One main "straight" stroke fundamental
- Thread starter tableroll
- Start date
8intheside
Active member
I’d say a tight bridge
Maybe I’m oversimplifying but the most critical element is that the tip contacts the cueball precisely and exactly where you intended it to.
Level and straight is learned first. There is no one stroke, its more like an arsenal of strokes based on CB contact point.
Skill strokes where speed matter take time to recognize.
Strokes where raw power matters take time.
Learning all strokes between level and vertical masse.
Learn all strokes for awkward bridging due to rail, balls or pockets.
Essentially the stroke is about the follow through on the CB for a desired effect.
Skill strokes where speed matter take time to recognize.
Strokes where raw power matters take time.
Learning all strokes between level and vertical masse.
Learn all strokes for awkward bridging due to rail, balls or pockets.
Essentially the stroke is about the follow through on the CB for a desired effect.
A ***STILL*** bridge hand, not essentially a *tight* bridge hand.
It should feel so still that it feels weird at first. Thats how you know you are making a progressive improvement with it.
Also, use the lower periphery of your vision to verify straightness of your follow-through, WHILE looking at your OB simultaneously. This helps.
It should feel so still that it feels weird at first. Thats how you know you are making a progressive improvement with it.
Also, use the lower periphery of your vision to verify straightness of your follow-through, WHILE looking at your OB simultaneously. This helps.
Using big muscles not small ones.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
I said something similar in the 'confessions' thread where I called bicep-powered strokers 'never-get-good numpties'. Most ppl know how to swing their arm. muscles of the arm, do not swing the arm. swing ur damn arm and build a stance around it so ur natural arm swing is on the aim line. There you go, straight and powerful.
This is the stroke I'm talking about. 16:00. That is not a "swing". Nicky boy ain't no never get good numptie.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
Well I'd disagree with you there, esp since he lifts it and has it fall on plane but whether you see it as a swing or call it one doesn't matter as much as the fact that the (big) muscles used are the ones that swing the arm. Most players that start playing before they're in kindergarten like Nick did play with big muscles. He doesn't drive it with his biceps and that is 100% guaranteed (backed up by the fact his biceps are about as big as a 7y.o girl's.). Biceps may provide support/fine tuning but aren't the main driver.
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I like the way you put that. Makes sense.
GentlemanJames
Well-known member
I know Bert Kinister's teachings emphasized the philosophy of "a series of collapsible hinges" - being all the joints involved in executing the stroke - and taking as much 'muscle' out of the action as possible.
However, if one does not address the ball properly, including stance, distance of bridge hand to CB, direction of the feet, etc, then even a 'straight' stroke in mechanical action will be off-line in execution. - GJ
However, if one does not address the ball properly, including stance, distance of bridge hand to CB, direction of the feet, etc, then even a 'straight' stroke in mechanical action will be off-line in execution. - GJ
This got me in a lot of trouble. I tried to invent my own stance when I started based on what felt "natural" and what I saw pros do, and ended up with a weird folded stance that lead to chronic tendonitis in my bridge arm and shooting elbow. It was very painful and I was only in my early 30s at the time.
I had to start over from scratch which is way harder than starting without any knowledge or bad muscle memory. I almost quit.
Much much better now.
Maybe most people naturally just "get it" and never have this trouble, but I can't be the only one. So it wasn't just weird looking, it was painful too.
**I went to go find a video or screenshot of how bad my form looked but it looks like I deleted them out of embarassment a while ago lol.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
LOL
so you're saying what felt 'natural' to you and what you built your stance around while using 'what u saw pros do' as a guide actually caused you pain and tendinitis in both arms?
Bahahahahaha.
I just been killing time in the funny gifs thread and your post made me laugh harder than any of those.
Ye, the whole building your stance around an arm swing assumes you know how those work. Any throw will do really as long as you are slinging the arm on plane. Not a shocker some ppl won't be able to do this without being shown how (and it is super easy) but to get yourself so twisted up to the point of injury while using what felt natural and what u saw pros do as guides is just so over the top bad it's hard to believe your not just having a laugh.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
wonderfully put by Kinister. FWIW a swinging arm will be organized in such a way as to best deal with the forces involved in being swung when done at speed. I def agree with keeping arm muscles out of it but the whole thing gets triggered by some muscular moves and the same ones that would even gently swing a hanging arm back and forth can start the cue going before you let the cue and the collapsible hinges do their work.
Yep, it is true and it happened! It forced me to learn a lot of what others don't think about.
It's something how Shane twists his stroke and delivers to the strike point so accurately.
And that Bustamante,,,,Geeez.
Didn't these guys read the book?
And that Bustamante,,,,Geeez.
Didn't these guys read the book?