My 9 ball break

looks like the cue is under your left eye, are you left eye dominant? I dont see many people do that. If you stand more upright you will generate more power, but probably lose the cueball even more. so practice controlling the CB.
 
1) Is that an open bridge you are using? Scratch it. You will not be able to control the stick well enough for a decent break.
2) It's OK to break from that position, but you will not likely consistently pocket either the wing ball in the corner or the one in the side, which is the goal of a good 9 ball break.
3) Get that cueball to squat! It should hit the one firmly, and end up around the center of the table.

Check out Chalk Off's videos on youtube for Buddy Hall's break.
 
Couple things I noticed, you're kicking your back leg up after you stroke. Looks like you're generating more power doing that, but you're actually loosing some I'd bet. Try planting your feet and focusing on just your back arm and bridge. Throwing your weight into the shot looks impressive, but unless you're a master at timing, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Another thing I immediately noticed is that you don't release your elbow on the break. If you stood a little taller and dropped your elbow during the forward motion, you'll generate better follow through and more acceleration. The break is one of the few times I drop the elbow during my stroke. A little trick I like to do is I aim on the 1 ball low over the cue, then rise up to give my back arm a better range of motion.

Personally, I agree that you'd be better with a rail bridge or a closed bridge. You clearly lift the cue after the break, which shows that you're clenching your grip hand. A closed bridge would make you feel more secure and you'd likely relax that grip some. A tight grip on the break slows the other muscles down as you are stiff and tense.

Lastly stay down on the break, don't snap up and walk away.:)
 
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Klopek said:
Lastly stay down on the break, don't snap up and walk away.:)
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Yeah, that is the first thing I noticed, that you didn't stay down. In this case it might not have done much harm but it lends to other problems; a tendancy to jump up right after a break and an open bridge can lead to some miscues on the break (at least from my past experinece thats what I've found).
 
Klopek and belmicah great advice but what I will say is the reason I use an open bridge on the break is because I was brought up playing snooker and the closed bridge is alien to me (on the break at least), so unfortunately that's one thing that won't change.

Please keep the advice coming.
 
9 ball said:
... I was brought up playing snooker and the closed bridge is alien to me (on the break at least), so unfortunately that's one thing that won't change. ...
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If you refuse to try suggestions, it seems pointless for people to offer them.
 
9 ball said:
Klopek and belmicah great advice but what I will say is the reason I use an open bridge on the break is because I was brought up playing snooker and the closed bridge is alien to me (on the break at least), so unfortunately that's one thing that won't change.

Please keep the advice coming.
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One thing I would change (as I think others have stated) is to not lift that back leg. If you have the timing down then it is fine. But, your timing looks a little late. Think of it this way. If you lift your leg then your body lifts up. As your body lifts up then some of the force is being directed upwards as opposed to forward. If you have your feet planted(drive through the heels), with the hips shifted a little farther back (less flexion in the spine) and stabilize your abdominals(pretend like you are about to take a punch in the stomach) then you should be able to generate more power and with less motion.

As everyone else also stated, try to learn how to control that rock. Maybe practice your break for like 10 or 20 mins where you are just focusing on the cue ball. Then try and increase your power in a separate session. Then the next time you go in try and find the best combination of power and control.
 
Its not that I won't accept advice its just everytime I try the closed bridge on the break I can't do it and it also feels tight.
 
Oh and one more thing. I find when I shorten up my bridge hand a little bit my break gets more accurate and even powerful as well. It looks like you might benefit from about an inch or 2 shorter
 
Bob Jewett said:
If you refuse to try suggestions, it seems pointless for people to offer them.
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Not everyone can accept all advice. Don't take offense bob. I don't think he means it in a negative way
 
9 ball said:
erikido what do you mean by "drive through the heels" I don't understand.
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maybe drive through the heels isn't the best way to put it(I do too much squatting lol). Maybe more drive your heels into the ground. It will give you a more firm base of support
 
Do you live in the U.K?? That looks like one slow ass table.........
 
Deep I do live in the uk and yes it is one slow ass table but I am using the chameleon rack and I now don't have any problems with slow ass tables, plus it might just be the quality of the video.
 
Thought it looked like a Riley's. :)

Like other posters have said watch Colin's video and I'll guarantee your break improves a lot. To me it's just your timing that looks kinda off. I watch Colin's vid a few months ago and worked things into my own style and now its really paying off. Just in the last 2-3 weeks I've had:-
6 on the snap twice.
A lot of 3-4-5 balls on the snap.
3 9-balls on the snap in a row (all in different bags)
And the amount of dry breaks i get has gone down and the amount of break and outs has gone up.

Good luck, you'll get there in the end.
 
9 Ball, I'm an Aussie who always used to use an open bridge, but after watching other players I tried a closed bridge for the more powerful strokes. I has taken me over 2 months to get comfortable with it, but it's finally starting to pay off. With the 2 1/4 balls and their extra weight, I find that I'm achieving better control on the cue ball, and when I play UK style 8 ball, my breaks have improve by at least 30%. It might seem uncomfortable to start with, but practice with the closed bridge, as there are some benefits to be had. Also, I still use an open bridge for the majority of my strokes, so some things remain the same.

Daniel:D
 
erikido said:
Not everyone can accept all advice. ...
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Well, yes, but if pretty much every pro pool player in the world uses technique P when doing X, and Joe is having trouble doing X, and he does not do P, and doing P seems on the face of it to help to do X, I think Joe should have a real good reason not to try P other than that it feels somewhat uncomfortable. Maybe he is doing P incorrectly, and if done correctly it would not be uncomfortable.

As for my suggestion: The cue ball must hit no cushion on the break*. If you keep turning the cue ball loose, you need to slow down your shot until you have control of it. If you let the cue ball run wild, your break is an advantage to your opponent, not to you, and you should spot him the breaks in return for a game on the wire. (This is known as a trick spot.)

Here's another: learn to break from the side rail. Pretty much every nine ball player who is permitted to does so. Learn to make the wing ball and what you have to change if it's not going in. Joe Tucker may help with this. Learn about racks. Alternatively, try to make the one in the side.

(* unless your name is Alcano)
 
Seemed ok to me, you made at least one ball and didnt scratch, I break alot differnt useualy trying to keep the cue ball in the center of the table, I also hit the balls alot harder, but its not how hard you hit the balls, its the accuracy and the result. So if it works it works.

If your not pocketing a ball on the break or do not have a shot after the break then you need to look for a change. otherwise the break is however you like to do it.

SPINDOCTOR
 
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