Mike Massey Exhibition Videos

[dr_dave]

Mike Massey gave an exhibition at Match Ups in Fort Collins this past weekend (7/10/10) and he agreed to let me record and post video for many of the shots. We also recorded some things with my high-speed camera for super-slow-motion playback. Here are all of the videos:

finger pool
power draw
trick shot collection
frozen-to-cushion-and-snookered shot options
jump shot variations
draw with English off frozen balls for three-rail billiard​

I apologize for the poor lighting, background noise, and limited camera angle. I didn't get much alone-time with Mike, and I didn't want to disrupt or cause distractions during his exhibition.

It was a real pleasure to meet Mike and watch his show. He seemed to really like the high-speed-camera stuff, even though the bright lights can be very annoying. He seemed particularly happy and proud to capture the finger pool stuff on video.

Enjoy the clips. Be sure to at least check out the finger pool and power draw videos. The high-speed camera made these particularly revealing and interesting.

Mike and I look forward to seeing which shots you guys like the best, and why. I'm also curious to see what people think about his elbow drop in the power draw video. Mike sure seemed surprised by what he saw.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Eric.]

Thank you for the slow motion vids, they are really eye opening.

An interesting side note; after seeing your vid of Massey's Finger Pool snapping action, I can confirm that I'm doing it correctly. Thing is, after trying this for years, I still don't get the same action Mike does.


Eric

 

[dr_dave]

Thank you for the slow motion vids, they are really eye opening.

You're welcome. They were also eye opening to me, and Mike (especially the power-draw elbow drop).

An interesting side note; after seeing your vid of Massey's Finger Pool snapping action, I can confirm that I'm doing it correctly. Thing is, after trying this for years, I still don't get the same action Mike does.

... but it looks so easy in the super-slow-motion clip.

Just flick your fingers. :grin:

Regards,
Dave

 

[interman]

Great stuff. Thanks Dave.

 

[dr_dave]

Great stuff. Thanks Dave.

Thanks ... and you're welcome.

Which clip do you guys like the best?

What do you guys think about the power-draw elbow drop?

Who has tried finger pool, and have you been able to get it to work?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[12squared]

Dave,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm so bummed I missed Mike's exhibition because I had to leave a day early for my business trip, but at least I get the feeling of being there.

Again, many thanks.

the other Dave

 

[dr_dave]

Dave,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm so bummed I missed Mike's exhibition because I had to leave a day early for my business trip, but at least I get the feeling of being there.

Again, many thanks.

the other Dave

You're welcome, You're welcome, You're welcome.

He might be back next year. If so, I'll try to arrange a dedicate high-speed-video session with him. And hopefully you won't go prancing out of town again.

Have you tried the finger pool yet, now that the technique is clearly visible in super slow motion?

Catch you later,
The Other Other Fort Collins Dave

 

[Cdryden]

Great videos Dave, Thanks for sharing them. I think I gotta say that I like his trick shot collection video the best but they are all good.

PM sent, thanks again.

 

[pooladdiction]

Thanks for the videos dave. I really enjoyed the draw shot as well as the hook draw. No elblow drop till after cb contact. Hmm... interesting

 

[Neil]

................

 

[dr_dave]

Great videos Dave, Thanks for sharing them.

Thanks ... and you're welcome.

I aim to squerve. :wink:

I think I gotta say that I like his trick shot collection video the best but they are all good.

Those were certainly the crowd pleasers, because Mike is such a good showman in addition to being a great shot maker.

Thanks for the comments,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

Thanks for the videos dave. I really enjoyed the draw shot as well as the hook draw.

Most people seem to like the draw shots because most people can't do them like Mike. He's a real "artists" (i.e., he can really "draw"). :grin-square:

Regards,
Dave

 

[Eric.]

I watched the slo mo vid of the power draw/elbow drop and from what I saw, there is definitely an elbow drop PRIOR to striking the CB.

It seemed like Mike would raise his elbow above the starting position, then, the elbow is dropping back to the original position as he is striking the CB. It's a slight drop, but a drop nonetheless.


Eric

 

[dr_dave]

We had a big discussion about that a while back. The 'no elbow drop' side contended that Mike doesn't drop until after contact. Even Mike said that you have to drop to get that kind of stroke. So, everyone believed him. In stop action, you could clearly see that he doesn't drop, but hardly anyone would believe us. (no drop side). Thanks for the video that finally proves it one way or the other. :thumbup:

I remembered that discussion. That's why I thought people would be interested in the new power draw video. Here's the video from a couple of years ago where Mike is giving the advice to drop the elbow. I think he would rephrase his advice now, after seeing the high-speed-video footage ... he did look quite "surprised" when he saw the super-slow-motion playback.

Maybe a better way to describe it is to let the elbow drop (and don't constrain your follow through) after you hit the ball.

His stroke into the ball seems to be very close to a classic pendulum motion (although, he does have some elbow motion before contact, which seems unimportant, IMO).

I'm curious to see what others think about the post-contact elbow drop and whether or not the slight elbow motion before contact is important.

Regards,
Dave

 

[Andrew Manning]

I'm doing it correctly. Thing is, after trying this for years, I still don't get the same action Mike does.

That's why he's Mike Massey.

-Andrew

 

[dr_dave]

I watched the slo mo vid of the power draw/elbow drop and from what I saw, there is definitely an elbow drop PRIOR to striking the CB.

It seemed like Mike would raise his elbow above the starting position, then, the elbow is dropping back to the original position as he is striking the CB. It's a slight drop, but a drop nonetheless.

Agreed. But, to me, it seems like the purpose of the slight drop before contact is simply to cancel out the slight rise on the backstroke. The elbow is in the same position at contact as in the set position. It doesn't seem to me that he is gaining any advantage with the slight rise and drop before contact. Do you agree? What do others think?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Neil]

..............

 

[SpiderWebComm]

Agreed. But, to me, it seems like the purpose of the slight drop before contact is simply to cancel out the slight rise on the backstroke. The elbow is in the same position at contact as in the set position. It doesn't seem to me that he is gaining any advantage with the slight rise and drop before contact. Do you agree? What do others think?

Thanks,
Dave

I think every player on the planet has movement from the exact set position - it's how much, that's the question.

Even elbow droppers are close to the set position at impact because the cue decelerates the moment of impact which means momentum carries the elbow down after that (so it looks like a separate motion).

The REAL question is.... do you let momentum take your hand to your chest (pendulum) or do you let momentum take your hand along the vector of the shot (elbow drop)? Scientifically, it prob doesn't matter. The answer is a philosophic one, imo. In your example, Massey obviously feels it's important to fire his hand down the shot vector, and he's the one doing the exhibition. Case closed.

 

[Andrew Manning]

I'm curious to see what others think about ... whether or not the slight elbow motion before contact is important.

I think it's entirely significant. It incorporates the shoulder into the motion. If his elbow joint were not flexing at all (staying at a fixed angle), the act of raising and then dropping the elbow using the shoulder joint creates a little miniature stroke (this is actually how pro Mike Davis plays; his elbow stays pretty much fixed and his stroke comes from the shoulder). Combining this with the "pendulum stroke" (the component of the stroke using the elbow as the center of rotation), has an additive effect; the motion of the hand is equal to the amount caused by the pendulum plus the amount caused by the shoulder.

But beyond this additive effect, there's a "hidden" multiplicative effect based on the kinesiology. The bicep is only capable of contracting so fast. It's reasonable to expect Mike could probably curl a 40-lb. dumbbell. But can his bicep output that quantity of force without the 40-lb. load? Kinesiology says no. You have to load a muscle to get the maximum amount of output from it. Given only 19 ounces of load, there's not that much force available. Given less force, there's less acceleration.

But you can trigger greater force from the bicep using inertia as load. Start the stroke from the shoulder, and the bicep is already engaged just preventing the hand from lagging behind the elbow. The bicep is "pre-loaded" at that point, and when you start to contract it to create the pendulum motion, it's able to output significantly more force, which results in significantly greater acceleration.

Sources cited: I learned all this from Colin Colenso, talking about how to break really hard. He learned it from his experience as a shotput competitor, which involves many of the same concepts to achieve maximum muscle-force for maximum acceleration.

Edit: Neil beat me to this point a little, but I think my post offers good supporting detail to his.

-Andrew

 

[dr_dave]

I can confirm that I'm doing it correctly. Thing is, after trying this for years, I still don't get the same action Mike does.

That's why he's Mike Massey

I tried finger pool some more this morning. I can curve the cue ball around a ball on the foot spot, but that's about it (and I can't do it very consistently ... and my fingers stilll hurt a little). Mike's strength is still quite impressive after many years of "experience" and "wisdom" (i.e., he ain't no spring chicken anymore). His is certainly still the king of finger pool.

Regards,
Dave