Need some help with my break shot, please.

Buster8001

Buster8001

Did you say shrubberies?
Silver Member
Here's a small video of my typical break.
I THINK I'm hitting square on the head ball; I usually make one to three balls; I some times have a shot afterwards. And, that's my problem - cueball control. Any thoughts?


Josh
 
N

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You actually are not hitting the one ball square. Proof of this is in the fact of where the cb heads to before hitting any rails. Also, you send the one up table, but put heavy follow on the cb and force the cb to go to the opposite end of the table.

Knock off some speed until you can reliably hit the one square in the face. Then work on increasing speed if necessary. Hit the cb just about 1/2 tip above center and see what happens.
 
R

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Get away from the rail and see how square you are hitting them. Whenever you bridge off of a rail, especially on a power stroke, anything 'off' will be magnified.
Something I saw right off the bat, you are hitting higher on the cb than you want as well. That means you arent hitting it where you need to be, could be putting some side on it too. That would account for squirting away from the line that gives you a square hit on the apex ball.

Move over a bit to where you can bridge normally. You can still exert side pressure on the stack 5-6" off the rail, and bridging on the bed. If you are dead set on sticking with a rail break, tighten up the bridge as much as you can comfortably, and key in on the hit on the cb.

Let me know if this helps!
 
Buster8001

Buster8001

Did you say shrubberies?
Silver Member
Thank you, guys.

I'm an APA 7, and my break is really weak. Playing the ghost has really shown the break as my weakness. I'm a shot maker, but I need to bring things together.

Josh
 
Tony_in_MD

Tony_in_MD

You want some of this?
Silver Member
In addition to the excellent advice that was given, consider changing your bridge. What you are doing with that bridge is causing the CB to hop, it is then striking the head ball as it skips up off the table bed shown by the cueball being airborne when it strikes the rack.

This is taking some power away from the impact.
 
Buster8001

Buster8001

Did you say shrubberies?
Silver Member
Cool. Thanks, guys. I'll work on it this weekend, and post another small video next Wednesday.

Josh.
 
F

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I disagree with the other posters who say that your loop bridge on the rail is wrong. I think they may not be seeing your actual hand position. It appears that your palm is positioned off of the back end of the rail, pressing into it, which brings your loop substantially lower than a normal loop bridge. I think your bridge is very stable with the palm off the rail and the loop on the rail. It's a very acceptable rail bridge. It doesn't appear that you are angled down too much, but I would have to see a closer view of your bridge hand to confirm that.

Driving the one ball to the same spot consistently is a good thing, which is what you are doing. Now you just have to figure out how to get the cue ball in position to pocket the one. You might want to try a tip (or more) of low and right to try to drive the cue ball across to the opposite side rail and back towards yourself.

I haven't seen Johnny Archer break lately, but his break was similar, where the one ball drove to the back rail and the cue ball went off the opposite side rail and back for position on the one. That break enabled him to run multiple racks in tournaments.
 
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BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
Buster, the video appears in a small size on my screen but it looks like you have a bit more angle to the cue than I prefer--the rail bridge will make for a bit more level attack on the cue ball. Not a big deal. You could also use the loop bridge and change the timing of your rising with your body on the final break stroke. Try to do a jump shot with the rail bridge and you'll see what I'm referring to--how the angle of attack on the break stroke varies a bit from your practice stroke.
 
F

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
BilliardsAbout said:
Buster, the video appears in a small size on my screen but it looks like you have a bit more angle to the cue than I prefer--the rail bridge will make for a bit more level attack on the cue ball. Not a big deal. You could also use the loop bridge and change the timing of your rising with your body on the final break stroke. Try to do a jump shot with the rail bridge and you'll see what I'm referring to--how the angle of attack on the break stroke varies a bit from your practice stroke.
Click to expand...

He said he averages 1-3 balls on the break, and he parks the one ball consistently on the back rail. So what is it you're trying to fix?
 
Buster8001

Buster8001

Did you say shrubberies?
Silver Member
BilliardsAbout said:
Buster, the video appears in a small size on my screen but it looks like you have a bit more angle to the cue than I prefer--the rail bridge will make for a bit more level attack on the cue ball. Not a big deal. You could also use the loop bridge and change the timing of your rising with your body on the final break stroke. Try to do a jump shot with the rail bridge and you'll see what I'm referring to--how the angle of attack on the break stroke varies a bit from your practice stroke.
Click to expand...

I think I understand. You're saying my practice strokes are on a more level plane than my final "break" stroke on the cue ball.

Josh
 
Buster8001

Buster8001

Did you say shrubberies?
Silver Member
FranCrimi said:
I disagree with the other posters who say that your loop bridge on the rail is wrong. I think they may not be seeing your actual hand position. It appears that your palm is positioned off of the back end of the rail, pressing into it, which brings your loop substantially lower than a normal loop bridge. I think your bridge is very stable with the palm off the rail and the loop on the rail. It's a very acceptable rail bridge. It doesn't appear that you are angled down too much, but I would have to see a closer view of your bridge hand to confirm that.

Driving the one ball to the same spot consistently is a good thing, which is what you are doing. Now you just have to figure out how to get the cue ball in position to pocket the one. You might want to try a tip (or more) of low and right to try to drive the cue ball across to the opposite side rail and back towards yourself.

I haven't seen Johnny Archer break lately, but his break was similar, where the one ball drove to the back rail and the cue ball went off the opposite side rail and back for position on the one. That break enabled him to run multiple racks in tournaments.
Click to expand...

Okay, so low, back into the close short rail and back out in the middle for a shot at my one ball?

It is true, the one is usually shot back up to the head rail, and that's where I'm usually facing a long tough cut, or forced to shoot safe. I'd much rather have a run (I'm sure we all would).

Josh
 
BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
The guy is crushing the balls on the break, yes. Looking good. In the two breaks I saw. He came here because he is happy with his break, you think? :)
 
F

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Buster8001 said:
I think I understand. You're saying my practice strokes are on a more level plane than my final "break" stroke on the cue ball.

Josh
Click to expand...

I don't see it. I think your final stroke is great and you stay down very well through that final stroke. You raise up after you hit the cue ball and lean into your bridge hand, which is what bends your shaft. It's all part of your timing, and it's what works for you. If you start messing with your timing, you will drive yourself nuts.

Just work on where you're striking the cue ball and see what different scenarios give you, position-wise.
 
Buster8001

Buster8001

Did you say shrubberies?
Silver Member
FranCrimi said:
I don't see it. I think your final stroke is great and you stay down very well through that final stroke. You raise up after you hit the cue ball and lean into your bridge hand, which is what bends your shaft. It's all part of your timing, and it's what works for you. If you start messing with your timing, you will drive yourself nuts.

Just work on where you're striking the cue ball and see what different scenarios give you, position-wise.
Click to expand...

I gotcha, thank you, Fran. So, low left or low right? I'm going to try both.

Josh
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
Tony_in_MD said:
In addition to the excellent advice that was given, consider changing your bridge. What you are doing with that bridge is causing the CB to hop, it is then striking the head ball as it skips up off the table bed shown by the cueball being airborne when it strikes the rack.

This is taking some power away from the impact.
Click to expand...
I agree, if that's a typical break, and I also think bridging directly on the rail is more stable, especially for breaking. But if changing the bridge isn't an option there's still another possible solution - move the CB back a couple inches at a time until your CB hops the right distance to hit the 1 ball square.

pj
chgo
 
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BeiberLvr

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
FranCrimi said:
I don't see it. I think your final stroke is great and you stay down very well through that final stroke. You raise up after you hit the cue ball and lean into your bridge hand, which is what bends your shaft. It's all part of your timing, and it's what works for you. If you start messing with your timing, you will drive yourself nuts.

Just work on where you're striking the cue ball and see what different scenarios give you, position-wise.
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate, Fran?

You say to work on where he is striking the cue ball, but not to mess with his timing. I always thought the two were very closely related?
 
Tony_in_MD

Tony_in_MD

You want some of this?
Silver Member
Speaking for myself I if I miss hitting the rack square I favor hitting it a bit thicker with low and a half tip of left. It increases my chance of making the one in the side and I don't lose the cue ball.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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