Do any of you instructors teach the concept of maintaining a constant stroke speed wherever possible? Have any of you long time players been trained in this, and if so, do you use it?
I was first introduced to this concept on a cd by CJ. He talks about trying to "make the table conform to his style". He uses up and down the center of the cue ball to regulate the speed, where possible, and always trying to hit each shot the same "hardness" or stroke speed. Even his "touch of Inside" works to this by deadening the cue ball on most shots and "floating into position" instead of rolling. Of course there are exceptions but I do see the value in this.
Timothy White, Academy of the Cueing Arts, talks about a consistent 8 diamond stroke speed and how he regulates it so it can be used. He talks about speeding it up with running English and slowing it down with reverse to fit playing position. But he bases his thought process on where a 8 diamond stoke takes you naturally. I haven't seen enough of his videos to know where the 6 diamond concept comes from.
Scott Lee helped me learn how to establish my natural speed stroke. If I understood his teaching correctly, he used it as a benchmark to know when I had to hit harder or softer. So if my natural shot speed was a 6, I would consciously adjust up or down to achieve position. We did tests from 1 to 9. 1 being a full table lag to the end rail and 9 was a break shot. We didn't talk about any attempt to use a consistent 6 and use high and low English to make the speed work for most shots, but he may have mentioned it and it didn't register with me at the time.
I was first introduced to this concept on a cd by CJ. He talks about trying to "make the table conform to his style". He uses up and down the center of the cue ball to regulate the speed, where possible, and always trying to hit each shot the same "hardness" or stroke speed. Even his "touch of Inside" works to this by deadening the cue ball on most shots and "floating into position" instead of rolling. Of course there are exceptions but I do see the value in this.
Timothy White, Academy of the Cueing Arts, talks about a consistent 8 diamond stroke speed and how he regulates it so it can be used. He talks about speeding it up with running English and slowing it down with reverse to fit playing position. But he bases his thought process on where a 8 diamond stoke takes you naturally. I haven't seen enough of his videos to know where the 6 diamond concept comes from.
Scott Lee helped me learn how to establish my natural speed stroke. If I understood his teaching correctly, he used it as a benchmark to know when I had to hit harder or softer. So if my natural shot speed was a 6, I would consciously adjust up or down to achieve position. We did tests from 1 to 9. 1 being a full table lag to the end rail and 9 was a break shot. We didn't talk about any attempt to use a consistent 6 and use high and low English to make the speed work for most shots, but he may have mentioned it and it didn't register with me at the time.
Last edited: