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tonythetiger583 said:

Grip

I have fairly skinny fingers. And I've been playing around with my grip. It's somehow progressed into this almost death metal "rock on" position. The cue is now cradled loosely on my middle finger, and my pinkie and index finger flare out a bit. They only flare out a little when I do a loose pendulum stroke, and I extend my pinkie and index out a bit more fully when I use a piston stroke for the break. Is that okay? It doesn't feel as stable when I use only my index finger, and If I use both my index finger and middle finger, I've notice my ringer finger and pinkie get in the way, so I have to coordinate this butterfly type effect, which I often forget to do, which steers my cue off line.

Does anyone have experience with the type of grip I'm describing. I've also played around with having my thumb pressed against either the nail of my middle finger, or my first knuckle (still have space around the cue) At first I felt like it was giving me a firmer grip for power shots by moving up to the knuckle, but I'm wondering if it won't be more consistent to focus on the tension of the pinkie and index finger, and keep the cradle part of the grip more consistent. I find I get more sideways movement with the nail vs knuckle.

Edit: Sorry, the thread was supposed to be titled "Grip"

Click to expand...

Try this.

With no cue in your hand. From a standing position with your arms hanging straight down and relaxed look at the position of your hand.
You will notice that the fingers are in a somewhat cradled position, your thumb is pointed in toward your body and your wrist is slightly pointed out away from your body. Now slide the cue in there and close the thumb against the cue, not hard, just hard enough to keep the cue from falling out.
You will also notice that the weight of the cue is resting more on the middle finger and ring finger. The index finger and pinky are just kinda hanging around and not really playing any part with holding the cue. This is a natural holding of the cue.

As far as steering goes make sure that you are pulling the cue forward and not pushing the cue forward. You pull the cue straight back, a slight pause, and then pull the cue straight forward.

Also make sure that the tip of your elbow, shoulder and loop or V of the bridge are all on the shot line as you see it.

Grip pressure. Shoot 20 or 30 balls using only the pads of your thumb and index finger to hold the cue. Remember to pull the cue forward and not push it forward. The cue weighs over 3 times the weight of the cue ball so not much force is required to move it.
After you have shot 20 or 30 balls using the method above, now hold the cue as you normally would. You should notice that you are no longer gripping the cue but just kinda holding it.

The best money your ever going to spend is to seek out a good instructor. Don't think that you can figure all of this out on your own. Eight hours or more of instruction will knock off years of you learning the correct fundamentals.

Any of the instructors here would be more than willing to help you. Pay the money and learn to play well.

Hope this helps.

John

One Pocket John said:

Try this.

With no cue in your hand. From a standing position with your arms hanging straight down and relaxed look at the position of your hand.
You will notice that the fingers are in a somewhat cradled position, your thumb is pointed in toward your body and your wrist is slightly pointed out away from your body. Now slide the cue in there and close the thumb against the cue, not hard, just hard enough to keep the cue from falling out.
You will also notice that the weight of the cue is resting more on the middle finger and ring finger. The index finger and pinky are just kinda hanging around and not really playing any part with holding the cue. This is a natural holding of the cue.

As far as steering goes make sure that you are pulling the cue forward and not pushing the cue forward. You pull the cue straight back, a slight pause, and then pull the cue straight forward.

Also make sure that the tip of your elbow, shoulder and loop or V of the bridge are all on the shot line as you see it.

Grip pressure. Shoot 20 or 30 balls using only the pads of your thumb and index finger to hold the cue. Remember to pull the cue forward and not push it forward. The cue weighs over 3 times the weight of the cue ball so not much force is required to move it.
After you have shot 20 or 30 balls using the method above, now hold the cue as you normally would. You should notice that you are no longer gripping the cue but just kinda holding it.

The best money your ever going to spend is to seek out a good instructor. Don't think that you can figure all of this out on your own. Eight hours or more of instruction will knock off years of you learning the correct fundamentals.

Any of the instructors here would be more than willing to help you. Pay the money and learn to play well.

Hope this helps.

John

Click to expand...

Hi John,

Why would you not shoot with the method that I highlighted in your post?

Best 2 You & ALL,
Rick

ENGLISH! said:

Hi John,

Why would you not shoot with the method that I highlighted in your post?

Best 2 You & ALL,
Rick

Click to expand...

If I catch myself holding the cue too tightly this is the method I use to remind myself to not grip the cue tightly.
I guess you could play with a tea cup grip. But its not for me.

John

One Pocket John said:

If I catch myself holding the cue too tightly this is the method I use to remind myself to not grip the cue tightly.
I guess you could play with a tea cup grip. But its not for me.

John

Click to expand...

Yeah John,

That's my basic connection to the cue.

It's sort of like having a small rod running through the cue with the only connection being at those two points.

It allows the cue to sort of 'pivot' or rotate on that axis, axle rod, & hence the cue rides on the bridge with less variation in the vertical direction which keeps the tip moving more in a straight line on that plane.

It's sort of like 'holding' or suspending the cue from the top. I believe CJ Wiley made mention of that when talking about his 'grip'.

My point was, if it's good for practice, why not for actual play.

Best 2 You & All,
Rick

pics

tonythetiger583 said:

Grip

I have fairly skinny fingers. And I've been playing around with my grip. It's somehow progressed into this almost death metal "rock on" position. The cue is now cradled loosely on my middle finger, and my pinkie and index finger flare out a bit. They only flare out a little when I do a loose pendulum stroke, and I extend my pinkie and index out a bit more fully when I use a piston stroke for the break. Is that okay? It doesn't feel as stable when I use only my index finger, and If I use both my index finger and middle finger, I've notice my ringer finger and pinkie get in the way, so I have to coordinate this butterfly type effect, which I often forget to do, which steers my cue off line.

Does anyone have experience with the type of grip I'm describing. I've also played around with having my thumb pressed against either the nail of my middle finger, or my first knuckle (still have space around the cue) At first I felt like it was giving me a firmer grip for power shots by moving up to the knuckle, but I'm wondering if it won't be more consistent to focus on the tension of the pinkie and index finger, and keep the cradle part of the grip more consistent. I find I get more sideways movement with the nail vs knuckle.

Edit: Sorry, the thread was supposed to be titled "Grip"

Click to expand...

"Grip" usually refers to your back hand rather than your "bridge" hand. Think of it like the bridge tool in pool, or a covered bridge over a river. The cue bridge doesn't "grip" a cue, and a covered bridge doesn't "grip" your car when it passes through. Obviously one cannot "grip" the cue with an open bridge.

This may sound picky, but it's important. Your cue should pass smoothly over or through your bridge hand. So, when stroking through a shot, there is no "grip" involved. The bridge hand is used to guide the cue on its path to the cue ball, rather than grip it.

It would be much easier to assess your various methods of forming a bridge with a couple of pics or in person. Where are you located? An instructor could best answer your questions by watching you play and It would surely take only a couple minutes.

Tony,

I think if you go to edit your first post you can click on go advanced & change the title.

Best,
Rick

Donny Lutz said:

"Grip" usually refers to your back hand rather than your "bridge" hand. Think of it like the bridge tool in pool, or a covered bridge over a river. The cue bridge doesn't "grip" a cue, and a covered bridge doesn't "grip" your car when it passes through. Obviously one cannot "grip" the cue with an open bridge.

This may sound picky, but it's important. Your cue should pass smoothly over or through your bridge hand. So, when stroking through a shot, there is no "grip" involved. The bridge hand is used to guide the cue on its path to the cue ball, rather than grip it.

It would be much easier to assess your various methods of forming a bridge with a couple of pics or in person. Where are you located? An instructor could best answer your questions by watching you play and It would surely take only a couple minutes.

Click to expand...

Mr. Donnie,

What makes you think Tony is talking about his bridge hand? I did not see it that way.

Best,
Rick

tonythetiger583 said:

Grip

I have fairly skinny fingers. And I've been playing around with my grip. It's somehow progressed into this almost death metal "rock on" position. The cue is now cradled loosely on my middle finger, and my pinkie and index finger flare out a bit. They only flare out a little when I do a loose pendulum stroke, and I extend my pinkie and index out a bit more fully when I use a piston stroke for the break. Is that okay? It doesn't feel as stable when I use only my index finger, and If I use both my index finger and middle finger, I've notice my ringer finger and pinkie get in the way, so I have to coordinate this butterfly type effect, which I often forget to do, which steers my cue off line.

Does anyone have experience with the type of grip I'm describing. I've also played around with having my thumb pressed against either the nail of my middle finger, or my first knuckle (still have space around the cue) At first I felt like it was giving me a firmer grip for power shots by moving up to the knuckle, but I'm wondering if it won't be more consistent to focus on the tension of the pinkie and index finger, and keep the cradle part of the grip more consistent. I find I get more sideways movement with the nail vs knuckle.

Edit: Sorry, the thread was supposed to be titled "Grip"

Click to expand...

I grip the cue with a full hand but with the pressure on the last three fingers, including my pinkie. The pressure on the thumb and index finger is practically non-existent. Most players start out by gripping the cue with the thumb and index finger, and most of those never make the transition to the back of the hand. I've done both, and to me, the back of the hand is far superior. Of course, you can get used to anything, so if you're a front gripper and want to stay that way, you'll get used to it.

As far as just using the middle two fingers, yes, you will find that to be unstable. The pinkie is your anchor and doesn't need to be lifted off the cue unless you are applying a wrist snap, as some players do with power break shots.

If you stand tall at the table, all bets are off.

I feel like I should say that I've tried & used the 'grip' that Ms. Crimi uses & I must say that it works quite well.

It was just not too comfortable for me playing long term with it & that is why I did not stay with it but...

I think it can & does eliminate some gripping flaws like 'grabbing' the cue in the stroke.

There is another thread regarding cue weight & it seems that there might be a correlation between preferred cue weight & how one connects to the cue. I think that would be an interesting study.

The grip Ms. Crimi uses may not have been that comfortable for me because I use my index finger in other sports. My problem with it may have been a 'feeling' of losing control of what I'm doing, which is a bit ridiculous.

Best 2 All,
Rick

tonythetiger583 said:

I ended up on the middle finger, from trying to get to the grip you're suggesting. I heard that a lot of snooker players favour the back fingers, and it corrects stroke flaws. Originally I was trying to just have the cue cradled by just the v of my thumb and index, and no fingers actually cradling the cue from underneath, but the cue kept slipping down, so that's how just my middle finger came into play.

Click to expand...

Very few snooker players prefer a back of the hand grip. Most use a full hand grip that when pulled back releases the pinky, ring and middle finger and in some instances the index finger also. When the index finger is released the pressure and support comes from the thumb and pad of the index pushing together on long power strokes.

Ronnie grips with the middle finger. Ekkes grips with the middle and index. I grip with the index. Each to their own. Everyone's hands are made up differently and everyone's cues are different diameters at the butt end.

FranCrimi said:

I grip the cue with a full hand but with the pressure on the last three fingers, including my pinkie. The pressure on the thumb and index finger is practically non-existent. Most players start out by gripping the cue with the thumb and index finger, and most of those never make the transition to the back of the hand. I've done both, and to me, the back of the hand is far superior. Of course, you can get used to anything, so if you're a front gripper and want to stay that way, you'll get used to it.

As far as just using the middle two fingers, yes, you will find that to be unstable. The pinkie is your anchor and doesn't need to be lifted off the cue unless you are applying a wrist snap, as some players do with power break shots.

If you stand tall at the table, all bets are off.

Click to expand...

Fran does the back of your palm touch the cue as well...I guess I'm asking if there's any space between the top of the cue and your hand? Thanks

evis said:

Fran does the back of your palm touch the cue as well...I guess I'm asking if there's any space between the top of the cue and your hand? Thanks

Click to expand...

Depends on the shot. It can range from full-fisted with no space, to a little space for delicate shots. Either way, the pressure points are on the back part of the hand with the thumb and index finger resting lightly on the cue.

Thanks much appreciated

OK I took this to the table today and I really liked the way it felt. I was hitting the cb very accurately with this grip...

It is not near as important how you cradle the cuestick in your hand, as training yourself not to "clench" the cue as you strike the CB. The cradle pressure should remain consistent throughout the range of the stroke...backwards and forwards. Everybody is relaxed on the cue in their backswing. It's when we change direction that most of us grab on the cue somewhere along the way to strike the CB. I see many students who think they are not grabbing tight, but slow motion video (sometimes one frame at a time) tells the tale. There is a secret to being able to train yourself not to grab the cue, and it involves having a non-random range of motion (pendulum swing), to move your cuestick. Every student I work with learns this. Some are more successful at implimenting it than others. It's certainly true that some instructors do not teach this concept!

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com