My closed bridge was recently critiqued by a strong player and the comment was made that my bridge could be improved by placing both sides of the heel of my hand -- the side that is an extension of my pinky, so to speak, and the side that is an extension of my thumb, so to speak (I'm sure that there are proper anatomy terms for these parts of one's palm/hand, but I haven't looked them up and it might be unhelpful to use them). My closed bridge has the entire side of my hand -- the side that you would use to make a karate chop -- firmly on the table -- with my palm facing mostly downwards, of course. But the part of the heel of my hand that is an extension of my thumb tends to be just slightly above the cloth -- for common center ball and draw shots. I'm not talking about an elevated closed bridge position -- I'm just talking about bridging for a standard center ball or draw shot. I find that when I try to get the entire heel of my hand -- both sides -- firmly down on the cloth, I can't make a comfortable closed bridge. It was explained to me that if I curled my bridge arm and hand a bit -- kind of like left handers often do when writing with a pen, it would then be easier to get the entire heel on the cloth. This does seem to be the case, but the position is awkward, as I am used to an extended left arm (I shoot right handed). Might anyone tell me that what I'm doing is okay, and that there is plenty of stability so long as half of the heel is down, or is the chorus that I should have the entire heel on the cloth? BTW, I am not implicitly asking whether I should use an open bridge more often, or about the pros/cons of open and closed bridges. I'm focused solely on the specific configuration of the closed bridge. Thanks in advance for any input/thoughts.
Closed Bridge -- Question about palm heel
- Thread starter Seth C.
- Start date
Seth...Well sure it's "okay" to do it the way you are now. Someone can always do whatever they choose. That said, the best bridge (open or closed) is just as the person who suggested the change said. That's for stability. You want your bridge hand firmly planted on the cloth...not just passively resting there. Even putting pressure on the 'ridge' of your palm (your description of the 'karate chop') won't be as stable as having your entire palm and fingertips firmly on the table. That said, there are lots of pros who don't even put their palm down on the table at all...but they are pros. For most of us 'mortals' a strong, secure bridge is a path to an accurate and repeatable stroke. It may feel "strange" initially, but you will overcome the odd feeling, and your 'new' bridge will seem like you've done it forever. We teach 5 different bridges. Good players know and use all five. Good luck with your own discovery! :thumbup:
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
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This video at 6 to 10 minutes into it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm-VDuGzJS4&index=2&list=PLSdlfdk6zG-rru2CB4H0Qty8u078N-bLl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm-VDuGzJS4&index=2&list=PLSdlfdk6zG-rru2CB4H0Qty8u078N-bLl
Thanks very much for the quick reply. I hear you about stability, and about the process that one must go through to make a change and get comfortable. But I have to also wonder whether individual hand size and makeup -- short fingers, long fingers, etc. -- can be meaningful enhancers or limiters on one's ability to have a "textbook" closed bridge, and whether, if one has a hand type that just doesn't work well with a closed bridge, it is best to force oneself to learn and adopt one. BTW, the good player who was advising me also recommended using an open bridge most of the time. I had been using an open bridge maybe 10% of the time. When, after getting this advice, I started practicing using an open bridge, I realized that my entire palm wasn't on the table with that bridge either. Making an adjustment to get all of my palm on the table with an open bridge was pretty easy. It's when I try to create a loop with my index finger -- an inherent part of a closed bridge -- that keeping the entire palm on the table becomes difficult. I really don't have the sense that it is okay to curl my left arm and wrist -- like the lefty writing with a pen -- in order to make a closed bridge that has my entire palm heel on the table. That seems like creating one problem to solve another. I'm kind of quickly -- or at least initially -- gravitating to the other advice that I received: use an open bridge most of the time. I never saw myself as an open bridge player, but as I've started to use it a lot, I'm beginning to really like it. Scott -- I'm going to send a PM to you in a minute. Thanks again for taking the time to respond and help. Seth.
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Try making your bridge like you do but with your middle finger bent back under the base of your thumb. It fills the gap your talking about. Shown to me by a very good top player. Very solid. Took me a little while to get used to but it's been my main bridge I use for quite a while now.
Thank you. Interestingly, when I looked at the part of the video depicting the closed bridge, darn if it didn't look to me as if the thumb heel, like mine, wasn't firmly down on the cloth. Maybe viewer's bias . . . what I wanted to see?
Ah . . . I've seen that but never tried it. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll experiment with that one, too.
Got your PM Seth. Thanks! Myself, I probably use an open hand bridge 60% of the time, and a closed bridge 40%. That said, any power stroke will always be with a closed bridge. As far as finger size, anyone can learn to use a closed bridge well. Boston Shorty was a little bitty guy, with tiny hands, but used a closed bridge on most shots. On the opposite side of the fence, snooker players that play pool, use an open bridge for everything...even the break. So it's not like one can't do it!
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com