Looking for thought / opinions on how important this is, to play pool at a high level of consistency? Obviously someone in perfect vertical alignment such as Allison Fisher, is the textbook example of a player with perfect wrist/forearm/elbow/shoulder vertical alignment, as are most snooker players in general.
Certainly many pro pool players vary considerably both ways - many Fillipino players have their forearms and elbow "inside the line" (closer to their torso), Keith McCready being the extreme example of this, and Willie Mosconi to a lesser degree, whereas some other very good players have just the opposite - elbows extending far "outside the line".
I'm particularly interested in how important some of the experienced instructor forum members here feel this alignment aspect is, in terms of teaching new players, or in terms of making a change with a player whose been playing for a while who has an arm/elbow that is well "inside or outside" the vertical line?
Related to this, how important is it whether the wrist that grips the back of the cue is held in a neutral position which is generally the case for players with perfect vertical alignment? Players aligning their elbows "inside" the line generally have a concave wrist position, whereas players aligning their elbows "outside" the line generally have a convex wrist position?
Obviously, it's been proven that pro players can perfect all kind of various styles of alignment and still play at a very high level, if they are able to repeat their straight back and straight through strokes consistently under pressure.
However, I am of the school that in an ideal world, if you can get a player to make the change to get them in the proper vertical alignment early in their pool playing career, everything else being equal, it will give them a better chance at becoming a better, more consistent player than would otherwise be the case if they don't make the alignment change.
Certainly many pro pool players vary considerably both ways - many Fillipino players have their forearms and elbow "inside the line" (closer to their torso), Keith McCready being the extreme example of this, and Willie Mosconi to a lesser degree, whereas some other very good players have just the opposite - elbows extending far "outside the line".
I'm particularly interested in how important some of the experienced instructor forum members here feel this alignment aspect is, in terms of teaching new players, or in terms of making a change with a player whose been playing for a while who has an arm/elbow that is well "inside or outside" the vertical line?
Related to this, how important is it whether the wrist that grips the back of the cue is held in a neutral position which is generally the case for players with perfect vertical alignment? Players aligning their elbows "inside" the line generally have a concave wrist position, whereas players aligning their elbows "outside" the line generally have a convex wrist position?
Obviously, it's been proven that pro players can perfect all kind of various styles of alignment and still play at a very high level, if they are able to repeat their straight back and straight through strokes consistently under pressure.
However, I am of the school that in an ideal world, if you can get a player to make the change to get them in the proper vertical alignment early in their pool playing career, everything else being equal, it will give them a better chance at becoming a better, more consistent player than would otherwise be the case if they don't make the alignment change.
