Break Speed

BillYards

BillYards

Playing Style: Wu Tang Fu
Silver Member
I am wondering if anyone has any breaking hints or tricks to share. I have not really had a problem with breaking, as I follow through almost to the side pockets, but this one thing has been bothering me. I was in Vegas for a tournament and they set up a table with a velocity meter on it and had a break speed contest. I felt great at 25 miles per hour, but was astounded when a guy reached 35 miles per hour. It was quite impressive! The difference in the snap was profound and I have always wondered what allowed him to get that velocity. It looked and sounded a lot like Tom Cruise's (stunt double) breaking at the beginning of the Color of Money. I have actually even thought of taking martial arts classes to increase my break speed.

Any ideas??
 
It has nothing to do with velocity. Never sacrifice accuracy for power. Work on your accuracy. As long as you keep control of the cue ball and make a ball you will keep shooting. I have an article on this web site "Breaking to Win", also look at Charlie Bond's book, there is good stuff in there.
 
Hmmm, Id love to know what my break speed is. I imagine it is at least 25 or somthing like that as I have a good hit on it. I normally can keep the CB around center of table as well as pocket a ball on the snap too. I have a few officer buddies, I might see if one of them can bring the radar over one night and give it a few cracks.

BTW. Was that really a stunt double for Tom Cruise? It looks an awful lot like him as well as the same bridge hand he uses throughout the movie. I read somewhere that all the shots in the movie were actually done by the actors, except the jump shot at the tourny at the end of the movie.
 
I can safely say based upon my own circumstances and experience that the break is just about 100% technique. Speed has little to nothing to do with it. I weigh 85-90 pounds (thanks to too much turkey!) and I break more consistant than an APA 6 buddy of mine ever thought about breaking. I show him what I do and how I hit it, and he still can't slow down enough to get it.

Focus more on where you are hitting the cue ball and the head ball. Just a good normal follow through stroke of about 2/3 power. You will be amazed.

I get tickled when I see these guys lunge forward and throw their whole body into it.

If pool was about how hard you can break, I don't know if anyone would ever beat Larry Nevel or Hillbilly Bryant.

Shorty
 
Oh, I agree with you guys... I do have a great, controlled break... I just want to take it to the next level with some speed.

I have taught several women to break... one of which lives in Shorty's town... and all I told them was: you don't need to hit it hard, just follow through... WAY through. Their breaks went from poor or average to astounding without adding velocity, so I know how it works.

I just want the ability to powderize the one ball on occasion...
 
that's some really fantastic advice. thanks so much for sharing. those guys are such a bunch of suckers right?

Shorty said:
I get tickled when I see these guys lunge forward and throw their whole body into it.

If pool was about how hard you can break, I don't know if anyone would ever beat Larry Nevel or Hillbilly Bryant.

Shorty
Click to expand...
 
35 mph? The world record is 33mph I believe, you must have been at the Fury booth. I heard they had a radar gun that was putting out some very interesting numbers.

There is a certain percentage lost when hitting the cue ball off center, I think you lose as much as 15% before you start miscuing at break speed.
 
I remember the numbers very well. 35 mph consistently for this guy... I did not get the feeling the apparatus was not accurate. Everyone else was in the mid 20's.
 
BillYards said:
I remember the numbers very well. 35 mph consistently for this guy... I did not get the feeling the apparatus was not accurate. Everyone else was in the mid 20's.
Click to expand...
Do you remember the guy's name?
 
I believe

That George Breedlove did one at 38 mph one time,
and said he would not do it again because it would
throw his shoulder out. He also did several at 33 mph.

I know a local player that used to bust the heck out of
the rack, but started breaking at about 60% speed in 9
ball, always making a ball and not bad layouts. Worked
for awhile good, but then it went cold on him, and he ended
up never making a ball and just spreading the table.

Breakiing is so erratic, it can frustrate even the best of players,
and sometimes it might just be the table, balls, etc..
 
BillYards said:
I am wondering if anyone has any breaking hints or tricks to share. I have not really had a problem with breaking, as I follow through almost to the side pockets, but this one thing has been bothering me. I was in Vegas for a tournament and they set up a table with a velocity meter on it and had a break speed contest. I felt great at 25 miles per hour, but was astounded when a guy reached 35 miles per hour. It was quite impressive! The difference in the snap was profound and I have always wondered what allowed him to get that velocity. It looked and sounded a lot like Tom Cruise's (stunt double) breaking at the beginning of the Color of Money. I have actually even thought of taking martial arts classes to increase my break speed.

Any ideas??
Click to expand...

BILLYARDS: If now you follow through to the side pocket and reach 25 MPH, maybe you should follow through to the head of the rack. Might increase your speed.

The length of follow through has nothing to do with attaining more/less speed.

Those guys who break for show at 35 MPH just might not break that fast in competition. Control not speed......SPF-randyg
 
Hint: Light break cue, the lightest that you can control comfortably. Also keep your arm as loose as possible and snap your wrist when striking the cue ball. Use the rail as a bridge, if your bridge moves it will cause you to not hit the center of the cue ball which will in turn reduce speed.
 
I don't remember the guys name, but it was at the VNEA tournament at the Riviera in Vegas in 1994 or 1995... I just have no way of getting the details, maybe someone associated with VNEA can find out. I watched him break 3 racks at 35 mph on the testing table and one of his happless former opponents stood by and said the guy broke that way through their entire match.

I am just facinated by this because his speed was 40% more than mine... it was a huge margin.
 
Oh, and they were not using a radar gun... they had a ballistics velocity meter set-up across the side pockets....

And: Yes, I realize that length of follow through does not increase the speed. As I said before... I am not having a problem with my breaking!! And I know how the physics all work. I just don't know why a guy can get a velocity 40% faster than me (and most of the rest of the human race).
 
i recommend everyone gets to a Gun and finds out what their break speed is. mine was alot lower than what i thought it would be when Mark Wilson put the Gun on me last year around Christmas.

i would have guess i was breaking between 18-25 mph, but my first one was around 16, then when i hit them hard it was about 17.5, and then what i considered the hardest i could hit them and still maintain any control was only around 19 mph. i would have guess i would have been higher than that, need to eat some Wheaties, i guess, dunno.

just remember alot of the break is technique. and i recommend you get yourself timed so you will know.

DCP
 
I have used a RADAR Gun at a Break Shot Clinic, but I have since departed from using one. The goal of "Speed" can bring out the worst in a pool player.

Instead of the players trying to get a good hit on the lead ball, maintain cue ball control & consistantly hit the cue ball at a controlled speed, the players always start trying to hit the cue ball very very hard. When I quit using the Radar Gun, the players kept their Break Shots under control.

I see the The Break Shot as an important shot, so I try to maintain control of the cue ball.
 
Shorty is right.

I can bench 250#+ but when I slam it as hard as I can all I do is launch the CB.

LWW
 
ceebee: Intrigued by your device.

Snapshot9: Why do you have a photo of a girl shoplifting volleyballs as your avatar? haha!
 
At the All Japan Open just completed, they had a radar gun and there was a kid breaking at 42 MPH!! I understand that a video is available and it will be posted in the next day or two with a link here.
 
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