Bending the left knee

[DeadStrokeMan]

(right knee for lefthanders)
Carl tells me the 'left knee' should be slightly bent. Ha - in all my years I've always shot 'locked' knees. Never really thought about. I can bend right down to chin contact without any strain and feel comfortable.

How many of consider this an 'important' feature in the pre-shot routine?

 

[PoolTemptress]

(right knee for lefthanders)
Carl tells me the 'left knee' should be slightly bent. Ha - in all my years I've always shot 'locked' knees. Never really thought about. I can bend right down to chin contact without any strain and feel comfortable.

How many of consider this an 'important' feature in the pre-shot routine?

I don't think it is too important. It depends on the shooter. Different stances work for different people. As long as you are balanced, and feel comfortable, then it isnt a problem.

 

[Jon]

(right knee for lefthanders)
Carl tells me the 'left knee' should be slightly bent. Ha - in all my years I've always shot 'locked' knees. Never really thought about. I can bend right down to chin contact without any strain and feel comfortable.

How many of consider this an 'important' feature in the pre-shot routine?

I have to agree.
The other night i experimented with bending the left knee, and then both.
It was more comfortable, not that "locked knees" wasn't.
As far as getting the chin down on the cue, i could see a lot better than before.
I'm going to experiment with doing that for a full session and see how it works out. I may just switch.

 

[woody_968]

(right knee for lefthanders)
Carl tells me the 'left knee' should be slightly bent. Ha - in all my years I've always shot 'locked' knees. Never really thought about. I can bend right down to chin contact without any strain and feel comfortable.

How many of consider this an 'important' feature in the pre-shot routine?

I dont beleive in one stance fits all, but that all stances must have a few things.

You must be ballanced, comfortable, properly aligned, and have plenty of room to deliver a good stroke. If the knees are bent or not will depend on your body structure and flexability.

 

[DeadStrokeMan]

I dont beleive in one stance fits all, but that all stances must have a few things.

You must be ballanced, comfortable, properly aligned, and have plenty of room to deliver a good stroke. If the knees are bent or not will depend on your body structure and flexability.

Yes - this is where I believe I'm at. In fact, the word "comfortable" is something I"m working into my pre-shot routine. Get "snuggly" - If I put the thought

-> Stand comfortable as if you'll be here for a long long time <-​

into my stance it pays off for me.

I need to work up a solid "pre-shot" routine that gets "burnt" into my soul so that its "auto-magic" when I walk into the shot. This is part of "rythm" and click that just pots balls one after another. Its part of the comfort zone.

I was snoopin' around the net lookin' for other folks "pre-shot" routines. Tough search. I find alot of talk 'about' the pre-shot routine, but not alot of them. Any pros here wanna share routines and warmups I'd love to hear 'em.

 

[Billy_Bob]

Jimmy Reid shows several different stances at the following link. They basically range from almost standing straight up (birds eye view) to chin almost touching cue (getting down low). Also climbing up on table/placing one leg on table. Sometimes knees are bent, sometimes not.

This makes the most sense to me, that different stances should be used for different shots. He also frequently says "get comfortable". That also makes sense to me.

http://www.freepoollessons.com/lessons/lessons1/stances/stances.shtml

 

[DeadStrokeMan]

Jimmy Reid shows several different stances at the following link. They basically range from almost standing straight up (birds eye view) to chin almost touching cue (getting down low). Also climbing up on table/placing one leg on table. Sometimes knees are bent, sometimes not.

This makes the most sense to me, that different stances should be used for different shots. He also frequently says "get comfortable". That also makes sense to me.

http://www.freepoollessons.com/lessons/lessons1/stances/stances.shtml

Yes - Thats the way I've been playing - different stances for different shots, comfort being the optimal word here. I 'spread' for my break because I need that power snap ... just the way I do it

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

(right knee for lefthanders)
Carl tells me the 'left knee' should be slightly bent. Ha - in all my years I've always shot 'locked' knees. Never really thought about. I can bend right down to chin contact without any strain and feel comfortable.

How many of consider this an 'important' feature in the pre-shot routine?

YOU MUST BEND YOUR LEFT KNEE, KEEP YOUR RIGHT LEG LOCKED, KEEP YOUR LEFT ARM EXTENDED AND YOUR RIGHT ELBOW SHOULD BE AT A RIGHT ANGLE DIRECTLY OVER YOUR CUE. YOUR CHIN SHOULD TOUCH YOUR SHAFT AND YOUR LEFT BIG TOE SHOULD POINT DIRECTLY AT THE OBJECT BALL. (I swear to God, this is all sounding like the game Twister) NEVER TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE OBJECT BALL AND FOLLOW THROUGH UNTIL THE TIP OF YOUR CUE HAS EXTENDED AT LEAST SIX INCHES BEYOND THE ORIGINAL SPACE OCCUPIED BY THE CUE-BALL.


If you're not doing it this way, you suck. Yes, that includes you McCready and Staliv and Reyes and Fisher and Corr and [tell me when to stop] Parica and [I can keep going] Mosconi and Ginky and Robles and obviously I'm kidding.

Just think about it in its most basic form. You're trying to deliver the cue-stick in a straight, predictable path. To accomplish this, you want a stance that allows you to sight the angle properly and maintain balance all the same. After that, it's whatever suits you.

 

[christyd]

YOU MUST BEND YOUR LEFT KNEE, KEEP YOUR RIGHT LEG LOCKED, KEEP YOUR LEFT ARM EXTENDED AND YOUR RIGHT ELBOW SHOULD BE AT A RIGHT ANGLE DIRECTLY OVER YOUR CUE. YOUR CHIN SHOULD TOUCH YOUR SHAFT AND YOUR LEFT BIG TOE SHOULD POINT DIRECTLY AT THE OBJECT BALL. (I swear to God, this is all sounding like the game Twister) NEVER TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE OBJECT BALL AND FOLLOW THROUGH UNTIL THE TIP OF YOUR CUE HAS EXTENDED AT LEAST SIX INCHES BEYOND THE ORIGINAL SPACE OCCUPIED BY THE CUE-BALL.


If you're not doing it this way, you suck. Yes, that includes you McCready and Staliv and Reyes and Fisher and Corr and [tell me when to stop] Parica and [I can keep going] Mosconi and Ginky and Robles and obviously I'm kidding.

Just think about it in its most basic form. You're trying to deliver the cue-stick in a straight, predictable path. To accomplish this, you want a stance that allows you to sight the angle properly and maintain balance all the same. After that, it's whatever suits you.

I agree 100%

 

[watchez]

I agree 100%

I disagree 100%.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

I disagree 100%.

There's a 70% chance I'll agree with my own post today. 30% for Thursday. This weekend, there is a 100% chance I'll agree with everything that has been said and hope that carries through until Tuesday.

 

[Blackjack]

(right knee for lefthanders)
Carl tells me the 'left knee' should be slightly bent. Ha - in all my years I've always shot 'locked' knees. Never really thought about. I can bend right down to chin contact without any strain and feel comfortable.

How many of consider this an 'important' feature in the pre-shot routine?

I wouldn't conentrate on this either. The thing that is pretty much consistent from player to player are specific balance points on the body. I use the balls on the feet. If you distribute your weight evenly on the ball of each foot, whether or not your knee will bend won't be because of conscious effort. I think that sometimes it will, sometimes it won't.

The ball of the non-shooting foot should also be in line with your bridge hand, and as a trick (applies to most - NOT ALL) your bridge elbow should be slightly forward and in line with your kneee, bent or un-bent. On your shooting side, your grip hand should be in line with the ball of your foot on that side. Everybody will be different, but balance points are fairly universal with everybody.

Above all else, your stance must be natural. If your are trying to force anything to happen in regards to your stance, chances are that you will not be comfortable at all.