The Backstroke

[Pidge]

I've noticed from watching a few pros play that on their backstroke they have little to no pause before they move forward to contact the CB. I've always had a rather long pause at the end of my backstroke and I'm curious as to how many of you pause, or just keep a nice fluent rhythm to the stroke.

If someone could suggest possible pros and cons of such styles I'd like to hear. One thing I have noticed with my stoke is that when I'm in the pause phase I can feel the muscles tensing up, kind of like a bow as its brought back, and tension in the shooting arm can't be a good thing, right?

Cheers.

 

[ctyhntr]

Set, Pause, and Freeze is one method taught to have a repeatable stroke.

To me, some of the Pros are like Einstein. They're not conventional.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I've noticed from watching a few pros play that on their backstroke they have little to no pause before they move forward to contact the CB. I've always had a rather long pause at the end of my backstroke and I'm curious as to how many of you pause, or just keep a nice fluent rhythm to the stroke.

If someone could suggest possible pros and cons of such styles I'd like to hear. One thing I have noticed with my stoke is that when I'm in the pause phase I can feel the muscles tensing up, kind of like a bow as its brought back, and tension in the shooting arm can't be a good thing, right?

Cheers.

A slight pause before my shot stroke does several things for me:

- isolates any possible glitches in the back stroke
- increases my focus for the shot stroke
- helps with speed control
- helps prevent "steering" of the shot stroke

I'm going to try adding the same momentary pause to my practice strokes.

when I'm in the pause phase I can feel the muscles tensing up

Try making the pause shorter.

pj
chgo

 

[Eddie May]

Putting a pause in your back swing is a very mechanical way to stroke the ball. So if most parts of your game are more mechanical then it shouldn't be to bad, but if you feel a lot of the other parts of your game, but you pause in your backswing then this can be bad for your game.

The only time I personally pause is when I am not sure about the shot.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Try stroking (with, or without a pause) with your mouth slightly open. Or, better yet, a smile on your face.
I will guarantee you won't tense up through the arms and shoulders, during the stroke.
This technique works equally well when putting. :smile:

 

[Pidge]

A slight pause before my shot stroke does several things for me:

- isolates any possible glitches in the back stroke
- increases my focus for the shot stroke
- helps with speed control
- helps prevent "steering" of the shot stroke

I'm going to try adding the same momentary pause to my practice strokes.



Try making the pause shorter.

pj
chgo

Thanks for the reply.

The major benefit for me is speed control. I've tried stroking without a pause and I get too much power and my stroke becomes 'punchy'.

I've also tried the pause on practice strokes, but it didn't work for me. My practice strokes are only around 3 inches so they are nothing like my final stroke.

Ill give the shorter pause a try. I'm not sure exactly how long I pause for (I would guess at 2.5 - 3 seconds) so I might video it and time it then try and knock a second off it.

Cheers.

 

[Pidge]

Try stroking (with, or without a pause) with your mouth slightly open. Or, better yet, a smile on your face.
I will guarantee you won't tense up through the arms and shoulders, during the stroke.
This technique works equally well when putting. :smile:

How cool would I look with a big old smile on my face when I miss a hanger? Haha I've been told I look constipated when I stroke...

 

[quadrary]

How cool would I look with a big old smile on my face when I miss a hanger? Haha I've been told I look constipated when I stroke...

probably not as cool as efren when he grins after missing an easy shot as rare as that is.

 

[pt109]

I've noticed from watching a few pros play that on their backstroke they have little to no pause before they move forward to contact the CB. I've always had a rather long pause at the end of my backstroke and I'm curious as to how many of you pause, or just keep a nice fluent rhythm to the stroke.

If someone could suggest possible pros and cons of such styles I'd like to hear. One thing I have noticed with my stoke is that when I'm in the pause phase I can feel the muscles tensing up, kind of like a bow as its brought back, and tension in the shooting arm can't be a good thing, right?

Cheers.

I think the pause is fine...it encourages you to take the back-stroke slow.
Buddy Hall and Cicero Murphy played great with a pause.
I think the pause also gives your eyes time to re-focus on the object-ball.

After the pause, try and start your front stroke SLOW and gradually
accelerate....I think this is a key to stroking well.

If you get desperate and start too quick, you lose power and accuracy.
Golfers call this 'hitting from the top'....
...so start slow, like a train picking up speed.

Easy to say, but hard to do.

 

[the kidd]

Its not motionless

When the backstroke transfers to the forward stroke.Its really not stopping. The momentum of the cue from the backstroke, allows the cue (and hand) to continue to the rear as the forearm begins its forward movement. This transfer appears as a hesitation. That's what I feel anyway when stroking well. Sometimes it becomes a "slip" stroke.

 

[RRfireblade]

I purposely practice with a clear distinct pause, but when I play it's not something consciously think about.

 

[Pidge]

I think the pause is fine...it encourages you to take the back-stroke slow.
Buddy Hall and Cicero Murphy played great with a pause.
I think the pause also gives your eyes time to re-focus on the object-ball.

After the pause, try and start your front stroke SLOW and gradually
accelerate....I think this is a key to stroking well.

If you get desperate and start too quick, you lose power and accuracy.
Golfers call this 'hitting from the top'....
...so start slow, like a train picking up speed.

Easy to say, but hard to do.

Thanks for that.

The first inch or so of the forward movement of my stroke is very slow. It almost guarantees I accelerate through the CB.

When I'm paused I just stare at the OB, not at a particular spot but just kind of zoning out. Also all I'm thinking about is the speed of stroke required.

Its weird but it took me around 50 shots to narrow down what I was doing when down on a shot. Its something I've never given any thought to.

 

[Bowmer]

No pause... all one stroke. Was a baseball player, pausing in mid stroke with my throwing hand??? Now that would be funny

 

[ENGLISH!]

No pause... all one stroke. Was a baseball player, pausing in mid stroke with my throwing hand??? Now that would be funny

Believe it or not, pausing in the proper arm position as a drill is used to teach 'proper' arm motion in throwing a baseball, but never taught to be actually done when throwing for real.

Maybe the same should be done for the pool stroke. Pause when practicing. Be more fluid when playing.

Merry Christmas to all,

 

[Bowmer]

Believe it or not, pausing in the proper arm position as a drill is used to teach 'proper' arm motion in throwing a baseball, but never taught to be actually done when throwing for real.

Maybe the same should be done for the pool stroke. Pause when practicing. Be more fluid when playing.

Merry Christmas to all,

I certainly agree with that

 

[Scott Lee]

pt109...Switching your eyes to the OB at the end of the backswing is just one eye pattern. Far more players feel more comfortable switching their eyes to the OB before they start their final backswing.

Pidge...All players pause at the end of the backswing...even ones who think they don't. Some pause very briefly (like me, about 1/10 of a second), and some have longer 'defined' pauses...like Buddy or Allison. It doesn't matter how long the pause it. It matters greatly how smooth and relaxed the transition to the forward accelerated stroke is. For many players, too fast a backswing will make changing direction difficult and inaccurate.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

I think the pause is fine...it encourages you to take the back-stroke slow.
Buddy Hall and Cicero Murphy played great with a pause.
I think the pause also gives your eyes time to re-focus on the object-ball.

After the pause, try and start your front stroke SLOW and gradually
accelerate....I think this is a key to stroking well.

If you get desperate and start too quick, you lose power and accuracy.
Golfers call this 'hitting from the top'....
...so start slow, like a train picking up speed.

Easy to say, but hard to do.

 

[Okie]

pt109...Switching your eyes to the OB at the end of the backswing is just one eye pattern. Far more players feel more comfortable switching their eyes to the OB before they start their final backswing.

Pidge...All players pause at the end of the backswing...even ones who think they don't. Some pause very briefly (like me, about 1/10 of a second), and some have longer 'defined' pauses...like Buddy or Allison. It doesn't matter how long the pause it. It matters greatly how smooth and relaxed the transition to the forward accelerated stroke is. For many players, too fast a backswing will make changing direction difficult and inaccurate.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Excellent post!

Thank you!

Ken

 

[pt109]

pt109...Switching your eyes to the OB at the end of the backswing is just one eye pattern. Far more players feel more comfortable switching their eyes to the OB before they start their final backswing.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Thanx for bringing that to my attention, Scott.
My eyes start to go the object-ball as soon as I start my final back-stroke.
But as I get older, my eyes need a longer 're-focus' time.

When I was younger, I felt the pause was to give the muscles that took
the cue back time to relax, 'cause a different set of muscles do the front-
stroke.

This is all retrospective for me, BTW...I'm a feel player.

 

[Pidge]

pt109...Switching your eyes to the OB at the end of the backswing is just one eye pattern. Far more players feel more comfortable switching their eyes to the OB before they start their final backswing.

Pidge...All players pause at the end of the backswing...even ones who think they don't. Some pause very briefly (like me, about 1/10 of a second), and some have longer 'defined' pauses...like Buddy or Allison. It doesn't matter how long the pause it. It matters greatly how smooth and relaxed the transition to the forward accelerated stroke is. For many players, too fast a backswing will make changing direction difficult and inaccurate.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Thanks for that Scott. Back in the day my eyes switched between CB, OB and pocket. Greatest improvement to my game I'd say was switching to focusing on the OB after I've aligned my cue on the CB. I didn't know it at the time but switching between the 3, especially on a cut where the pocket wasn't in the natural line of sight caused my head to move ever so slightly and it just became amplified through my torso and finally my arm.

 

[CreeDo]

Accidental dupe~