Back hurts?

SlashingAxe

SlashingAxe

Pool newbie
Silver Member
I just finished doing about two hours of just stroking straight through the middle and having the cue return straight to my cue. I stood up and set myself up for the shot each time but by the end of the practice I stood straight up completely and my back felt like it crumpled back in very odd feeling. Not sure if this is normal after practicing the same thing or if my stance is just completely wrong. I line up place my back foot then wiggle the front a little then bend at the hips kinda placing the weight on my back foot with my left foot a little locked
 
Are you doing the snooker style of stance? If you are tall, it might be hard on your back on a pool table (since it is lower than a snooker table). Some tall snooker players bend both of their legs to lessen the strain on the back, one example is Ricky Walden. You can still keep the basics pretty much the same. I get huge cramps and back spasms with a regular straight legged snooker stance on a pool table, and I'm an average height European guy. The combination of the stiff back leg, and the necessary twisting to get the arm behind the head puts tremedous strain on the lower back for anyone over 180cm on a low pool table.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z0nPMzvNqk

You could also do a different stance, a la Jim Rempe, where you spread your legs out wide, but keep them straight. Gets you low and pretty steady. If you allready have back problems, it probably won't be gentle enough on your back, but still better than the orthodox snooker stance.

A third option if your back is allready bad, is to sort of imagine that there is a bar stool behind you and you want to sit down on it, bending both legs and not really bend very far forward. You bend at the hips only as far as you can without any pain in your back. When my back is acting up I find this kind of stance to be the least uncomfortable. It's not orthodox, but it gets you down to where you can see the shot (sort of). Getting your chin on the cue is out of the question, of course. You'll look more like a billiard player than a pool player, but at least your back will not go out. Like all other back advice the trick is to do the work with your legs, not your back, and to do as little twisting as possible.

Whatever your stance is, the key is to position the legs correctly, to have them far enough apart and correctly bent. Having straightish legs close together is just begging for trouble down the road, unless you are very short.
 
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If you did all that for two straight hours I would think it would be perfectly normal for your back to ache. But then again, I aint no doctor.

r/DCP
 
I try to stay in good physical position. I do things like Insanity, and P90X. 😐Things like doing planks will develop or strengthen your back muscle, the same as doing many reps of bending at the waist and leaning over.

You have over worked the back muscles and it hurts the same as overworking any muscle like doing a lot of curls, sit ups or anything else that you aren't use to. You can also do the same when doing something that you don't normally do.

A few years back I was changing the engine in my truck. My back got sore from all of the learning over the fender disconnecting and reconnecting everything.

Take a few Ibuprofen tablets to relieve the inflammation and give you back some rest for a few days. The tablets will make you feel better but don't think that you can do another 2 hours of playing until it feel better without the tablets.

🎱
 
Straightpool_99 said:
Are you doing the snooker style of stance? If you are tall, it might be hard on your back on a pool table (since it is lower than a snooker table). Some tall snooker players bend both of their legs to lessen the strain on the back, one example is Ricky Walden. You can still keep the basics pretty much the same. I get huge cramps and back spasms with a regular straight legged snooker stance on a pool table, and I'm an average height European guy. The combination of the stiff back leg, and the necessary twisting to get the arm behind the head puts tremedous strain on the lower back for anyone over 180cm on a low pool table.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z0nPMzvNqk

You could also do a different stance, a la Jim Rempe, where you spread your legs out wide, but keep them straight. Gets you low and pretty steady. If you allready have back problems, it probably won't be gentle enough on your back, but still better than the orthodox snooker stance.

A third option if your back is allready bad, is to sort of imagine that there is a bar stool behind you and you want to sit down on it, bending both legs and not really bend very far forward. You bend at the hips only as far as you can without any pain in your back. When my back is acting up I find this kind of stance to be the least uncomfortable. It's not orthodox, but it gets you down to where you can see the shot (sort of). Getting your chin on the cue is out of the question, of course. You'll look more like a billiard player than a pool player, but at least your back will not go out. Like all other back advice the trick is to do the work with your legs, not your back, and to do as little twisting as possible.

Whatever your stance is, the key is to position the legs correctly, to have them far enough apart and correctly bent. Having straightish legs close together is just begging for trouble down the road, unless you are very short.
Click to expand...

Im not tall just 5'6/7? Believe that's 167-170cm according to Google ._. Anyways my stance I guess is like Ewa Laurence/ Alex Pagulayan a bit obviously not as perfect as them but looks similar in stance to that. As the newest person mentioned could just be not being used to it. It doesn't hurt as bad as if I stood just a little taller and not having my chin so near the cue but I want to be as consistent as possible and have good basics so idk if I should just endure it
 
Bend at the hips instead of was it like you are trying to touch your toes. Stretch your legs frequently.
 
Next long session ..after you return to speaking terms with your back...

....consider how much weight and balance you place on your bridge forearm and hand. Your lower back need not carry all the weight unless it's air bridge time.

I have a bad lower back...spreading the weight helps me.


...two hours, the same drill...I'd be wearing icy-hot for a week on my lower back and neck...:p
 
SlashingAxe said:
I just finished doing about two hours of just stroking straight through the middle and having the cue return straight to my cue. I stood up and set myself up for the shot each time but by the end of the practice I stood straight up completely and my back felt like it crumpled back in very odd feeling. Not sure if this is normal after practicing the same thing or if my stance is just completely wrong. I line up place my back foot then wiggle the front a little then bend at the hips kinda placing the weight on my back foot with my left foot a little locked
Click to expand...

Certain yoga ( pilates ) stretches both before and after can really help your back no kidding. Of course these should only be done at home, NOT THE POOL HALL 😉
 
Thanks for suggestions. I have an issue with disc in neck and my lower back has not been comfortable for some time. I have been changing my stance for sometime to get more comfortable when I am down and still keep what I call a stroke in shape.

It's been more of a struggle for me the last year. I think weight distribution is off as well as my hinge. Sometimes it's the simple things that make a big difference.

Best rolls,

-Kat,
 
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