Feedback on My Stroke & Mechanics – Looking to Improve Fundamentals
- Thread starter Renderu
- Start date
I found, for me, that the grip particulars don't matter much except for one critical thing -- that I shoot with absolutely no tension in the hand or fingers. It isn't easy to do until you experience it, and everything you shoot at goes in. That's when I realized the majority of misses were due to something the hand/fingers did that they shouldn't have. Hohmann was once asked about his grip and he said while it looks like he has a death grip on the cue he really doesn't. His fingers are more like a cage that the cue rests in.
I like the updated video. Your definitely hitting the ball better.
Just keep working hard with the practicing.
As far as the grip, what ever feels natural to you.
I wouldn't mess with it too much, as i said before, this would have been better off, in the ask the instructors category. I know some here already have responded.
Just keep working hard with the practicing.
As far as the grip, what ever feels natural to you.
I wouldn't mess with it too much, as i said before, this would have been better off, in the ask the instructors category. I know some here already have responded.
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The largest mistake -- in my view -- that a lot of players make when futzing with their grip to keep it loose is that they allow daylight around the stick. Your hand should be touching the stick all the way around. An error would be letting the cue drop down away from the web between thumb and index finger.
If there is daylight through the grip, the shape of your hand will change during the stroke because at some point your hand will close, either to get speed into the cue or to keep the cue from flying down the table after it hits the cue ball. Changing the shape of your hand during the stroke is a complication that I think you should avoid.
I just switched to this after a local studied my mechanics and recommended it. I previously had the cue hang down low in my hand. Now it's tucked up in that web for the past week or two. I'm giving it a good try.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
The biggeat flaw in your video is your choice of shape from 3 to 4. An easy roll gives you the 4 in the corner with built in shape for the 5. Your choice had you travelling a longer distance, across the shot line of the 4, into a way smaller window, and then required a great positional shot to the 5 with a huge 8ball to avoid. Fixing stuff like that will improve your runout percentage much more than technique tweaks imo.
That said, finding an instructor that will tweak your stroke rather than overhaul it and then just listening to him/her can be of much more help than some hodgepodge of internet advice from a variety of folks with good intentions who may all be working with a different idea of what an ideal stroke is.
Take grip for example.... some instructors like a snug grip like you have, some like the hand to open and close, some even like it so loose it has a gap between hand and cue....which others call slop. Weirdest part is that they are all right and their methodology has worked for countless players. But each part of the setup affects all others so u simply cannot mix and match bits of advice from multiple sources, even very reliable ones. I'd say, find an instructor who already prefers a snug grip like you prefer and then trust that person and only that person for a while.
That said, finding an instructor that will tweak your stroke rather than overhaul it and then just listening to him/her can be of much more help than some hodgepodge of internet advice from a variety of folks with good intentions who may all be working with a different idea of what an ideal stroke is.
Take grip for example.... some instructors like a snug grip like you have, some like the hand to open and close, some even like it so loose it has a gap between hand and cue....which others call slop. Weirdest part is that they are all right and their methodology has worked for countless players. But each part of the setup affects all others so u simply cannot mix and match bits of advice from multiple sources, even very reliable ones. I'd say, find an instructor who already prefers a snug grip like you prefer and then trust that person and only that person for a while.
Good and proper,huh..?You mean like Efren's pump handle stroke with which he managed to win a couple of tourneys..?I think this pool thing is a bit too complicated for you, maybe you should watch golf.A tip: the ball needs to go into the hole.That is especiallylooking. If you think that looks good and proper. You have no clue what a good stroke is.
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and play more with un polished(no product on them) balls so you can really see what your stroke does and can do.
i am not a fan of holding it so far back. but some especially tall players do well with it.
True.... Kinda, BUT when is it too much?
''Daylight'' gap thru the grip.... everyone will perceive and think about that differently.
Billy Thorpe kinda disproves that/Gap, but he's not an 800+ Fargo either, likely his reason.
The below pic is a pro in the top 32 at the US Open, is this too much, just enough?
I think this amount is just fine. But the large 12 o'clock hole above the thumb not good.
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Zerksies
Well-known member
You're lost. This guy is clearly not Effren
You're moving less, but you are still moving a bit. I still think you are over elevating a little bit.
On some shots you are following through and staying down really well. On others you retract your cue. Watch the difference between the shot at 0:58 and 1:40. Watch the tip of the cue after impact. 1:40 is what you want even though IMO you have too much elevation.
Stay down after the shot for a second. This gives you the chance to evaluate and it ensures that your stance is stable. I suspect you sometimes are not completely stable in your stance.
Good shooting.
Edit to add: This is a bit exaggerated but watch this shot by Ronnie:
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I have never seen Effren play...
Zerksies
Well-known member
Then you can't comment on someone's stroke
Atta boy...
The 'pino pump stroke' was common with an older generation of players that grew up on horrible/slow conditions. They were trying to generate enuff force to get around. Modern day 'Pinos no longer play this way. Efren and some of his co-horts were just products of their environment.
Not saying your take is not true but Luat and Andam for example did not use that exaggerated motion of a stroke and I would say that Parica didn't do it as much as Efren...I tend to believe that there maybe was a guy they looked up to or was very good that had this kind of stroke and it got imitated...but my point to the ''stroke expert'' was that a stroke that does not look pretty or even faulty can produce great results, Tommy Kennedy and Allen Hopkins come to mind.
Here's a story for you: I knew a Filipino that grew up in my home town, never saw any of the great Filipinos play...
He had a pump handle stroke.
Hell, there's people on here that knock Sigel's action. I agree, pretty is as pretty does. I'll take a guy who 'owns' his funny stroke over a pretty player ANY day. Sigel in his heyday was literally capable of playing perfect pool, 9b or 14.1. Funky wide stance but a lazer straight delivery.
You are absolutely right, execution over looks, anyday for me too.
I fully agree on your take on Sigel, you dont win over 100 major tourneys and at some point 9 in a row (!) when you can't execute.
Plus Efren said Sigel had the best cueball he ever saw.
Sure, they guy on his clip was not perfect and of course better fundamentals will probably have you improving quicker, but he was no Greg Fix (who beat plenty of ''pretty'' pro's) either (Mr.Fix, if you read this, no offense, you know what I mean ;-)
I fully agree on your take on Sigel, you dont win over 100 major tourneys and at some point 9 in a row (!) when you can't execute.
Plus Efren said Sigel had the best cueball he ever saw.
Sure, they guy on his clip was not perfect and of course better fundamentals will probably have you improving quicker, but he was no Greg Fix (who beat plenty of ''pretty'' pro's) either (Mr.Fix, if you read this, no offense, you know what I mean ;-)