choking up on the cue- yay or nay?

[evergruven]

happy halloween :grin-devilish:

for certain shots (straight in, playing off the rail), I'm noticing an improvement in pocketing accuracy when I aim, choke up on the cue some, and just kind of "pop" the cue, with little length/movement in my stroke. naturally when I do this, the cue ball stops about where it contacts the cue ball.

my question is: is this healthy pool technique? my stroke is a work in progress, but I don't want to enforce any bad habits. I'd rather miss the ball with a good stroke.

also, I'm cue shopping, and am debating about the balance point- if the choking up thing is cool, that would give me a reason to move the balance point in a cue forward, I think..

 

[billiardthought]

I choke up when the cue ball is tight on the rail, and have heard this is the best practice. The intent is to move your grip hand up however many inches you lost in bridge length due to the cue ball being against the rail. Essentially, you adjust the cue relative to your natural body position all based on the bridge length you have available.

 

[Kickin' Chicken]

I find the choking-up method to be helpful when shooting jacked-up-over-ball shots and for power break shots.

The slightly forward rear hand placement (choked-up) on break shots was suggested to me by Busty as a means to get the most cue speed. I'd say he's a good authority on the subject. :thumbup:

best,
brian kc

 

[Poolplaya9]

In general choking up on the cue a bit can improve accuracy in some ways for many people, but it can also make it a bit more difficult to generate power or to have the smoothest stroke for many people (which can also be a detriment to accuracy).

For a new player I would encourage them to try to learn with a typical bridge length and try their best to develop a nice straight smooth stroke. For a long time player who struggles with accuracy and has a stroke they can't seem to fix, it is probably worth experimenting with choking up on the cue to see if it improves accuracy and overall success.

As mentioned by others, it can also be a good idea to choke up a bit on certain shots that require a lot of accuracy but not a lot of power, especially if something else about the shot makes it more difficult than normal such as being jacked up over an object ball, or having to elevate the cue a bit because the cue ball is frozen to the rail, etc.

 

[evergruven]

@billiard- "Essentially, you adjust the cue relative to your natural body position all based on the bridge length you have available."
diggin' this statement..something to be conscious of-

@kickin'- I've noticed efren choking up some on his break grip before, I tried it myself and realized that doing that gave me more room to "swing the pendulum"- pretty cool.
of all people, I would certainly be keen to heed *busty's* break advice

thanks all for the replies! I will continue to experiment with the choked up grip/stroke.

 

[pt109]

@billiard- "Essentially, you adjust the cue relative to your natural body position all based on the bridge length you have available."
diggin' this statement..something to be conscious of-

@kickin'- I've noticed efren choking up some on his break grip before, I tried it myself and realized that doing that gave me more room to "swing the pendulum"- pretty cool.
of all people, I would certainly be keen to heed *busty's* break advice

thanks all for the replies! I will continue to experiment with the choked up grip/stroke.

Don’t train to be a one-trick pony.
Shortening the grip is good for finesse shots ...for me.
But many different strokes are needed to play your best.

A golfer doesn’t try to hit everything like an eight iron.

 

[michael4]

in very general terms your grip hand should be placed such that your forearm is pointing straight down upon impact with the CB.......

(so I have been told)

 

[hitman22]

in very general terms your grip hand should be placed such that your forearm is pointing straight down upon impact with the CB.......

(so I have been told)

Yes I have herd that too but don't think its law...

 

[jrctherake]

happy halloween :grin-devilish:

for certain shots (straight in, playing off the rail), I'm noticing an improvement in pocketing accuracy when I aim, choke up on the cue some, and just kind of "pop" the cue, with little length/movement in my stroke. naturally when I do this, the cue ball stops about where it contacts the cue ball.

my question is: is this healthy pool technique? my stroke is a work in progress, but I don't want to enforce any bad habits. I'd rather miss the ball with a good stroke.

also, I'm cue shopping, and am debating about the balance point- if the choking up thing is cool, that would give me a reason to move the balance point in a cue forward, I think..

Some people claim to use the same stroke in general, every time they shoot.

For me, I think at this point in my game, I automatically adjust for EVERY shot whether it be the bridge, grip, pause, forward or back stroke......

Adjust as needed and over time, as long as you use the SAME CUE, your brain will be trained to put you on automatic.

 

[evergruven]

@pt, rake- thanks for your replies. fyi, when I said I'll continue to experiment with the choke stroke, I meant I'll keep using it as needed. I actually agree with you both and treat every shot/stroke uniquely. I think I naturally arrived at the choker for that reason, and even tho there are many paths to our pool destination, I'm glad that some of you can relate to the one described in this thread

 

[Patrick Johnson]

in very general terms your grip hand should be placed such that your forearm is pointing straight down upon impact with the CB.......

(so I have been told)

That works when your cue is level - if you think of it as perpendicular with your cue it works at all cue elevations.

pj
chgo

 

[pt109]

in very general terms your grip hand should be placed such that your forearm is pointing straight down upon impact with the CB.......

(so I have been told)

That works when your cue is level - if you think of it as perpendicular with your cue it works at all cue elevations.

pj
chgo

The current world 9-ball champion ignores that concept.
....I’m used to judging a player’s stroke by watching between the bridge hand and the cue ball...
...it rarely lies.....and it doesn’t matter what method you use.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

in very general terms your grip hand should be placed such that your forearm is pointing straight down upon impact with the CB.......

(so I have been told)

That works when your cue is level - if you think of it as perpendicular with your cue it works at all cue elevations.

pj
chgo

The current world 9-ball champion ignores that concept.
....I’m used to judging a player’s stroke by watching between the bridge hand and the cue ball...
...it rarely lies.....and it doesn’t matter what method you use.

Of course every rule of thumb isn't everyone's cup of tea (hence the "of thumb" part), but this one does have some factual support: the bottom of the forearm's arc is where its direction and speed are most predictable.

pj
chgo

 

[jrctherake]

The current world 9-ball champion ignores that concept.
....I’m used to judging a player’s stroke by watching between the bridge hand and the cue ball...
...it rarely lies.....and it doesn’t matter what method you use.

As usual, PT's advice is good. Even if not spot on, like others on here, it's close as snuff but ain't half as dusty.

Rake

 

[jrctherake]

Of course every rule of thumb isn't everyone's cup of tea (hence the "of thumb" part), but this one does have some factual support: the bottom of the forearm's arc is where its direction and speed are most predictable.

pj
chgo

If memory serves, I remember a professor in college saying that the "rule of thumb" came from an actual law that said, a man couldn't beat his wife with a stick that was wider than "his thumb".....

Rake

 

[RiverCity]

If memory serves, I remember a professor in college saying that the "rule of thumb" came from an actual law that said, a man couldn't beat his wife with a stick that was wider than "his thumb".....

Rake

If Andre the Giant would have married, his wife would have been in trouble. :grin-square:

Seriously though, here is the story, and the reality.
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/rule-of-thumb.html

Side note on Andre, theres a famous story that goes like this. He met a girl on a road trip one time, and took her back to his motel room. He was on the first floor and did not close his curtains well enough. A couple of the other wrestlers passing by outside, got a 'show' that was described as a polar bear mauling a puppy. :thumbup: