Closed Bridge Knuckles

[Druid]

How are your index-finger knuckles bent when making a closed bridge?

I have been making my closed bridge with my index-finger knuckles bent in a certain way for years, but recently a Chicago-area pool player who is old friends with many Pro players told me that I've been doing it an inferior way all this time.

I'm curious to hear how others out there make their closed bridge to see how many do it the way I am used to, and how many do it the way I've recently been instructed to do it. I'm curious to see see how this pans out!

Why you think one is better than the other? I'm sure you could probably be a great player with either style with enough practice, but I'm told one of these will give you an advantage.

Style A: Big Knuckle curled in, Small Knuckle curled in
Style B: Big Knuckle curled in, Small Knuckled buckled in (opposite of curled in)

 

[LA toolman]

I changed to this bridge about three or four years ago after tip from a well known player.
It took a little getting use to but it now feels very natural.
I feel this technique produces a much steadier stroke,at least it does for me.
Something to do with a circle inside a triangle creates less friction and drag while making it easier to
apply equal pressure from all sides vs a traditional bridge.
I noticed several of the older top players have not switch to this style while the majority of the
younger players use this or a variation of this bridge,which leads me wonder how long has it been popular.
I have also heard it referred to as the Pinoy bridge,
as I believe most Filipino players are accustomed to this style.
Mike L.

 

[rcarson]

My fingers are to short and fat for Style B

 

[teedotaj]

here's how i do it now. I used to do the loop thing. Then I tried the "pinoy bridge" because I kept seeing the pros do it lol.
It felt awkward at first and I kept reverting back to the oldschool loop bridge the way buddy hall does. But eventually it became more comfortable for me.
It feels more stable. The groove where the shaft lays feels more like an open bridge. Except it has support on top to keep it from steering up or any other directions.
N.B "feels" --> just my subjective ovbservances

 

[The Renfro]

here's how i do it now. I used to do the loop thing. Then I tried the "pinoy bridge" because I kept seeing the pros do it lol.
It felt awkward at first and I kept reverting back to the oldschool loop bridge the way buddy hall does. But eventually it became more comfortable for me.
It feels more stable. The groove where the shaft lays feels more like an open bridge. Except it has support on top to keep it from steering up or any other directions.
N.B "feels" --> just my subjective ovbservances

View attachment 206063View attachment 206064

+1 on the pinoy bridge and getting the index finger off the thumb and over to the middle finger.....

 

[12310bch]

It's a genetic thing. The Phillipians have different knuckles the we civilized folk. Their index
finger small joint was made to bend opposite of ours. I mean, try to hold a fork with your
finger bent that way. This is proven fact. It was written up in the December , 1978 issue of
The Anthropologist's Monthly Gazette. I am searching through my garage right now trying to
find that issue. Funny, all I can find are old Playboys and my stash of National Geographic
Magazines with bare breasted native women. :groucho::woot:

 

[Ratta]

Each human is different- don t try to imitate something where you are not comfortable with.

 

[BasementDweller]

Come on - we all know that the only thing that matters is what you do with your ring finger! Do you keep it out or do you bend it underneath the rest of your hand, leaving it all by its lonesome?? I've seen a few guys that have even managed to tap out a Morse code message while shooting. I think that's a very advanced technique that only a select few people are capable of pulling off.

:grin:

 

[ArizonaPete]

I've also tried the Pinoy bridge but it feels uncomfortable so I stopped using it. Does it really provide a more steadier bridge? If so, perhaps I should start trying it again and perhaps it will become comfortable. What's the opinion?

 

[jsp]

Come on - we all know that the only thing that matters is what you do with your ring finger! Do you keep it out or do you bend it underneath the rest of your hand, leaving it all by its lonesome??

Actually, having your ring finger bent underneath your palm has its stability advantages as well, along with the "pinoy style" index finger loop.

The superior stability of this bridge comes into play when you quite often have to reach for a shot and you are incapable of (or it would feel awkward) resting the heel of your palm on the table. The pinky, middle finger, and ring finger bent underneath the palm form pretty stable tripod. By curling your index finger such that the tip of the finger rests on the middle finger, you don't have to worry about supporting the loop with upward pressure on your index finger and thumb.

I think there's good reason why many of the top pros today (pinoy and non-pinoy) use this version of the closed bridge.

 

[BradenK]

Come on - we all know that the only thing that matters is what you do with your ring finger! Do you keep it out or do you bend it underneath the rest of your hand, leaving it all by its lonesome?? I've seen a few guys that have even managed to tap out a Morse code message while shooting. I think that's a very advanced technique that only a select few people are capable of pulling off.

:grin:

HAHAHA!! I know exactly where you are coming from. The guys that keep tapping that finger while they are shooting make me a little nervous. How the hell do they multitask like that?:thumbup:

I started tucking my ring finger underneath about two years ago. Sometimes I leave it out though.

As for a closed bridge, I usually use picture A from the op. My fingers are fat aw well, so picture B is difficult for me.

Braden

 

[claymont]

my fingers are to short and fat for style b :d

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ+1
...

 

[Aten]

Buckled in seems to give me a better grip of the cue, plus it's easier to control the tightness of my grip while still keeping my index finger sitting on my middle.

 

[Druid]

Yeah, the style-B, which apparently some call the "pinoy style bridge" (learn something new every day) is what I was recently told to try out as an "improved bridge" over style-A.

I did some search on YouTube, and I see a lot of videos out there teaching people to make a closed bridge with style-A. "A" is probably easier and more comfortable for people to start with.

I'm planning to sticking with the Pinoy style and see how it goes.

The guy also said you can practice making this bridge while driving in the car, siting on the couch, or whenever you feel like practicing. The more you practice, the more flexible your fingers will become and the more comfortable the bridge will be.

 

[rcarson]

To be completely honest, it makes no difference whether you use the pinoy style or the rounded everyone one else style. What you should take from the pinoy style bridge is that the thumb is used to guide the cue through the index finger. This requires your wrist to be bent so that the thumb's groove is aligned to your aiming line.

 

[peteypooldude]

my index finger sets on my middle finger

 

[Craig Fales]

I use style "B", way before pinoys were even playing pool over here in the U.S. Mike Sigel and many others from days past use this style.

 

[alstl]

Whatever works best for you is the one you should use.

 

[subdude1974]

All depends how long your finger are and also how big your finger is around. If you have short fat fingers, I doubt you would be able to slide your cue through very easily. I do mine both ways. It depends on what I am doing with the cue ball. If I need to let my stroke out, I will do the knuckle out just to give me a little extra length in my stroke. If I am looking for precision, I do the knuckle in. It is kinds like which is more attractive, brunettes or blondes. A lot of personal preference.

 

[West Point 1987]

Type A for me...I'm able to adjust the pressure on the shaft much easier with the old style looped bridge. It makes no difference in the diameter of the shaft, and it worked just fine for all the old time greats. Plus, I can elevate higher and easier with the loop bridge than with the pinoy style. Always feels to me like the index finger will pop off the middle finger when I elevate that way. That, plus I can see absolutely no added value in the Type B bridge...IMHO.