Stroking thru the Cue Ball

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A while back I wanted to improve my stroke thru the cue ball, I ran across this video and it is a game changer.

I use this 2 times a day 25 shots each. To make it more interesting I place a target at different places along the path of the cue ball to push at different speeds. (fast, medium and slow)
This practice routine will improve your cue delivery thru the cue ball in less than three days. (muscle memory)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZYaTo4WdR0&t=1s

And then you will be able to deliver the cue ball like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ileKS7-WQDI&t=4297s

Watch Alex. The power of the shot starts at the cue ball (kinda like throwing a dart), not from behind the cue ball. You don't HIT the cue ball.

Have fun and enjoy. :)

John
 
Last edited:

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1P- I agree if a cue contacts the CB on centerline or above. I think
you'd need to HIT the CB on any power draw or forced follow shot.

.

True, on occasions there may be times when the cue ball may have to be hit. It may seem like a hit, but it is more of a firmer push and less follow thru.

Thanks Carl for the addition. :)

John
 
Last edited:

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
Personally before I go out to play pool, I always watch a few shots by Buddy Hall in this match:
https://youtu.be/HVLJ3u5tWro?t=363 In this match, his cueball striking is FANTASTIC! Nothing special about the runouts mostly, which is exactly the point.
The way he strikes the ball, there is nothing quite like it. There are some aspects of Buddys technique I don't want to copy, but if I could strike the cueball the way he did/does I'd be a happy man. It's the same kind of idea, the perfectly timed stroke, so smooth he just pushes the ball where he wants it. He shoots some draws, stun run throughs etc that to me are just magical to watch. For years and years I've tried to copy it, but I can't quite get the timing perfect. I do feel the improved timing of my stroke is helping my speed control tremendously and it gives me a lot of confidence when even my soft shots are beautiful to watch at times.
 
Last edited:

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Personally before I go out to play pool, I always watch a few shots by Buddy Hall in this match:
https://youtu.be/HVLJ3u5tWro?t=363 In this match, his cueball striking is FANTASTIC! Nothing special about the runouts mostly, which is exactly the point.
The way he strikes the ball, there is nothing quite like it. There are some aspects of Buddys technique I don't want to copy, but if I could strike the cueball the way he did/does I'd be a happy man. It's the same kind of idea, the perfectly timed stroke, so smooth he just pushes the ball where he wants it. He shoots some draws, stun run throughs etc that to me are just magical to watch. For years and years I've tried to copy it, but I can't quite get the timing perfect. I do feel the improved timing of my stroke is helping my speed control tremendously and it gives me a lot of confidence when even my soft shots are beautiful to watch at times.

Yeah, Buddy has a very pronounced way of handling the stroke and cue ball.

What I try to do is push the cue ball off of the object ball. This push speed, whether it be fast, medium or slow, would be determined by where I want to send the cue ball.
Kinda reminds me of throwing a dart (cue) at a dart board (OB). :)

Have a good one 99.

John
 

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A while back I wanted to improve my stroke thru the cue ball, I ran across this video and it is a game changer.

I use this 2 times a day 25 shots each. To make it more interesting I place a target at different places along the path of the cue ball to push at different speeds. (fast, medium and slow)
This practice routine will improve your cue delivery thru the cue ball in less than three days. (muscle memory)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZYaTo4WdR0&t=1s

And then you will be able to deliver the cue ball like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ileKS7-WQDI&t=4297s

Watch Alex. The power of the shot starts at the cue ball (kinda like throwing a dart), not from behind the cue ball. You don't HIT the cue ball.

Have fun and enjoy. :)

John

Good video.

When it comes to instructing, Nic Barrow is one of the best. I would recommend anyone watch as much of his material as possible.
 

marikian

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What a great thread Put it on the main page

This is a great thread that should have many more views. I fooled around with this on my table and my ball pocketing skills and cue ball movement improved drastically.

Thank you very much for posting this
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is a great thread that should have many more views. I fooled around with this on my table and my ball pocketing skills and cue ball movement improved drastically.

Thank you very much for posting this

Happy to hear that it helped you.
Bookmark the Alex video and watch it often. In fact watch as much Alex as you can. When Alex is down on the shot you will notice that he is measuring the shot (watch the different lengths of his back stroke) to determine how much force (push) is needed to make the ball and to put the cue ball where he wants.

Now when you watch the Pro's play watch how they go thru the cue ball. The acceleration of the cue starts at the cue ball.

Do this exercise everyday. Before practice or play. Do 25 reps using center ball and 25 reps using high cue ball. Try to feel the weight of the cue ball in your grip hand, keep loosening the grip until you do feel it. What it feels like in your grip hand is like the cue ball is glued to your tip. (of course it's not because the cue ball is gone in.001sec. after contact with the tip)

Have fun and keep on strok'in. :)

John
 
Last edited:

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Happy to hear that it helped you.
Bookmark the Alex video and watch it often. In fact watch as much Alex as you can.

Now when you watch the Pro's play watch how they go thru the cue ball. The acceleration of the cue starts at the cue ball.

Have fun and keep on strok'in. :)

John

John, I assume you mean the bold part figuratively, right? I mean, the cue should accelerate from the beginning of the forward stroke and continue through the cue ball. Although in reality, the cue is severely decelerated during impact with the cb, before it regains acceleration through the contact point.

If you overdo the concept of pushing the cue ball, on softer shots you can actually double hit the cue ball.
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you really want to see a good example of acceleration thru the cue ball watch Alex's 10 ball break. He is not hitting the QB, his forward stroke gets the cue moving forward toward the QB when at the cue ball he uses one heck of a pushing motion that does not decelerate at impact, it just keeps accelerating.

John :)
 

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
If you really want to see a good example of acceleration thru the cue ball watch Alex's 10 ball break. He is not hitting the QB, his forward stroke gets the cue moving forward toward the QB when at the cue ball he uses one heck of a pushing motion that does not decelerate at impact, it just keeps accelerating.

John :)

Marvel at the best cue timing and action in all of cue sports (IMO):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgq-fvQKt7Y
No discussion of cue accelleration would be complete without him in it. I used to have hours and hours of him playing on VHS tapes and I'd watch them over and over. Not the power shots, though obviously they are impressive. It's the small shots that often set the best apart from the rest. It all stems from accelleration, and I believe your suggested drill will help improve it. As always a good thread by you!
 
Last edited:

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Marvel at the best cue timing and action in all of cue sports (IMO):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgq-fvQKt7Y
No discussion of cue accelleration would be complete without him in it. I used to have hours and hours of him playing on VHS tapes and I'd watch them over and over. Not the power shots, though obviously they are impressive. It's the small shots that often set the best apart from the rest. It all stems from accelleration, and I believe your suggested drill will help improve it. As always a good thread by you!



Well thank you 99.
I'm a student of the game more than a player. I really love the game and have since 1963.
John


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you really want to see a good example of acceleration thru the cue ball watch Alex's 10 ball break. He is not hitting the QB, his forward stroke gets the cue moving forward toward the QB when at the cue ball he uses one heck of a pushing motion that does not decelerate at impact, it just keeps accelerating.

John :)

John - I'm just saying from a physics point of view, and if you watch high speed video. the cue has to decelerate during contact with the cue ball. It is only for an instant and the continued motion forward regains the acceleration. This does not change your point that you should shoot through the cue ball.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
John - I'm just saying from a physics point of view, and if you watch high speed video. the cue has to decelerate during contact with the cue ball. It is only for an instant and the continued motion forward regains the acceleration. This does not change your point that you should shoot through the cue ball.

Right. That 6oz rock puts a slight brake on cue stick speed, regardless of whether or not acceleration was increased more just before impact.
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Right. That 6oz rock puts a slight brake on cue stick speed, regardless of whether or not acceleration was increased more just before impact.

I agree........If I was hitting the cue ball. Dr. Dave has demonstrated this on his website.

I disagree that this happens when pushing the cue ball. The tip of the cue stays in contact with the cue ball for an instant longer (feels like the QB is glued to the tip of the cue). With a very short back stroke (2" to 6") and appropriate follow thru (2" to 12"+) to make the ball and send the cue ball where I want.

I'm NOT hitting the cue ball, I'm pushing it.

All you have to do is to develop a feel for pushing and not hitting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H_-MeBamVg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4h8zly6LxU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfr0Ncp6Yhc

John
 
Last edited:

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I agree........If I was hitting the cue ball. Dr. Dave has demonstrated this on his website.

I disagree that this happens when pushing the cue ball. The tip of the cue stays in contact with the cue ball for an instant longer (feels like the QB is glued to the tip of the cue). With a very short back stroke (2" to 6") and appropriate follow thru (2" to 12"+) to make the ball and send the cue ball where I want.

I'm NOT hitting the cue ball, I'm pushing it.

All you have to do is to develop a feel for pushing and not hitting.

John

Well, if your cue is going forward at a very slow speed from 2 to 6 inches away and you don't accelerate until the tip touches the cue ball, then you are doing it wrong. You may be taking that drill too literally. My guess is that what you describe is what it feels like to you, but that's not what you are actually doing. If you do that with slow speed shots you will be double hitting the cue ball all the time.

I don't think it is possible to literally push the cue ball like shuffle board unless you start with the tip on the ball.
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, if your cue is going forward at a very slow speed from 2 to 6 inches away and you don't accelerate until the tip touches the cue ball, then you are doing it wrong. You may be taking that drill too literally. My guess is that what you describe is what it feels like to you, but that's not what you are actually doing. If you do that with slow speed shots you will be double hitting the cue ball all the time.

I don't think it is possible to literally push the cue ball like shuffle board unless you start with the tip on the ball.

Now we are starting to agree...........a little. Timing is everything. :)

John
 
Last edited:

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
I agree........If I was hitting the cue ball. Dr. Dave has demonstrated this on his website.

I disagree that this happens when pushing the cue ball. The tip of the cue stays in contact with the cue ball for an instant longer (feels like the QB is glued to the tip of the cue). With a very short back stroke (2" to 6") and appropriate follow thru (2" to 12"+) to make the ball and send the cue ball where I want.

I'm NOT hitting the cue ball, I'm pushing it.

All you have to do is to develop a feel for pushing and not hitting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H_-MeBamVg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4h8zly6LxU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfr0Ncp6Yhc

John

I believe what he is referring to as a "push" is what pool players refer to as "follow through'.
 
Top