Pause in Backstroke, Does It Help, How?

JessEm

AzB Goldmember
Silver Member
Some pretty well-respected personalities in the pool world harp on the importance of having a notable pause in your backstroke. Jeremy Jones routinely mentions the pause during critiques. Mark Wilson has the differences between pros and amateurs broke-down to tenths of a second.

Here's the thing. I never hear anyone explain HOW it helps? What functional purpose is it serving to stop and hold for a couple seconds? Aim? Shot speed? A last mental check-down of the shot?

It seems comparable in some ways to the back-swing in golf. As a former avid golfer, I had a big pause (it seemed big to me, but to someone observing was probably pretty subtle), and it helped "reset", before beginning the shift forward. In pool, I'm sold on the notion that it helps, just based upon the many pros that do it, even if I don't know why.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Some pretty well-respected personalities in the pool world harp on the importance of having a notable pause in your backstroke. Jeremy Jones routinely mentions the pause during critiques. Mark Wilson has the differences between pros and amateurs broke-down to tenths of a second.

Here's the thing. I never hear anyone explain HOW it helps? What functional purpose is it serving to stop and hold for a couple seconds? Aim? Shot speed? A last mental check-down of the shot?

It seems comparable in some ways to the back-swing in golf. As a former avid golfer, I had a big pause (it seemed big to me, but to someone observing was probably pretty subtle), and it helped "reset", before beginning the shift forward. In pool, I'm sold on the notion that it helps, just based upon the many pros that do it, even if I don't know why.
Stops you from jerking. Helps smooth the transition from backswing to thru-swing. Don't need to overdo it but some form of pause can't hurt you. Much like golf as you said.
 

Hoogaar

Registered
Great question! I've been playing pool for a long time and never even heard of this until a few weeks ago (someone posted that Mark Wilson video). I watched it and figured why not. I've been doing it now and it's getting more and more comfortable. For me, it seems to "quiet" a lot of the issues that might pop up in transition. I think it will lead to more consistency. With a fluid no pause transition, some nights I feel it and it's perfect, but the other nights when I don't, I think it impacts my stroke. The pause I think helps me deliver the cue more consistently.

As for me - I'm not pausing super long, but enough that my stroke is not impacted by my backswing.
 

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
Golf: The pause may be unintended and the club may pause as the body is in motion.

Pool: The pause works for SOME players and I disagree with anyone who teaches it is of benefit to ALL players. Can stop a player from jerky movement and/or over-accelerating/poking forward. A pause can also be a "quiet eyes" moment of aim/releasing the subconscious to apply the stroke.

Some pool pros have practice strokes and pre-shot routines that slow gradually until the cue pauses on the final backstroke. Other very fine players have no perceptible pause other than the natural timing of changing from backward to forward cue stick motion.
 

Jaden

"no buds chill"
Silver Member
Some pretty well-respected personalities in the pool world harp on the importance of having a notable pause in your backstroke. Jeremy Jones routinely mentions the pause during critiques. Mark Wilson has the differences between pros and amateurs broke-down to tenths of a second.

Here's the thing. I never hear anyone explain HOW it helps? What functional purpose is it serving to stop and hold for a couple seconds? Aim? Shot speed? A last mental check-down of the shot?

It seems comparable in some ways to the back-swing in golf. As a former avid golfer, I had a big pause (it seemed big to me, but to someone observing was probably pretty subtle), and it helped "reset", before beginning the shift forward. In pool, I'm sold on the notion that it helps, just based upon the many pros that do it, even if I don't know why.
The pause makes it more likely that you will accelerate through the ball on the final stroke. One of the big problems that people have when they miss, same goes for pros when THEY miss, is that they are tentative in their stroke, they pull back and don't accelerate through the ball.

Many people refer to it as punch stroking. It's not necessarily good to consciously pause on the back stroke but when it develops naturally, it does help to promote acceleration through the ball.

Jaden
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
From 3 weeks ago...


pj
chgo
 

goettlicher

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Golf: The pause may be unintended and the club may pause as the body is in motion.

Pool: The pause works for SOME players and I disagree with anyone who teaches it is of benefit to ALL players. Can stop a player from jerky movement and/or over-accelerating/poking forward. A pause can also be a "quiet eyes" moment of aim/releasing the subconscious to apply the stroke.

Some pool pros have practice strokes and pre-shot routines that slow gradually until the cue pauses on the final backstroke. Other very fine players have no perceptible pause other than the natural timing of changing from backward to forward cue stick motion.
According to definition, ALL pool players have to "pause"! Now the question is, "how long"?
 

Matt_24

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Some pretty well-respected personalities in the pool world harp on the importance of having a notable pause in your backstroke. Jeremy Jones routinely mentions the pause during critiques. Mark Wilson has the differences between pros and amateurs broke-down to tenths of a second.

Here's the thing. I never hear anyone explain HOW it helps? What functional purpose is it serving to stop and hold for a couple seconds? Aim? Shot speed? A last mental check-down of the shot?

It seems comparable in some ways to the back-swing in golf. As a former avid golfer, I had a big pause (it seemed big to me, but to someone observing was probably pretty subtle), and it helped "reset", before beginning the shift forward. In pool, I'm sold on the notion that it helps, just based upon the many pros that do it, even if I don't know why.
Don't overthink it. Go watch Buddy Hall and see the master of the pause. He pauses at the cue ball, and in his back swing. Then....try it out. Don't concern yourself with HOW long, etc. Let it happen naturally. Start with EASY shots.
 

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
in all sports its what works for you,,, as your mind has to coordinate with your muscles. so what works for some pro you idolize may not be good for you. and likely isnt.
 

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A pause, if one chooses to incorporate it into a pool stroke - usually prior to final release of the cue to the cue ball, can help in a few different ways: One, the pause can be the moment of your final confirmation of the aiming point on the object ball- and you stay locked on that POINT UNTIL THE CUE Tip IS COMPLETELY THROUGH the cue ball.
Two, the pause can be a reset of the final forward stroke so that the final forward stroke is smooth, not rushed, and, again, is straight all the way through the cue ball until the cue ball is in motion - that stroke has to be guided with a very, very relaxed grip hand - again, all the way through the stroke to the finish point of the cue tip.
Three, the pause can be your "YES" moment when your eyes, your body, and your mind all are in sync and agreement that a final stroke forward is at the "GO" moment.

Everyone needs to find their own comfort level- pause or no pause, duration of pause, pause at both the cue ball address and also prior to final forward stroke or just the latter.

I observed all of the great Europeans very closely last week at the American 14.1 while sitting only a few feet away for several days- they all pause to some extent. Personally, I incorporate the pause into my stroke prior to final cue forward release and I could not imagine my own stroke without a pause- it achieves all three of the above mentioned reasons for me.
 

DynoDan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Interesting issue: Research has apparently demonstrated that the pros spend more than average time on the backstroke. Is it better to ‘pause’, or actually slow down the backstroke itself? At one time I tried to imitate Buddy’s stroke. Turns out, I actually have better results with the latter technique (smooth/fluid transition). In other words, the ‘pause’ doesn’t appear to help much if the backstroke is swift.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Interesting issue: Research has apparently demonstrated that the pros spend more than average time on the backstroke. Is it better to ‘pause’, or actually slow down the backstroke itself? At one time I tried to imitate Buddy’s stroke. Turns out, I actually have better results with the latter technique (smooth/fluid transition). In other words, the ‘pause’ doesn’t appear to help much if the backstroke is swift.
The swing involves two main muscles: tricep(backswing) and bicep(forward swing). There needs to be some type of transition that is smooth. If that involves a pause or not really doesn't matter. For those who tend to get 'jerky' working a slight pause into their action often helps.
 

Geosnookery

Well-known member
I pause only to stroke consistently. The same reason I take one breath before standing up after a shot.

I’m not conscious of either as have done this for decades.

I ‘think’ the pause helps, as others mention, to create a transition between backswing and forward motion. However, at the end the day do what feels natural but keep it consistent.
 

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
For me, it's just a brief moment that allows my mind decouple from the shooting process.

A pause doesn't alter my mechanics in the slightest.
 

Jaden

"no buds chill"
Silver Member
I use BHE and what I do is line up on the shot and shoot two practice strokes, then I swivel over and raise/lower my bridge for the spin I want and stroke two practice strokes on that line, while I'm stroking the practice strokes I look from the CB to the OB on the second stroke, but after my second set of practice strokes, I keep my eye on the contact point of the OB and I have found that I naturally developed a pause on that final back stroke before I stroke through the ball. I don't know that intentionally doing the pause is a good thing. I think that would distract your focus away from the things you should be focusing on.

Jaden
 

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
People use different muscle groups pulling the cue back than they do pushing the cue forward. The pause at the end of the backstroke allows one muscle group relax before the forward stroke muscle group takes over. Mark Wilson times people in seminars. He said from start of backstroke to end of follow through should be about the same amount of time as it takes to say "ladies and gentlemen." He has videos that show pro players fitting this template then goes on to show that most average lower level players typically complete their stroke in 4/10ths-5/10ths of a second I believe.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Some pretty well-respected personalities in the pool world harp on the importance of having a notable pause in your backstroke. Jeremy Jones routinely mentions the pause during critiques. Mark Wilson has the differences between pros and amateurs broke-down to tenths of a second.

Here's the thing. I never hear anyone explain HOW it helps? What functional purpose is it serving to stop and hold for a couple seconds? Aim? Shot speed? A last mental check-down of the shot?

It seems comparable in some ways to the back-swing in golf. As a former avid golfer, I had a big pause (it seemed big to me, but to someone observing was probably pretty subtle), and it helped "reset", before beginning the shift forward. In pool, I'm sold on the notion that it helps, just based upon the many pros that do it, even if I don't know why.

With the small pause you are not fighting your muscles that were just moving back to moving forward in the same motion. It's like pulling a car, it's easier to do it when the car is standing still than moving in the opposite direction, a lot less strain on what is doing the pulling. It's also a nice mental pause and reset for focus.

One of the things I use as an example to a good stoke mechanic is shooting a rifle. It's the same slow calm motion from being still when you aim then pull the trigger. No one shots a rifle with a single motion of raising it up, then just pulling the trigger as it's being put against the shoulder.
 

kollegedave

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Some pretty well-respected personalities in the pool world harp on the importance of having a notable pause in your backstroke. Jeremy Jones routinely mentions the pause during critiques. Mark Wilson has the differences between pros and amateurs broke-down to tenths of a second.

Here's the thing. I never hear anyone explain HOW it helps? What functional purpose is it serving to stop and hold for a couple seconds? Aim? Shot speed? A last mental check-down of the shot?

It seems comparable in some ways to the back-swing in golf. As a former avid golfer, I had a big pause (it seemed big to me, but to someone observing was probably pretty subtle), and it helped "reset", before beginning the shift forward. In pool, I'm sold on the notion that it helps, just based upon the many pros that do it, even if I don't know why.
You should watch Mark Wilson's 3 part video series on youtube.

However, my quick and dirty explanation is that when your stroke is at his furthest point back, it is at its most vulnerable--small changes here mean bigger inaccuracy at impact. Players incorporating a pause (I think) are largely doing it to make sure they don't rush back AND that they don't rush forward. I don't think Mark Wilson takes a position on whether one should pause or not, I think he would say what is important is smooth and gradual movements back and smooth and gradual acceleration forward, and that the entire stroke cannot be delivered quicker than 1.2 seconds if your intend to play professional level pool. The pause is simply a tool some players use to make sure their transition is smooth and gradual. Just my 0.02.

kollegedave
 
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