been doing them for years. I think it is because I started with snooker and not pool that is why I never got into these bad habits you pointing out.
Next time, either cue or stick and not cue stick, it's like saying stick stick, just a joke..😂
LOL - you cheeky mo fo! :) Thanks for watching!
I think even more important than the follow through is the rhythm, slow fast slow focus on that rhythm everything else is instinctual
Great video! New subbie! I see so many people make these mistakes. I even pop up from time to time if I’m unsure or uncomfortable with a shot, especially a hard, long shot. Otherwise I stay down until the ball reaches the pocket.
Thanks for the sub! Much appreciated
Poke stroke on the first bridge cuz.
Just letting you know incase you didn't see
Yup, i noticed.. that's the same shot I used for the poke example a few minutes later in the video
Just found this channel. Liked and subbed. Great tips! Thanks you!
@@bicivelo thank you for the sub!
Excellent. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching! :)
I like the coaching, keep it in the rotation. Also, i don't know why but i had to resubscribe .... Thanks UA-cam🤨
@@22nstewart you're not the first person to tell me that... so annoying. Thanks for the re-sub!
going to sound stupid, but in practice, try closing your eyes just before stroking. it's very easy to stay down (not pop up) and stroke through the ball while your eyes are closed. repeat that over and over and your body will relax more during the stroke until it becomes muscle memory. feels real good to close em on your final back stroke, stay down and listen until the object ball falls in the pocket before you open your eyes then stand up.
doesn't sound stupid at all! Closing your eyes tricks your brain into not knowing when you will hit the cue ball, thus eliminating the "clench up." I've actually showed this in a shorts reels before. It's also how I show newer players to get draw on the cue ball. Great stuff!
Earl taught me to raise my fingers on my closed bridge.
Did he also give you a set of his finger extensions?
Ha! Yes he did as a matter of fact. A glove. And cue ball too!
Earl taught me to always bring noise cancelling headphones
@@poolmaster3727 only playing Mike Siegel. lol
@@craigmacbeth2139 Sweet! I totally want a set even tho they aren't legal. lol
Oddly enough when i shoot closed bridge I much prefer from the finger tips. Have no Idea why. I twist my wrist down which steadies my bridge. When i shoot open bridge which is most of the time I have as much of my palm on that table. I like the closed bridge because it exxagerates the english I'm trying to use. It doesn't cause me to miss. I was going to miss anyway. My biggest flaw in stroking is sometimes i will accidentally twist my cue hand which messes everything up.
I twist my shooting wrist sometimes also. I hate it! As far as the bridge goes, if you can keep it perfectly still and stable, you're good with it!
Hey Josh, that's a very relatable video.
@@rickkilgore658 thank you!
Good video, but carefully, in the minute 1:54 you make a shoot with no follow throu.
Yes... That's partly why I stated "I struggle with this one as well." If you notice, I used that same shot as an example of poor follow through, in the next segment. Thanks for watching!
Thanks man, good advice.👍
Thanks for watching, my man!
Do one on gripping the cue....please
i'll see if I can make one about grip. I haven't really practiced grip too much. My grip is mostly natural.
A question Josh , if you have your bridge hand flat on the table how do you put top spin on the cue Ball????? Tip is low Angle is downward !!!!! Please explain
@barryclark2582 I bend my knuckles up, while keeping weight on my palm.. the key is stability
Great instruction of fundamentals.
Thanks!
Good stuff brother...really made me think!
Thank you!
Many thanks for the fantastic tips !
@@gstevecox 🙌🙌
average pool players at bars fully grip the buttend of the cue,i cradle the buttend with my first 2 fingers with limp wrist,the only time you fully grip the buttend when you break
I knew a player who only bridged half of the time, he would hold the stick and lay it on the rail and stroke and hit the cue ball…He would bridge if the cue ball was close to the rail or in front of a ball…He could run a table ten games of eight ball
These 3 things, are some of the most basic key "mandatory" stuff you have to do in Snooker to even play well at the casual or amateur level.
Well said!
@@ThePoolTryHard thanks!
This shit isn't bad advice! Thanx!
Thanks!
To stay down. I practice counting to 3 or so after the shot
@@youtubesux6361 that's a good one!
good stuff thanks
I always used a closed loop finger tip bridge for following. Never really noticed bridge movement. Just become a habit. I’ll have to give the other way a shot to see how it is.
if you can stabilize it, great! There's just too much room for movement, in my opinion, when you're on your fingertips. Especially when you shoot with speed.
@@Amateur_Pool yeah going to go practice today. Fall leagues are coming up. See how I do with hand on table follow shot. Because that’s only what I noticed when I use it. Finger tips for following
Straightening your back leg while down on the shot or even only from time to time is a no-no, messes with your alignment!!
@@stephanepamplona I don't find that to be the case for me
not just with pool, snooker and billiards as well
Still,good advice.
Perfect content, more like this please.
I'm on it! Thank you
good stuff Josh!
Please tell me where you got your table spots! Drop a link if you can
www.amazon.com/Self-Adhesive-Reinforcement-Stickers-Diameter-Non-Printable/dp/B001E6F13U/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2HFUTC3FIEFS4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xfGuX5CrGyq_nuiAcofp2rIey7B6r_UhiCDQzvSyJui4NcAVAFMqrK8ldZ_NyJ_dAJFq0-maRTQUoeVnCUBzn76EAhLPqYw-0m5KWkBE7IiMOfrAslq2oho00LEwZFD6FCnY6QNScyMgojUm3gdiF4KSBm4SGJR95Zd-98MRBT0SGEi4WIHfn1kA_vAtQap-wzpGWeDiry1kHWjT37NrJr9FDf6R6-2q59G5Eh89u3XXE3P9S1B2JnDshICi4Tl7CIJE-KGyD0rTPsg75c_cBYgq2g9-qQiL2TjxrVPOXd4.yCRjGq5jr3Ryq4qnZlEr9RJI91F1MyOcaW-bPcVmXD0&dib_tag=se&keywords=paper+reinforcement+circles&qid=1723900322&sprefix=paper+reinfo%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-5
thank you very much
🙏🏽🤓👍🏽♥️
You're the man! Thank you bro
I found the perfect solution. I had Little Timmy stand behind me with a rolled-up newspaper. When he spotted me doing any of these 3 things, he hit me in the back of the head with the newspaper. Not surprisingly, after the 3rd incident, I no longer had a desire to do those things.
@@stanburris4900 lmaooooo.. 🤣😂
I’ve been playing for 31 years and I still have trouble with these 3 techniques
The follow through and cue ball strike anticipation get me quite a bit still!
Thank buddy this was good stuff
Thank you!
Do you have any drills that help increase your run outs?
That depends on what is preventing you from running out. If you're missing shots, you want to practice shot making (stroke) drills (like this one ua-cam.com/users/shortsan-Z7mPzi14?feature=share ). If you're having trouble shaping, run cue ball control drills (like this one ua-cam.com/users/shorts560jyILyCxM?feature=share ). If it's pattern play that's messing you up, throw up 5-6 balls and think about the pattern before you start running out. I also have several "pattern play" videos on my channel that can help you get into the right mindset of thinking about your patterns. Good luck!
Great content
Thank you!
great advice
The palm flat isn't necessary for a good controlled hit. Idc what anyone says. I can hit 9ft table length straight in shots and I don't think I ever play with a completely flat palm. Maybe I do and I don't realize it. I'm not around my cue or table right now to test it.
you're right... it's not necessary but it helps newer player A LOT. Until the bridge is comfortable and not shaky at all
I am an 82 year old man who hasn’t played pool in about 50 years. I recently started playing and have difficulty with long shots and shots with the object ball frozen on the rail. One major problem is that I have a tremor which makes my cue hand shake. I use a closed bridge so that hand is stable. I can’t shoot over a ball due to my shaking. If I drink two or three beers the tremor is significantly reduced but the beer has other disadvantages. Any suggestions? My expectations are reasonable in that I will never attain an APA rating. I liked your video and I have done the three no-nos you mentioned.
Hello, perhaps these thoughts can help you as they have me. weight added to the wrist can significantly reduce the effect of tremors on stroke, think large wrist watch or large link worlds best grandpop, or in my case dad, bracelet - so players in the handicaps divisions wear actual exercise weights to calm tremors to except able levels. Good luck, play strong
@@gtm131 Thank you. I have added weight to my Quebec cue which seems to help some. Can you suggest any drills that will help develop a straight stroke and help pocket balls in 8 ball?
I bet the farm smoking a little weed will help.....
I appreciate you reaching out and love the fact that you're looking to play the best game that you can! I myself have a muscle disorder (myotonia congenita) that makes my muscles stiff, and sometimes in a weakened state. That actually has a similar effect. I have slight tremors when I first get down to shoot a shot. In my case, after a stroke or 2, my muscles relax and the tremors go away. I don't really have any good ideas for fixing this, but both of the people who replied have good ideas that I think could help (arm weights as well as smoking some weed, or taking an edible). I wish you all the best and appreciate you watching my videos! Best of luck to you, good sir!
@@2869may helps some people, others it is detrimental to their thinking and planning of game strategy instead
Unfortunately i do all the 3 mistake s and I find them difficult to fix
@navineomondi5198 they can be tough to fix.. tough for me too.. I just keep working at it.. thanks for watching!
GOOD ADVICE! It took me years to break the jerking your head up problem!
wow those pokets are hugeee lol .
@@magdebates2697 4.5 inches
Read ..... Zen Pool.$ 20.00 dollar cheap for the GREAT information easy to read . You could pick the book up start reading anywhere in the book jump around.
The book talks about how to use your mind. To win. It works. It also says the same as Josh. As Josh is 100% correct
Its by Max Eberle get the green copy
@@robertdoyle5469 I'll check it out.. mental game is one of the biggest challenges, imo
And the grip of pool cue ......
Can I apply this method on snooker?
@WHAT-gm1xm I don't play snooker but I imagine you can
Why the heck do I keep missing straight shots?
@tommyvercetti3260 likely, it's some minor flaws in your stroke that are creating inconsistencies. That's just a guess, though (no way to know without paying with you some)
Did you check with Efren on this lesson? lol
@@billhull6842 lol.. I tried. He didn't get back to me 😂🤣
i like your vids bro
Thanks
What is your FargoRate?
my current fargo is 540ish i think. I was established back on 2017/18 when I played BCA. Haven't played many fargo related events since then (except an occasional tournament. Not sure how accurate it is
Is that a cuetec cynergy truewood
Yup.. true wood 2 (walnut) 11.8mm shaft
I like it common sense.
Thanks!
guilty as charged
You're not the only one! I am guilty also! lol
It's so hard for me to bridge my fingers are short and fat😅😅😅....
@terellwalker2352 just keep at it Terrell!. They'll stretch out
"Shakey Bridge"... Hahahahahaaha... My air bridge is not shakey, so my fixed bridge certainly isn't. My air bridge has to be firm in the air... I am the first airbender. So, the "don't pop up on your shot" thing is something that was told to you that you now tout as fact. Some people do not shoot with their head way down on the stick. Some people shoot over the table and examine both the cue ball and the object ball and the contact points between both... And then the spin and offsets get calculated in and then the shoot is executed... in my case. I know how to shoot down low on the stick, but have advanced past that. In the earlier years of folks doing jump shots the recommendation was to jab at the ball holding the stick like you were throwing a dart. Many folks now do not do that, but stroke at the ball full hand. They *also* use the jab style, but things have evolved. I would bet that I can shoot and "jerk up" or whatever you want to call it on every shot. My brain makes shots, not some discipline. Americans are the last dopes to be talking about table and shot approach and finish etiquette. So to see my "Air Bridge" Click my name and have a look at my bank shot videos and misses. I had to "jump up" to catch the cue ball that was about to hit me because I shot a little firmly... But I finished it firmly too, so firmness was not the culprit. My lofted cue ball that was floating and had top spin just as it hit the end rail caused it to book a Lear Jet for the trip back. That one was "1127 Fancy Six Tries". ua-cam.com/video/s4ceaURsVmk/v-deo.html
I do pretty well "upright" (like Fats) it gives a good perspective for a lot of shots....
People are different, styles and technics vary.... So many people say you should do it "this way" or "that way".... If you have a good understanding of the game and the physics involved, your brain will figure what is "best" and most beneficial for you to do.... (a solid bridge is a given)
@@2869may A solid bridge is meaningless without a co-linear stroke. Any non-co-linear action gets translated at the tip, which is why long bridge shots fail more often. The error is magnified by the bridge length. A slight variation in stroke linearity translates to the end of the stick more on a long bridge than a short bridge. So a good "fixed bridge" only works when coupled with a straight stroke. Click my name to see shots made with no fixed bridge at all.
Great job Bro thanks teach me one on one thanks 4 FREEEEE
lol... for FREEEEEEEEEE :)
They make three simple mistakes:
1. They
2. Don’t
3. Practice
Practicing bad habits will engrain poor fundamentals into one's game...food for thought...~~Just me, RD
@@rdskew even practicing bad habits will make you better than people who have perfect fundamentals that don’t practice. I can break and run 3-5 racks with what most people have said aren’t perfect fundamentals.
Your final statements where you declare that you "are only an amature myself, certainly not a pro, and certainly not a teacher" ..... Followed by your statement that "the fact you are even watching my video is abdilutely crazy" are really the only worthwhile things you've added to pool instruction in America. Just a waste of 10 minutes.
@davidwright2454 lol... you really hurt my feelings there 😂.. also, you only wasted 6:48 minutes, not 10.. also, I have no idea what abdilutely means.. thanks for watching!
Good video, but carefully, in the minute 1:54 you make a shoot with no follow throu.
@@martincordero5350 and I use the same shot to demonstrate there's no follow through in the next segment