Different Strokes

MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I saw in a video from Max Eberle where he describes a runout. For one shot he says it’s one where you pretty much just need to draw the cue back and let gravity do the forward stroke. I’ve never heard that before. Stroking was always a pull back, perhaps pause, and push forward. He described no pushing. I’d perhaps call that a “gravity stroke”. Is that something people have in their bag of tricks or advise for/against?

What other strokes are worth noting? (Slip, nip, jab, etc.)


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More stroke talk....is this more sexual innuendos from you!? ;)

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MattPoland said:
I saw in a video from Max Eberle where he describes a runout. For one shot he says it’s one where you pretty much just need to draw the cue back and let gravity do the forward stroke. I’ve never heard that before. Stroking was always a pull back, perhaps pause, and push forward. He described no pushing. I’d perhaps call that a “gravity stroke”. Is that something people have in their bag of tricks or advise for/against?

What other strokes are worth noting? (Slip, nip, jab, etc.)


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If you are capable of moving the cue in a repeatable straight line, with controlled speed, I personally would discard advice like this.

Using descriptions such "let gravity do the forward stroke" to explain what he is doing (or what he feels he is doing) is subjective at best, and will vary from player to player in both understanding and execution IMHO.

Add in to that, Max purportedly believes that the earth is flat. In my mind, that makes his ability to discern fact from fiction (or reality from opinion) just a tad suspect..... :thumbup:
 
MattPoland said:
I saw in a video from Max Eberle where he describes a runout. For one shot he says it’s one where you pretty much just need to draw the cue back and let gravity do the forward stroke. I’ve never heard that before. Stroking was always a pull back, perhaps pause, and push forward. He described no pushing. I’d perhaps call that a “gravity stroke”. Is that something people have in their bag of tricks or advise for/against?

What other strokes are worth noting? (Slip, nip, jab, etc.)


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Gravity requires a round Earth. I'm surprised Max believes in it. :D
 
Chuck Fields said:
If you are capable of moving the cue in a repeatable straight line, with controlled speed, I personally would discard advice like this.

Using descriptions such "let gravity do the forward stroke" to explain what he is doing (or what he feels he is doing) is subjective at best, and will vary from player to player in both understanding and execution IMHO.

Add in to that, Max purportedly believes that the earth is flat. In my mind, that makes his ability to discern fact from fiction (or reality from opinion) just a tad suspect..... :thumbup:
Click to expand...


And all he eats is vegetables...
 
The thing is, I’ve been trying to get out to this pool hall 45 minutes away with a 9’ Pro-cut Diamond table. It is punishingly tight and crazy fast. It’s really suitable for 1P. I’m not at that level yet. They are 4 1/8” pockets and I’m used to playing on 7’ Valley with 4 1/2” pockets. I’m learning a lot every time I get on it. It shows me a lot about my stroke. You MUST be straight back and straight forward with NO deviation. I’m seeing where I have deviation on some shots now. I used to think my aim was bad. Now I’m thinking my aim is great, my stroke was lacking. Putting a pause before the forward swing eliminates a lot of deviation. Using less muscle really eliminates deviation. I’ve been playing with a gravity stroke when I can and it does seem to work when I’m not jacked up over a ball or on the rail.


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MattPoland said:
I saw in a video from Max Eberle where he describes a runout. For one shot he says it’s one where you pretty much just need to draw the cue back and let gravity do the forward stroke. I’ve never heard that before. Stroking was always a pull back, perhaps pause, and push forward. He described no pushing. I’d perhaps call that a “gravity stroke”. Is that something people have in their bag of tricks or advise for/against?

What other strokes are worth noting? (Slip, nip, jab, etc.)


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I doubt that you can really take the biceps completely out of the picture, but the mental image can be helpful in setting up with the elbow position that allows the most naturally straight stroke using the biceps.

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I doubt that you can really take the biceps completely out of the picture, but the mental image can be helpful in setting up with the elbow position that allows the most naturally straight stroke using the biceps.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

I have been studying stroke mechanics for the past few days and found 'naturally' straight is a very key part of one's stroke. Everyone has a their own unique natural stroke. Why? Because no one is built the same.

MattPoland said:
He described no pushing. I’d perhaps call that a “gravity stroke”. Is that something people have in their bag of tricks or advise for/against?

What other strokes are worth noting? (Slip, nip, jab, etc.)


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This 'gravity stroke' only happens when you remove stabilizer muscles from the movement and is very important for a good stroke. I don't see a benefit in having any other 'strokes' besides this one as it is the only natural path your arm makes when you swing the cue.

If anyone has lifted weights before, you've definitely used a bench press. It's a compound movement that uses many muscles along with 'stabilizers' that keep the bar in a uniform plane. Using a 'Smith Machine' removes these muscles from the movement. That's why lifting weights on a machine feel so much different than free weights, like dumbbells and barbells.

The same thing happens when you swing a cue stick. It is a muscular movement just like an exercise that involves many muscles. Your stabilizers are used to keep your cue pointing straight to correct poor alignment of the bones in your arm during stroke. If you can remove muscular involvement from your stabilizers during the stroke, only then will you be using your bicep and tricep. Once this 'hinge' is set on the shot line, the forward stroke will feel effortless. Your stabilizers will not be active during the stroke and it will feel effortless, allowing gravity to determine the trajectory of your arm during the swing.

How do you achieve this 'gravity stroke'? You must align your natural swing on the shot line. Finding it can be difficult. I will go into more detail about finding it when I get home today.
 
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MattPoland said:
I saw in a video from Max Eberle where he describes a runout. For one shot he says it’s one where you pretty much just need to draw the cue back and let gravity do the forward stroke. I’ve never heard that before. Stroking was always a pull back, perhaps pause, and push forward. He described no pushing. I’d perhaps call that a “gravity stroke”. Is that something people have in their bag of tricks or advise for/against?

What other strokes are worth noting? (Slip, nip, jab, etc.)


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Did he actually use the term "gravity"? :p That would be great to be able to quote back to him...

Seriously, look him up on Facebook, its good for a chuckle.
 
Different strokes

Is your stroke a throwing motion or a deliberate hand action? Maybe a combination of both? You have to define it so you can refine it...Tommy D.
 
I was expecting this.
 

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MattPoland said:
I saw in a video from Max Eberle where he describes a runout. For one shot he says it’s one where you pretty much just need to draw the cue back and let gravity do the forward stroke. I’ve never heard that before. Stroking was always a pull back, perhaps pause, and push forward. He described no pushing. I’d perhaps call that a “gravity stroke”. Is that something people have in their bag of tricks or advise for/against?

What other strokes are worth noting? (Slip, nip, jab, etc.)


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Click to expand...
Is gravity horizontal now?

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Chuck Fields said:
If you are capable of moving the cue in a repeatable straight line, with controlled speed, I personally would discard advice like this.

Using descriptions such "let gravity do the forward stroke" to explain what he is doing (or what he feels he is doing) is subjective at best, and will vary from player to player in both understanding and execution IMHO.

Add in to that, Max purportedly believes that the earth is flat. In my mind, that makes his ability to discern fact from fiction (or reality from opinion) just a tad suspect..... :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Ummmmm... so, uh... you're saying it's not flat? :confused:
 
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