Locked wrist opinions

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Magictrat007

Member
I respect everyone’s opinion here especially experienced instructors. Just wanted to know yalls thoughts on a locked wrist during the stroke. Like CJ Wiley locks forward and John Schmidt locks back. I have experimented with this and it does make it easier to hit the ball perfectly straight. Just wondering others thoughts on this.
 
Magictrat007 said:
I respect everyone’s opinion here especially experienced instructors. Just wanted to know yalls thoughts on a locked wrist during the stroke. Like CJ Wiley locks forward and John Schmidt locks back. I have experimented with this and it does make it easier to hit the ball perfectly straight. Just wondering others thoughts on this.
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I think it is impossible to lock the wrist unless you have a one-finger grip on the cue stick. I think the wrist should be acting as a hinge, and I think for the vast majority of players it does flex to allow a normal grip.
 
My wrist hangs straight down at address and remains straight throughout the stroke, unless I intentionally unlock it for a particular type of effect, and I recommend the same to players. One example of a wrist release during the stroke would be a hard break shot. Another would be when the cb is close to the ob and you need speed for it to travel a long distance. But mostly, there's no reason to move your wrist during most of your strokes. It at least 90 percent of your shot, your arm swing speed is more than sufficient to get the job done.

Some players like CJ like to have their hand locked in more of a follow-through type position from address through the entire stroke. I don't know what that accomplishes other than curtailing the follow-through after impact. I think that locking forward or back are habits more than anything.
 
FranCrimi said:
My wrist hangs straight down at address and remains straight throughout the stroke, unless I intentionally unlock it for a particular type of effect, and I recommend the same to players. One example of a wrist release during the stroke would be a hard break shot. Another would be when the cb is close to the ob and you need speed for it to travel a long distance. But mostly, there's no reason to move your wrist during most of your strokes. It at least 90 percent of your shot, your arm swing speed is more than sufficient to get the job done.

Some players like CJ like to have their hand locked in more of a follow-through type position from address through the entire stroke. I don't know what that accomplishes other than curtailing the follow-through after impact. I think that locking forward or back are habits more than anything.
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I should add I have no problem stroking straight, except when I’m murdering the ball for extreme draw or force follow. But when one of these shots does come up it does seem easier with a locked wrist to hit it straight. Sorry that was a pretty big detail that I left out.
 
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I don't think you should force lock your wrist...I also don't think you should try and force wrist action....I feel like the wrist action should be a natrual motion.....Forcing wrist action either way is adding another stroke failure variable.....There are already enough IMO.

One thing you can do is try stroking with a particular part of the body and let the "action" happen based on that body part....For example.....using your fingers to bring the cue back and through may promote more wrist action......vs......stroking back and through with your forearm may produce less wrist action....but let the "action" part happen naturally.....JMO
 
You might lock your wrist to inhibit cue movement for a very short shot with a small bridge length, but in general, it’s better to use a natural wrist action. This natural action also helps you assess your experimental choices for hand, arm, and stance positions to some extent.
 
Sometimes a locked wrist feel is far from actually being locked, it's just far more limited in movement than a dead hang. Even CJ who was mentioned as being locked def isn't. Yes, he presets a forward position, but his special hammer move that he advocates (and got flamed for) is a wrist action not possible with a locked wrist.

Personally, I would never suggest a locked wrist, but I am in full support of leaning into range of motion limits that give that solid locked feel...even tho the wrist is still allowed to work, albeit in a more limited capacity.

That said, I play with one snooker player who is always a century threat who plays with a locked wrist. The caveat is that he uses a grip that is extremely loose in the fingers so he still gets the same effwct of the wrist adapting to and moving with the swing of the cue, but all of that happens in his fingers while his wrist rwmains solid and unmoving. So it can work, but as PJ pointed out, speed control and touch will be a challenge with a locked wrist....unless u have some play in the fingers to fill the role the wrist plays, like my snooker buddy does.
 
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