Pump Stroke Fad

Pump Strokes and other "cool" strokes

I see it a lot. I find that many players are imitating the various inflections of the strokes they see on tv or from another player in their home room. A friend of mine started doing that as well. He thought that it looked neat. However we learned that he couldn't hit the cue ball where he wanted to, when he tried a trickshot that required left hand spin and he kept putting right on the ball :eek: . That explains why he can't draw the cue ball very far. He has since given up the pump.

I see other players who imitate the break shots pros use on tv (standing up during he stroke) on every shot!!!

This one guy I played would use a break stroke on every shot that required more than usual power. It was funny because he looked like he was going to fall over every time he hit the cue ball. On top of that the guy claims that he qualified and 16th in the Taiwanese National Championship. I just smile and nod.
 
PlynSets said:
I put up a bunch of Videos of me practicing.. I have one, and I got it bad.

Here's one of them to show you what he's talking about..

Pump Handle Stroke

I don't even know where it came from.. I can tell you for certain it wasn't from "immitating" anybody, becuase damn near everybody I've ever played with has made some comment of "How do you play like that?"

The shitty thing is, I can't even feel myself doing it. I've been playing like this for so long that it's just "normal." I've actually been trying to rid myself of it as of late to try to step my game up to the next level.

Even when I think I'm holding everything perfectly still my elbow still drops (pumping) and my shoulder is still moving. On top of that when I think I'm holding everything still it feels like my stroke arm is all over the place (even though there's less movement?). I played for 5 or 6 hours the other night trying to keep everything "still" and my arm actually hurt the next day.. Played terrible all night as well, but I figure that goes with the territory of changing things up.

DJ
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Actually, you don't have a big pump stroke. The most obvious one I have seen is by our own Tina Pawloski (GirlWon1), but for her it works...and with deadly accuracy. :eek:
 
The king of pump strokage is mike davis. But, he owns the regional tours he plays in. Luther lasiter had a weird stroke but was dominant. Evgeny Stalev pumps the hell out of his stroke, but proved to be a world beater.

My point is, if it works do it. However, I would not teach anyone to do the things some of these guys do.
 
BRKNRUN said:
Hmmmm...too what point????

Scott Frost - Pump Stroke = One Pocket Champ...(I am pretty sure he won't shy away from your money game.....especially one pocket....pump stroke and all..:D ;) :D

I personally don't have a problem with the pump action....Here is the "key" to watch...

What is the bridge hand doing???
What does the actual final stroke look like???

If you were to look close at the others described.. you will see a common theme.....They will have a solid bridge hand and the "final" stroke is straight through...all the other pre motion really does not matter...
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There used to be a guy at Hard Times in So. Calif who had a pump and every other type of movement imaginable but went through the ball straight every time. Guys wanted to take him on the road figuring they could make a fortune. The only problem was the guy could not keep his mouth shut and would kill any action drummed up. Funny and sad at the same time.
 
Django

StevenPWaldon said:
I think also it really depends on (like any stroke) the ability to hit the cueball accurately.

Busta, for example -- yes he's got a pump stroke. But what I think is incredibly unique about Busta isn't the stroke. It's the fact that he cues about 2 inches from the cue ball. Most pro-level players cue within a half inch from the ball so that upon the final stroke they are already set up to hit where they've been cuing. But Busta still maintains to ability to accurately contact the cue exactly where he wants and that's what makes it all work.
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Yes, good point, you are absolutely right, it is amazing that he does this, so incredible, and to be able to repeat it, time, and time again. I have tried it myself with horrible results, lol. I am in awe of this man. He is one smooth operator, that is for sure. I remember an announcer said during one of his matches one time that when asked why he does this his response was that so he could see more of the cue ball without any obstructions, wow.
 
I have somewhat of a pump stroke, but nothing exaggerated. It was never a conscious choice, just what happened naturally. After playing on fast cloth for years my stroke shortened, and smoothed out considerably. Sometimes I use an exaggerated pump stroke to loosen up a doggish arm!;D

another thing of interest. Anyone else notice how Efrens stroke has changed from when He first came over here? Much more compact now IMO.

also , try watching Busta from the front. His cue is crooked, swings out and away on the backstroke, but I could care less.....that mans game is SWEET!

Gerry
 
PlynSets said:
Yep, I look cool man.. and I admit I'm "good to a point" so you got me there too.

I'm not sure why, but your post really kinda rubs me the wrong way. Let me start by saying I'm a self taught player. I didn't have some instructor or coach telling me what to do, and honestly by the time the word "mechanics" even entered my vocabulary I was already playing the way I play.

The way that you can so broadly talk down to somebody though is what amazes me here.. I'm one of the guys that your talking about. I don't play that way becuase I think it looks cool? My stroke doesn't make extraneous motions when the pressures on? Nor do I think I look cool when I'm losing?

I wish you lived closer to S.D. I'd love to play you some sets. Hey maybe I'd win, or maybe I'd come up short... Rest assured though I'm certainly not scared by some words on the internet, and from my limited experience here.. Most the guys on here over rate their own game by about a third. I don't overestimate myself, nor am I ashamed of how I play. (I.E. you can watch videos of me practicing on here anytime ya like)

I'm trying to correct my little pump handle problem in the future becuase I think I can get more consistent in the future and maybe start moving towards my end goal, but overall as I stand right now I'll give myself 85% odds of drilling whomever I'm talking to on the internet sight unseen for the cash..

Not saying there's not guys on here that'd hand me my ass, becuase I'm sure there is, I'm just saying that I'm figuring if I pick one out of the crowd I got about an 85% chance of sending them home with some broken pride, and pockets a little ligther..

DJ
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I agree with ya plynsets, his post came off as sounding a little "i'm too good for you". I've watched a few of your videos and while you do seem to have a little pump, it appears to work for ya. I like the posters who are not afraid to show video of thier game instead of just posting how they can beat anyone. Until I see video of snapshot, I gotta like your action. Video is worth alot more than 4,000 posts.
 
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I know everyone hate the golf to pool analogies, but I have to ask, if it feels natural, and you are good at it, then why mess with it. Isn't the most important thing being correct at impact? Look at all the goofy golf swings out there (Furyk included), and then stop them at impact and they almost mirror each other. I don't the video break downs available at the moment, but I almost bet that if you were to stop on the poit where cue tip strikes ball (on the same type of shot) that they are in pretty much the same position.
JM2C.
 
I think this whole topic is based on somewhat of a moot point. Pump stroke or not, it should really matter. Many players who use a pump stroke only do so in their warm up stroke. But if you look more closely, their final stroke (when striking the cueball) is dead-straight and perfect. That is what matters.

Chao has one of the ugliest strokes in the world but ask anyone and they'll tell you the same thing: when he stops his warm-up stroke and finally strokes through the cueball, it is perfect and effortless. Same with Bustamonte.
 
PlynSets said:
Yep, I look cool man.. and I admit I'm "good to a point" so you got me there too.

I'm not sure why, but your post really kinda rubs me the wrong way. Let me start by saying I'm a self taught player. I didn't have some instructor or coach telling me what to do, and honestly by the time the word "mechanics" even entered my vocabulary I was already playing the way I play.

The way that you can so broadly talk down to somebody though is what amazes me here.. I'm one of the guys that your talking about. I don't play that way becuase I think it looks cool? My stroke doesn't make extraneous motions when the pressures on? Nor do I think I look cool when I'm losing?

I wish you lived closer to S.D. I'd love to play you some sets. Hey maybe I'd win, or maybe I'd come up short... Rest assured though I'm certainly not scared by some words on the internet, and from my limited experience here.. Most the guys on here over rate their own game by about a third. I don't overestimate myself, nor am I ashamed of how I play. (I.E. you can watch videos of me practicing on here anytime ya like)

I'm trying to correct my little pump handle problem in the future becuase I think I can get more consistent in the future and maybe start moving towards my end goal, but overall as I stand right now I'll give myself 85% odds of drilling whomever I'm talking to on the internet sight unseen for the cash..

Not saying there's not guys on here that'd hand me my ass, becuase I'm sure there is, I'm just saying that I'm figuring if I pick one out of the crowd I got about an 85% chance of sending them home with some broken pride, and pockets a little ligther..

DJ
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I too had a problem with the tone of Snapshot's post and I must commend you on calling him on it. The problem I have is that by the end of your post you succumb to a similar bravado, making that brash statement about "drilling 85% of the people sight unseen". In the end, your post is just as offensive as Snapshot's.

Starting around the midpoint, it becomes clear that you have been "scared by some words on the internet". Snapshot got the better of you.

You should have stopped at,
PlynSets said:
"The way that you can so broadly talk down to somebody though is what amazes me here."
Click to expand...

KLOPEK
 
rackmsuckr said:
Actually, you don't have a big pump stroke. The most obvious one I have seen is by our own Tina Pawloski (GirlWon1), but for her it works...and with deadly accuracy. :eek:
Click to expand...
Hmmm... Anybody have any vids of her using this stroke? I've always wanted to see how she plays, but I missed her when she came out to Peoria, too far...
 
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