can't get my chin down to the cue when shooting?

J

judochoke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I see all the pros get down so low that there chins are rubbing on the cue as they shoot. I would imagine that they can see things better being so low. but lifting weights for 40 years and being 270 and not so flexible, I can only get to about 12 inches away from having my chin touching the cue.

when I do get as low as I can get, I do see much better than being higher in my stance.

do any other older guys get down that low, or are you high like me. should I keep trying to get as low as possible? I seem to be doing ok so far in my stance with my limited movement.

I could only dream of getting low like Shane or Potts. but Potts is 120 pounds soaking wet. :o:o:o
 
Tip

I have back problems and I’m a little stiff because of it. Here’s a tip for you that works great for me and it lets me get down pretty low for aiming. I don’t get my chin down to my cue, but I get a lot lower than I used to.

Stand a little further back on your shots and hold your cue closer to the end. This will lengthen your bridge a little, but it allows me to get much lower on my shots than holding my back hand in the wrap area. It also helps me stay down on my shots better than when I held my cue further forward. Try it and experiment a little and see if standing back a little and holding your cue further back will work for you. It helped me a lot.
 
Anything in your stance that causes pain will eventually end pool success.

Its better to play at a lower level than to not play at all.

Tips are:

Use a wider stance..... spread your feet more.

Bridge / grip position...... as stated above.

Short sessions...

Learn to break BETTER........not.... HARDER.

Play more 1hole, 14.1 and less 9 and 10 ball....



BTW, some VERY strong players stood very tall in stance.

Rake
 
judochoke said:
I see all the pros get down so low that there chins are rubbing on the cue as they shoot. I would imagine that they can see things better being so low. but lifting weights for 40 years and being 270 and not so flexible, I can only get to about 12 inches away from having my chin touching the cue.

when I do get as low as I can get, I do see much better than being higher in my stance.

do any other older guys get down that low, or are you high like me. should I keep trying to get as low as possible? I seem to be doing ok so far in my stance with my limited movement.

I could only dream of getting low like Shane or Potts. but Potts is 120 pounds soaking wet. :o:o:o
Click to expand...
Post 3 quality pictures on here of you standing, sitting, and in your pool stance & someone may see something to help that you don't see.
 
Don't stand with one foot forward. Stand 90 degrees square to the line of the shot and just lean forward. The placement of your hips and pelvis is the key. Watch snooker players get down on a shot. It looks and feels weird at first but it works. I was amazed at how easy it is to get ALL the way down on your chin.
 
aren't there a lot of great players who did not get low
Mosconi etc

I am not sure whether it is not just as good to stand more up

i don't know,but i am thinking of experimenting standing more up like i do when playing one handed
 
Buddy Hall Youtubes. In at least one of them he shows how he gets down on the shots.


judochoke said:
I see all the pros get down so low that there chins are rubbing on the cue as they shoot. I would imagine that they can see things better being so low. but lifting weights for 40 years and being 270 and not so flexible, I can only get to about 12 inches away from having my chin touching the cue.

when I do get as low as I can get, I do see much better than being higher in my stance.

do any other older guys get down that low, or are you high like me. should I keep trying to get as low as possible? I seem to be doing ok so far in my stance with my limited movement.

I could only dream of getting low like Shane or Potts. but Potts is 120 pounds soaking wet. :o:o:o
Click to expand...
 
judochoke said:
I see all the pros get down so low that there chins are rubbing on the cue as they shoot. I would imagine that they can see things better being so low. but lifting weights for 40 years and being 270 and not so flexible, I can only get to about 12 inches away from having my chin touching the cue.

when I do get as low as I can get, I do see much better than being higher in my stance.

do any other older guys get down that low, or are you high like me. should I keep trying to get as low as possible? I seem to be doing ok so far in my stance with my limited movement.

I could only dream of getting low like Shane or Potts. but Potts is 120 pounds soaking wet. :o:o:o
Click to expand...


A lot of great players don't get their chin on the cue. Don't sweat it and just use what's comfortable and products results.

Lou Figueroa
 
I tried to get my chin to touch my cue when I was playing. I saw some pros do it so I figured I should. I actually played worse than I did in my normal stance which I would guess is with my chin 3 or so inches away from the cue.

These days I have to leave extra beard room...
 
judochoke said:
... when I do get as low as I can get, I do see much better than being higher in my stance. ...
Click to expand...
How much you should work on getting lower depends on what fraction of your potential playing ability you want to achieve. I think there are large advantages in getting your chin on your cue, as you have noticed. Try working at it for a week or two but not to the point of neck or back pain. See if you can adjust your stance to help.

You frequently see the advice to just do what's comfortable. I think that's bad advice. I think that if you work for solid fundamentals it may be uncomfortable at first. I think a lot of people hit that little bump at the start and veer off into the weeds. Work towards solid and effective and comfort may come with time.
 
i have a terrible back...just awful. I get my chin on my cue by bending at the hips, with a wide, square stance. I use the table to help me stand back up. :)
 
Bob Jewett said:
How much you should work on getting lower depends on what fraction of your potential playing ability you want to achieve. I think there are large advantages in getting your chin on your cue, as you have noticed. Try working at it for a week or two but not to the point of neck or back pain. See if you can adjust your stance to help.

You frequently see the advice to just do what's comfortable. I think that's bad advice. I think that if you work for solid fundamentals it may be uncomfortable at first. I think a lot of people hit that little bump at the start and veer off into the weeds. Work towards solid and effective and comfort may come with time.
Click to expand...


I think it is important to be comfortable and be as natural as the results will allow.

Sometimes I see guys, who have been working on their game and have come up with elaborate little dances or sequences to shoot. But under the heat, regardless of how much you work at it, those things tend to break down. You have to be comfortable and natural and any changes you make need to be organic to your body mechanics and personality, I believe.

Lou Figueroa
 
I think it helps me and I would like to get lower but broke C3 in my neck about 7 years ago and at that time with MRI and CAT scans found had herniated C4.

3C healed up ok but that C4 is really uncomfortable when I try to get low on cue, so I do what I can to get as low as possible without aggravating pain and a 400mg motrin.

My specialist said he could fuse it if it became a problem but would hold unless I was in serious pain which most of the time I am not.

Anyone here care to engage that has had neck surgery ? Help with pool, pain etc or stay away unless it's a must ?

Have a good evening,

-Kat,
 
Dave-Kat said:
I think it helps me and I would like to get lower but broke C3 in my neck about 7 years ago and at that time with MRI and CAT scans found had herniated C4.

3C healed up ok but that C4 is really uncomfortable when I try to get low on cue, so I do what I can to get as low as possible without aggravating pain and a 400mg motrin.

My specialist said he could fuse it if it became a problem but would hold unless I was in serious pain which most of the time I am not.

Anyone here care to engage that has had neck surgery ? Help with pool, pain etc or stay away unless it's a must ?

Have a good evening,

-Kat,
Click to expand...
C-6 incomplete quad here. Just gotta squat more. Use your knees to raise/lower a more upright torso. Only way i can play. No way to get my chin low so i just don't worry about it. You can play fine.
 
Last edited:
judochoke said:
I see all the pros get down so low that there chins are rubbing on the cue as they shoot. I would imagine that they can see things better being so low. but lifting weights for 40 years and being 270 and not so flexible, I can only get to about 12 inches away from having my chin touching the cue.

when I do get as low as I can get, I do see much better than being higher in my stance.

do any other older guys get down that low, or are you high like me. should I keep trying to get as low as possible? I seem to be doing ok so far in my stance with my limited movement.

I could only dream of getting low like Shane or Potts. but Potts is 120 pounds soaking wet. :o:o:o
Click to expand...



Why would you want to?

The most importand part is being comfortable.
Second, make sure your "Vision Center" is aligned to the shot.
Head heigth is a personal position.

randyg
 
Pushing 66, relatively fit, getting down on shot (or touching my toes) is not the problem.
Getting back up is.....:o

smt
 
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