waggle

[kjozsa]

I think I'm missing a critical step in my cue play. Usually I follow this method as a routine:

1. look around, decide on the best shop, strength, etc
2. get down [fix my stance]
3. concentrate on cue ball, fix the shot position
4. concentrate on the object ball, fix the target position
5. verify hit position on cue ball
6. slowly backswing, pause, shoot

and well, no waggle at all. I tried to do it but it felt it makes my shoots less precise.. but on the other side, my best brakes are 20s so I'm a beginner really.

Do I better get used to waggle in my routine?

[checkSide]

The 'waggle' will help you gauge the strength of a shot more accurately.

You should try 'waggling' whilst you are imagining the actual shot. That way your brain is practising delivering the cue at the exact power needed, before you actually shoot.

[kjozsa]

hmm I see what you mean.. currently I'm trying to build up precision with doing all shots very slow and very carefully, trying to put only the amount of power to get the target ball reach its destination. I believe I'm slowly getting successful with the tempo, even when my aim (or rather cue movement) wasn't precise enough, but I never felt I need to 'waggle' to reach this.

Now the question is if I'm a goddamn talent (no), if I'm plain wrong, or if I gonna need the technique later on delivering more powerful shots?

[RGCirencester]

Its one of those things thats recommended, but if you get on better without it maybe you are better off sticking with what works.

Marco Fu is the most notable example that comes to mind of this. You see just a tiny waggle, but basically he just pulls the cue back and shoots. And it hasn't stopped him!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPWhbbaQPKg

[C-J]

I think I'm missing a critical step in my cue play. Usually I follow this method as a routine:

1. look around, decide on the best shop, strength, etc
2. get down [fix my stance]
3. concentrate on cue ball, fix the shot position
4. concentrate on the object ball, fix the target position
5. verify hit position on cue ball
6. slowly backswing, pause, shoot

and well, no waggle at all. I tried to do it but it felt it makes my shoots less precise.. but on the other side, my best brakes are 20s so I'm a beginner really.

Do I better get used to waggle in my routine?

If waggles make you unsure you might have a loose thumb and this is probably caused because you're not sure about you're line up.:snooker:

[Szymon Bartus]

What do you call a "waggle"? Is this the same thing which I know as semi-pause (pause when the tip is close to the cue ball, just before backswing)?

Regards,
Szymon

[Terry Davidson]

waggle is the same thing as 'feathering', when you move the cue back and forth before your final backswing.

Stopping the cue, at the front or rear is always called a 'pause'.

And just to blow your mind, there are 4 'pauses' in the ideal cue action, can anyone tell me when and where they are?

Terry

[Szymon Bartus]

From what I have had learned, you should check the position of the cue with repect to the white ball before the feathering - that would be the first pause. The other two I know are before the backswing ("semi-pause") and at the end of the backswing. Is this correct?

Regards,
Szymon

[fret1308]

personally, i very rarely feather when i'm playing around the black ball area. i find it disrupts my rhythm, and if i do feather, i tend to get the "shakes" in my backswing and it knocks my confidence down on the shot, so i try and avoid doing it!

i would imagine the 4 pauses should be..
1-when you first get down on the shot
2-before final backswing
3-at the back end of the backswing
4-after making contact with cue ball, at end of stroke

for me, 1 and 2, kind of combine into one swing, much like FU

[Terry Davidson]

fret has the 4 pauses correct

Terry