Hendry Cue Action

[mhughes34]

Is it me or does Hendry's cue action look a little less "pausy" on the backswing, as well as being shorter?? Similar to the way he used to cue, do you think that's his intentions??

[Giggity1984]

Is it me or does Hendry's cue action look a little less "pausy"

I had to read this twice lol.

In all seriousness, his back arm hangs in towards his body in the address position and seems to straighten up as he strikes the ball. He's tinkered with it too much and lost confidence. Didn't stop him from making a 147 though!

[Terry Davidson]

giggity has it correct. Hendry drops his elbow more into his back on the backswing and then brings it up laterally during the delivery. This extra movement makes it necessary for him to have absolutely perfect timing in order to get the cue back to the exact address position at the time of strike and as he ages this perfect coordination is harder to achieve.

Much better to use the 'KISS' principle and keep any unnecessary movement out of the cueing technique, especially for those of 30 years of age.

As to his rear pause, he has been experimenting with this for the past 5 years or so in an attempt to get more confidence I believe, but his problem is occuring AFTER the rear pause when he brings his elbow up laterally from behind his back which means the tip of the cue HAS to be moving right to left as he delivers the cue. You can see the results of this when he has long 3/4-ball shots which he fails to pot on most attempts.

If Ian Doyle can get Stephen to get that elbow under control and remain stationary in his lateral plane I think that will remove the necessity of having the perfect timing and coordination and would allow Stephen to be much more accurate at the time of strike.

However, as I'm not his coach and really have only seen him in matches and then the BBC doesn't get good shots of what I need to see I could be wrong but that is how his cueing technique appears to me.

Will he take my advice, doubtful, as he probably isn't aware of it as I doubt he is a member here.

Terry

[MattWilson]

Much smaller pause at the back of the backswing during his maximum yes. and much more fluent, an action more similar to the one he had during his peak years in the early 90s.

MW

[Theguywithaplan]

I noticed the same thing in both the german masters and the welsh open. His length of pause (almost nonexistent) seems very similar to how he played in the 90's and he has played a lot better in the last two tournaments. He's also playing faster in general like he used to which seems to have helped as well. But like has been mentioned, the cue does not come back dead straight and go through dead straight, meaning that perfect coordination is required. Just look at the final pink of his 147, you can clearly see his cue moving side to side on his chin, both on the feathers and the backswing.

[mhughes34]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ySdJC4EGaQ

Here he's much more fluent and easier on the eye than he was during the late 90's up until recently. He says he's had "yips" so wouldn't a long backswing and pause affect be affected by that than perhaps a more compact and fluent delivery??

[tornado taylor]

Is it me or does Hendry's cue action look a little less "pausy" on the backswing, as well as being shorter?? Similar to the way he used to cue, do you think that's his intentions??

Yep I noticed the pause was nearly gone.

[FOXMULDER]

The guy knocked in a 147 like it was a Sunday afternoon practise...

There's nothing wrong with his game or technique. Hendry's problem is the same as it has been for 5 years - dented pride and lost confidence.

[wildJONESEYE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ySdJC4EGaQ

Here he's much more fluent and easier on the eye than he was during the late 90's up until recently. He says he's had "yips" so wouldn't a long backswing and pause affect be affected by that than perhaps a more compact and fluent delivery??

that long pause could actually be the yips itself.....just cant follow through like he wanted.

i think his game is coming together for a possible davis like Indian summer but we got to expect set backs .... which yesterday was...

but not bad going for a player on the decline 2 147 in less than 2 years.

[Inoffthered]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ySdJC4EGaQ

Here he's much more fluent and easier on the eye than he was during the late 90's up until recently. He says he's had "yips" so wouldn't a long backswing and pause affect be affected by that than perhaps a more compact and fluent delivery??

Yeah, def. Isn't the yips similar to dartitis? I wonder if the other thread on here about Hendry working with Ian Doyle again has something to do with his more fluent style again?

Not easy by any means, but would love to see him become Hendry the 8th this year.

[CoachGavin]

Having a 147 does not necessary mean he is playing well again and I believe it is technical as Terry has expressed. He was awful for the rest of the match IMO and I do not think the change of backpause will help in the long term. I agree that confidence is also to do with it but confidence tends to go when you know you are not playing well and cueing straight and hendry obviously knows this. In the balls your technique does not have to be as good and that is why he can still knock in breaks but it is definately his middle and long game that is weak and that is a sign that he is not cueing straight,

[wildJONESEYE]

Having a 147 does not necessary mean he is playing well again and I believe it is technical as Terry has expressed. He was awful for the rest of the match IMO and I do not think the change of backpause will help in the long term. I agree that confidence is also to do with it but confidence tends to go when you know you are not playing well and cueing straight and hendry obviously knows this. In the balls your technique does not have to be as good and that is why he can still knock in breaks but it is definately his middle and long game that is weak and that is a sign that he is not cueing straight,

yes But in the Balls he hasn't looked that good for a hell of a long time.

im a fan and for 5 even 6 years ive been on the edge with his Break-building. ill be honest i never expected him to miss any pot in that Break not felt as relaxed watching him cue for almost 10 years then he just folded like a pack of cards.

that is more physiological than cuing surely the extreams was staggering.

[lennon11]

at that level i believe its as much mental as technical.