The straighter the stroke, the more powerful the stroke

[cuetechasaurus]

I've always believed this. I don't believe snapping your wrist for draw or swiping at the cue ball for side spin is necessary for power shots. My reasoning is that if there is any deviation from a straight path in your stroke you are creating more work for the small muscle movements that allow the cue to be delivered at varying speeds. When you are delivering the cue crookedly snapping your wrist can help accelerate the cue but I don't think it's necessary if you have a straight stroke in the first place.

I don't think that having a crooked backstroke (like Bustamante) really matters all that much in comparison to having a crooked forward stroke.

So, what do you guys think? To generate power, is wrist movement or turning your cue/swiping at the cue ball necessary for some power shots?

 

[Cameron Smith]

I've always believed this. I don't believe snapping your wrist for draw or swiping at the cue ball for side spin is necessary for power shots. My reasoning is that if there is any deviation from a straight path in your stroke you are creating more work for the small muscle movements that allow the cue to be delivered at varying speeds. When you are delivering the cue crookedly snapping your wrist can help accelerate the cue but I don't think it's necessary if you have a straight stroke in the first place.

I don't think that having a crooked backstroke (like Bustamante) really matters all that much in comparison to having a crooked forward stroke.

So, what do you guys think? To generate power, is wrist movement or turning your cue/swiping at the cue ball necessary for some power shots?

absolutely, though a crooked back stroke usually leads to issues with you're delivery. You have to do more work to get your cue back on the line of the shot. It's a good idea to work on smooth straight backstroke to set yourself up for a smooth delivery.

 

[JesseAllred]

I'm not sure if I agree completely with you. I think acceleration timing is the biggest factor of stroke power and speed. I do a break demonstration for someone who doesn't understand the concept. I use about a 1.5 inch bridge to break very hard to show that the acceleration timing has more to do with power than straightness or length of follow through. Although I do agree that a wrist snap doesn't really accomplish much.

 

[cuetechasaurus]

I'm not sure if I agree completely with you. I think acceleration timing is the biggest factor of stroke power and speed. I do a break demonstration for someone who doesn't understand the concept. I use about a 1.5 inch bridge to break very hard to show that the acceleration timing has more to do with power than straightness or length of follow through. Although I do agree that a wrist snap doesn't really accomplish much.

Hi Jesse, could you explain more about acceleration timing? I'm always willing to learn something new.

 

[JesseAllred]

Hi Jesse, could you explain more about acceleration timing? I'm always willing to learn something new.

umm, let's see if I can put my idea into english.... you see a lot of people breaking with a straight stroke but they start accelerating as fast as they can from the back of their stroke and by the time their tip gets to the cueball it is decelerating. Allison Fisher is a perfect example, she has about the most perfectly straight stroke imaginable (with no wrist snap, cheers to her) But you can see that the change in her acceleration isn't progressive. It starts out at the same speed that it finishes. A powerful break comes from a gradual acceleration so that the fastest point of the stroke is through the cueball. Although in the past couple years her acceleration has improved. Obviously strength and power of the individual is part of that. Increasing your timing on acceleration so your cue is going as fast as possible through contact is done by breaking slowly at first and getting a feel for the gradual increase. An effective pause at the back of the stroke to let your arm muscles transition to using the opposite muscle is good too.

If I'm wrong someone let me know! I remember hearing this years ago and have just blindly believed it since then. If someone can convince me I'm wrong I'll welcome it. Especially if it comes from the Norris.

 

[cuetechasaurus]

umm, let's see if I can put my idea into english.... you see a lot of people breaking with a straight stroke but they start accelerating as fast as they can from the back of their stroke and by the time their tip gets to the cueball it is decelerating. Allison Fisher is a perfect example, she has about the most perfectly straight stroke imaginable (with no wrist snap, cheers to her) But you can see that the change in her acceleration isn't progressive. It starts out at the same speed that it finishes. A powerful break comes from a gradual acceleration so that the fastest point of the stroke is through the cueball. Although in the past couple years her acceleration has improved. Obviously strength and power of the individual is part of that. Increasing your timing on acceleration so your cue is going as fast as possible through contact is done by breaking slowly at first and getting a feel for the gradual increase. An effective pause at the back of the stroke to let your arm muscles transition to using the opposite muscle is good too.

If I'm wrong someone let me know! I remember hearing this years ago and have just blindly believed it since then. If someone can convince me I'm wrong I'll welcome it. Especially if it comes from the Norris.

Everything you're saying sounds right to me, I've never thought of it like that before, but I have thought of something that is kind of similar.

For example, I see a lot of beginner players suddenly jerk their cue forward when they are in the middle of their back stroke. It's like the momentum of the cue still wants to go back, but they interrupt that momentum and push it forward.

Sorry if this doesn't make much sense it's kind of hard to describe. Interesting stuff to think about though.

 

[MitchAlsup]

While I agree with your position in an absolute power sense;
only 1 out of 20 shots require that kind of power.

 

[3kushn]

umm, let's see if I can put my idea into english.... you see a lot of people breaking with a straight stroke but they start accelerating as fast as they can from the back of their stroke and by the time their tip gets to the cueball it is decelerating. Allison Fisher is a perfect example, she has about the most perfectly straight stroke imaginable (with no wrist snap, cheers to her) But you can see that the change in her acceleration isn't progressive. It starts out at the same speed that it finishes. A powerful break comes from a gradual acceleration so that the fastest point of the stroke is through the cueball. Although in the past couple years her acceleration has improved. Obviously strength and power of the individual is part of that. Increasing your timing on acceleration so your cue is going as fast as possible through contact is done by breaking slowly at first and getting a feel for the gradual increase. An effective pause at the back of the stroke to let your arm muscles transition to using the opposite muscle is good too.

If I'm wrong someone let me know! I remember hearing this years ago and have just blindly believed it since then. If someone can convince me I'm wrong I'll welcome it. Especially if it comes from the Norris.

Only talking about acceleration and accepting all other aspects of a good stroke are present. Isn't this the essence of "good stroke" for most shots if not all? Max speed at contact. Even when a short light touch is needed? In other words cue speed is at its maximum at contact no matter what shot you're taking or what speed is required. How else can you smoothly "stroke through the ball."

 

[Bambu]

I wouldnt say its necessary, just an interesting technique that some players prefer.

 

[JesseAllred]

Only talking about acceleration and accepting all other aspects of a good stroke are present. Isn't this the essence of "good stroke" for most shots if not all? Max speed at contact. Even when a short light touch is needed? In other words cue speed is at its maximum at contact no matter what shot you're taking or what speed is required. How else can you smoothly "stroke through the ball."

Yes, that's the essence of a good stroke. Unfortunately most beginners poke at the ball and many B players who feel like they're accomplished players are just hitting it harder on power shots but still hitting "at" the cueball and not through it, even more so for the light touch shots.

It's hard to convince a lot of them though because their shotmaking might be close to even with a player with a correct stroke and they have other excuses for why their position and consistency never improves past a certain plateau.

It drove me crazy for years when players would ask for advice on how to improve and you would see their eyes glaze over and the excuses start when they realized that there's no easy secret, just hard work and painful realizations of all your faults.

Now I just nod and sympathize with them when they complain for the 15th year in a row about how they're still making the same mistakes. Then of course you have to remind them how unlucky they got again and how they should have beat you with that 17-5 spot or 90 ball spot. Ahhhhh! I can feel the insanity coming back...how can people waste their life doing the same thing over and over hoping something will improve!!??! ok....pie and ice cream will calm me down....no...just think about a rainbow.