Fundamentals of stroke

B

BoSoxFanatic21

Ready for Baseball Season
I've been watching a lot of videos online as of late and I've noticed something I want an opinion on...

Many ofthe top players address the ball and on their final stoke, pause at the top of the "backswing" when actually hitting the ball. I have never done this outside of very very heavy draw shots.

So is it a feel thing or is this the correct way I should be stroking everytime?

I notice I "poke" at a LOT of shots...could this be my problem?

Any suggestions help, thanks in advance. This forum is has such an incredible wealth of knowledge and I feel great knowing I can tap into it from time to time.
 
One thing I know is that the White Sox are much better than the Red Sox!!!

Anyways,I am no expert by any means. With that said, adding a pause in my stroke made me a much more consistent player. It is one of the things I concetrate on when my stroke is off. I believe all of the BCA teaching pros emphasize it as part of a correct stroke. Add it and see how much it can help. It seems to help me create a fluent stroke with good follow through, instead of a jerky or Poke type stroke. Good luck.
 
I had the same problem. Took a private lesson from a recognized BCA instructor. Cost me $100 for a 8 hour session that lasted 10 hours. Best money I have ever spent on pool. I have read many books, seen a lot of videos and wasted a lot of time trying to do it on my own.

Take a lesson and your question will be answered. You won't regret it.
 
For someone who has a stroke like an unfolding lawn chair, I'm not the one to give advice.

But, over the years, a lot of the great players I've seen do have that pause at the top of their backswing.

Try it. You may like it.

Stones
 
If you watch trained snooker players, the all have a definite pause on the final stroke.

I do it for a while and it seems to help, but then my old mind has a brain fart and I forget.
 
Besides the females, do you know of any top males that pause?
I have tried to watch video of Hatch and Efren, and Schmidt, and Earl and I cant seem to catch the pause.
 
It can help. It's not necessarily for everyone, but teachers try to teach students to pause because it's been proven over time to help people improve their accuracy and consistency, in terms of aim, tip placement, and speed control. Allison Fisher has a pronounced pause, and has said in interviews that the pause is crucial for her to allow her eyes to really focus in on the contact point.

Then again, I'm sure there are some people who just stroke the ball better without a noticeable pause. That's why you have to listen with an open mind to what teachers have to say in pool, but ultimately the choices about the exact techniques you employ in your game are yours alone.

-Andrew
 
Andrew Manning said:
It can help. It's not necessarily for everyone, but teachers try to teach students to pause because it's been proven over time to help people improve their accuracy and consistency, in terms of aim, tip placement, and speed control. Allison Fisher has a pronounced pause, and has said in interviews that the pause is crucial for her to allow her eyes to really focus in on the contact point.

Then again, I'm sure there are some people who just stroke the ball better without a noticeable pause. That's why you have to listen with an open mind to what teachers have to say in pool, but ultimately the choices about the exact techniques you employ in your game are yours alone.

-Andrew
Click to expand...

Exactly.

Teachers teach that 2 + 2 = 4 but you have to be able to apply what you were taught. Try asking some one for direction from your house to a certain store 25 miles away. Ask 25 people and you may get 25 different answers that all have good reason for the way they give.
 
Besides the females, do you know of any top males that pause?
I have tried to watch video of Hatch and Efren, and Schmidt, and Earl and I cant seem to catch the pause.
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The most pronounced pause by a male pro is fluid and smooth and it belongs to Buddy Hall.
 
Terry Erdman said:
Besides the females, do you know of any top males that pause?
I have tried to watch video of Hatch and Efren, and Schmidt, and Earl and I cant seem to catch the pause.
__________________
Earned not Issued
SUA SPONTE

The most pronounced pause by a male pro is fluid and smooth and it belongs to Buddy Hall.
Click to expand...


Buddy Hall imparticular. But a few others as well, Allison comes to mind.

Thanks for the thoughts so far!
 
Adding a "pause" on my backswing before shooting makes me a whole lot more accurate!

The theory behind this is you have "backwards" muscles and "forwards" muscles.

If you swing backwards and then suddenly forwards, for a moment your backwards muscles are "fighting" against your forwards muscles. This is not good. This is uncontrolled, tense, angry, chained-up, forceful. etc.

If you pause, you allow the backwards muscles to stop completely. Then you stroke forward with a smooth relaxed free movement which is a beautiful thing. The cue glides forward effortlessly through your fingers. A nice gentle forward motion!

But old habits are hard to break. So not easy to suddenly add a pause.

I have a few friends who tend to start poking with their shots and then begin missing shots. They know what they *should* be doing (set, pause, finish, freeze). But they can't see themselves shooting, so don't realize what they are doing.

And I am the same way myself. I can't see what I am doing - don't realize I am doing something I shouldn't be doing. But I have played with some very good players in the past who have told me what I did or did not do after shooting. This has helped me to fix some problems and I appreciate their feedback.

When my friends ask me why they are missing...

I say...
"Slow down!"
"Practice strokes."
"Pause on backswing before shooting."
"Follow through."
"After shooting, leave the tip of your cue pointing at where you were aiming."
"Stay down on your shot after shooting. Count to 3. One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three."
"Then get up from your shot."

Well they do this and run the table. Then they get on the 8 (or 9 ball) and poke at it and miss their shot!

Arrggg! (They say Arrggg!, not me.)
 
PROG8R said:
Besides the females, do you know of any top males that pause?
I have tried to watch video of Hatch and Efren, and Schmidt, and Earl and I cant seem to catch the pause.
Click to expand...

Well he isn't a top player anymore but Buddy Hall is a great example of the pause. IMO. He is the only man known to haven't missed a ball for 5-days straight!:eek: Incredible.:cool:
 
poolchic said:
Well he isn't a top player anymore but Buddy Hall is a great example of the pause. IMO. He is the only man known to haven't missed a ball for 5-days straight!:eek: Incredible.:cool:
Click to expand...

Ha, I got that beat. I haven't missed a ball in 6 days. Last month, I went about 20 days without missing a ball. At one point I think I went 8 years without missing a ball.

-Andrew
 
Andrew Manning said:
Allison Fisher has a pronounced pause, and has said in interviews that the pause is crucial for her to allow her eyes to really focus in on the contact point.
Click to expand...

TheBook said:
Exactly.
Click to expand...

Right on, practice stroke thinking about your stroke...then you pause to direct 100% of your focus to your target. Then you shoot.

As far as pausing in the forward or backward position, I've seen both, but I don't have much theory on the subject. I pause at the cue ball and then use a short back swing and long follow through.

Experiment, it won't hurt...
 
All players pause at the end of their back stroke...the good players do it on purpose.
I pause after my warm-ups at the cue ball, then a smooth back stroke, pause, and then finish the stroke.
It works.
Steve
 
I was thinking Buddy Hall, too. Such a simple-looking stroke because it's so sound and smooth. The pause is pronounced, and certainly seems to have worked for him!

Terry Erdman said:
Besides the females, do you know of any top males that pause?
I have tried to watch video of Hatch and Efren, and Schmidt, and Earl and I cant seem to catch the pause.
__________________
Earned not Issued
SUA SPONTE

The most pronounced pause by a male pro is fluid and smooth and it belongs to Buddy Hall.
Click to expand...
 
Yea, but Buddy cheats. He always gets the right angle and perfect speed, so he never has to make a hard shot! ;-)

poolchic said:
Well he isn't a top player anymore but Buddy Hall is a great example of the pause. IMO. He is the only man known to haven't missed a ball for 5-days straight!:eek: Incredible.:cool:
Click to expand...
 
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