ACCELERATE VS CONSTANT SPEED THRU THE CUE BALL

[bbb]

i know it is widely advocated to not decelerate your stroke as you approach and on contact and follow thru with the cue ball
and it is widely advocated to accelerate your stroke as you approach and contactand follow thru the cue ball
i recently saw a video sorry i dont have the link where the person seemed to suggest a constant stroke speed which by definition is not accelerating
as you approach and contact the cue ball was not ideal for best "timing and action " on the cue ball
would like to hear what you all think ablut the pro /con of constant speed stroke and not accelerating
(i understand the cue ie stroke speed will momentarily slow down from the collision with the cue ball)

 

[Oikawa]

I'd say a simple explanation for why accelerating is generally better, is that a truly constant speed requires more muscle effort than an accelerating one. If you just freely move your hand anywhere right now as an example, it starts accelerating and ends deccelerating. Doing the same action in a constant speed is more effortful. A constant stroke is less relaxed.

 

[BilliardsAbout]

Conscious acceleration through the stroke IMHO is not wise teaching.

Bob J. has another thread where he explains the cue is coasting through impact on a quality shot, not accelerating.

An example where conscious acceleration hurts countless players is the "advice" to "really accelerate those draw strokes" when a softer stroke allows that lovely backspin to take hold, to suck the rock back after impact.

If you want to put a little oomph into your stroke, take a full backstroke, bringing the ferrule all the way back to the loop of the open or closed hand bridge, then when going forward, give it a little extra something for the first half-inch or inch of forward stroke, the long backstroke will nicely pace the stroke including acceleration.

When stroking in this manner you can even auto-set cue ball speed by using a shorter bridge length for gentler strokes and vice versa.

 

[Bob Jewett]

A careful study of 20 top players showed that all of them hit nearly all shots at peak speed and zero acceleration. That is the way to play the shot with the least effort and the greatest consistency.

I doubt that anyone actually told them to hit the ball that way. I suspect that they learned through practice and that way of hitting the ball just felt right because it was easy.

 

[Island Drive]

I look at it no different than a baseball pitcher.
You pick your spot to throw at the catcher.
Pitcher goes into their windup then...the pitcher comes back with the ball and transitions forward/the throwing motion increases your base ball speed till it's released.
Your throwing the cue at your target ball in the same manner.

 

[garczar]

i know it is widely advocated to not decelerate your stroke as you approach and on contact and follow thru with the cue ball
and it is widely advocated to accelerate your stroke as you approach and contactand follow thru the cue ball
i recently saw a video sorry i dont have the link where the person seemed to suggest a constant stroke speed which by definition is not accelerating
as you approach and contact the cue ball was not ideal for best "timing and action " on the cue ball
would like to hear what you all think ablut the pro /con of constant speed stroke and not accelerating
(i understand the cue ie stroke speed will momentarily slow down from the collision with the cue ball)

you're way overthinking this. pool stroke is a throwing motion. all you need to know. no guiding/steering but a relaxed toss. all the techno accel/decel stuff just happens. don't try to figure when/where/how these things happen. they do. and yes, pool cues/golf clubs are actually 'coasting' thru their respective impact zones. peak speed happens before contact.

 

[FranCrimi]

A careful study of 20 top players showed that all of them hit nearly all shots at peak speed and zero acceleration. That is the way to play the shot with the least effort and the greatest consistency.

I doubt that anyone actually told them to hit the ball that way. I suspect that they learned through practice and that way of hitting the ball just felt right because it was easy.

So is it possible that the maximum speed turns into constant speed prior to impact? Is there continuous acceleration up to the point of impact? Or does the motion come to a stop at impact? I guess I'm not clear on what your statement is supporting with regard to the question asked.

 

[Bob Jewett]

So is it possible that the maximum speed turns into constant speed prior to impact? Is there continuous acceleration up to the point of impact? Or does the motion come to a stop at impact? I guess I'm not clear on what your statement is supporting with regard to the question asked.

I have previously posted measured plots of stick speed versus time. The measured results match what was predicted from theory for the most consistent, efficient speed/time curve to use in the stroke. The speed-time profile was discussed extensively in this thread. See post 25:

IS THE GOAL TO NOT SLOW DOWN AT CONTACT

you always hear to "accelerate" thru the cueball but would maintaining constant speed be ok too? i understand you do not want to de-accelarate approaching the cueball i understand finishing past the the area that was occupied by the cue ball ie "following thru" is important but does the cue...

forums.azbilliards.com

 

[FranCrimi]

I have previously posted measured plots of stick speed versus time. The measured results match what was predicted from theory for the most consistent, efficient speed/time curve to use in the stroke. The speed-time profile was discussed extensively in this thread. See post 25:

IS THE GOAL TO NOT SLOW DOWN AT CONTACT

you always hear to "accelerate" thru the cueball but would maintaining constant speed be ok too? i understand you do not want to de-accelarate approaching the cueball i understand finishing past the the area that was occupied by the cue ball ie "following thru" is important but does the cue...

forums.azbilliards.com

I was just hoping you could have answered his question. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't understand your answer. I thought his question was pretty straight forward.

 

[bbb]

I was just hoping you could have answered his question. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't understand your answer. I thought his question was pretty straight forward.

sometimes bob answers staightforward
and sometimes he answers as a shaolin monk
giving you a nugget to discover the rest on your own
no disrespect intended bob
just how it seems to me over all these years

 

[FranCrimi]

sometimes bob answers staightforward
and sometimes he answers as a shaolin monk
giving you a nugget to discover the rest on your own
no disrespect intended bob
just how it seems to me over all these years

I figured it was just me. I'm a pretty simple-minded person. I like Hemingway.

 

[Bob Jewett]

sometimes bob answers staightforward
and sometimes he answers as a shaolin monk
...

And you participated in the previous thread and your question was answered there. You may want to reread the thread, keeping in mind that if velocity is increasing quickly it means there is a lot of acceleration and if it decreases quickly there is a lot of deceleration. Look at the plots referenced.

 

[bbb]

And you participated in the previous thread and your question was answered there. You may want to reread the thread, keeping in mind that if velocity is increasing quickly it means there is a lot of acceleration and if it decreases quickly there is a lot of deceleration. Look at the plots referenced.

thanks bob
and thanks for that link
i am entitled to senior moments (i am 70 years old)
i completely forgot i had posted this question in the past and the answers
i am still a grasshopper!!!

 

[Island Drive]

sometimes bob answers staightforward
and sometimes he answers as a shaolin monk
giving you a nugget to discover the rest on your own
no disrespect intended bob
just how it seems to me over all these years

True for us all. No one sees red the same way.

 

[Island Drive]

I figured it was just me. I'm a pretty simple-minded person. I like Hemingway.

Ahhhhhhhh, I know Your from the Bronx your not simple in a good way. Enjoy your remaining holidays.

From the headwaters of the AK river.

bm

 

[FranCrimi]

Ahhhhhhhh, no Your from the Bronx your not simple in a good way. Enjoy your remaining holidays.

From the headwaters of the AK river.

bm

Ha! Not from the Bronx, but I do confess to doing a little Italian shopping on Arthur Ave.

Happy Holidays to you too.

 

[Island Drive]

I come from John Abruzzo land.