Pause on the backstroke

Maybe it's me, but a lot of people that play this game are always looking at other players to find the answer to their problems. I'm sorry but the answer to your problems can only be found by the person you see when you look into the mirror.

Everyone is made different.

If you look at other games. Baseball, basketball, and golf for example. A lot of successful players have funny mechanics. They don't swing the same way or shoot the jumper the same way as most of the conventional players.

It really doesn't matter how Allison Fisher pauses in her backstroke. She's probably totally unaware of what she's doing or how long she's doing it. The bottom line is all she cares about. Does she make the shot?

Too many people over analyze every little facet of this very complicated game. The successful players just go out there and play the same way they have done it for years.

Find something that works for you and stick with it long enough to give it a chance to work. If you run into the poolroom every day trying to emulate someone you watched the night before you're never going to discover the player you may potentially become.

_______________________________

http://tommcgonaglerightoncue.com
 
So much like golf..

Well once again pool can be compared to golf. If you watch the great golfers many have a pause at the top of their backswing. This is because two seperate muscle groups are at work one going back and one going forward, the same as pool. Naturally everyone does not pause for the same length of time and in some cases it is almost impossible to see but it is there. For me the pause helps me to reassure that my aim to the contact point on the object ball is where I want it. There have been many times that I realized I was just a hair off during my backstroke and the subtle pause helps me to align myself for the delivery to the cueball. It seems to give my brain just a moment to tell my muscles what to do.
Works for me and when I am struggling it is because I have still not gotten it totally into my preshot routine. My Bad!!!!
Dan
 
tom mcgonagle said:
Maybe it's me, but a lot of people that play this game are always looking at other players to find the answer to their problems. I'm sorry but the answer to your problems can only be found by the person you see when you look into the mirror.

It really doesn't matter how Allison Fisher pauses in her backstroke. She's probably totally unaware of what she's doing or how long she's doing it. The bottom line is all she cares about. Does she make the shot?
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Well, not to be disagreeable, but .... I began trying the pause (on the backstroke) because I heard (somewhere) that was one of the big things (key things) that Allison taught in her lessons/classes.
 
I have always watched better players cause you can learn alot, especially if they are running balls and I'm not. They must be doing something that I'm not.

The trick is finding what that is. That requires trying different things to find what works for me and then incorprating what works into my style.

Thats one of the coolest things about pool, there is no one way to shoot and no one way to run balls.
 
Yes I agree.

And of course you can't just watch one person. If you watch a hundred top players and also watch a hundred ball bangers, here is what I think you will notice:

set position: On average, the top players are stopped like an oak tree in the set position for a notably longer time. The bangers have variable set pauses that are often short and sometimes they don't pause at all.

final backstroke The top players--nearly all of them-- will bring the cue back slowly following the longish set pause. The bangers will bring the cue back faster.

backstroke pause Some of the top players pause; others don't. Some of the bangers pause; others don't. The differences you will note are not so much whether the players pause but rather how smooth and fluid the transition is. Part of the bangers problem with smooth transition is not really a problem with the backstroke pause/nopause. Rather it is collateral damage from the final backstroke problem. Bringing the cue back too fast encourages a jerky transition. IMO, add a backstroke pause if it floats your boat. But if you're adding it to fix a jerky transition, then you may just be enabling the real (too fast backstroke) problem.

duckie said:
I have always watched better players cause you can learn alot, especially if they are running balls and I'm not. They must be doing something that I'm not.

The trick is finding what that is. That requires trying different things to find what works for me and then incorprating what works into my style.

Thats one of the coolest things about pool, there is no one way to shoot and no one way to run balls.
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Great summary of the important points!

Regards,
Dave

PS: I hope to visit your place soon (maybe this summer).
mikepage said:
Yes I agree.

And of course you can't just watch one person. If you watch a hundred top players and also watch a hundred ball bangers, here is what I think you will notice:

set position: On average, the top players are stopped like an oak tree in the set position for a notably longer time. The bangers have variable set pauses that are often short and sometimes they don't pause at all.

final backstroke The top players--nearly all of them-- will bring the cue back slowly following the longish set pause. The bangers will bring the cue back faster.

backstroke pause Some of the top players pause; others don't. Some of the bangers pause; others don't. The differences you will note are not so much whether the players pause but rather how smooth and fluid the transition is. Part of the bangers problem with smooth transition is not really a problem with the backstroke pause/nopause. Rather it is collateral damage from the final backstroke problem. Bringing the cue back too fast encourages a jerky transition. IMO, add a backstroke pause if it floats your boat. But if you're adding it to fix a jerky transition, then you may just be enabling the real (too fast backstroke) problem.
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tom mcgonagle said:
It really doesn't matter how Allison Fisher pauses in her backstroke. She's probably totally unaware of what she's doing or how long she's doing it. l]
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I dare say Allison not only is aware of what she is doing, but completely understands why she is doing it.

Steve
 
I guess I need to explain myself better.

If your at the table, preparing to shoot, a shot, and you are thinking about the pause in your back-stroke, your going about the game, the wrong way.

I believe the successful people that play this game have the same regiment or routine. They do it, without thinking about it. It's becomes second nature to them.

I also believe that the pause in the back-stroke is when the player makes the mental transition from stroking the shot to executing the shot.
 
pooltchr said:
I dare say Allison not only is aware of what she is doing, but completely understands why she is doing it.
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I had the pleasure of having a long lunch with Allison several years ago, and one thing I remember is her telling me how the "distinct pause" did not come naturally. She consciously added this to her game, and she claims it had a bigger positive effect than anything else she has done or tried.

I agree with you: she is very aware that she does it, and she completely understands why it helps her.

Regards,
Dave

PS: Although, now, I bet the "distinct pause" comes naturally to her, and she probably doesn't need to think about it (unless her game starts to falter).
 
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randyg said:
Not quite my friend, Just a little more,,,randyg
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Randy,

In my lesson with Scott Lee, he had me go down on the shot, find where I want my cue tip in relation to the cue ball (english), lock my eyes and do my warm up strokes (3), Set, either move my eyes to the contact point (1,2,3,4,5,6 SAM), Final backstroke to Pause, then through the cue ball to the Finish of the stroke.

Did I miss something on the eye pattern???

Pete
 
tom mcgonagle said:
I guess I need to explain myself better.

If your at the table, preparing to shoot, a shot, and you are thinking about the pause in your back-stroke, your going about the game, the wrong way.

I believe the successful people that play this game have the same regiment or routine. They do it, without thinking about it. It's becomes second nature to them.

I also believe that the pause in the back-stroke is when the player makes the mental transition from stroking the shot to executing the shot.
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Tom, can you write down your personal pre shot routine (preparing to shoot)?

Pete
 
Pete said:
Randy,

In my lesson with Scott Lee, he had me go down on the shot, find where I want my cue tip in relation to the cue ball (english), lock my eyes and do my warm up strokes (3), Set, either move my eyes to the contact point (1,2,3,4,5,6 SAM), Final backstroke to Pause, then through the cue ball to the Finish of the stroke.

Did I miss something on the eye pattern???

Pete
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You got it Pete. Note, your eyes move to the aim point not the contact point in S.A.M.
 
pooltchr said:
The only movement that really matters is your final forward stroke. The backstroke is simply to get your grip hand in position to deliver the forward stroke. The triceps pull your arm backward, and the biceps pull your arm forward. The pause at the end of the backstroke allows for a much smoother transition when you are changing direction.

Imagine backing your car out of the driveway, and as it is still rolling backward, you put it in drive and step on the gas. Your car will have a violent jerk as it changes direction. If you come to a complete stop before you change gears, it is much smoother.

We don't want that violent jerk in our pool stroke.

Steve
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Excellent.......

James
 
I agree.................

randyg said:
Just a guess BUT maybe your eyes are resting on the target ball for the first time in your career.....SPF=randyg (the P stands for pause)
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Very good.......

This also tends to show that we aim with our eyes on the balls. Just like throwing a spear overhead. Our body will follow the eyes.

In pool we just have the spear underhand and alot shorter target. But we need to be very precise. Your body will still follow the eyes. With the eyes in the right position things just seem to work out right somehow..

Amazing............... Stick aiming is OK but I believe it is second best and this kind of shows what you see when the stick is out of the way.

Move the ball out of the way and you would have big trouble........
 
The break............

8Ball48043 said:
Okay. I just started doing the Allison Fisher thing. Alignment strokes, smooth strokes, then .... just before I pull the trigger ... a purposeful, long pause before starting the final stroke at the cue ball.

Hey. It seemed to significantly improve my ball pocketing. Anyone want to comment on WHY this might be true?
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Hi there,

The pause is huge on the break. It allows you so focus all your energy and coordinate your body to do what you are trying to do.

And when you pause you want to make sure you are stareing at the head ball.
 
randyg said:
You got it Pete. Note, your eyes move to the aim point not the contact point in S.A.M.
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At first I got lost with what you said about the contact point there, and figured that out. I said what I was thinking a little wrong.

Thanks for the reply...

Pete
 
This is true. That's why folks with an eye pattern, where they shift from CB to OB at the end of the backswing (ala A. Fisher, K. Corr, B. Hall), need to pause longer. The eyes need a minimum of 2 seconds of focus to re-acquire the target ball. When you shift to the OB before you start your final backswing, that long of a pause between the backswing and forward stroke isn't as necessary...but we ALL pause on the backswing. Some of us just do it better! LOL :grin:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Wolven said:
Takes time for eyes to focus and actually see the OB. Awareness and concentration go up. A moment of peace, a good transition for the final stroke. Good stuff.
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