neck and back pain

[thelongbomber]

The last two nights, I was trying a different sighting and lineup routine based on some observations I made watching the pros on video. Namely, I was working consciously on having my vision go straight through as I walked into a shot so that my head never moved from side/side as I "walked in". I figured that because the head moved "offline", that how you sight once down on the cue was wrong.

It sort of worked in that I was keeping my eyes on the cue ball path and I was able to be behind the cue ball path line in a proper manner. I would strike the cue ball well and purely, but this method seems to have a bad side effect for me: neck and back pain.

After some help from a coach at the club, he suggested this routine was "kinking" my back and neck because my hips were being thrown out of alignment and although my head was probably in the right place, the rest of my body wasn't.

He suggested that instead of having my head be the "leading" aiming point, that my cue, and more specifically my cue hand, be the leading aiming point instead as I walk to the table and get down. They way he suggested I do this was to place my cue down onto the table first, or at least my cue hand behind the line of the cue ball and then have my head and body come "onto" the cue. He noted that some players put the cue down on the table

I'm still convinced that he difference between potting the ball and not potting the ball is definitely influenced by your table approach, stance, and lineup. Sometimes, you can approach the table, and miss the pot, and not know why and I think it comes down to the stance and table approach. Your eyes tell you that you are online, but the results don't show.

I'm going to do some more work at the club tonight and see if I can straighten this out. Neck and back pain isn't fun!

[damienlch]

Hi Thelongbomber, just thought to share with you... I have a combination of chronic lower back condition and tight hamstrings that prevents me from achieving the so called perfect stance. I have to adjust my stance accordingly so as not to aggravate my back. Even so, my playing time is quite limited, if at all.

As you've said, it's no fun at all playing with pain. It really is. So, always play with comfort. Wellbeing should always take precedence.

Cheers!! :snooker:

[Terry Davidson]

longbomber:

Try this method to avoid that 'leaning over' to keep the head on-line throughout and because you're leaning over it is cramping your muscles I'd imagine.

Given my age I had to work out another method of getting to a point where my head was on the line of aim so I could drop it straight down rather than what you're doing (which is what Nic Barrow teaches too by the way).

I place my right foot on the line of aim and then when I place my left foot out about a shoulder width of course the head moves to the left of the correct line of aim. Now here's what I've adapted (for us oldsters I think) is WHILE STILL STANDING UP I bend the left knee and twist the hips to the left which brings the head back onto the correct line of aim as you had previously determined and that is 'anchored' by placing your right foot and not moving it.

So, bend the left leg and twist the hips while still standing up. The hip twist is the normal one you would always use to get the right hip somewhere around 3" to the left of the grip hand. Now you will see there's none of that leaning over and the head will naturally come back onto the correct line of aim.

I know the purists will say that technically I'm losing the line of aim when I let my head move to the left when placing the left foot but I believe it's easy enough to re-acquire the line of aim as long as your still standing above the shot, haven't moved the right foot and have the better perspective.

Besides which the leaning over was causing me discomfort and also a strain on one of my back muscles and I had to figure a way to get rid of it without screwing up my pre-shot routine (too much anyway).

Hope this helps out.

Terry