standing up as you age??

T

The Old Jaybird

Well-known member
Do you find yourself shooting more upright as you get older? Or, is it so gradual that you don't notice? I think of Allison Fischer with her chin right down on the cue, and then Mosconi and Fats shooting much more upright. This just a natural progression?
 
No doubt. You have to make a conscious effort to stay flexible or you lose it. There's a player on my team that shuffles around like an old man and shoots completely upright. He can still knock the balls down, but getting down on a shot (or picking up a wayward cue ball from the floor) are well in his past. Same age as me. I'm still fighting the fight, putting my chin on the stick, and have no issues tying my shoes, even after spinal fusion.

Never give up. Never surrender.
 
saw alex p shooting snooker in a challenge match last week and he was jerking his neck and chin and shoulders like crazy
 
I am closing in the half century mark and I try to make a conscious effort in stretching and strengthening my back and thighs in order to be able to get down close to the cue. I am also 6'6" and in my natural stance my chin never reaches the cue completely but quite close so I really need to make an effort to stay flexible and relaxed to avoid standing up while shooting. If I am in some sort of muscle/tendon pain in my shooting position, there is a high possibility of jerking/standing up on my final follow-through. Not good.
I talked with a long-time pool player friend who is a few years older than me and he said that when he was on a pool hiatus concentrating on work and other stuff, he had a lot of lower back pain which incidentally disappeared after he started shooting pool regularly. He's also way over 6'. I nowadays use this excuse... I mean reason to go play some to my wife, among other reasons... :geek:
 
markjames said:
saw alex p shooting snooker in a challenge match last week and he was jerking his neck and chin and shoulders like crazy
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That's just how he plays. It is amazing that he's had century breaks with that action. A true hard worker who really grinds for it. Love watching him play.
 
Flakeandrun said:
That's just how he plays. It is amazing that he's had century breaks with that action. A true hard worker who really grinds for it. Love watching him play.
Click to expand...
Alex has almost always had this weird "peekaboo" neck movement on the final delivery.
 
I used to be chin on cue when younger playing snooker and 6-8" higher on a pooltable. I started playing again 8 months ago after a 25 year hiatus and it was tough getting comfortable over the cue. My 71 year old body was like WTF are you doing to me lol. I'm really comfortable over the cue (6-8") and get a jump in my step when running the balls. Living the dream!
 
I have adjusted my stance not bc of age - but to allow more clearance for my stroke - Mark Wilson points out how so many players are banging their shooting arm/ hand against their bodies that the stroke is never truly completed and the stroking arm moves sideways unconsciously so as to throw off the intense line of aim.

Watch even some pro videos closely and you see bodies in the way of the stroking arm.
 
The movie/tv western gunfighters always shoot from the hip, and never use the gun sights. I suppose, if you could afford the cost of ammunition, and practiced enough, you could maybe get away with that.
Arthritis aside, someone like Willie who was a child prodigy and almost never missed, likely didn’t need the sights either.
 
mikemosconi said:
I have adjusted my stance not bc of age - but to allow more clearance for my stroke - Mark Wilson points out how so many players are banging their shooting arm/ hand against their bodies that the stroke is never truly completed and the stroking arm moves sideways unconsciously so as to throw off the intense line of aim.

Watch even some pro videos closely and you see bodies in the way of the stroking arm.
Click to expand...
I work on my stance/stroke and aiming for a few minutes a day. I do 1-handed,2-handed then 2-handed eyes closed and still take at least 5 waggles before shooting. Being one with the cue/arm movement is half the battle
 

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