Pause on the backswing - it works! But why?

[canuck]

Hi fellas,
I have been working on my routine, including my stroke and I'm trying to religiously copy the "proper way". Part of this was trying to get used to a pause at the backswing. I used to either make no pause or a pause when the tip of the cue was near the cueball. I forced myself to switch to a pause on the backswing and at first it felt weird... really weird. But then something happened and I (almost) got the hang of the new rythm and I'm now able to consistently pot longer shots that used to be a total gamble. It definitely helped improve my cueing, so much so that I do it even for the easiest of shots.

What I don't understand is why the pause on the backswing helps. It makes no intuitive sense. It feels like you are forcing yourself to break up the feathering rythm... and yet it works remarkably well. I'm trying to convince my snooker partner to start pausing on the backswing but I have no compelling arguments beside "that's the proper way" and "it helped me with my game". He claims it hurts his game more than it helps. So what is the "science" behind the need for a pause on the backswing? Any experts willing to share their wisdom?

[Juza]

This is really interesting subject and i have also worked with it. When i started playing snooker i didin't have a back pause and when i look back to it now i can understand why my cueing wasn't very consistent .

I feel that back pause is very important for at least to reasons.
Firstly it gives your eyes time to focus on the spot of the object ball you want to hit.
Secondly it stops you delivering your cue too fast so you don't 'snatch' the shot.

It can take a while to get used to it especially if you haven't done it before. It took me a while .

It is good to remember that too long back pause can be counter productive because i feel that it is difficult to deliver the cue smoothly after long back pause. I just stop the cue in last back swing ( less than second ) and go through the ball.

Hope this helps

[viv]

I think the pause is a bit of an allusion because what actually happens on the drawback of the cue you pull the cue back a little slower which can look like a pause but the cue doesn't actually stop if it did all the feathering you have already done would be a waste of time hope this helps.

[Erwan_BZH]

Very interesting subject. I have myself some difficulties to get used to the back pause. As many others, I have the impression that it breaks my cue action, and the rythm, like Canuck says. But it's also highly likely that I don't do the back pause correctly (i.e. too long, as Viv mentions). When you don't have a coach, it's really difficult to sort your tech problems out on your own.

[RaNeN]

Very interesting topic. I am also wondering why this happens. I feel that it is because we deliver the cue in a straight line after the pause in the last back swing. I have tried this without feathering and it still works.

[cudntpotaplant]

Also...

One thing id like to add onto this topic too is dont draw the cue back too far, the further the back swing the more room for deviation wen you perform your shot. Any deviation in the follow through can result in you putting side on the white.

Just thought id throw that into the pot, as its something which im practising at the mo, to great effect.

Happy potting fellows!

[Semih_Sayginer]

imho

feathering the cue ball while on the shot gives you the feel for the shot depending on whether its soft or hard, or has a lot of spin etc....

this has a lot to do with muscle repitition and how solid you will strike the cue ball in a particular position in conjunction with the angle you are going to hit the object ball, so that your cue ball reaches its desired position at shot end.

the pause on the backswing isnt like a stop. its more of a slow delay in change of direction with the cue, from back pull, to ue through.

the pause helps the brain and also eyes focus on the points of contact, depending on where you "look" at strike...and it also helps in the deliverance of the cue, where, after feathering, you draw back your cue in a straight line and then pause slightly before you use the muscle repitition and ability youve gained through practise to judge how hard to hit the white, cueing straight.

[henrylay]

i agree that the short pause gives the eyes enough time to focus on the object ball. ANother time that i feel is that with a pause the only thing that could go wrong is the forward stroke..........

but how players who does not pause on the back stroke, he has more chance of a bad stroke on both the backward and forward stroke....Of course all other factors being equal......

[Watford]

Hmmmmm
I wasn't big one for pausing on the backstroke but I've tried it in practice and there's definitely something in it. I will work on it.
On not drawing the cue back too far it depends on the shot you're playing soft stuns or little tappy shots it's best to stay close but for power or follow through you need to pull back a bit further.

Regarding feathering it does help to weigh up the shot but some very good players just point and shoot, Marco Fu for one!

[KulaBoccaSaysSo]

Two pauses?

Hi
I´ve been playing snooker for "a couple" of years and have also been confused with the pause (maybe still are?), not making it work and maybe not understand how to use it correctly.
When I finally started to get (sort of) a grasp of it I found it very useful.
One thing I practiced lately is to make a short pause with the cue at the white ball before the final backswing. I pause and make a final adjustment of the point of contact on the objectball (also checking that I hit the white in center) then pull back, pause and complete the shot.
I don´t know if this is the right way of doing it but I feel it helps me to hit the objectball at the right spot correctly more often.
Please let me know your opinions.

[RonnieJunior]

Re:

You wanna take 2 pauses before hitting the white.

The First Pause occurs before the start of the last backswing.

After 'feathering' leave the tip as close to the white
as you can, without actually touching it though.

Now, without moving your cue from that spot,

look up to the red or colour you're gonna hit/pot
and keep yer eye on the area you wanna hit.

Got it..? Good.

keeping your eye on that spot,
take you're cue back (you've still left the tip next to the white, right..?)

take a slight pause..
and then push through the white as it it wasn't even there.

How did you do..?

If you've done it right you would've took 2 pauses.

RJ.

[poolqjunkie]

I take two pause--I shift my eye to the object ball after I pause at the end of my back swing. After my first pause at the cue ball, I no longer look at the cue ball. I will draw my cue back, up to the length of back swing I want for that particular shot, then focus on the object ball. When I feel I am totally focused, then I follow through.

I apuse at the cue ball because I want to know I am address it at the right place, and also that I will be striking it when my grip is perpendicular to the cue.

[KulaBoccaSaysSo]

When you do the first pause at the cue ball, do you make a final adjustment of the point of contact on the object ball or have you done that before?
Almost doing like Selby, moving a little from side to side before taking the final back swing.

[poolqjunkie]

I am sure some better players can chime in on this topic.
In my case, I look at the aiming area before I get down. So, when I feather, I am basically always aiming at the same point. If I notice that I am not, then I will get up and so it again. Sometimes, this happens with awkward bridging when my body line up might be off. Or if my brodge somehow moved during my feather. But I usually do not make any such adjustment when I am down. I think i might do a bit of that when I have to raise the butt of my cue by a lot, but not on a normal shot.
Most of the time, I do not look at the pocket once I am down, so i really have no reason to change my mind half way through. If it is a 3/4 ball pot, then I will aim 3/4 from the second I am down. But my eyes do shift focus between the cue ball and the object ball as I feather. Sometimes, when my cue ball is very close or tight on the cushion, I will pay more attention to the cue ball, to make sure I am striking the center. I miss most of my cushion shots because I applied unintentional side to the ball.
Once I am certain that I am addressing the center of the white, then I will pull my cue back slowly. At this point, I am only thinking of the aiming line, and to bring the cue forward in a straight line, and my eyes are focused on the object ball at the end of my back swing.
I suppose you can do the shift even beofre you pull back, but then you may need a longer first pause. it is a matter of timing I guess.
I like the pause at the back since I can also use that to confirm my length of back swing which tells me how hard i want to hit the ball.
I hope this makes sense...

[KulaBoccaSaysSo]

Before I get down on the shot I have decided the spot to hit but when I come to the first pause at the cue ball I make a very small adjustment if needed. I do not do all adjustments at the pause, most of it I have already done. This is a method I recently begun with and still trying out and I have positive experiences with it, potting with a little bit more confidence and more balls. But who knows I might change again, it´s so much about trial and error.
And if you don´t have the opportunity to have a real coach to show you what to do (or a better player) and you are struggling to have progress in your technique and break building you´ll have to try things to improve...

I also do as you do with: "But my eyes do shift focus between the cue ball and the object ball as I feather. Sometimes, when my cue ball is very close or tight on the cushion, I will pay more attention to the cue ball, to make sure I am striking the center."
"Once I am certain that I am addressing the center of the white, then I will pull my cue back slowly. At this point, I am only thinking of the aiming line, and to bring the cue forward in a straight line, and my eyes are focused on the object ball at the end of my back swing."

When you actually make the shot, do you ever look at the pocket when the ball goes in (hopefully) or do you still have your eyes focussed on the line of aim?
I try not to follow the object ball as I know it will go in if my preparations were good, no use watching it go in is it?