Break Cue Weight/Speed Question
- Thread starter Spimp13
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A) it is much more important to hit within 0.001" of where you want to hit the head ball in the rack than to add 5 MPH to your CB speed.
B) Since you are <let us say> lacking in weight, you are going to have a difficult time accelerating a heavy cue up to the same speed as a light cue. It is the speed of the tip which determines the speed of the CB.
C) the break is much more about precision than power.
D) if you want to figure out the break, rack-break, re-rack-break, re-rack-break until you can control the trajectory of the head ball and both wing balls AND be able to see these as they leave the rack with a softly de-focused eye. You should be able to drop the head ball in the side pocket 50% of the time after an hour of practice.
B) Since you are <let us say> lacking in weight, you are going to have a difficult time accelerating a heavy cue up to the same speed as a light cue. It is the speed of the tip which determines the speed of the CB.
C) the break is much more about precision than power.
D) if you want to figure out the break, rack-break, re-rack-break, re-rack-break until you can control the trajectory of the head ball and both wing balls AND be able to see these as they leave the rack with a softly de-focused eye. You should be able to drop the head ball in the side pocket 50% of the time after an hour of practice.
From a scientific standpoint, best way to figure it out is to take the $5 Break Speed app and break with a 16 or 17 ounce cue, then break with a 20 ounce cue. The one that consistently breaks faster is the one that works best with your body. When it comes to power, the bottom line is velocity of the cue ball.
Me, for example, I average about 19 mph on a center table 10 ball break with my 20 ounce break cue. I've experimented with 16 ounce cues and I lose about 1 mph. I'm a larger guy, so for me maybe heavier is better.
By the way, I think break cues are good because they usually hold up well to the power of repeated breaking. As far as a performance advantage, I don't think they have one at all.
Me, for example, I average about 19 mph on a center table 10 ball break with my 20 ounce break cue. I've experimented with 16 ounce cues and I lose about 1 mph. I'm a larger guy, so for me maybe heavier is better.
By the way, I think break cues are good because they usually hold up well to the power of repeated breaking. As far as a performance advantage, I don't think they have one at all.
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I'm not a scientist, but I think that may be irrelevant if we are talking just a "single break-shot" as a reference.
If that is the case, it is "whatever" cue you can propel the cue ball that distance the fastest. For some people it is a heaver cue...for others it is a lighter cue. I ORIGINALLY thought the HEAVIER the cue, the BETTER and I played for YEARS. LATER, I LEARNED it was just the "OPPOSITE" for ME.
I have NO idea how fast I break, but I will assure you I can hit them SOLID and HARD if I put my concentration into it.
At this point, I think the weight of my breaking cue would NEVER exceed the weight of my playing cue and I think I may prefer it to be an ounce or so even lighter.
Hope you find whatever helps you.
I have a break rak with a radar, and I've done lots of experimenting with lots of people and myself. Lighter seems to be better...just a tad lighter, like in the 18's. I believe that the tip has more than anything to do with the speed of the cueball...that and technique.
Here's where technique is important: everyone says that accuracy is so much more important than speed.. They're right...but why?
Here's what I found. When I lightened up my break I started to record higher readings on the radar. I couldn't believe it. The speed of the break seems to be largely dependent upon where the cue tip contacts the cue ball. The highest readings came from dead center hits on the cueball. If I was a 1/2 tip off center, I lost 1/2 to 1 mph. 1 tip...1-2mph, etc.
So by hitting them softer and focussing on accuracy, I was able to increase my break speed quite a bit, so smashing the break at near full speed is stupid, IMO.
Also, the same logic applies to the head ball, what I learned, is that if the cue ball contacts the side rail at all after the break, it was a dirty break. You can break at least 3 mph slower that someone else, if the cueball doesn't go to the rail, and get better results, cuz 100% of the energy of the cueball has transferred into the rack. If the cueball contacts the side rail, you wasted 20% or more of your speed.
In summation...the reason why everyone sais that accuracy is better than power is cuz when you combine the loss of speed with the cueball and the loss of energy transfer into the rack...you're losing 1/2 of your power when you don't have complete accuracy.
Just my .02
Anyone is welcome to fool around with my break rak if y'all are in myrtle beach ever. Free of course
Here's where technique is important: everyone says that accuracy is so much more important than speed.. They're right...but why?
Here's what I found. When I lightened up my break I started to record higher readings on the radar. I couldn't believe it. The speed of the break seems to be largely dependent upon where the cue tip contacts the cue ball. The highest readings came from dead center hits on the cueball. If I was a 1/2 tip off center, I lost 1/2 to 1 mph. 1 tip...1-2mph, etc.
So by hitting them softer and focussing on accuracy, I was able to increase my break speed quite a bit, so smashing the break at near full speed is stupid, IMO.
Also, the same logic applies to the head ball, what I learned, is that if the cue ball contacts the side rail at all after the break, it was a dirty break. You can break at least 3 mph slower that someone else, if the cueball doesn't go to the rail, and get better results, cuz 100% of the energy of the cueball has transferred into the rack. If the cueball contacts the side rail, you wasted 20% or more of your speed.
In summation...the reason why everyone sais that accuracy is better than power is cuz when you combine the loss of speed with the cueball and the loss of energy transfer into the rack...you're losing 1/2 of your power when you don't have complete accuracy.
Just my .02
Anyone is welcome to fool around with my break rak if y'all are in myrtle beach ever. Free of course
IMHO
If you naturally have a fast break then a lighter break cue would increase your break speed.
However if you have a naturally slower break speed I believe a heaver break cue will improve your impact on the break.
Good information here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvHGTl9P_RA
If you naturally have a fast break then a lighter break cue would increase your break speed.
However if you have a naturally slower break speed I believe a heaver break cue will improve your impact on the break.
Good information here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvHGTl9P_RA
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From a physics perspective it is all relative to how fast you can accelerate the stick. Given your size a lighter break cue will likely work best for you. I am 6'2 and weigh around 280. I have found that as my cue gets heavier I my speed goes up. This is only true to a certain point though. I have tried a 25 oz. break cue. That was too heavy for me. Right now my break cue is 19.75 oz. That is about the point where I am able to get the most speed out of it when I really try to hammer the break.
good breaks
I am a big guy - pretty strong. I wasn't breaking as hard as I thought I should. I was trying to really pound/smash the rack. I noticed that when I did that - I was squeezing the cue at the end of the stroke. This killed my follow through and speed. So the way I fixed it is by using a VERY loose grip. I mean barely holding on. That cured it! With any cue I used. Give it a try and good luck.
I am a big guy - pretty strong. I wasn't breaking as hard as I thought I should. I was trying to really pound/smash the rack. I noticed that when I did that - I was squeezing the cue at the end of the stroke. This killed my follow through and speed. So the way I fixed it is by using a VERY loose grip. I mean barely holding on. That cured it! With any cue I used. Give it a try and good luck.
I've hit over 30mph with a 15.1oz cue, and I've done it with a 20oz cue. It's more about body mechanics than anything else. My highest recorded break speed was with my player, FWIW.
I truly believe that a "big break" can be had by anyone! It takes a bit of time. Probably 2-3 weeks for most, if you practice EVERYDAY, for about an hour or two. The hardest part is changing your body mechanics. My break shot is completely different than my shooting shot.
All the best!
I truly believe that a "big break" can be had by anyone! It takes a bit of time. Probably 2-3 weeks for most, if you practice EVERYDAY, for about an hour or two. The hardest part is changing your body mechanics. My break shot is completely different than my shooting shot.
All the best!
Break Cue
Accuracy is more important than a couple of miles per hour. Try breaking in 9/10 ball by aiming thru the center of the cue ball and have your tip also pointing at the center of the 1 ball. When you follow thru on your break forget the cue ball is there and push your tip to the center of the one ball. This will keep you on the line of aim with your stroke and follow thru. I see a lot of players going off to the left or right with their cue sticks when breaking there bye loosing a lot of power transferring to the cue ball.
I can break up to 24 1/2 mile per hour. I break around 20 miles per hour so I can control the cue ball better and squatting it near the middle of the table more often. Remember the harder you hit the cue ball the harder it is to hit it exactly where you are aiming. I am using a 20 oz break cue so I can transfer more energy with a little less power.
Accuracy is more important than a couple of miles per hour. Try breaking in 9/10 ball by aiming thru the center of the cue ball and have your tip also pointing at the center of the 1 ball. When you follow thru on your break forget the cue ball is there and push your tip to the center of the one ball. This will keep you on the line of aim with your stroke and follow thru. I see a lot of players going off to the left or right with their cue sticks when breaking there bye loosing a lot of power transferring to the cue ball.
I can break up to 24 1/2 mile per hour. I break around 20 miles per hour so I can control the cue ball better and squatting it near the middle of the table more often. Remember the harder you hit the cue ball the harder it is to hit it exactly where you are aiming. I am using a 20 oz break cue so I can transfer more energy with a little less power.
I wish my flip camera file size wasn't gynormous...about 17 minutes was 1.1 gig I believe on the last video i did and a pain to try to download anywhere. Maybe I can work on fixing the ol stance (which seems impossible with my back), and then the break via location/control first and see how it goes. I definitely think I grip a little too hard right before going forward with my cue which may cause a bit of an accuracy issue.
You could also buy Shane's breaking video... I haven't seen it yet, but my break is better than his anyway!!!
You could also buy Shane's breaking video... I haven't seen it yet, but my break is better than his anyway!!!
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=How+do+I+tell+an+AZ+member+that+he+is+on+drugs+and+that+is+bad+mkay?+
Willy nilly breaks work and playing 8-ball bar box on slow cloth, you have to power the balls a little to get a spread. However, over the past three years the wild part of me has managed to calm down quite a bit and although my average break speed is still between 22-26 mph, the effort I put in to obtain those numbers is very minimal.
I break using a long slow lever meaning long bridge, long/smooth stroke and whereas I used to choke up on the grip, I now grab further back on the cue. This allows me to make the cue do the work for me rather than the other way around. I line up my shot and cue angle... draw back slow and follow through.
To answer your question: Once you develop a consistent break stroke that works for you it won't matter whether the cue is light or heavy because the only difference will be how it feels in your hand.
I break using a long slow lever meaning long bridge, long/smooth stroke and whereas I used to choke up on the grip, I now grab further back on the cue. This allows me to make the cue do the work for me rather than the other way around. I line up my shot and cue angle... draw back slow and follow through.
To answer your question: Once you develop a consistent break stroke that works for you it won't matter whether the cue is light or heavy because the only difference will be how it feels in your hand.