I been trying to pause my stroke in the back swing before coming forward but after doing this for a couple months I'm noticing that I'm missing longer shots more often (not feeling natural) and miscuing a bunch.Is this normal when trying to incorporate this? Should I keep going with this or go back to not pausing?
Issues with pause in back stroke
- Thread starter riding9
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Try taking the cue back slowly, this will aid in a smooth forward stroke. The pause will come naturally and you won't have to think about it.
Like dr9ball stated, bring it back real slow. The idea is to make very sure you come back straight. When all the way back, the pause will be natural. But then on the forward stroke, don't start it out jerky. Instead, when you start to go forward, start it slow at first for the first inch or so. Then pick up what speed you want. By starting slow, you help enable your muscles to stay on the same line you came back on. Your muscles start out with a smooth transition instead of a jerky transition.
I believe when many of us are using the term "pause" we are referring to the moment the cue stops going backwards. The time it stays there will vary from very short (some may say unnoticable, to a few seconds). My pause is fairly short and may not be noticable I bring the cue back somewhat slowly (though not exceptionally slow) till it stops and then have a smooth transition forwards. The duration of the pause will vary between players.
IF a player is using an eye pattern that has them shifting to the object ball at the end of their backswing they may make a long pause to give their eyes time to focus on the object ball.
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Buddy Hall
Steve Mizerak
Allison Fisher
Steve Davis
Ronnie O'Sullivan
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At the very least, learning a pause will force the slow back swing. As said above, a slow back swing will promote a pause which in turn promotes the initial slow start of the forward swing as Niel said. It all goes hand in hand. In the end personal style takes over.
I'd suggest exagerating the pause when learning and practicing it. 2-3 seconds. One way is to simply practice the forward stroke only. Get down, pull back, pause, pause... fire. No fiddling. Once learned, then ingrained, personal style creeps in, your pause may become un-noticeable, maybe not, but it will be there one way or another.
Actually, taking a distinct pause at the end of the back swing is helpful to players who have difficulty bringing the cue back slowly, because that pause negates any consequences of bad timing that a quick backstroke can cause.
However, I haven't found that it causes the player to bring the cue back more slowly. They may still continue to bring it back quickly, but a new stroke timing will start after the pause rather than before, thus allowing the player a second chance for better stroke timing.
But my preference is to recommend a slow back stroke, but keep in mind that that speed is that person's personal hand-eye-coordinator, and can vary from person to person.
Sometimes I'll find myself pulling the cue back rather quickly (not too fast), and having a slight pause at the end before going forward.
I'll do this sometimes (without thinking) on power shots. It's always baffled me that it works when I always thought you shouldn't pull your cue back at the same speed of the shot.
But your comment about the pause changing the timing of the stroke might be the key.
I think it's possible to bring your cue back quickly, even without a distinct pause, and still have good stroke timing. But I think it's much harder to do, and most players would fail in the attempt.
I never really had a slow backstroke, but I decided to work on it after reading this thread. It's definitely improved my stroke timing, and now I have what would be defined as a "4 second stroke"
Backswing (1...2...), Pause (3), Stroke (4)
If you're still having trouble, I'd try this "drill" out that helped me.
Practice long straight in shots, but use a ridiculously long bridge. Something like 12"+
It really forces you to keep the cue straight as you pull it back slowly. Then when you go back to a standard bridge length it's like cake.
the slow backstroke will help, also you could work on your eye pattern and it will help to cement the pause in, for instance, as you are pulling the cue back you are looking at the cueball, when the cue stops you switch your eyes to the object ball as part of the pause.
When you back your car out of the driveway, you do so slowly and come to a full stop before you put it in drive. If you don't, you get a jerk when the car changes direction too quickly.
Same principle applies. You don't want that jerk in the middle of your final stroke, you want a smooth transition. The pause, however short or long, makes for a smoother transition from the back stroke to the forward stroke.
Steve
Same principle applies. You don't want that jerk in the middle of your final stroke, you want a smooth transition. The pause, however short or long, makes for a smoother transition from the back stroke to the forward stroke.
Steve
the feeling of pulling the cue back with "coil"...like shooting a Bow and Arrow
Put a large rubber band or piece of elastic on your bridge hand and hold the other end in your back hand. This will give you the feeling of pulling the cue back with "coil," which will create a slight resistance so you have something to release after your pause (Like Releasing an Arrow from a drawn Bow).
Even if you don't physically do this it's a good mental image to have, for immediate change in your drawback and release. 'The Game is the Teacher'
Put a large rubber band or piece of elastic on your bridge hand and hold the other end in your back hand. This will give you the feeling of pulling the cue back with "coil," which will create a slight resistance so you have something to release after your pause (Like Releasing an Arrow from a drawn Bow).
Even if you don't physically do this it's a good mental image to have, for immediate change in your drawback and release. 'The Game is the Teacher'
I think you can't follow rules in this subject. Too many different styles out there. If you watch Efren Reyes and Mika Immonen (two great players and great shotmakers) you will see there is no pause. Maybe Efren pauses a little bit before his final backswing. Francisco Bustamante (the best shotmaker in my opinion) uses a slow backswing and pause in many shots, but not always.
Soeone has to find what works for him. There is no rule.
Panagiotis
Soeone has to find what works for him. There is no rule.
Panagiotis
I'm sort of hesitant to post this but...
I feel this issue is sort of like the elbow thing. If one is focusing on it, it can be a distraction from actually making a good smooth stroke. Everyone sort of has an internal clock for a physical activity. Golfers have different swing tempos & to consciously 'drastically' change that internal natural tempo can yield disasterous results.
IMO if one simply focuses on stroking through the cue ball in order to get the desired result, the time length of the transition will be natural for each individual & for each individual shot at hand.
That being said, that is, if one is trying to use a stroke that is natural & not a stroke that is contrived for some reason.
Now I do agree that if the cue is taken back TOO quickly then the forward stroke can be TOO aggressive & can result in a mishit of the intended target on the cue ball which will usually result in a bad shot one way or another. Also our subconscious can recognize such & a deceleration can occur as a result.
So... to me it actually has very little to do with any conscious effort to pause but instead any focus should be on using the correct tempo for the shot at hand. If the tempo for the shot at hand is correct then I would say that the the transition will be smooth with an appropriate pause regardless of it's length of time. The OB only has to reach the edge of the pocket to fall & hitting the back of the pocket is never required to pocket the ball. Any force beyond that is to control the CB. Focusing on the force needed for controlling the CB will usually result in the appropriate tempo & the associated 'pause'. Or...they will be very close to what they should be.
Most athletic activities are initiated from some form of movement. Rarely do they occur from a dead stop straight into the specific action.
These are just my thoughts & may not be worth $0.02. (opening for a personal slur for those that do that) Or... my thoughts could be very helpful to someone & they could be well worth more than just $0.02.
Regards to All & Best Wishes,
Rick
I feel this issue is sort of like the elbow thing. If one is focusing on it, it can be a distraction from actually making a good smooth stroke. Everyone sort of has an internal clock for a physical activity. Golfers have different swing tempos & to consciously 'drastically' change that internal natural tempo can yield disasterous results.
IMO if one simply focuses on stroking through the cue ball in order to get the desired result, the time length of the transition will be natural for each individual & for each individual shot at hand.
That being said, that is, if one is trying to use a stroke that is natural & not a stroke that is contrived for some reason.
Now I do agree that if the cue is taken back TOO quickly then the forward stroke can be TOO aggressive & can result in a mishit of the intended target on the cue ball which will usually result in a bad shot one way or another. Also our subconscious can recognize such & a deceleration can occur as a result.
So... to me it actually has very little to do with any conscious effort to pause but instead any focus should be on using the correct tempo for the shot at hand. If the tempo for the shot at hand is correct then I would say that the the transition will be smooth with an appropriate pause regardless of it's length of time. The OB only has to reach the edge of the pocket to fall & hitting the back of the pocket is never required to pocket the ball. Any force beyond that is to control the CB. Focusing on the force needed for controlling the CB will usually result in the appropriate tempo & the associated 'pause'. Or...they will be very close to what they should be.
Most athletic activities are initiated from some form of movement. Rarely do they occur from a dead stop straight into the specific action.
These are just my thoughts & may not be worth $0.02. (opening for a personal slur for those that do that) Or... my thoughts could be very helpful to someone & they could be well worth more than just $0.02.
Regards to All & Best Wishes,
Rick
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Rick I think you touched on a good point without knowing it (or maybe you did
The bolded above is 100% correct, but then that's why we practice. If a player spends a lot of time focusing on a smooth backstroke and slight pause during practice, then after awhile it will become second nature. That's what we should all be striving for in our fundamentals.
Rick I think you touched on a good point without knowing it (or maybe you did
The bolded above is 100% correct, but then that's why we practice. If a player spends a lot of time focusing on a smooth backstroke and slight pause during practice, then after awhile it will become second nature. That's what we should all be striving for in our fundamentals.
Jon,
My point of view is bit different. For one thing I never practiced 'drills' to work on my stroke. I am much more outcome oriented. We rarely if ever shoot the same shot twice in a row. So to me the best 'practice' is to simply play. You can't get more realistic 'practice' than that. Each shot is different & requires a different force & speed. Slow rolling a ball & a full table draw shot are not the same & therefore the stroke should not be the same. But, if one merely focuses on the desired outcome & executing what is necessary to obtain that outcome then the rhythm of the shot will most probably be what is required.
If you note, I believe I said if one is trying to use a natural stroke & not one that is contrived for some reason. If one practices a stroke with a set pause, then that grooved rhythm will not be conducive to all types of shots. I guess if one groves a stroke that is the average of strokes required then one would not be too far off for any particular shot, but it would not be the best for that shot either.
As I've said, I've never really worked on or done drills for my stroke mechanics, as for me all it is is to take the cue straight back & then deliver it straight into the ball with most of my focus on what speed & spin to get the CB where I want to go. I am not a mechanical player, I'm a feel player. I don't select a speed from 1 to 10 & I don't count 1 thousand 1 at the back of my stroke.
We do not have a rigid connection to the cue & the softness of the connection absorbs the transition, similar to a shock absorber in a car. It may be the wrist or it may just be the relatively loose skin & flesh that buffers between the stick & our bones. I've never given my elbow a thought & I've never given pausing in my back stroke a thought. The focus is on the results of the shot & what is required to get those results.
As I have said, most athletic activities are initiated from some form of movement & rarely if ever go from being still straight into the activity. When batting one does not stand perfectly still & wait for the pitcher to throw the ball. When the pitcher winds up the batter coils & then as the ball is thrown the batter steps & pulls the handle of the bat, then if the batter wants to make a swing he releases the bat. The batter does not step, pull the handle of the bat & hold that position until the pitcher throws the ball & then just releases the bat. I know the analogy is not exactly the same as a cue stroke but I hope you can see my point. A bowler does not walk to the line stop & then swing the ball back hold it there for a second & then swing it forward for the release. One throwing a horse shoe does not swing it back and then stop for a second & then throw it. These athletic activities are done from a prior motion. We feel the bat or the ball better when it is moving similar to how it will be moving in the delivery.
The point is that, yes, we want a smooth transition but we do not want bad rhythm & timing. A pause that does not fit can ruin the timing. Please note that I said 'fit'. It can be too long & it can be too short. How does one determine the fit. I would rather not focus on it at all & just let my subconscious determine that from what my intentions are concerning the shot. When you've decided to pull the trigger, why would you want to wait for something to go wrong like loosing your feel for the shot & your feel for moving the cue.
I guess one either plays by feel or one plays mechanically.
If a pause in the back stroke is what works for you that's fine for you. I'm just saying that it may certainly not be for everyone or I would even say most. I'm just offering a different idea & opinion. Each individual will have to make their own determination, as they should.
Best Regards & Wishes,
Rick
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Yes, but with enough practice, nothing is mechanical. Take this video for example. You don't have to watch the whole thing, but a few things are very clear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIqY_8XeyfE
He has pretty much the same rhythm and stroke mechanics on every shot. A few very short and fast warm up strokes. A slight pause at the CB. Smooth backswing with a slight pause lasting anywhere from 1 to 2 seconds.
The reason I bring up this video is that no doubt he has practiced this over and over again, so now even though it appears mechanical, it's not. It's simply a part of his subconscious and he doesn't think about how many warm up strokes, or how long he pauses. It just happens.
Some pros pause, and some don't. Some drop their elbow, and some don't. There are numerous other differences. The one thing they all have in common is a consistent rhythm that is suited to their style of play.
It's my belief that the best (maybe not the only) way to achieve this level of consistency is to be consciously aware of what you're doing during practice sessions and to focus on the positives.
A great way to find consistency is to record yourself playing multiple racks of 15 balls in any order. Watch it back, and focus not just on the racks you do well on, but the individual shots as well. Through proper observation a player can easily pick up on a solid tempo. Then they might try to practice a wide variety of shots and positional play while focusing diligently on maintaining that consistency. Over a period of time it will no longer require such conscious effort.
I'm sure I could say more, but I feel like I've rambled enough.