chalk with opposite hand...why?

I did it last night and don't like it lol first off it feels akward as all hell. I've been chalking with my right hand for over 20 years. I get chalk on my glove..which means It get ground into my shaft if I'm not carefull. It's not for me...
 
I chalk with my left hand and my right hand is the bridge hand. I have a little baton thril if you know what i mean.

But my bridge hand does not stay that much cleaner im just a messy chalker.
 
...the idea, as mentioned by several posters, is simply to tap into both sides of the brain. Everybody who mentioned ANY positive aspects to either the bridge or grip hand is right, as far as I'm concerned, because neither hand is wrong. I do enjoy popcorn and pizza, if that matters, and I eat right-handed as I shoot, but never at the table. Glad you all got so much out of my suggestion; "analysis paralysis" was the last thing I hoped to create. GF

I guess I'll have to come up with something else to make my left-hand do then :o if it's that important to tap into. I guess it makes sense, the left-brain/right-brain thing. I'm still gonna chalk with my grip hand tho...
 
Interesting that a lot of people have never heard of this. Opposite is always referring to the the hand you hold the cue with, never the bridge hand.

This was one of the first things my father showed me in pool. I however have always chalked with my bridge hand and I can promise you nobody's hand gets bluer than mine :)
 
I was reading George fells top 30 pool tips and he said for immediate improval in your game chalk with the opposite hand. He said he won't go into why right now...just do it. 25 years of playing and I've never heard of this. So can anyone tell me why?? and is he right? I like george fels a lot. One of the main things I miss about billiards digest.

Possibly to get your other half of you brain involved.

Fred
 
Do you happen to have a link to the other 29 tips by George fels? I couldnt find it.:sorry:
 
Possibly to get your other half of you brain involved.

Fred

The way our brains work, you would have to start chalking subconsciously, and then start chalking wile analyzing and evaluating your chalking process, in order to use both sides of your brain.

Steve
 
sometimes, just to shake things up a little, i'll throw the chalk on the floor and hold it between my toes (hole facing up) - then turn my cue upside down and hold it between my hands - and drill it into the chalk - like i'm trying to start a campfire with two sticks...

works like a charm :grin:
 
i used too chalk with my left hand. same hand i shoot with! now i chalk with my Right hand *Reason for this* its a Trigger for me when i chalk with my right hand an put my butt end of cue back in my right hand as i.m putting the cue back in my Right hand my back leg is steping back so my shooting arm an the leg thats in back of me is in same shot line as the CB an OB
 
Wait...what?

So if I understand this right I'm supposed to chalk my bridge hand? Or my grip hand? If I chalk my bridge hand, does that give me a more stable and steady bridge with which to shoot? And should I worry about leaving chalk marks on the table? On the other hand, if I chalk my grip hand, will that allow me to hold the cue even more loosely than I already do, or do I actually risk having the cue shoot through my newly chalked grip hand?

Also, when chalking which ever hand is determined to be the opposite, do I need to chalk the heel, palm and fingers, or just one of those? I'm assuming I don't need to chalk the top of the hand, but if I'm wrong, please correct me.

In terms of engaging both parts of the brain, I've read that music engages the right half of the brain, so I have found that playing air guitar with my cue in between shots gets the right brain working. It seems to work best when I'm playing "Werewolves of London", but it's effective nonetheless with any type of rock or country music. The lack of guitars in rap music makes playing air guitar hard, so sometimes I have to improvise and work the pockets like turntables when rap is on.

To engage the left part of the brain, which deals with logic and reasoning, I keep a pad of graph paper and a box of crayons in my bag. In between shots, I work out math problems. Sure, it might seem like that would slow down my pace of play, but I play pretty slow regardless. And having the graph paper and crayons really helps for kick shots and banks. I used to bring a protractor and measuring tape, but too many opponents complained, so I had to stop.

I think once I get all this stuff working together, I'll be a force to be reckoned with, although by chalking the correct hand in the correct place, I feel like I might be giving myself away as a hustler. I've heard that you can identify a hustler because they either shoot with a house cue, a cheap cue or a really nice cue, and they will either chalk the correct hand, or the incorrect hand to try to throw you off, or they may not use chalk on their hand at all.

I think I read somewhere in another thread that Blue Diamond chalk is more abrasive than Master Chalk or Silver Cup, so if I use that to chalk my fingertips, is there a risk that I may eventually remove my fingerprints? I'm not saying this is a deal breaker, but if that could happen, is there also the chance that I could start to wear down my fingers the same way that a ferrule gets worn down by Blue Diamond chalk? Maybe I'll just stick to Master chalk. That way, I don't have to worry about my fingers getting shorter, and not being able to perform the post-match handshake. I'm not against a post-match fist bump, but I like to have options.

Johnny
 
So if I understand this right I'm supposed to chalk my bridge hand? Or my grip hand? If I chalk my bridge hand, does that give me a more stable and steady bridge with which to shoot? And should I worry about leaving chalk marks on the table? On the other hand, if I chalk my grip hand, will that allow me to hold the cue even more loosely than I already do, or do I actually risk having the cue shoot through my newly chalked grip hand?

Also, when chalking which ever hand is determined to be the opposite, do I need to chalk the heel, palm and fingers, or just one of those? I'm assuming I don't need to chalk the top of the hand, but if I'm wrong, please correct me.

In terms of engaging both parts of the brain, I've read that music engages the right half of the brain, so I have found that playing air guitar with my cue in between shots gets the right brain working. It seems to work best when I'm playing "Werewolves of London", but it's effective nonetheless with any type of rock or country music. The lack of guitars in rap music makes playing air guitar hard, so sometimes I have to improvise and work the pockets like turntables when rap is on.

To engage the left part of the brain, which deals with logic and reasoning, I keep a pad of graph paper and a box of crayons in my bag. In between shots, I work out math problems. Sure, it might seem like that would slow down my pace of play, but I play pretty slow regardless. And having the graph paper and crayons really helps for kick shots and banks. I used to bring a protractor and measuring tape, but too many opponents complained, so I had to stop.

I think once I get all this stuff working together, I'll be a force to be reckoned with, although by chalking the correct hand in the correct place, I feel like I might be giving myself away as a hustler. I've heard that you can identify a hustler because they either shoot with a house cue, a cheap cue or a really nice cue, and they will either chalk the correct hand, or the incorrect hand to try to throw you off, or they may not use chalk on their hand at all.

I think I read somewhere in another thread that Blue Diamond chalk is more abrasive than Master Chalk or Silver Cup, so if I use that to chalk my fingertips, is there a risk that I may eventually remove my fingerprints? I'm not saying this is a deal breaker, but if that could happen, is there also the chance that I could start to wear down my fingers the same way that a ferrule gets worn down by Blue Diamond chalk? Maybe I'll just stick to Master chalk. That way, I don't have to worry about my fingers getting shorter, and not being able to perform the post-match handshake. I'm not against a post-match fist bump, but I like to have options.

Johnny

This could be your MBA thesis, Johnny.
 
It's strange the things we do via subconscious habit. Like chalking. I'm a righty and usually chalk lefty. But not always... Pool is like making love to a woman... Bare with me, mmkay? I don't think I'm alone in utilizing this moist effective, spiritual process.

Sometimes, when I've stroked one in the hole and come to notice my next one is going to be a sticky wicket, I realize I need a moment to analyze twats before me. So, I place put my butt down on the ground and hold my shaft with my left hand. I proceed to apply the friction modifier with my right hand, afterwhich I get focused on the task at hand. Then, an in-out.. a few more in-outs.. and BAM! I let 'er go without abandon. I find this process to be boneficial to not selling out. It keeps me in tall cotton. That'll be $69.99 please.

What's that story about the young bull and the experienced bull up on the hill? :)

I just spit up my drink all over government property....thanks for that...lol

*edit* BTW, I chalk with my bridge hand (left hand)...and it's usually a 5-10 minute ordeal to get my hand clean afterwards. My shaft gets cleaned about once a month. I actually like the way the chalk in the grain looks...especially with a curly maple shaft.
 
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sometimes, just to shake things up a little, i'll throw the chalk on the floor and hold it between my toes (hole facing up) - then turn my cue upside down and hold it between my hands - and drill it into the chalk - like i'm trying to start a campfire with two sticks...

works like a charm :grin:

i'm a scottish player and I wear a kilt when I play. To stimulate myself I wedge a piece of chalk between my butt cheeks. I find this tends to stimulate my prefrontal lobes as I tend to not operate off the left and right brains but the front and back. Ian Mcloud
 
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Chalking

No easy solution in sight for this international chalking dilemma.
I've decided to simplify my life and quit using chalk.
I'm done.
This thread made me realize that right handed or left handed, I will
never be able to chalk my cue without ****ing something up.

If anyone has a box of permanently chalked screw-on tips please send pics
and specifications.
 
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