Jumping Up On Your Shot

Zphix

Zphix

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sup fellas,

I recently recorded a video of me playing pool for about half an hour and noticed something.

When I was popping my head up on the shot, my elbow was stroking just out of line with my shot. So I had a visual example as to what was going on.

Other than your elbow getting out of a straight stroke line - are there other things that happen when you pop your head up on a shot instead of staying down? (Both before and after contact)

-Richard
 
renard

renard

Play in these conditions?
Silver Member
Zphix said:
Sup fellas,

I recently recorded a video of me playing pool for about half an hour and noticed something.

When I was popping my head up on the shot, my elbow was stroking just out of line with my shot. So I had a visual example as to what was going on.

Other than your elbow getting out of a straight stroke line - are there other things that happen when you pop your head up on a shot instead of staying down? (Both before and after contact)

-Richard
Click to expand...

Freeze at the end of the stroke and your not allowed to move till ya hear the object ball in the subway...
 
Dagwoodz

Dagwoodz

the dude abides...
Silver Member
On top of the higher risk of inaccurate cueing, it can cause a deceleration in your stroke which decreases the amount and consistency of spin you can generate on the cue ball.

There are some people, Efren is the best example, who lift up every shot. They do it so consistently however that it does not have a noticeable effect on their accuracy or stroke efficiency.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
DaveK

DaveK

Still crazy after all these years
Silver Member
Zphix said:
Other than your elbow getting out of a straight stroke line - are there other things that happen when you pop your head up on a shot instead of staying down?
Click to expand...

Ya, you miss a lot more.

Dave
 
R

Rasputin

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is one of the things that can really surprise a beginner.

A while ago I was playing a small time money game, playing scotch doubles with a friend who could not make two shots in row, even though he should. Our opponents had a similar team, one guy who could play some, and another who could not.

We were losing, big time. Then we had a small break for cigarettes and I told my partner to stay in shooting position until he sees the ball go down, and to concentrate only on this, f**** the pocketing of the balls and position.

He ended up making everything after that, and we ended up getting a nice little payout.

I don't know how far this little advise can take one, though. But it is a good advise for a beginner.
 
B

bdorman

Dead money
Silver Member
Zphix said:
Sup fellas,

I recently recorded a video of me playing pool for about half an hour and noticed something.

When I was popping my head up on the shot, my elbow was stroking just out of line with my shot. So I had a visual example as to what was going on.

Other than your elbow getting out of a straight stroke line - are there other things that happen when you pop your head up on a shot instead of staying down? (Both before and after contact)

-Richard
Click to expand...

Hi Z-

You might give this a try; it's worked well for me.

I focus on the OB last. So when I stroke I try to "take a snapshot" of the moment the CB hits the OB. I don't mean a general idea of what it looked like; I mean the kind of snapshot that is so clear and precise that I can remember it 10 minutes later. I find that it takes intense focus and that it forces me to keep my eyes exactly on that spot for 1-2 seconds after impact. It forces me to keep my whole body still and focus on the spot. An added benefit is that I now know exactly where I hit the OB. I can tell if I'm going to land long or short of the pocket long before the OB gets there...just by focusing on the moment of impact.

Hope it helps.
 
Colonel

Colonel

Raised by Wolves in a Pool Hall
Silver Member
Come to the realization that you can't shoot again until the cue ball stops moving so why pop up?


Why am I the Colonel? Because I always get the chicken
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Zphix said:
Other than your elbow getting out of a straight stroke line - are there other things that happen when you pop your head up on a shot instead of staying down? (Both before and after contact)
Click to expand...

I've heard instructors say that, even if you don't pop up until after you hit the ball, you're still tensing your muscles while you shoot in preparation to jump up, which creates unnecessary muscle contractions that can throw off your shot.
 
chevybob20

chevybob20

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For me, the jump up is the symptom of a problem. It's my sub conscious mind telling me that somethings wrong.

In your example, the elbow was chicken winged first causing the jump up. If you train yourself to ignore your sub conscience mind, you will miss many improvement opportunities.
 
Busboy

Busboy

Wanna Play Some?
Silver Member
Like arnold used too say getttt dowwwn stayyy dowwwnn lol no but really when I first started playing I used too jump up and I missed a lot more shots I just did drills at home staying down now I don't do it anyway have good one :grin:
 
Zphix

Zphix

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Guys,

I wasn't exactly looking for how to stay down on your shot.

I was asking for what happens when you don't - besides missing more, etc. Like losing ball control, or getting less English, etc.
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Zphix said:
Guys,

I wasn't exactly looking for how to stay down on your shot.

I was asking for what happens when you don't - besides missing more, etc. Like losing ball control, or getting less English, etc.
Click to expand...
I noticed that. You'll learn not to expect people to actually read your posts.
 
3

3RAILKICK

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Zphix said:
Guys,

I wasn't exactly looking for how to stay down on your shot.

I was asking for what happens when you don't - besides missing more, etc. Like losing ball control, or getting less English, etc.
Click to expand...


I think that mostly you lose the opportunity to see the results of a well hit shot, and the feedback that comes from a well struck, mechanically sound turn at the table.

A consistent PSR with its repeated elements of alignment, aiming, bridge selection, english and speed delivery ...don't get a chance to be evaluated as successful or not...because jumping up likely happens just before contact..so the shot you are trying to hit....never happens...and making it or missing it are much more unpredictable.

The timing needed to jump up after contact is probably more difficult than staying down to finish the shot.

The balls will not explode. You are in no danger. Stay down.:eek::eek:
and see what happens...good or bad. Take note, adjust as needed.
 
vvsels

vvsels

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Zphix said:
Guys,

I wasn't exactly looking for how to stay down on your shot.

I was asking for what happens when you don't - besides missing more, etc. Like losing ball control, or getting less English, etc.
Click to expand...


If you are looking for advice in an open forum, you need to be ready for all the crap that gets thrown at you...:)

most of them were good advice though.
 
SeabrookMiglla

SeabrookMiglla

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Keith mccready jumps up on a lot of his shots and so did alex higgins. They had pretty good timing though.
 
7

7forlife

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think most are assuming that by jumping up you mean like a real amateur or Keith and so forth. Do you really mean jumping up or are you referring to a head bob (cause i would like to think that you would of noticed "jumping up" without a camera)

The number one thing IMO that can come from "not staying down" is not delivering the cue where you intended and higher chance of not remaining relaxed in your shooting arm/muscles being tense and causing a flawed result in either CB or OB.
 
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