Couple of stance related questions

M

Marek8

New member
Hi guys, I am a beginner pool player and I have been struggling with some aspects of the 'correct pool/snooker stance'. I would be grateful if anybody could give me any advice to my questions.

I am learning by playing 8ball on bar boxes and ocassionally on 9ft table. I am trying to learn the correct stance by the available articles and by watching snooker players.

I am a right handed player.
I try to use a 45 degree stance (front leg is in line with shot, back leg is turned ~45 degrees from line of shot).

my questions:
1. the back leg is supposed to be on the aiming line. however, which part of the back leg specifically? The heel or the front of the leg?

2. is it profittable to the cue to touch my chest & chin when playing pool, as the snooker players do?

3. when in position to execute the shot - what should be the distance between my right hip and right elbow/hand? Should the elbow & hand be close to the body, or slightly away from body?

I understand the position of the elbow&hand&cue stick is fixed by the line of shot, but I can place my elbow closer/further away from the hip by placing my left leg further to the left and pushing my glutes to the left when bending over to the shot.
 
Marek8 said:
Hi guys, I am a beginner pool player and I have been struggling with some aspects of the 'correct pool/snooker stance'. I would be grateful if anybody could give me any advice to my questions.

I am learning by playing 8ball on bar boxes and ocassionally on 9ft table. I am trying to learn the correct stance by the available articles and by watching snooker players.

I am a right handed player.
I try to use a 45 degree stance (front leg is in line with shot, back leg is turned ~45 degrees from line of shot).

my questions:
1. the back leg is supposed to be on the aiming line. however, which part of the back leg specifically? The heel or the front of the leg?

2. is it profittable to the cue to touch my chest & chin when playing pool, as the snooker players do?

3. when in position to execute the shot - what should be the distance between my right hip and right elbow/hand? Should the elbow & hand be close to the body, or slightly away from body?

I understand the position of the elbow&hand&cue stick is fixed by the line of shot, but I can place my elbow closer/further away from the hip by placing my left leg further to the left and pushing my glutes to the left when bending over to the shot.
Click to expand...

This is a good starting point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u52gKAehqo

Here is another.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDkP6iaP3MY

I would urge you to hire a qualified instructor. Sure its going to cost a few bucks but the information you receive will knock years off the learning curve.:wink:

Have fun.

John
 
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thanks buddy, I am going to check out that video. hopefully it will answer my questions :)

As for the instructor, I would love to hire one, however I am located in a small country in europe, and I doubt there are any qualified pool instructors nearby.
 
Besides the videos already suggested I would also suggest the instructional videos by Ewa Lawrance.

Also it is extremely important to determine how you actually see a straight line. Do you have a dominant eye? Should the cue be under your chin or your dominant eye?

If you can comfortably lock the cue between your bridge, chin & chest to keep it traveling in a straight linear line IMHO that would be a very good thing. It, a straight linear line movement can also be accomplished without doing that as well. But that straight linear movement is what to strive for IMHO.

Please note that I am not 'certified' as an instructor.

I hope you have a great pool journey.

Regards,
 
thanks a lot for the help guys!

I have watched The Fundamentals Of Pool With Greyghost yesterday and it cleared a lot of things up for me, excellent video!

I already tried to apply some of the things from that video yesterday (the stance approach and the V-grip) and boy it made big differences already after 2 hours of play. I felt much more consistent with the shots and my cueing was a lot more straight.

Im going to check the other suggested videos today.
 
Marek8 said:
thanks a lot for the help guys!

I have watched The Fundamentals Of Pool With Greyghost yesterday and it cleared a lot of things up for me, excellent video!

I already tried to apply some of the things from that video yesterday (the stance approach and the V-grip) and boy it made big differences already after 2 hours of play. I felt much more consistent with the shots and my cueing was a lot more straight.

Im going to check the other suggested videos today.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's one of my favorite videos, especially for beginners...lots of great advice in there. As for your right foot, I like to have the cue lined up over my right big toe. Hold the cue with your right hand, locked into your hip as you stand over the shot...then step forward with your left foot down into the shot (your right foot rotates as you step forward). I actually keep my left heel on the floor, foot/toes pointed up into the air as I lower, then simultaneously lower my foot as I go down on the shot, kind of rocking it into position with it pointed parallel to the line of the shot. Then, my right hand is about 6-8 inches off the hip while it's stroking, very comfortable (and repeatable) to me. I keep my left arm locked out straight, it keeps me the same distance from the CB (as much as possible, some shots won't let you extend all the way out). Whether you keep the left arm locked out straight or allow a slight bend, it's important to keep the distance between your eyes and the CB as consistent as possible, otherwise the shot looks different everytime and your eyes will start to lie to you. Make your bridge hand firm...a loose/sloppy bridge hand is no good. I actually press my fingers down into the table, "digging" them into the slate. Open or closed, it makes a big difference for me. :smile:

Check out Tor Lowry's videos...some pretty good nuggets in there, too, even if I don't agree with all of it; you'll find some good stuff, worth a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm-VDuGzJS4
 
Thanks for the help!

ENGLISH! said:
Besides the videos already suggested I would also suggest the instructional videos by Ewa Lawrance.
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Yep already done that, I have realized that even after watching the video from greyghost my grip is probably too tight. Her video makes it pretty clear how soft the grip should really be.

ENGLISH! said:
Also it is extremely important to determine how you actually see a straight line. Do you have a dominant eye? Should the cue be under your chin or your dominant eye?
Click to expand...
Yes excellent point. I need to determine my dominant eye so I can be more consistent, because I have noticed that pretty small head position changes make a big difference in perspective.

West Point 1987 said:
I keep my left arm locked out straight, it keeps me the same distance from the CB (as much as possible, some shots won't let you extend all the way out).
Click to expand...
Hmmm... So if I make sure I use the same bridge length every time possible, I will have the same distance from the head to CB. Which would also tell me how far do I need to bend over the shot, so it would be less incosistent... Do I get it right?

I have also realized that some parts of the alignment can be a little bit different every time (for example the distance of the cue from the hip, it can vary a little bit based on how you place your right foot).
I guess I just need to practice a lot and make sure that I keep as much parts of my stroke consistent as possible and hopefully my body will learn the stroke so it will be same every time I play.
It just makes me a bit upset when some days I can cue perfectly straight and some days I cant make one shot without getting some unwanted side movements ...
 
If your not getting through the ball straight often the grip is where this problem starts. Too tight a grip,arm tension or any twisting will pull the cue off line. Make sure that arm is relaxed and if you cradle the cue with just the thumb and index allowing the other fingers to open on the back swing and you are just swinging from the elbow the cue almost has no choice but to go through straight unless you steer it with your shoulder or other body movement.
 
Slasher said:
If your not getting through the ball straight often the grip is where this problem starts. Too tight a grip,arm tension or any twisting will pull the cue off line. Make sure that arm is relaxed and if you cradle the cue with just the thumb and index allowing the other fingers to open on the back swing and you are just swinging from the elbow the cue almost has no choice but to go through straight unless you steer it with your shoulder or other body movement.
Click to expand...

A very good, in fact a great point about the grip & how letting it 'flow' with in the connection to the hand so that it moves in a linear line.

If it moves in a linear line going back instead of raising up, it can more easily be delivered in a linear line in the 'hitting' movement.

I think this may be one of the most overlooked or dismissed aspects, even by some instructors, regarding what it takes to develop a 'good' stroke.

It may be the major reason that top snooker players are more accurate than top pool players.

Again, great point.
 
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Marek8 said:
Thanks for the help!

Yes excellent point. I need to determine my dominant eye so I can be more consistent, because I have noticed that pretty small head position changes make a big difference in perspective.

...
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that it is about how you see a straight line at pool table distances.

I know I am right eye dominant & need to align my cue under that eye. Everyone is not that way so you need to find how you see a strainght line.

Regards,
 
Slasher said:
If your not getting through the ball straight often the grip is where this problem starts. Too tight a grip,arm tension or any twisting will pull the cue off line. Make sure that arm is relaxed and if you cradle the cue with just the thumb and index allowing the other fingers to open on the back swing and you are just swinging from the elbow the cue almost has no choice but to go through straight unless you steer it with your shoulder or other body movement.
Click to expand...

I saw that advice about opening the grip hand up on the backswing on a snooker lesson video last week. I started doing it, and it really does make a difference. But I keep all my fingers on the cue, and just relax the grip slightly on the backswing. Good stuff.
 
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