Q about Shoulder placement over Cue

sponge bob

sponge bob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello,
I just wanted to know what you guys thought about this. When I go down for a shot my right shoulder (Im a righty) is not over the cue, it is to the right of it (my right).

Somebody pointed this out to me and said I shoud try to get my shoulder directly over the cue, so both the elbow and the shoulder are in line with the cue. I have been really inconsistent lately so Im going to give it a shot. I know Ralph Souquet and Oliver Ortmann have their shoulders inline with the cue, but on the other hand you have players like Fong Pang Chao who have the cue tucked under their body.

So I guess my question is how important is shoulder placement over the cue? Also, do you guys think it will help my consistency?

All responsed greatly appreciated,
Asgar
P.S. I'll try to post pictures of what Im talking about.
 
sponge bob said:
Hello,

So I guess my question is how important is shoulder placement over the cue? Also, do you guys think it will help my consistency?
Click to expand...

While it is important there are a number of exceptions. Mostly because they learned this way without instruction. If they rarely miss a ball, who's gonna tell them the right way. LOL

Really, I doubt you have a shoulder problem problem. It most likely is a upper/lower arm problem or wrist. Just let the weight of the cue hang straight down. 5 will get you 10 your not doing this. It sounds like you have your wrist cupped inside or possibly your elbow/upper arm out and lower arm in. It should be the shoulder/upper arm/ elbow/ lower arm and wrist in a straight line.

For most this really helps their game. If your use to cupping your wrist or whatever it takes time to get rid of a bad habbit. Your game may suffer but in the long run you will be happy you made the change. Have someone observe (preferably a good instructor) till you get it cured. No big deal really lots of people do this and haven't a clue what their doing wrong. Your headed in the right direction.

Rod
 
Put it wherever helps you see the shot better. Fong Pang Chao has a perfect stance and fundamentals. So does Mika Immonen. Chao has the cue underneat his chest more and Mika has it directly under his shoulder. Either way is fine, just find the one that suits you better. Just make sure you line up the same way every time or else you won't be consistent.
 
There's 3 points to a stroke.

Your Eye, Bridge, and stroke hand. (stance effects all of those)

Find your center.

Nothing else matters. Find your comfort zone.

Work from their.
 
sponge bob said:
Hello,
I just wanted to know what you guys thought about this. When I go down for a shot my right shoulder (Im a righty) is not over the cue, it is to the right of it (my right).

Somebody pointed this out to me and said I shoud try to get my shoulder directly over the cue, so both the elbow and the shoulder are in line with the cue. I have been really inconsistent lately so Im going to give it a shot. I know Ralph Souquet and Oliver Ortmann have their shoulders inline with the cue, but on the other hand you have players like Fong Pang Chao who have the cue tucked under their body.

So I guess my question is how important is shoulder placement over the cue? Also, do you guys think it will help my consistency?

All responsed greatly appreciated,
Asgar
P.S. I'll try to post pictures of what Im talking about.
Click to expand...

No pictures needed. Look, the only thing that lines up a shot from a cue ball to an object ball is your eyeballs. You line up a specific part of the cue ball to the edge of the object ball, for every possible shot on the table. That includes pocketing, all types of banks, caroms, and combinations. It is alway the same shot, over and over and over. Monotonous. A cue stick hits a white thing, that is all the stick does. A stance keeps you from falling down. Head position function is only to line up your eyes, on a specific place on the cue ball, to the edge of an object ball, for every shot. You always know exactly where that specific peice is on the cue ball for every shot. No particular stroke, no deep concentration. When facing any shot, you do not have to define what degree of angle any shot is. You do not have to pick a spot on a cushion to aim at when banking balls, for that spot would always be invisible. You do not have to use contact points or ghost balls on any shot as those things are always entirely invisible. Think about it.
 
sonia said:
No pictures needed. Look, the only thing that lines up a shot from a cue ball to an object ball is your eyeballs. You line up a specific part of the cue ball to the edge of the object ball, for every possible shot on the table. That includes pocketing, all types of banks, caroms, and combinations. It is alway the same shot, over and over and over. Monotonous. A cue stick hits a white thing, that is all the stick does. A stance keeps you from falling down. Head position function is only to line up your eyes, on a specific place on the cue ball, to the edge of an object ball, for every shot. You always know exactly where that specific peice is on the cue ball for every shot. No particular stroke, no deep concentration. When facing any shot, you do not have to define what degree of angle any shot is. You do not have to pick a spot on a cushion to aim at when banking balls, for that spot would always be invisible. You do not have to use contact points or ghost balls on any shot as those things are always entirely invisible. Think about it.
Click to expand...

As soon as you get past being a C player you might understand that aiming systems mean nothing without proper alignment, and how big a role the stance plays in finesse, power stroking, and touch shots. You don't pick a spot on the rail when playing position? Gee that's funny, everyone else does.

By the way, center to edge does not work on cut shots with small angles.
 
Thanks for all the responses.
Maybe another question is, how many of you have their shoulder lined up with the cue?

Thanks, Asgar
 
sponge bob said:
Thanks for all the responses.
Maybe another question is, how many of you have their shoulder lined up with the cue?

Thanks, Asgar
Click to expand...
I try to line up my collarbone and elbow dead straight with the cue.
If I follow-thru straight, my grip hand ends near my collarbone, straight-in with the shot.
If I don't, I miss. :eek:
 
Here is the optimum setup. There are more than several key points to have on the SHOT PLANE. However, there are very few players that play with a perfect address.

The address of the shot is the most critical feature of the game. If you point a rifle in the wrong direction, you will NOT hit the target. Pointing your stroke precisely, is what accuracy is all about.

Good Luck...
 

Attachments

  • gabe numbered shot plane sm J.JPG
    gabe numbered shot plane sm J.JPG
    55.4 KB · Views: 202
Last edited:
Shoulder placement

I owned a pool hall for 10 years and I tried to help my customers by coaching them to keep their head, shoulder, bridge, stroking hand in one straight line, having the head perpendiculay to the floor and the grip straight up and down. Recently I have been looking at old photos of Willie Mosconi, Ruth McGinnis, Ralph Greenleaf, Willie Hoppe and some modern champions. The old timers all hold their upper arm close to their body. I mean tight to their upper body. I saw Mosconi play eleven times and he ran 100 balls or more every time. I even played him once when I was Boys Club Champ of Central Pennsyvania. He had the smoothest, sweetest, soft, beautiful stroke. He used a short bridge, but could move the cue ball anywhere he wanted to on the table. He seldom had to move the cue ball very far, but could if necessary.
What I am trying to say is all the old timers did not have a perfect pendulum stroke and maybe holding your upper arm in a straight line isn't the best way to do it. I don't know. What does every one think about these remarks? JP
 
vapoolplayer said:
i think quite a few people would beg to differ

VAP
Click to expand...

Just so we are on the same page, you are talking about aiming the center of the cueball to the edge of the object ball, right? If so, on shots without much angle the system doesn't work. Everything else it works just fine.
 
LastTwo said:
Just so we are on the same page, you are talking about aiming the center of the cueball to the edge of the object ball, right? If so, on shots without much angle the system doesn't work. Everything else it works just fine.
Click to expand...

are you taking a super thin cut or are you talking about a cut thats just a fraction off of straight in?

if its a super thin......you can use center to edge, you just do something a bit different.

if its almost a straight in shot.......you shouldn't need to use it anyway, you can almost aim like its straight in.

thanks

VAP
 
vapoolplayer said:
are you taking a super thin cut or are you talking about a cut thats just a fraction off of straight in?

if its a super thin......you can use center to edge, you just do something a bit different.

if its almost a straight in shot.......you shouldn't need to use it anyway, you can almost aim like its straight in.

thanks

VAP
Click to expand...

By small angle I am talking about being closer to straight in. I use center to edge on tough cuts I am not comfortable with. On most routine shots I use another system.
 
Wow!
We get off topic pretty easily on these forums! Lets hear more about everybodys shoulder placement if it pleases ya!

Thanks, Asgar
 
i'm a beginner, so i could be very wrong.. but having your hand and your cue inside your should could lead to the birth of some really bad habits when you try to get into english, more advanced techniques, breaking, etc... so I would suggest getting shoulder above the cue.. makes for a good stroke.. which is really what the game is about
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top