Break shot is really getting me down

T

the scorpion

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Can anyone PLEASE HELP! my break is not working and despite all my efforts I have tried everything such as:

1. Speeding the shot up
2. Slowing it down
3. Hitting dead centre of the cue ball every time.
4. Making sure the rack is as tight as possible.

But nothing is working because every break is the same the cb will either run right through the pack and stay at the bottom of the table or it will spin back to the top of the table.

It is getting to the point where I want to snap my cue in half and if this goes on much longer I won't last 2 minutes on the scottish 9 ball tour next year.

Please Help.
 
What game ...

8 ball or 9 ball?
Nobody ever perfects the break shot, they just have
periods where it works for awhile, and the rest of the time
it doesn't. That's why great players will get beat sometimes,
because their break isn't working.

IT IS IMPORTANT THOUGH, that during those trying times,
that you have at least 6 breaks, IMO, for each game played,
particularly 8 and 9 ball. I have found when a front break
isn't working in 8 ball, that a side break will. Just the opposite
can hold true in 9 ball, that a side rail break in 9 ball isn't
working, that a front break will.

Hint: You decide which break to use after inspecting the rack.
If the rack is 'tilted' certain direction, and it just needs to be
a little, certain breaks will not work. If the head ball is above
the spot, certain breaks will not work (look for this when you
start scratching in the side pocket).

Sounds like you need more education about 'racking' and how
to read a rack.
 
Believe it or not, at least I believe it, the break shot is very mental. It's really bizarre, and I can't understand it at all, but whenever I vividly picture the balls breaking apart and flying into the side and corner pockets, as I'm doing my practice strokes, that's actually what happens when I execute.

But the most strange thing is when I picture the 9 ball rolling from the middle of the pack to the left corner pocket, that's exactly what happens. if i picture it rolling to the right corner pocket, that's what happens too. Maybe it's just me. Does anyone else experience this bizarre phenomenon?
 
Hit it hard. Hit it square.

The end.

the scorpion said:
Can anyone PLEASE HELP! my break is not working and despite all my efforts I have tried everything such as:

1. Speeding the shot up
2. Slowing it down
3. Hitting dead centre of the cue ball every time.
4. Making sure the rack is as tight as possible.

But nothing is working because every break is the same the cb will either run right through the pack and stay at the bottom of the table or it will spin back to the top of the table.

It is getting to the point where I want to snap my cue in half and if this goes on much longer I won't last 2 minutes on the scottish 9 ball tour next year.

Please Help.
Click to expand...
 
One thing to keep in mind when breaking. You are actually excecuting a very low jump shot. If the cueball hits the pack in the air it will pick up top spin. The cueball will come backwards if the cueball is on the table when it hits because the mass of the rack is more than the cueball.

The first thing to do is hit the cueball with the same stroke every time. You can try pausing on your backstroke to help this. Just hit the cueball the same speed and the same english every time. When you start getting consistent results you can adjust your tip position accordingly. Try not moving your body also because this can ruin your accuracy.
 
Njhustler1 said:
But the most strange thing is when I picture the 9 ball rolling from the middle of the pack to the left corner pocket, that's exactly what happens.
Click to expand...

Now I know how you did it against me last week.
 
the scorpion said:
I have tried everything such as:

3. Hitting dead centre of the cue ball every time.
But nothing is working because every break is the same the cb will either run right through the pack and stay at the bottom of the table or it will spin back to the top of the table.

.
Click to expand...

these sentences contradict each other. you haven't tried everything, cause its not working, and if you're hitting dead center EVERY time.......then why does the cue ball do different things????

practice more........you're not hitting the cue ball where you intend on hitting it.

hit the balls square, firm, and find out where you have to hit it to squat the rock.

VAP
 
Njhustler1 said:
But the most strange thing is when I picture the 9 ball rolling from the middle of the pack to the left corner pocket, that's exactly what happens. if i picture it rolling to the right corner pocket, that's what happens too.
Click to expand...

well, if you imagine that everytime.......as long as you win the lag........you'll never lose.

VAP
 
the scorpion said:
Can anyone PLEASE HELP! my break is not working and despite all my efforts I have tried everything such as:

1. Speeding the shot up
2. Slowing it down
3. Hitting dead centre of the cue ball every time.
4. Making sure the rack is as tight as possible.

But nothing is working because every break is the same the cb will either run right through the pack and stay at the bottom of the table or it will spin back to the top of the table.

It is getting to the point where I want to snap my cue in half and if this goes on much longer I won't last 2 minutes on the scottish 9 ball tour next year.

Please Help.
Click to expand...

Try this.

Medium speed, hit the head ball as if it were the only ball on the table and you wanted to stop upon impact without the cue ball moving an inch in any direction after the hit. You have to remove any thoughts from your mind that the pack exists, only the head ball. This is a stop shot.

This will immediately improve your break. Good luck and let me know what happened.

(edited to negate the pack)
 
Last edited:
the scorpion said:
Can anyone PLEASE HELP! my break is not working and despite all my efforts I have tried everything such as:

1. Speeding the shot up
2. Slowing it down
3. Hitting dead centre of the cue ball every time.
4. Making sure the rack is as tight as possible.

But nothing is working because every break is the same the cb will either run right through the pack and stay at the bottom of the table or it will spin back to the top of the table.

It is getting to the point where I want to snap my cue in half and if this goes on much longer I won't last 2 minutes on the scottish 9 ball tour next year.

Please Help.
Click to expand...


If you are hitting it through the pack (follow) when still aiming low and hitting the shot really hard, hit it even lower than you think and keep up the power.

If you are drawing it back hitting dead center, take off some power and aim a little higher.
 
Njhustler1 said:
Believe it or not, at least I believe it, the break shot is very mental. It's really bizarre, and I can't understand it at all, but whenever I vividly picture the balls breaking apart and flying into the side and corner pockets, as I'm doing my practice strokes, that's actually what happens when I execute.

But the most strange thing is when I picture the 9 ball rolling from the middle of the pack to the left corner pocket, that's exactly what happens. if i picture it rolling to the right corner pocket, that's what happens too. Maybe it's just me. Does anyone else experience this bizarre phenomenon?
Click to expand...


Yeah...I do....about every 40th break.... :D :D
 
the scorpion said:
Can anyone PLEASE HELP! my break is not working and despite all my efforts I have tried everything such as:

1. Speeding the shot up
2. Slowing it down
3. Hitting dead centre of the cue ball every time.
4. Making sure the rack is as tight as possible.

But nothing is working because every break is the same the cb will either run right through the pack and stay at the bottom of the table or it will spin back to the top of the table.

It is getting to the point where I want to snap my cue in half and if this goes on much longer I won't last 2 minutes on the scottish 9 ball tour next year.

Please Help.
Click to expand...


Instead of breaking the balls...have you tried just shooting a specific spot on the 1-ball, or a specific spot in the rack through the 1-ball???

Forget about breaking the balls...."shoot" the 1-ball "very firm" and try to contol it into the side pocket...or bank it toward the corner...(while keeping your CB in the center of the table)......It's pretty much impossible to control the outcome of anything els that happens with the other balls...(unless you Cory Duel the rack)

Keep reference of what your target was and the outcome of the 1-ball and CB.....Then adjust until you get the desired results......A 1-ball the either goes in the side or hits "short" of the side will usually generate better chances for a run-out table...
 
pete lafond said:
Try this.

Medium speed, hit the head ball as if it were the only ball on the table and you wanted to stop upon impact without the cue ball moving an inch in any direction after the hit. You have to remove any thoughts from your mind that the pack does not exist, only the head ball. This is a stop shot.

This will immediately improve your break. Good luck and let me know what happened.
Click to expand...


DO THIS!!!.........Pete is exactly correct!....To take it a step further, practice with an open bridge. This will make you execute the stroke without using undue leverage on your bridgehand, which can create loss of control. When you master it, go back to a closed bridge if you wish. BTW, I still use an open bridge when breaking, alot of people question it, but when they see the results, they ask me how I developed it....Good luck....Gerry
 
i agree with vap on this one.....I dont think you are hitting the cueball where you think you are. Try getting an elephant ball or jim rempe ball and chalk up really well...........then break using centerball, then get the cueball and see where your chalk mark is.
 
vapoolplayer said:
these sentences contradict each other. you haven't tried everything, cause its not working, and if you're hitting dead center EVERY time.......then why does the cue ball do different things????

practice more........you're not hitting the cue ball where you intend on hitting it.

hit the balls square, firm, and find out where you have to hit it to squat the rock.

VAP
Click to expand...
I think you're partially right. In that, if he was hitting centre ball or varying shots around this position, he would be able to get more balls staying around the center of the table after the break. (Not counting collisions).

However, the bounce back off the 1-ball does vary. Sometimes the CB jumps back 2 inches and sometimes 2 feet, depending on the effective mass that it encounters. This must depend on the angle it hits the 1-ball and whether certain balls are touching it. It seems to be an occassional phenomenon and hard to account for.
 
pete lafond said:
Medium speed, hit the head ball as if it were the only ball on the table and you wanted to stop upon impact without the cue ball moving an inch in any direction after the hit.
Click to expand...

This is a good suggestion, but keep in mind, the mass ration of the cue ball hitting the rack is 9:1, so the cue ball will rebound when it hits the rack, which requires the *slightest* bit of top to stop the ball - contrary to popular belief.

Also, remember that the break is akin to specialty shots that should be practiced independent of your normal practice routine. The stroke mechanics, although apparently similar, are actually much different for generating 'power' versus the controlled repetitive action you desire when playing.

And, just like any other specialty shot, you can't have a great break without correct practice. Hitting the balls hard is not necessarily breaking the balls correctly. On top of all of this, each person has physical (as well as mental) limitations that dictate their breaking ability.

As a general proposition, in my experience, if you are breaking less than 20 MPH you are probably using the same stroke mechanics as shooting, and you should seek out a qualified instructor for breaking. It is much harder than you would expect to add an additional 25% in breaking power (here measured quantitatively as speed - for better or for worse). If you are breaking around 25 MPH, and are unhappy with the cue ball's reaction, you should then turn to the originally quote, and work on control.

FYI, the average pro breaks around 25 MPH, with exceptional breaks exceeding 30 MPH.

Another FYI: at the last monthly open event here, we measured break speeds (with a radar gun and the measles ball), for around 15 entrants. The highest break was 22 MPH ± 10% (due to the cosine effect) with a maximum effective break of 24 MPH. I would guess another MPH or so with the lighter red circle cue ball. The average break was around 18 MPH. The lowest break was 13 MPH (doh!)

-td
 
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