Staying Down on Power Shots?
- Thread starter Zphix
- Start date
When practicing the shot, stay down and evaluate your finish position before getting up. I find that drawing the full length of the table is more about actually hitting low and less about the power of the stroke. Instead of trying to draw back 8 feet, try practicing a long shot where you draw back only 1 foot.
Another thing, use a striped ball for a cue ball and see where the chalk mark is. Most likely you are not hitting as low as you think.
Another thing, use a striped ball for a cue ball and see where the chalk mark is. Most likely you are not hitting as low as you think.
i'm betting your backstroke isn't long enough, causing you to have to produce too much power with a shorter forward stroke.
take a look at the length of Efren's or Earl's backstroke; there's a reason they get so much power with little effort.
take a look at the length of Efren's or Earl's backstroke; there's a reason they get so much power with little effort.
For those of you saying it's my stroke length; I guarantee that's not the problem.
My normal bridge is probably 7-9 inches. I use this because I'm a much taller player and I find that it allows me to stabilize my body better overall.
Bridge length is not the problem lol.
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My normal bridge is probably 7-9 inches. I use this because I'm a much taller player and I find that it allows me to stabilize my body better overall.
Bridge length is not the problem lol.
Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using Tapatalk 2
7-9 inches of bridge would make me feel all cooped up. I see that as a short bridge length. My natural bridge length is between 14-17 inches. Perhaps it is your bridge length after all.
Regardless of how far you bridge, do you make full use of the bridge length? If I had a bridge of 9 inches and went for a power draw shot, even when I was pulling the cue back the entire 9 inches id have to jump a little to get the power.
Regardless of how far you bridge, do you make full use of the bridge length? If I had a bridge of 9 inches and went for a power draw shot, even when I was pulling the cue back the entire 9 inches id have to jump a little to get the power.
Lots of great advice here...
Have you ever seen a golfer "pose" with his club in the finished followed-through position after he hits the ball for a few seconds?
Practice finishing an entire session of play with your hands and cue at paused at the full follow-through finished position (at least when the shot you are taking allows it). When you can consciously do that and not affect the quality of your game, that will help you change mindset and get away from jumping up on long power draw shots.
Also, evaluate the tip you are using... Is it putting enough english on the ball to sustain enough draw for long ones?
My power draw shots got much better and more predictable when I switched to mild dud tips.
Have you ever seen a golfer "pose" with his club in the finished followed-through position after he hits the ball for a few seconds?
Practice finishing an entire session of play with your hands and cue at paused at the full follow-through finished position (at least when the shot you are taking allows it). When you can consciously do that and not affect the quality of your game, that will help you change mindset and get away from jumping up on long power draw shots.
Also, evaluate the tip you are using... Is it putting enough english on the ball to sustain enough draw for long ones?
My power draw shots got much better and more predictable when I switched to mild dud tips.
use the red striped high ball, and gradually practice your draw, with the stripe perpendicular to you,as you extend the distance....eventually you will come to a distance that you lose your spin...thats your max distance. anything further will be a stop shot or follow........A long draw is a very difficult shot to begin with.
My number is probably off actually lol. When I read the original comment I was having breakfast at my buddies and didn't have a cue so I guesstimated using an 8 inch straw
In reality my bridge is on average probably the same as yours. So much so that older players tell me to shorten it up but then that feels horrible to me.
Thumbs up Pidge!
I tried today 3 powershots after my straight pool practice
I was recording straight pool anyway so i tried some fooling around for video because i remember this thread...
http://youtu.be/jiIG6pzHS-I
First one is not so good but it´s somewhat okay. Elbow drops too much and i keep chin too close to cue. Head must then get a little up or cue will hit chin..
Second one is almost perfect and you can see not too much movement and slight elbow drop.
Again chin just a tad too close to cue and slight upward movement there but that is ok stroke for slow cloth table IMO.
I say if you shoot those kinda powershots some movement is always there but that should be just absorbing the shock from stroke..
3rd one i just shoot for fun and showing off
So, I realized what the issue was.
Same as Pidge, I use a longer bridge and generate a lot of force with little effort (whoever said that about Reyes and Earl). However, I didn't fully realize this affect until yesterday when I played because I found that I was getting much more draw with a normal stroke (with a pause), than with a forced power shot
I'm thinking that trying to force a power shot combined with a long bridge made for the many miscues, scoop jumped balls, and stun shots.
Upon this realization, pool is a little easier for me. If you see progress as a set of steps then I feel like I just moved up a little. Anybody ever get this feeling from a single moment of insight?
P.S. Scott Lee! When I'm down on the shot, if I tell myself that a hook is attached to my groin by a strong around my neck I amazingly stay down with my head perfectly still haha.
Same as Pidge, I use a longer bridge and generate a lot of force with little effort (whoever said that about Reyes and Earl). However, I didn't fully realize this affect until yesterday when I played because I found that I was getting much more draw with a normal stroke (with a pause), than with a forced power shot
I'm thinking that trying to force a power shot combined with a long bridge made for the many miscues, scoop jumped balls, and stun shots.
Upon this realization, pool is a little easier for me. If you see progress as a set of steps then I feel like I just moved up a little. Anybody ever get this feeling from a single moment of insight?
P.S. Scott Lee! When I'm down on the shot, if I tell myself that a hook is attached to my groin by a strong around my neck I amazingly stay down with my head perfectly still haha.
increments
For a "banger", you give excellent advice!
All pool skills are best learned in increments!
The best example I know of failure to do this is draw shots, as you say. I've seen hundreds of guys who can stop any straight in dead OR draw a ball ten or more feet, but are lost when they need to draw a ball six inches, two feet, etc.
INCREMENTS!
For a "banger", you give excellent advice!
All pool skills are best learned in increments!
The best example I know of failure to do this is draw shots, as you say. I've seen hundreds of guys who can stop any straight in dead OR draw a ball ten or more feet, but are lost when they need to draw a ball six inches, two feet, etc.
INCREMENTS!
practice THIS SHOT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtrbXzAg3Uk
and try to hit it AS SOFT AS POSSIBLE and still execute the shot
often "power draw" shots, need FAR LESS power than most think
unless you are breaking open a cluster, or trying to get 5 rail shape, you should never hit a ball more than 30-40% of your break speed.
Once you realize that hitting the ball BETTER and not harder gets you more action, the mental stigma of "I gotta power draw this" goes away all together, and you start thinking, I need to execute this shot well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtrbXzAg3Uk
and try to hit it AS SOFT AS POSSIBLE and still execute the shot
often "power draw" shots, need FAR LESS power than most think
unless you are breaking open a cluster, or trying to get 5 rail shape, you should never hit a ball more than 30-40% of your break speed.
Once you realize that hitting the ball BETTER and not harder gets you more action, the mental stigma of "I gotta power draw this" goes away all together, and you start thinking, I need to execute this shot well.
You're a funny man Mr. Lee
LMAO. Good one Scott. Johnnyt
I realized about 3 days ago how right this is. The game got so much simpler afterwards.
Thanks Joey!
The following worked for me in a similar situation.
I kept my bridge arm from the elbow to my bridge hand glued to the table and stated hitting balls table length into the corner pocket . I started using a soft stroke and progressed to harder and harder strokes.
Hit about 100 per day for about a week. After every shot I made sure that I kept arm on table until ball was pocketed.
I just kept concentrating on the stroke and keeping my arm down.
It helped me and . It might help you .
I kept my bridge arm from the elbow to my bridge hand glued to the table and stated hitting balls table length into the corner pocket . I started using a soft stroke and progressed to harder and harder strokes.
Hit about 100 per day for about a week. After every shot I made sure that I kept arm on table until ball was pocketed.
I just kept concentrating on the stroke and keeping my arm down.
It helped me and . It might help you .
Thanks for telling me about that now Scott. That would have been a useful bit of info when you were here for my lesson. :rotflmao1:
Have a good one my friend!!