The Death Grip

[FranCrimi]

I'm not sure what snooker instructional material you read/saw but those that featured Gareth Potts and Ronnie O'Sullivan said the following:

Step 1: You hold the cue "normally" at starting position
Step 2: While pulling back the cue, loosen your grip. Two ways of doing it:
1. slowly releasing the little and/or ring finger (back release). This is the Gareth Potts way.
2. slowly releasing the index and/or middle finder (front release). This is the Ronnie O'Sullivan way.

Step 3: Stroke forward while tightening the grip again. The amount of power in the stroke depends on how much and how fast you loosen/tighten the grip.

Loosening and tightening your grip quickly creates a very fast acceleration.

Ronnie Alcano skips step 1, he starts loose from the beginning, but when needing power, he tightens his grip very fast during the forward stroke.

This way of using grip pressure to control power helps you deliver relatively the same stroke all the time. With exactly the same stroke, you can draw the ball 5 inches while dead-gripping and you can also draw the ball 30 inches if you loosen your grip and tighten it quickly to create acceleration. That's how snooker player plays.

I totally agree with the self-experimental way of playing, only you know what's best for you.

It's very effective. I break that way -- by grabbing right at impact. A lot of rotation players break that way. However, that's very different from shooting with a constant death grip.

 

[KRJ]

NO, Frances........YOU lighten up.
It's none of your business.
:kma:
Sure, folks can do it the wrong way, and it's OK. Albert Bell was a terrific baseball hitter... but his mechanics were terrible, his hands came forward during the pitch, and then he pulled his hands back again. Nobody, and I mean nobody would teach that to anyone. But he was so talented to overcome this "mechanical flaw" the rest, including other pro's, would never think about doing it. <===WRONG! Cobb invented

If it's on AZB, it's always my business :grin-square:

Yes, Tyrus Cobb "invented" it ? So, sure, a guy that played pro ball at the turn of the century could have poor mechanics against pitchers who topped out at about 80mph (what a good HS pitcher throws today) and pro's today throw an average of 95mph today, with more than 10 folks that will hit 100mph plus. So, I guess you showed me Crappy mechanics can always hit inferior pitching, lol

 

[Coop1701]

I think everyone has to find that happy place. What works for them. Back when I use to teach Juniors in Tennis. I can show a textbook stroke all day long. But if you look at the pros. Very few have a textbook stoke.

I do no use a tight grip. It's very loose and the reason why is when 90 percent of the players pull back. They roll the cue inside of their stance to their side. it's not conducive for most players to hold a straight shot. I do know people who look like they are getting ready to sling someone off a bridge. But you really do not need a tight a grip to achieve any shot. Some people just learn to whip the cue around their body and mind helps them compensate for their short comings of their stroke.

Like I said for Tennis. No one is always going to have a textbook stroke. But you should try it, if what you are doing is not working. Don't be scared of change. Work on the mechanics that are proven for you, your stoke and body type.

 

[deanoc]

I tried holding the cue in a tighter hand grip
i was getting kinda handsy or wristy

i think it works,i had no problem drawing the cue ball

thanks for the idea