WRISTS - The "hidden power catalyst" of a great stroke or "just along for the ride"?

Ronnie O'Sullivan when describing cue ball control has said many times that to limit the cue balls travel he will tighten the grip and wrist mid stroke. The more he tightens the less the cue ball travels. Interesting....
 
Ronnie O'Sullivan when describing cue ball control has said many times that to limit the cue balls travel he will tighten the grip and wrist mid stroke. The more he tightens the less the cue ball travels. Interesting....

Would that travel be after contacting the OB becaluse of more applied speed or english?
 
By doing this it no doubt eliminates 1-3 MPH of stroke speed and thus less CB travel.

DTL
1-3 mph is a guess
You're exactly right...well I don't know about the 1-3mph!

Because he brings the cue all the way back to the bridge on the vast majority of shots he had to develop some was of controlling cue speed and thus cue ball speed. By clenching and tightening the grip it slows the cue down mid stroke and he gets the results he wants.

He describes it in a video that's about on youtube as well. In the video he demonstrates a stun-run though shot and how if he keeps his grip loose he can make the cue ball travel a few feet or more forward, but if he clenches and tightens the grip he makes it travel about 6" to a foot forward whilst still hitting the same part of the white.
 
Ronnie O'Sullivan when describing cue ball control has said many times that to limit the cue balls travel he will tighten the grip and wrist mid stroke. The more he tightens the less the cue ball travels. Interesting....
Obviously tightening his grip slows his stroke. Do you think something other than a slower stroke can account for less cue ball speed? Do you think tightening the grip is the only way to slow the stroke?

Some players tighten the grip to increase stroke speed.

pj
chgo
 
Last edited:
Obviously tightening his grip slows his stroke. Do you think something other than a slower stroke can account for less cue ball speed? Do you think tightening the grip is the only way to slow the stroke?

Some players tighten the grip to increase stroke speed.

pj
chgo
When you hit the cue ball in the same place, same elevation, same speed the cue ball will travel the same distance. So the only way to make the cue ball travel a shorter distance is to either change the elevation (whilst hitting the same spot on the white), hit in a different place or hit at a slower speed.

No, I don't not think tightening the grip is the only way to slow cue speed. In fact, I wouldn't tighten the grip or advise anyone does it I just thought it would be of interest for others to know how the greatest snooker player of all time describes how he controls the cue ball. For regular players, the cues speed is altered by the biceps and the wrist in a combination whilst keeping the grip pressure consistent. Others may choose to pull the cue back a shorter distance, follow through a shorter distance, or like me pull all the way back to the bridge and follow through until the hand hits the chest on every shot, regardless of the required cue speed. It is my biceps and wrist that controls how hard I hit the ball.
 
In pretty much every sport where one has to swing or throw something, velocity and power comes from loose grips. Your body can't move as quickly or fluidly when you're tight and rigid. In pool, with the cue, there's also the matter of energy transfer from stick to ball. The tighter your grip, the more energy is transferred into your arm, and less into the object ball.
 
When you hit the cue ball in the same place, same elevation, same speed the cue ball will travel the same distance. So the only way to make the cue ball travel a shorter distance is to either change the elevation (whilst hitting the same spot on the white), hit in a different place or hit at a slower speed.

No, I don't not think tightening the grip is the only way to slow cue speed. In fact, I wouldn't tighten the grip or advise anyone does it I just thought it would be of interest for others to know how the greatest snooker player of all time describes how he controls the cue ball. For regular players, the cues speed is altered by the biceps and the wrist in a combination whilst keeping the grip pressure consistent. Others may choose to pull the cue back a shorter distance, follow through a shorter distance, or like me pull all the way back to the bridge and follow through until the hand hits the chest on every shot, regardless of the required cue speed. It is my biceps and wrist that controls how hard I hit the ball.
Oh, OK. I thought you were arguing in favor of the idea that the grip itself makes a difference in the hit.

Carry on.

pj
chgo
 
I retaught a good player to change his grip....and his game changed dramatically. He was able to play less and improve much more quickly. The ''twinkle toes'' grip (finger tips only on cue butt) he had....worked just fine, as long as he played 40 hours a week, but any less and the ''old grip'' completely held back his game.

What did you have him do to reteach his grip ?
 
In pretty much every sport where one has to swing or throw something, velocity and power comes from loose grips. Your body can't move as quickly or fluidly when you're tight and rigid. In pool, with the cue, there's also the matter of energy transfer from stick to ball. The tighter your grip, the more energy is transferred into your arm, and less into the object ball.

You may be on the right track but the language may be going in the wrong direction.:wink:

No offense intended here. The correct communication is the difficult part.

Best 2 You & All,
Rick
 
Shortstop: semi-pro, better than the highest APA rating, etc.

If someone reaches "shortstop" speed, they should be proud of that accomplishment. Unless they're able to be 100% totally committed to get better - no major interfering life stressors (money, relationship, health, etc), able to practice 8+ hours a day, etc - it's very hard to improve, even a 1/2 ball.

Sad thing is even if a shortstop did breakthrough and reach "pro" speed, there's nothing really for them in terms of a tour to make a decent living.

Shortstop......a term some :wink: have frequently used in a derogatory manner.


DTL
a shortstop

There's even less once they reach pro level, the Amateur and little local tournaments ban them. All that's left is begging people to play with a lot of weight given out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DTL
And you're STILL a shortstop?? (your words)
Sounds like to me, you could go back to studying, find out why, and then change to become better.
Is the idea of change too overwhelming or is it just a philosophical thing with you?
:wink:

Assuming your definition of shortstop is the same as mine, which is a level below semi-pro, I've reached a level most players will never reach, no matter how much they practice.

I chose to go to college and get a degree, and I make a very good living as a software developer. I also have a son and girlfriend. There are many other things in my life besides pool. I don't have the time to practice 8 hours+ a day or travel to big tournaments, which is necessary to play at semi-pro/pro speed.

There's no question I could change parts of my game to get better, but that in no way means what CJ suggests is the right way to go about it.
 
Assuming your definition of shortstop is the same as mine, which is a level below semi-pro, I've reached a level most players will never reach, no matter how much they practice.

I chose to go to college and get a degree, and I make a very good living as a software developer. I also have a son and girlfriend. There are many other things in my life besides pool. I don't have the time to practice 8 hours+ a day or travel to big tournaments, which is necessary to play at semi-pro/pro speed.

There's no question I could change parts of my game to get better, but that in no way means what CJ suggests is the right way to go about it.

I'm just curious.

From whom would you be willing to consider advice?

Best 2 You,
Rick
 
I'm just curious.

From whom would you be willing to consider advice?

Best 2 You,
Rick

I will consider advice from anyone, whether or not they are better or more knowledgeable than me. Once considered, I will give feedback that indicates my evaluation of said advice.

Like I said, CJ is a great player, and his methods clearly work for him. My problem is that he's trying to convince everyone that his methods are the correct way to do things. They may work for him, or maybe he's a great player in spite of his methods, such as his unorthodox grip.

You said in your previous post that CJ routinely says that his methods may not work for everyone. Well this is not apparent in the posts I've read. He is speaking as if his methods are scientific fact, which is absurd.

Consider the following statements:

Think of hitting a baseball with a loose grip (on a cold day), the energy doesn't transfer like it does with a firm grip and while pool is much different there's still a similarity between grip pressure and how the energy is transferred from the speed of the stroke to the cue ball.

In his head, maybe this all makes sense, but I'd really like to know what his physics background is, considering he's stating "facts" about energy transfer in relation to grip pressure.

Therefore you do need different pressure for various shots

He is stating this as fact, backed by pseudo-science that he has come up with. This is not stated as an opinion, nor is he just telling us what his methods are.
 
Back
Top