How Low Do You Stand?

My 2 cents

I just thought about something! Pool is suppose to be fun and your height has a lot to do with how low you go. Tall players strain their backs going really low on GC's with the levels all the way down on the tables! You really have to be comfortable to play for the hours reguired in tournaments or long gambling sessions. So, you really can not sustain the chin technique comfortably for long periods of time in my opinion. The great players like Keith McCready, Bustamante are side winders and can play at a high level for hours!

The short players can chin the cue comfortably because of the height of the table. Boston Shorty and other short players have always had the chin technigue comfortable for them, given the table height!

These are some things to consider. I have seen Dave Bollman and other tall players struggle with back pain using the chin technique. I have also seen Big players like Steve Mizerak, Danny Basavich & Shannon the Cannon. That side wind because their belly is in the way and prevents them from tucking the cue to their sides as reguired to get the chin action. They in my opinion side wind like the old school greats like Mosconi, Willie Hoppee, Hall of famers Eddie Taylor & Ed Kelly.

The classic chin players are Earl, Cliff Joyner, Souget, feijen and everyone else.

There is one player that has a different style then sidewinding or chinning and thats efren reyes in my opinion. He uses a classic three cushion stroke. The stroke is like a trains wheels with that beautiful circular motion and the stick not on his chin and not out to his side. He just takes the chin stance and elevates high enough to allow the shoulder drop and circular motion and fires away. NO CHIN, COMFORTABLE & EFFECTIVE!!!! Plus, you get the bonus of depth perception on the spin shots that masse the cue ball before contacting the object ball. A crucial component to cues with deflection and players that use something other than center on their cut shots an element absent in chin technique!

Just some thoughts on the right chin height. I truely think pool is all about fun and struggling to hold an awkward position that strains the lower back is not fun! So, Play because you love to and choose what is comfortable.

You should try all three of these styles or forms and see what is best for you. I started out chin and switched. For years, I was told your form is right and you should do it this way. I copied Bustamante's form for several years and LOVE IT. Keith moved into town and I copy him as well. The strokes are simular.

Just some food for thought!

King Kong
 
I started a thread about chin height over the cue a while ago and a lot of the info in this thread has been really great. I'm 5'6" and cannot play with my chin touching the cue - it cramps my shooting shoulder and hinders my follow through. If I stand with my head about 1" - 2" my stroke is straighter, accelerates through the ball, and I have a fuller follow-through. I think the big difference is really not the height of your head over your cue but the height of your head over the table. A couple of friends of mine both have their heads a little higher over the table than I do but their cues touch their chin when stroking (they have great strokes too btw). Plus, it's almost impossible to have a level cue and have it touch your chin unless your chin is only about 2.5" - 3" above the bed of the table (really low).
 
It really totally depends on a shot's requirements, but I always want to have the most visibility I can have. It's actually quite common to miss shots because of being too low on shots where the cueball and object ball are close together and there's an exaggerated cut line.

It really doesn't matter how tall you stand, as long as you are comfortable. One of the best shots in the history of the game, Mosconi, didn't have his chin on the cue. I find it very unfair for anyone to say one way is better than another, it's whatever a person is comfortable with. That's why threads like this can lead to someone being thrown off their game. They think that because a few people have their chin on the cue means they should too. People should do what feels comfortable and leave it alone.
 
my chin rests on my cue. It's pretty hard to screw up your upper alignment when your chin is glued to your cue.

cuetechasaurus said:
Most of the pros keep their chins very low on the cue, alot of them touching or almost touching. I keep my chin about an inch above the cue. I've also seen some pretty strong players that have their chin a foot or more above the cue. Do any of you think that standing too high can lead to accuracy flaws? Snookers are known as the most accurate shotmakers in the world, and I believe most or almost all of them have their chins touching the cue. Opinions please.
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Nico said:
It really totally depends on a shot's requirements, but I always want to have the most visibility I can have. It's actually quite common to miss shots because of being too low on shots where the cueball and object ball are close together and there's an exaggerated cut line.

It really doesn't matter how tall you stand, as long as you are comfortable. One of the best shots in the history of the game, Mosconi, didn't have his chin on the cue. I find it very unfair for anyone to say one way is better than another, it's whatever a person is comfortable with. That's why threads like this can lead to someone being thrown off their game. They think that because a few people have their chin on the cue means they should too. People should do what feels comfortable and leave it alone.
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This is VERY accurate information. I would add a couple more things...you have to be comfortable, BALANCED, and be able to freely swing the cue. I get this question all the time, as an instructor, and the truth is, that you CAN see the shots and angle better from a higher perspective. We demonstrate that concept in poolschool. It doesn't matter how high or low you get over the cuestick. What matters is your alignment, pre-shot routine, and delivery. I'm 5'7", and often stand at least a foot over the cue. The only time you'll see my chin on/near the cue, is when I am stretched out over the table, necessitating this position.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
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I shoot with my chin about 5 or 6 inches above the cue. I can just see the angles better from there than I can down very low on the cue. Like Scott and Nico said, comfort and balance are the key.

Bob
 
The greatest consistency comes when my chin is about 12 inches above the table level. At that height, everything looks straight. Staight in shots look straight, everything's great. When I go lower and lower, I need to make an adjustment in where I aim, due to the way my brain translates the stereovision provided by my eyes. If my chin is almost glued to the cue stick, a shot where the object ball is 4 diamonds away from the cue ball will require an adjustment of 1/4 inch, 1/4 of an inch (!) aiming to the left of what LOOKS correct. Forget that, too tough to always be compensating for eyes playing tricks on me. I have enough already compensating for throw when shooting just on the cue ball's vertical axis, let alone with any english. So, I do my best to keep my sighting and visualizing and so on a pretty constant 12 inches or so above the table. If I go lower for some reason, say because I need to stretch out over the table for a shot, I have to remember how my eyes are tricking me, and make an adjustment.

Also, when I'm about 12 inches or so above the table, I can clearly see without moving my head if I'm stroking straight or not. When I get lower, it's tougher.

Flex
 
Snooker tables are typically taller than pool tables making it easier to have the chin on the cue. I have always found snooker tables to be more comfortable to play on because they are taller. I can just lye across the table and be balanced and comfortable. Im not very tall though Im only 5'7 :(.
 
You'll notice that the vast majority of Women pros go down really low on the cue,with Vivian Villereal being an exception.It is no co-incidence because of her higher stance that she is known for a power game, more than most women.

You will notice that a lot of the men pros have their chins higher away from their cues. Sometimes it's only 2 or 3 inches, however,one can apparently generate more power because of freedom of arm movement.Power shots as we all know can be quite significant in the game of nine ball.I got this info from Gerry Kanovs and Sherri Stauchs "Precision Pool" book as these are their observations

According to Bert Kinister Niels Feijen is blind(or at least visually impaired) in one eye,henceforth his unique( off to one side)head posistion.
RJ"
 
cuetechasaurus said:
Most of the pros keep their chins very low on the cue, alot of them touching or almost touching. I keep my chin about an inch above the cue. I've also seen some pretty strong players that have their chin a foot or more above the cue. Do any of you think that standing too high can lead to accuracy flaws? Snookers are known as the most accurate shotmakers in the world, and I believe most or almost all of them have their chins touching the cue. Opinions please.
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The more distance there is from the cue ball to the object ball, the lower I get on the shot. As the distance shortens I raise up to see the shot better.
 
Matt_24 said:
The more distance there is from the cue ball to the object ball, the lower I get on the shot. As the distance shortens I raise up to see the shot better.
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This is exactly how I approach shotmaking. The lower I get, the more I spread my feet apart to better improve my balance. Players that address every shot the same as the last don't usually fair as well as players that recognize each shot is it's own game and should be addressed as such.


Height is never as important to stroke as what's going on with the back hand, (below the elbow), and the bridge hand.
 
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