Lifting your back foot/heel...Good or bad?

ktrepal85

Banned
During certain shots it feels natural to lift the heel of your back foot. This usually happens when you need to elevate your cue to get over a rail or ball so you elevate your back foot to increase the height of your stance.

Is this a bad habit or is it okay? There seems to be a trade off between elevating your back footing which decreases stability and lifting your shoulder which feels unconfortable. Is one better than the other?

What do most pros do? I never pay much attention to their footwork. Hopefully someone does...
 

Kris_b1104

House Pro in my own home.
Silver Member
Nobody knows?

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genomachino

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good IF.........

Good if you can keep your balance. Keep the stance solid....

Bad if you can't.

if your body is wobbling back and forth a little so are your eyes.

Dominant eye has to be right.

Perfect Aim tells the whole story.........
 

West Point 1987

On the Hill, Out of Gas
Silver Member
Everyone I know (pros included) does this...it helps keep your shoulders in the same attitude in relation to your back as you jack up. It also helps your balance, not the other way-around. Like I always say, watch the feet, when you shoot and when you watch a top level player shoot; there's a lot to learn right there. The feet align you to your shot; if that's screwed up, it's all up hill from there to get right.
 

bdorman

Dead money
Silver Member
Two feet, flat on the ground is the ideal for your basic shots. But in some situations (jacked up over a ball, stretching the table length, etc.) it's either impossible or at least detrimental.

I've never done it, but the best thing to do is practice those kind of shots and experiment to see what feels most balanced and comfortable to you.
 

7forlife

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
this is like asking should you use the same bridge on all your shots, BUT except when you're over a ball or bridging between balls.

Well since it's an open floor. Should you chalk your cue with the butt on the ground, at a 65 degree angle or is it better if you hold the cue in my hand with the butt off the ground, do you use circular motions or striking motions.
 

ZeroSkylineX

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
this is like asking should you use the same bridge on all your shots, BUT except when you're over a ball or bridging between balls.

Well since it's an open floor. Should you chalk your cue with the butt on the ground, at a 65 degree angle or is it better if you hold the cue in my hand with the butt off the ground, do you use circular motions or striking motions.
Agreed that this topic is extremely subjective, it really depends on the shot.

By the way, I chalk my tip with the butt on the ground because I apply the chalk evenly. I can't stand chalks with huge craters in them.
 

victorl

Where'd my stroke go?
Silver Member
By the way, I chalk my tip with the butt on the ground because I apply the chalk evenly.

I chalk my tip with my butt in the chair because that's where I am most of the time. I'll try sitting on the ground next time, but it's kind of dirty where I play.
 

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You can play standing on your head if you get the results you're after. The problem comes when you miss more of these shots than you should. The slightest of movements in the upper body can throw you way off target. So, if you can do it whilst being stable then it isn't a problem. You do have to put more weight onto the bridge however to keep the support solid.
 

ktrepal85

Banned
Agreed that this topic is extremely subjective, it really depends on the shot.

By the way, I chalk my tip with the butt on the ground because I apply the chalk evenly. I can't stand chalks with huge craters in them.

I don't think this post is subjective. There are many ways to do something but there are also good fundaments and bad fundamentals. If someone asked you whether or not it was okay to pop your head up after every shot would you have the same response or would you say it doesn't matter as long as the balls go in?

I think it's important to imitate good fundamentals when possible. In this case I'm not sure if it's fundamentally correct to lift you back foot occasionally for comfort. How is that subjective?
 

ZeroSkylineX

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't think this post is subjective. There are many ways to do something but there are also good fundaments and bad fundamentals. If someone asked you whether or not it was okay to pop your head up after every shot would you have the same response or would you say it doesn't matter as long as the balls go in?

I think it's important to imitate good fundamentals when possible. In this case I'm not sure if it's fundamentally correct to lift you back foot occasionally for comfort. How is that subjective?

Because everyone has different views on what is "correct" and what "good fundamentals" are. What may look wrong to you may be right for someone else. And if that person is potting balls because of a certain habit that others deem not right, why change what's not broken?

There is no correct way to form a bridge or stroke, just like how there is no correct way to play pool. In this topic, I mentioned it was subjective because certain long shots do require you to lift up one leg/foot to gain that extra length and to balance the body. Hence why I said in my previous post, it depends on the shot. Like most players, we'd like to avoid using the bridge as much as possible. Almost once every few games I end up at least having one foot off the ground to make a certain shot. Again, like I said before, this is subjective because some people prefer to use the bridge, some people prefer not to when absolutely necessary.
 
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