The Stroke

[8pack]

I used to have problem's with certain shot's.Example long power shot and some other shot's.But anyways i have always had the same stroke and there was some shot's that i couldn't execute and i always thought it was because of my aim.
Then i finally change the way i held my cue on certain shot,s and the ball's starting falling in the whole.It was really awkward at first but now i have retrained my hand and stroke for certain shot's.Just wondering if anybodies had the similar experience.

 

[JamesJ]

same problem here

I'm experiencing the same but haven't found a solution. Sometimes it works, but not usually. The one thing that does seem to help for me on long shots is to raise my head up - it seems to make seeing the angle better.

What do you do differently on your trouble shots? You mentions changing something, I was wondering what you changes that helped.

 

[Chi2dxa]

Revelation

I had the same problem and the same revelation. I did not move the cue ball well in 9 ball it just seemed to lacking that extra umph to get to the right zone. I started studying Mika's stroke and I became an elbow dropper. It appears to be working right now but sometime these fixes are short lived. I am going to go with it for a little while and see how it works out in the long run. Good luck to you and yours.

 

[pooltchr]

Hopefully, you didn't just trade one problem for another.

Steve

 

[CreeDo]

One poster pointed out how grip matters a lot, and slight changes in grip may help some of those shots (like the long power draw).

I don't know if it helps or not but I found advice about tightening up just the first two fingers of the back hand changed the feel of these shots and made it feel like I was more in control of the stick. For other shots I keep those fingers relaxed as I feel like I swing more naturally. Long draw shots are forceful and unnatural anyway so you're kind of forced to manhandle or muscle the stick a bit. With softer shots you can just let the weight of the stick carry itself into the ball, like a battering ram swing from ropes. Sort of.

 

[JustinHayes]

Is it bad that after reading the title of this thread....

... this is the first thought that flashed into my head?

 

[pooltchr]

I had a student call me to meet yesterday. He wanted a video analysis of his mechanics. Now this guy is no slacker, but he knew he was having some problems with mechanics that were holding him back. We shot some video and when we reviewed it, two things jumped out. One, his elbow was way out of alignment with his cue. He and I spotted this problem upon reviewing the video immediately. His other problem wasn't as obvious, but I was able to show him how he was tightening his grip on almost every shot. When he saw what was happening, we went to work to correct the problem. Within an hour, he commented how the change in his grip had eliminated the side to side movement of his tip. You see, when shooting, he could see the tip (result of a problem) but not his grip (the cause of his problem)

He left the room a much happier, and more confident player after just a couple of hours of work.

With the lower skilled players, it's often the big things....but with the better players, it's the little things that will get you.

Fundamentals - Grip, Bridge, Stance and Stroke!

Steve

 

[stljohnny]

I had a student call me to meet yesterday. He wanted a video analysis of his mechanics. Now this guy is no slacker, but he knew he was having some problems with mechanics that were holding him back. We shot some video and when we reviewed it, two things jumped out. One, his elbow was way out of alignment with his cue. He and I spotted this problem upon reviewing the video immediately. His other problem wasn't as obvious, but I was able to show him how he was tightening his grip on almost every shot. When he saw what was happening, we went to work to correct the problem. Within an hour, he commented how the change in his grip had eliminated the side to side movement of his tip. You see, when shooting, he could see the tip (result of a problem) but not his grip (the cause of his problem)

He left the room a much happier, and more confident player after just a couple of hours of work.

With the lower skilled players, it's often the big things....but with the better players, it's the little things that will get you.

Fundamentals - Grip, Bridge, Stance and Stroke!

Steve

This is exactly why I video myself playing every couple of months - and especially when I feel like I'm hitting a brick hall with things. Every time I've done it, upon reviewing the tape several times, I keep finding new things that don't work. The most recent was my elbow was out, maybe 2-5% over the line of the cue. I moved my wrist out so my shoulder wasn't tensed up to get my forearm straight, and not only did my swinging problem go away, the extra distance from my body allowed me to get down lower on the cue. Now, after almost a year of changing stances, I finally feel comfortable - and can see - with my chin on the cue! (my avatar is my old "this feels low on the cue" stance, btw lol)

If only I can work out my speed control issues now. Not sure that's something that can be found in video analysis.

 

[pooltchr]

If only I can work out my speed control issues now. Not sure that's something that can be found in video analysis.

Probably not, but we do have an entire workshop in pool school just on speed control. If you know how to go about it, you can master it as easily as you can master a good stroke. You just have to know what you are working toward.

Steve

 

[8pack]

Hopefully, you didn't just trade one problem for another.

Steve

What was happening to me when i was trying to get alot a stuff on the ball
i wasn't following through straight .(on long shot's).Then i started experimenting with different grips, that didn't work.Then i started experimenting with different wrist position and finally found a position that actually let's keep's the stick as close to straight as i can get while putting a good stroke on the ball.

Whether it's right or wrong's it's what work's for me.

 

[ArizonaPete]

On the long straight-in shots, I tighten my bridge fingers just a little so there's a little friction with the shaft. Don't know if this makes my stroke straighter or if it's just in my mind.

 

[TXsouthpaw]

I started studying Mika's stroke and I became an elbow dropper. .

Be cafeful what u say before you get flamed for the dreaded "elbow drop" I dont do it on purpose but I do drop my elbow and everyone from mike massey to max eberle have said it is neccasary to get the proper follow through.
It just take the hamb method to perfect it.

 

[greyghost]

Be cafeful what u say before you get flamed for the dreaded "elbow drop" I dont do it on purpose but I do drop my elbow and everyone from mike massey to max eberle have said it is neccasary to get the proper follow through.
It just take the hamb method to perfect it.

I find that elbow common with those that get way down on the stance, i used to have problems with power shots and being down too low and tried all kinds of things with followthrough and grip bla bla bla..

what ended up fixing the problem for me was just standing up just a bit higher on the shot...IMOP it feels like it gave me the ability to attain more velocity in the first 1/3 of my stroke as my body isn't as confined, it opened me up and unhampered my delivery.

 

[Chi2dxa]

Be cafeful what u say before you get flamed for the dreaded "elbow drop" I dont do it on purpose but I do drop my elbow and everyone from mike massey to max eberle have said it is neccasary to get the proper follow through.
It just take the hamb method to perfect it.

I'm too old to be intimidated and common sense will tell some people that it is hard to argue with a back to back US Open Champ. Contrary to popular belief the United States is not the center of the universe and you can learn something from other inhabitants of this great earth. I am dropping that elbow like it HOT!!!