Heavy bridge hand?

3

3RAILKICK

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
:confused:How do you feel that you are balanced on your bridge hand most of the time?

Are you 'neutral'(evenly balanced), 'forward press'(weight leaning on your bridge or 'sitting back'(light bridge-rearward weighted)

Does it depend on the shot/situation?

I'm trying to straighten out some kinks in my stroke. I think I'm leaning too much into my bridge hand.

Is this just something else that I should get out of my head?

Anybody else get hung up on stuff like this?


Thanks

3railkick
 
4 sure

im always working on the little things, i used to lean on my bridge hand because when i would play for 5 or 6 hours my arm would be killing me.
ive trianed myself to plant my feet and distribute my weight more even. i dunno if it makes any diffrence at all though.
 
I think you have to have pressure/weight on your bridge hand in order to be REALLY solid. I don't mean leaning on it like it's your third leg, but I do think you need to squish it into the table a little. Otherwise, it's too flimsy.

I'm curious to read what others think-
Dave
 
Good question!

The last couple times I've played, I've noticed that twice my bridge hand slid slightly forward, unwantingly, while I had just began my practice strokes. That can't be good! That tells me I need to get my weight back a hair...
 
You want your weight over your feet as much as possible, but you need a firm arm and a little weight to keep your bridge hand steady. Also there are so many different stances. Some like a snooker stance (hips are parallel to the rail) and bend at the waist, some like a more of a baseball swing stance (hips 45 degrees away from the rail) with a bend at the waist with some side bend in there. Your stance will dictate how easy it is for you to get used to holding yourself up and keeping your weight over your feet. Obviously there are going to be shots where you are sprawled out or balancing on your tippy toes, in this case play better position or get a bridge. Hope this helps
 
I have lightened up my bridge hand by cutting off my ring finger. If you really look at it, you really don't need that finger (at least that's what my grand father used to say).

Normally though, I usually feel very balanced and the hand feels good. I think too heavy means you are leaning forward, too light you are leaning back.
 
NewStroke said:
I have lightened up my bridge hand by cutting off my ring finger. If you really look at it, you really don't need that finger (at least that's what my grand father used to say).

Normally though, I usually feel very balanced and the hand feels good. I think too heavy means you are leaning forward, too light you are leaning back.
Click to expand...

If I never had a ring finger, I'd be a rich SOB. But, that's a whole different topic.

Carry on.
 
It was suggested during a lesson I got a couple of years ago that I put more pressure on my bridge hand. The idea is similar to that of using a snooker stance, in that it's supposed to make it more difficult to move during the shot. I'm not sure I see how putting too much pressure on the bridge would have a negative effect on your stroke, unless maybe you're pressing like you're trying to push the table through the floor?
 
3RAILKICK said:
:confused:How do you feel that you are balanced on your bridge hand most of the time?

Are you 'neutral'(evenly balanced), 'forward press'(weight leaning on your bridge or 'sitting back'(light bridge-rearward weighted)

Does it depend on the shot/situation?

I'm trying to straighten out some kinks in my stroke. I think I'm leaning too much into my bridge hand.

Is this just something else that I should get out of my head?

Anybody else get hung up on stuff like this?


Thanks

3railkick
Click to expand...

There should be a little weight on the bridge hand. Having your weight on 3 points is much more stable than just 2 points (your 2 feet). However, too much weight on the bridge hand can cause excess muscle tension and fatigue. I guess the word you used that was most on target is "neutral".

But of course it does depend on the shot, at least in cases where you're stretching. If you're standing against the end of the table and stretching past the side pockets for the shot, then there's inevitably going to be more weight on the bridge hand. And for some shots where the bridge hand is placed awkwardly due to obstructions, you have to use less pressure since you can't place it very solidly on the table.

-Andrew
 
desert1pocket said:
The idea is similar to that of using a snooker stance, in that it's supposed to make it more difficult to move during the shot. I'm not sure I see how putting too much pressure on the bridge would have a negative effect on your stroke, unless maybe you're pressing like you're trying to push the table through the floor?
Click to expand...

If there's a need, here are some references regarding the snooker stance.

Joe Davis's book Complete Snooker for the Amateur describes his stance in great detail over many pages and using a number of photographs. He advocates putting enough weight on the bridge hand that the player would be off balance if the hand were lifted from the table. Since he's using an open bridge, he also recommends pressing the hand into the cloth and gripping tightly. (The word "recommend" isn't quite forceful enough to describe Davis's method--it's his way, all the way, or not at all.) Although the book is several decades old it's well worth reading.

Steve Davis's Successful Snooker can be found online at scribd.com:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/10042078/Successful-Snooker-Steve-Davis

For a snooker stance with the hips square to the table, and using four contact points on the cue--the back hand, chest, chin, and bridge hand--check out this video by Del Hill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSK4w_9S_x0
Note that he compares the stance to a pool stance.
 
I put a lot of pressure on my bridge hand. Helps me focus and stay down. I'm trying to get away from doing it however because i have some shoulder issues after long sets at times, along with a sore middle finger.
 
I always thought that it was a good balance check that when you are down on a shot, lift your bridge hand. If you fall forward you aren't balanced.

If you lift your bridge hand and your head and body are balanced then you've achieved your goal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top