Pause on the backswing - it works! But why?

[poolqjunkie]

I would liek to hear what other players do when the ball is gone fro the tip end. I think it is natural to look at the pocket especially when we are playing under pressure.

One thing I try very hard to do, is to check to see my cue is completely in line with my line of aim even after my cue ball is gone.

When I practise potting the blue intot he corner from baulk, this is somethign I check every shot. I will stay down sometimes even after the blue is already gone in the pocket.

What I look for is if my tip is pointing completley directly at the pocket. If I miss even though my cue is pointint directly at the pocket, I know I have applied unintentional side to the cue ball; if I miss and I see my cue pointing a bit to the left or the right of the pocket, then I know I have not cued straight.

I try to always keep my cue along the same groove. I have a visual image in my mind of my arm closing and my grip hand finsing at my chest just before I follow through at my back pause. I liek to finish my grip along the same groove. On power shots, my grip will finish more forward, but I try to finish it along the same track on soft, medium, and power shots.

One thing I notice is that, with cut shots, if I look at the pocket, my cue will either points away or toward the pocket on its followthrough. Although I may still make the shot, but it is not good cueing. This crooked cueing would cause me to mis-hit the cue ball and thus compromise my position. My body also tends to move up a bit when I look at the pocket, and my grip hand would finish at a different place.

I know I still look at the pocket. I try to do so with only the shifting of my eyes and only after my cue bal is gone. When I practise, I force myself to stay down well after the ball is potted. I would focus on my grip finishing position, to make sure I do not move too much if any.

I will be interested to hear what others have to say about this subject.

[CoachGavin]

I agree with most of whats been said. I think the main point of the pause is to give your eyes chance to switch from the white to the object ball. The main two ways is to have a pause when the tip is up to the white or to switch the eyes when the tip has been pulled back and is ready to follow through.

If the first method is used and the eyes are switched when the tip is at the white then i recommend a second pause at the final backswing in order to time the shot. If this is missed out then it is easy to rush and snatch the shot. The pause at the backswing also allows a player to concentrate before driving the cue forward.

If the second method is used then the timing and change of eyes is done on the same pause. I believe this usually means that the pause is slightly longer than for the first method but it can vary. The eyes are switched to the object ball on the final backswing and then the cue is driven forward.

Using both methods the eyes are focused on the point on the object ball you wish to hit until the pot is down. By keeping your eyes on the object ball also helps to keep the body from coming up off the shot to early. Your cue should finish on the line of aim that you chose before you got down to the shot. The line of aim is picked before playing the shot and is the line you think will pot the ball. If your cue starts and finishes on the line of aim and you have chosen the correct line then the pot should go in.

Interestingly you can use the baulk line to check that when you play through an imaginary white the cue starts and finishes on the line. You should be able to see if the cue finishes off line either side.

hope this helps

[KulaBoccaSaysSo]

Thanks again for great replies! really helpful.
I know I also look at the pocket from time to time but I try not to, it makes me think that you might move your body unintentionally on the shot. maybe it depends on the shot and the angle if you move your body or not when looking at the pocket..

[paulb]

Interesting thread! I have an additional idea for discussion and a question.

I have also come recently to realise the importance of this pause, as people have said this allows yours eyes to focus properly on the object ball. I guess the implication of this is that you more accurately see the point you are aiming at. However, I think it has a secondary at least equally important effect, namely that getting your eyes still and focused gives you a good reference frame for keeping your head and upper body still. The point is that if your eyes are not still and solidly focussed on a somewhat distant object, body and head motion is very difficult to perceive. I relate it the example of trying to stand on one leg holding the other leg up; if you look at the ground close to you or focus on nothing in particular, balance is harder to achieve than if you are focussing on a distant object (try it!) where balance becomes easy.

My question relates to what many have said regarding what they focus their eyes on, the most common being the point on the object ball one wants to hit (with the white). I have heard other theories that it is better to focus on the centre of where the white should be, imagining the white at impact. I can see the sense in this; for example, if you are playing a shot where the object ball is only a short distance from the white, for say quarter ball contact, then the difference between these two lines of sight is substantial. Naturally you want the cue to go along the line toward the centre of the imagined white position, so surely this is where one should look?

[paulb]

Hi!

Saw now that my question about where to sight was in fact discussed just a few days back.

But still interested on any thoughts on the idea of needing good focus to perceive upper body movement.

[C-J]

I have heard other theories that it is better to focus on the centre of where the white should be, imagining the white at impact. I can see the sense in this; for example, if you are playing a shot where the object ball is only a short distance from the white, for say quarter ball contact, then the difference between these two lines of sight is substantial. Naturally you want the cue to go along the line toward the centre of the imagined white position, so surely this is where one should look?

I think this is what you should see when standing and feel when down(half ball between contact and aiming point) but not look at.