Question about my stroke.

[Colin Colenso]

View attachment 376382

Don't change it if it feels good to you. This guy does it........greatest cueist ever. His cue also rubs against his chin.

That's right, snooker players almost universally have their chest on the cue, but they also turn their hips away from the cue much more than most US pool players to give themselves an unrestricted swing.

For players who don't have the technique or aren't flexible enough to turn the hips as snooker pros do, their stroke can be restricted by their hip if they get their chest in too close to the cue.

Colin ~ Can't bend down that far anymore without discomfort.

 

[Pidge]

Well said, may very well be the best post in the thread....following through to the chest is not effective, and may lead to an exaggerated follow-through which isn't ideal.

This is equivalent to using a "driver follow through" on shorter golf shots... it could be from not facing the shot squarely at address, with the left foot parallel to the shot line. imho 'The Game is the Teacher' .com

Whilst I do have a very long backswing all the way back to my bridge for the vast majority of shots, even the real soft ones, my follow through is a general length relative to how hard I accelerate. If I hit a soft shot my hand stops short of the chest, if I hit it firm then my hand hits the chest and stops the cue quite abruptly and on the harder hit shots my elbow drops after contact as to not puncture a lung

Trying to force a follow through that isn't there is something I wouldn't recommend. Its always been there for me so I let the cue come to a natural stop unless the chest gets in the way. Having the grip hit the chest can have some benefit to some. Mostly those who have tensing problems before contact with the white. If they concentrate on following through to their max they get through the ball a lot cleaner and don't slow the stroke down at the important bit.

 

[fastone371]

This is the worst advice if you're trying to get better. I've seen players who have been at it for 20+ years and still have no stroke. They often don't pocket balls consistently, and have little control of their cue. Sure you can probably figure it out on your own after 20 years, but if you're looking to get better in the short term, taking a lesson to learn about what you do, why you do it that way, and how to make it more accurate and repeatable is the way to go.

FTR, the point of doing a drill is either to reinforce a good habit, or correct an error.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

I gotta side with Scott on this one. The problem with figuring it out as you go method is that you may need to unlearn bad habits to correct your fundamentals. I had Scott come over to my house for a lesson that I feel helped me improve much quicker than figuring it out myself. I started playing pool 3 years and 4 months ago, got my lesson from Scott 1 year and 4 months ago, just this last weekend I won our BCAPL Mens B division singles championship. Without the lessons, which were based mainly on fundamentals I don't think this would have happened, thank you Scott and all of the AZBers here who suggested lessons and offered other advice.

 

[Pete]

CJ...Maybe you should talk to your "buddy" randyg about this. Either you don't understand what a pendulum stroke is, or you have no idea what you're talking about. I'll let you pick which it is...

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

I don't know Scott. CJ knows a few things, and I would bet has forgotten things that the rest of us (you included) don't even know. Not saying you are wrong or right, just saying CJ was one of the best period. The most of the rest of us (me included) are only want-a-be players in comparison.

But I give you credit for tossing the gauntlet like that (or at least Randy):wink:...

 

[DTL]

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[Scott Lee]

fastone371...Congratulations on your big win! Glad I could help you a little in achieving your goal. The important thing is that I just showed you a path to follow...you did the work to create your own stroke process, and practiced it until you could make it work in competition, without having to think about it! Great shooting...next year, go for the A division title! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

I gotta side with Scott on this one. The problem with figuring it out as you go method is that you may need to unlearn bad habits to correct your fundamentals. I had Scott come over to my house for a lesson that I feel helped me improve much quicker than figuring it out myself. I started playing pool 3 years and 4 months ago, got my lesson from Scott 1 year and 4 months ago, just this last weekend I won our BCAPL Mens B division singles championship. Without the lessons, which were based mainly on fundamentals I don't think this would have happened, thank you Scott and all of the AZBers here who suggested lessons and offered other advice.

 

[CJ Wiley]

they may know the difference between the "follow stroke," and the "draw/stun stroke"

Whilst I do have a very long backswing all the way back to my bridge for the vast majority of shots, even the real soft ones, my follow through is a general length relative to how hard I accelerate. If I hit a soft shot my hand stops short of the chest, if I hit it firm then my hand hits the chest and stops the cue quite abruptly and on the harder hit shots my elbow drops after contact as to not puncture a lung

Trying to force a follow through that isn't there is something I wouldn't recommend. Its always been there for me so I let the cue come to a natural stop unless the chest gets in the way. Having the grip hit the chest can have some benefit to some. Mostly those who have tensing problems before contact with the white. If they concentrate on following through to their max they get through the ball a lot cleaner and don't slow the stroke down at the important bit.

I wouldn't suggest doing that in pool, most of the problems come from too much follow through, not too little.

From my experience players want to know the difference between the "follow stroke," and the "draw/stun stroke" - without this understanding they blend the two together which is much less effective for accuracy and speed control.

You may want to practice for a couple of hours just bringing the cue half, or even a quarter of the way back....then accelerate enough to still execute the usual shot.

This is a good drill to teach how to maximize the forward motion of the hand, without over-extending.

 

[CJ Wiley]

tossing the "gauntlet stroke"

Quote:
Originally Posted by pete View Post
i don't know scott. Cj knows a few things, and i would bet has forgotten things that the rest of us (you included) don't even know. Not saying you are wrong or right, just saying cj was one of the best period. The most of the rest of us (me included) are only want-a-be players in comparison.

But i give you credit for tossing the gauntlet like that (or at least randy)...

lol..............................

Maybe he was tossing the "gauntlet stroke" at someone's chest

 

[Pidge]

I wouldn't suggest doing that in pool, most of the problems come from too much follow through, not too little.

From my experience players want to know the difference between the "follow stroke," and the "draw/stun stroke" - without this understanding they blend the two together which is much less effective for accuracy and speed control.

You may want to practice for a couple of hours just bringing the cue half, or even a quarter of the way back....then accelerate enough to still execute the usual shot.

This is a good drill to teach how to maximize the forward motion of the hand, without over-extending.

I get out of rhythm trying this :-( I snatch at shots and I cant judge how the cue ball will react. Playing as I do I've got an odd timing to my stroke some would say as its a lot slower and longer than most. Not as efficient as someone who pulls back only the required amount but I cant play any other way.

 

[DTL]

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[Pidge]

Sort of like Chris Melling's? Beautiful stroke!!...........pulls it way back on every shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKY4XiBHm-0

Yeah very similar to the stroke in the link but I pause just a fraction longer at the back.

 

[demonrho]

...By this I mean don't get into the habit of bringing the cue to the chest, instead move the chest closer to the cue when getting down. ...

This is what Del Hill (Ronnie O's snooker coach) recommends. Del teaches using the chin and chest as contact and guide points for the cue. Gareth Potts recommends using the chest as a contact point for the cue, even if you can't get the chin on the shaft. Of course, this is from a more snooker-like stance perspective.

 

[Shooter08]

Chin contact

This is what Del Hill (Ronnie O's snooker coach) recommends. Del teaches using the chin and chest as contact and guide points for the cue. Gareth Potts recommends using the chest as a contact point for the cue, even if you can't get the chin on the shaft.

As I have a ash shaft on the way and a beard I don't plan to start resting my chin on it. It sounds rather unpleasant. But I digress, how can anyone shoot with the cue rubbing their chin?

 

[Pidge]

As I have a ash shaft on the way and a beard I don't plan to start resting my chin on it. It sounds rather unpleasant. But I digress, how can anyone shoot with the cue rubbing their chin?

Don't worry about the beard. Anything other than stubble will be fine as its too long to snag and cause irritation.

Its common place here in the UK to plant the chin on the cue. Some have varying degrees of pressure on the cue with it. Some have it barely brushing the cue and others like me put a lot of pressure o. The cue with my chin. Dott, a famous snooker player here had to put a band aid on his chin at times because of th friction burn and irritation. Luckily, most players never experience this kind of grief.

 

[DTL]

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[Shooter08]

Hey THx

Don't worry about the beard. Anything other than stubble will be fine as its too long to snag and cause irritation.

Its common place here in the UK to plant the chin on the cue. Some have varying degrees of pressure on the cue with it. Some have it barely brushing the cue and others like me put a lot of pressure o. The cue with my chin. Dott, a famous snooker player here had to put a band aid on his chin at times because of th friction burn and irritation. Luckily, most players never experience this kind of grief.

So beard ok, stubble bad when it comes to ash shafts. Lol learn something new everyday. THx

 

[demonrho]

See post #18.

Nice video of Del teaching.

 

[fastone371]

fastone371...Congratulations on your big win! Glad I could help you a little in achieving your goal. The important thing is that I just showed you a path to follow...you did the work to create your own stroke process, and practiced it until you could make it work in competition, without having to think about it! Great shooting...next year, go for the A division title! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Thank you Scott and thanks for the help, I would probably still be fumbling around on my own trying to figure out why I am not getting any better if it was not for your help. The division A Championship is my next goal, I also finished 5th in a separate 9 ball state tourney.

 

[JoeyA]

Pidge,
Your posts are almost always, EXCEPTIONAL imo. I really enjoy reading your posts.

JoeyA

Depends on how much you get down. I'm guessing for it to touch your upper chest in the address position you get all the way down. This is completely normal and quite a beneficial aid to have.

The chest has a few uses. Firstly having it brush along the chest helps keep the strokes, both practice and actual, straight. Secondly because you can actually feel where the cue is meant to touch the chest it can help to tell you when your alignment is a bit off or something just isn't quite right.

A couple of things to watch out for with chest contact is don't let it get it the way. By this I mean don't get into the habit of bringing the cue to the chest, instead move the chest closer to the cue when getting down. Also don't have too much chest contact. It should stay in contact through out the stroke but only lightly. If you start to feel you really are rubbing the cue against the chest then it can produce an arced stroke instead of straight.

Any more questions in more than happy to help.

 

[Chrippa]

Pidge,
Your posts are almost always, EXCEPTIONAL imo. I really enjoy reading your posts.

JoeyA

I agree Joey, there are posters here that I listen and read more "carefully" at and Pidge is one of them. He don´t play in the same manner as me but he is a master of what he is doing and he describes it very good and in a very good manner imo.

Thanks Pidge and thanks Joey!

I love to open up for new things and you are contributing to that!

Regards

Christian