A pause poll . . .

The Pause:

  • No Pause

    Votes: 20 16.8%

  • I always pause at the rearmost point of my final backswing

    Votes: 39 32.8%

  • I pause at the cue ball before starting my final stroke

    Votes: 58 48.7%

  • Pausing varies or other styles. (please explain)

    Votes: 17 14.3%
  • Total voters
    119
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Silver Member
Do you do it, where do you do it if you do it?

I'm talking about a pause in your stroke here. Do you pause before your final stroke? At the cueball? At full backswing?

If you pause and have a concrete reason why you pause where you do I would much appreciate a post explaining why you pause there.

A very sincere thanks to all who participate in this poll.

Hu
 
I'm in for at the ball,But sometimes at the rear as well..

Is either pause in my "machanics"?...nope.Maybe they ought to be,but as of now they are both feel/shot/stroke related.
 
Allison told me that learning to pause at the top of her backswing is the number one key that she attributes to why she plays as well as she does. Thats advice I've worked very hard to make muscle memory in my stroke.
 
love the pause...

a pause at the top of my backswing.
At that point my eyes move from my aiming point on the cue ball to the aiming point on the object ball. Can't speak for anyone else but, for me, that moved my game up light years. Of course considering where it was coming from just getting the cue out of the case could be considered an improvement.
Got the move from watching Allison in her televised matches.
 
I have to...

I pause at the "top" of my "swing" because... Well, because I just took a lesson with Scott Lee and he suggested I give it a try. :p

Actually I've always felt better pausing at that point. Scott reinforced that stroke thought for me.
 
Buddy Hall was the first one that I noticed doing it so dramatically...and on every shot. It takes the wobble out of your stroke and allows for a straighter follow which in turn makes you more accurate. Another big tip is pulling the cue back slowly instead of jerking it back quickly.;)
 
I especially like to practice a pause by setting up a long straight in shot and closing my eyes on the pause. Stay relaxed and don't move and everything goes where it should. Open your eyes and verify that it did.
 
I try to use the SPF methodology recommended by Randy G. and Scott Lee. The set (S) is essentially a pause at the cueball and the pause (P) at the end of the back stroke is obviously a pause. I voted pause at the end of the back stroke, but it is really both.
In reality I try not to think about it too much when I'm in a game. Since I practice with SPF I believe I also play that way, but I'm not sure.
Not to bring up an old argument (which has lead to flame wars), but I think that everybody must pause at the end of the backswing. That pause may approach non-existence, but it must be there to reverse direction of the cue.
 
Two pauses...one at the Set position before I start my final back stroke, and another before I begin my final forward stroke. And since I hold my position when I have finished my stroke, I suppose you could make an argument that there is a third pause at the end of the shot.
Set...Pause...Finish/Freeze
Steve
 
My cue has to STOP moving three times in my stroke. Each stop (pause) has another chore to complete. This can't be done properly if my cue is moving.

SPF is a practice routine only. Like Catscradle said, Perfect Training leads to Perfect Practice leads to.......

Our group of SPF Instructors understand the principles in teaching the stroke. Scott, Steve and the rest of our SPF group are great teachers of our sport.....SPF=randyg
 
"All pool players have to "pause" at the end of their backstroke. The good ones learn to do it on purpose"....SPF=randyg
 
Ive always paused when i first slide down in my stance addressing the ball. I put my cue on the cueball and i pause while i aim and make sure im where i want to be. Then a couple practice strokes to get everything in groove and shoot.
I went to randys school and i was pausing at the top of my backswing on my final stroke ala allison. This was working great for me, but my local room closed down and im hardly getting to shoot pool these days (working on my basement now and bought a table). Ive found now a days when i play if i try to pause on my backswing, it feels like im loading up on the shot and things go haywire. Of course everybody has to briefly pause somewhere on their backswing so you can come forward for the shot, ive just found a long deliberate pause is throwing me off right now. Ultimately i hope to get back to a more allison like pause.
 
catscradle said:
I try to use the SPF methodology recommended by Randy G. and Scott Lee. The set (S) is essentially a pause at the cueball and the pause (P) at the end of the back stroke is obviously a pause. I voted pause at the end of the back stroke, but it is really both.
In reality I try not to think about it too much when I'm in a game. Since I practice with SPF I believe I also play that way, but I'm not sure.
Not to bring up an old argument (which has lead to flame wars), but I think that everybody must pause at the end of the backswing. That pause may approach non-existence, but it must be there to reverse direction of the cue.
Click to expand...

I had a lesson with Scot on the 10th, and since then I'm SPF. It really makes it easier to pocket since it lets you settle yourself before you stroke threw the cue ball, and come to your finish. Now the eye patterns, well that's another thing:p .

Pete
 
While I am not a BCA instructor I do work with some players in my area (we have no one else really). I play by a system of CCC. Confirm. Compose. Complete. I confirm at the cueball, compose at the back of the stroke and allow my eyes to fixate on the object ball and contact point, then complete the stroke. Pretty much the same as everyone else here. I learned to stroke correctly on a snooker table so my teachers didn't give me a choice. Plus watch Stephen Hendry play and you can easily see the best stroke in the game IMHO.
 
Hi! Randy,

I practice the pause at the cue ball and also at the back of the final stroke. I noticed this first when I watched Allison years ago. It was reaffirmed when I took the class with Randy and Scott (Holland, Mi). I don't think of the transition from backswing to forward as a pause but more of just a stop. A pause to me is an intentional act. It has really helped me to use that final pause to take a good long look at the object ball.
 
I find that incorporating a pause at the end of the backswing has resulted in a more focused and effortless stroke. I attribute this to two things: first, I have that extra moment to really focus in on that point on the object ball; secondly, it forces me to not rush the transition to the forward stroke. When done properly, the pause produces that wonderful feeling that I've stretched the rubber band to where it's supposed to be and all I have to do is to let it go.
 
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