What's the secret of the grip

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Being no stranger to a hammer, I understood the motion when CJ first talked about it. I applied it to my present stroke to try to get it to work for me.

My thumb did point down and the cue moved out of my palm. But this was only close to my hammer grip. I never looked at the grip differences which are fairly subtle.

The biggest change for me is that rather than cocking my wrist in towards my hip to point my thumb to the floor, I turn my wrist over like a tennis grip. Since I've rarely played tennis, it's weird to see my hand in this position. It really keeps my stroke on a straight line, so I'll run with it.

This small change feels comfortable, but it in a bad way...somehow it feels like I'm still at work! :grin-square:

Best,
Mike

Mike,

Yeah, but now you can consider work...working on you pool game.:wink:

Best,
Rick
 

Mikjary

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Yeah, instead of the wrist breaking downward to drive a nail, the wrist is breaking forward.

I use to be a baseball bat gripper. So I can understand how weird this new grip may feel.

Think of the contact on the OB as the nail. Maybe that may help.

Anyway, any kind of ball game is an adventure. :D

John

It's a timing thing when you put a stroke to the cue ball. Pre-cocking the wrist starts out with the feeling of a limited movement, but your hand/fingers learn to add power and touch.

I used this type of stroke when CJ first mentioned it. Now I'm going to try to refine it. It won't be much of a change since I naturally have held a hammer this way for years. Haven't hit the wrong nail for many years, so I must have a straight swing. :D

Best,
Mike
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
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this is not only possible it is essential to play at the highest levels.

It's a timing thing when you put a stroke to the cue ball. Pre-cocking the wrist starts out with the feeling of a limited movement, but your hand/fingers learn to add power and touch.

I used this type of stroke when CJ first mentioned it. Now I'm going to try to refine it. It won't be much of a change since I naturally have held a hammer this way for years. Haven't hit the wrong nail for many years, so I must have a straight swing. :D

Best,
Mike

Yes, I advise experimenting with the grip, it can always be improved unless you're a champion, and even then.....I've been back working with the sword quite a bit lately, and my stroke is getting back to how "it used to be"....I didn't "real eyes" how strong pool made my hands until lately, and who says it's not a "physical sport"? :wink:

I grew up on a lumber yard, my father was a carpender and I pounded thousands of nails before I was 12. This strengthened my grip, wrist action and power that transfered to tennis, golf and of course pool. Earl Strickland is another player that grew up hammering a lot of nails (he did mostly roofing).

The important thing is to come up with a grip that propels the cue straight EVERY time....this is possible {in a very short period of time}, and essential to play at the highest levels. 'The Grip/Game is the Teacher'
 
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One Pocket John

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The nice thing about the hammer grip is that it is not possible to have any side ways movement of the wrist..............only up and down motion of the wrist is possible.

I like it. :wink:

John
 

CJ Wiley

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the professional will develop a system that they CAN'T do it wrong

The nice thing about the hammer grip is that it is not possible to have any side ways movement of the wrist..............only up and down motion of the wrist is possible.

I like it. :wink:

John

That's the idea, John, this makes the cue go straight FOR SURE. Pool has such a small margin for error we have to create as much as possible. I recommend doing this with your stroke AND how you go about pocketing and position zones.

"The difference between the amateur and the professional is the amateur will practice until they CAN do it right and the professional will develop a system that they CAN'T do it wrong".
 

daniel

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mickey mantle and ted williams were sitting next to each other at the all star game & ted asked mick how he held his left hand on the bat when hitting left handed.mick couldn't answer him & said after this conversation went 0 for 30. mick started thinkin about his grip & couldn't stik his finger in his ass. lol
 

ENGLISH!

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Daniel,

Thanks for the chuckle.

Naturals just do it.

Others that have 'un-natural' road blocks in the way need to tare them down one at a time. Sometimes it's just one(1) road block in the way & when it is torn down they're on their way. I've seen it done many times coaching young people.

Ted said he could smell the bat 'burn' the ball when he hit. Some have more focused senses in every aspect.

Again, thanks for the chuckle. Mickey was one of my & my Dad's favorites.

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick
 

daniel

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ya i got a kick out of it too. and how true it is. how to get the thinking mind out of the way is the eternal quest. Charlie Parker once told Bobby Jones (charles mingus tenor player)to "practice hard & when u go out to play a gig forget all that shit". nuff said
 

CJ Wiley

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essential in golf to have an effective grip and I believe this also true in Billiards

Daniel,

Thanks for the chuckle.

Naturals just do it.

Others that have 'un-natural' road blocks in the way need to tare them down one at a time. Sometimes it's just one(1) road block in the way & when it is torn down they're on their way. I've seen it done many times coaching young people.

Ted said he could smell the bat 'burn' the ball when he hit. Some have more focused senses in every aspect.

Again, thanks for the chuckle. Mickey was one of my & my Dad's favorites.

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick

Bringing conscious attention to a subconscious activity is a trick business. For many I'd recommend leaving this one alone, it's much more difficult that we could imagine.

The Grip does need to be understood and done properly because it's the most important of all the fundamentals. If you don't hold the cue well, you can't play well, so it does have to be understood......and then at some point it becomes "natural". Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson thought it essential in golf to have an effective grip and I believe this also true in Billiards/Pool.

Hoganlefthandgripblueline.jpg
 

paultex

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This is a very good thread and should be considered for a sticky. If there is more threads on this subject and different concepts and explanations, please provide a link and I'll be sure to read and thank for it.
 

Ralph Kramden

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This is a very good thread and should be considered for a sticky. If there is more threads on this subject and different concepts and explanations, please provide a link and I'll be sure to read and thank for it.

This thread is '4' years old..... I was thinking that CJ was posting again.

paultex - Just my thought on the grip..... It doesn't matter how you hold
the cue. A good stroke and cue speed, with the correct CB action, as it
contacts the OB, is what counts.... Repeat: The correct CB action, as it
contacts the OB, is what counts.. That's what is needed for CB control.

The grip's a personal preference. Control the cue & you control the CB.

.
 

HawaiianEye

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Watch some vids of Ko Pin Yi on YouTube.

He has a "grip" on the cue. He isn't cradling and babying it.
 
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