How to curb shivering movements while cueing?

[x3dnd3x]

Let me see if I can clear this up a bit more...
I’ll try to simplify.
Stand with the cue in your left hand and the cue pointing through the white at the spot you want to hit on the object ball.
Your left hand, your back hand will be next to your left leg and if you turn your left foot out a few degrees you can see the cue run over the arch/laces as it points at the white.
That is your cue line or line of shot.
Your left foot is your back leg and needs to be locked.
Place your right foot forward and slightly to the right - try something like an easy shoulder-wide step forward with the right – and make sure you stand comfortably.
Now either leave the right foot pointing straight ahead (the length of the right foot parallel to your line of shot) or turn it out a few degrees if it is uncomfortable.
Your right foot is your front foot and is to the right and forward of your left foot and to the right of your line of shot.
Now bend over and place your bridge…
Start with the feathering and grip etc we (you, Terry, me and others) discussed…
Does this make sense?

Okay. This makes much sense now. Sorry for all the trouble to Terry, you and others for the thorough explanation. I'll try out what you helpful people have mentioned and force myself to adapt and see whether there's still any slight shivering.

[agromann]

Okay. This makes much sense now. Sorry for all the trouble to Terry, you and others for the thorough explanation. I'll try out what you helpful people have mentioned and force myself to adapt and see whether there's still any slight shivering.

No Trouble mate. All good.
I apologise that it is so much info. Terry's advice is great and I think we are on a similar line (other than the back pause and I believe the foot (your right) is not too uncomfortable in paralell) but the main thing is that you start applying what makes sense to you.
AIm for comfort and the easiest bits first and then introduce fine-tuning. Camera helps.

[x3dnd3x]

After trying for near 2 months, my left hand is still shivering a little when I pause at the backswing part.

[Terry Davidson]

x3d:

I can think of three possible reasons your back hand is tembling on the shot:

1. You have some kind of neurological problem (nerves) and you should get that checked out with your doctor.
2. You are gripping the cue too tight on the backswing (the cue should only be lightly held between the top of the forefinger and top of the thumb at the end of the backswing, with the other 3 fingers barely touching the butt).
3. Your backswing is too long for you to positively control and you should shorten it perhaps 1-3inches, depending on if you draw the cue all the way back until your ferrule is touching the 'V' of your bridge.

Try drawing your hand back without a cue in it and see if you get the same problem. If you don't then it's obviously the fact that your are holding a cue in your hand that is causeing the problem and it has something to do with the grip pressure you are using. It could be the muscles in your fingers are not strong enough and are straining to hold the cue at the end of the backswing.

Also try gripping the cue with JUST the second finger and have the forefinger and back 2 fingers relaxed. The second finger is stronger and longer (normally) than the forefinger and also this will automatically decrease the length of your backswing a bit. Don't panic as Ronnie grips the cue with his middle two fingers and still gets a fairly long backswing with no loss of power.

Terry

[x3dnd3x]

Hi Terry,

I don't know whether I have some kind of problem with my nerves. My hands would shiver abit even when I just leave it there doing nothing.

What I could think of is that maybe my cue's butt is big as I have small hands. I'm only using my thumb and index finger to hold the cue with my 3 hands supporting the cue but I can't kinda close it as they can't reach my palms when I'm supporting the cue. I'll see on which days my friend is free, I'll ask him to take a video of me with my stance, grip and bridge.

This 2 months, I've been forcing myself to adapt to the 4 main contact points which is grip, chest, chin and bridge. I've been doing well but its just when I'm feathering and the back pause, my hand would either chicken wing a bit or shiver when I pause at the backswing.

x3d:

I can think of three possible reasons your back hand is tembling on the shot:

1. You have some kind of neurological problem (nerves) and you should get that checked out with your doctor.
2. You are gripping the cue too tight on the backswing (the cue should only be lightly held between the top of the forefinger and top of the thumb at the end of the backswing, with the other 3 fingers barely touching the butt).
3. Your backswing is too long for you to positively control and you should shorten it perhaps 1-3inches, depending on if you draw the cue all the way back until your ferrule is touching the 'V' of your bridge.

Try drawing your hand back without a cue in it and see if you get the same problem. If you don't then it's obviously the fact that your are holding a cue in your hand that is causeing the problem and it has something to do with the grip pressure you are using. It could be the muscles in your fingers are not strong enough and are straining to hold the cue at the end of the backswing.

Also try gripping the cue with JUST the second finger and have the forefinger and back 2 fingers relaxed. The second finger is stronger and longer (normally) than the forefinger and also this will automatically decrease the length of your backswing a bit. Don't panic as Ronnie grips the cue with his middle two fingers and still gets a fairly long backswing with no loss of power.

Terry

[Terry Davidson]

In the ADDRESS position the cue should just lay in the bed of all 4 fingers. The 'hold' on the cue is primarily with the forefinger and the thumb should be just touching the butt, exerting no pressure and also pointed straight down towards the floor. As you draw the cue back you should allow the cue to push the back 3 fingers out of their curl around the butt, however they should stay in contact with the butt.

At the end of the backswing you should initiate the delivery with ONLY the forefinger and you SHOULD NOT tighten the hold that forefinger has on the cue. As you come through the address position during the delivery YOU DO NOT TIGHTEN that forefinger until WELL AFTER the cueball has been struck, and ideally not until the back of the thumb hits the chest which will automatically push the thumb into the butt and will cause the thumb and forefinger to tighten on the butt.

Do not allow the back 3 fingers to grip the butt until the very end of the delivery and well after the strike.

I would recommend if you have small hands that you should have a butt diameter in the 27mm to 28mm range to allow your forefinger to curl around the butt so it has a positive hold, but not too tight. The cue just lays there in the address position and during the delivery the hold on the cue should be IDENTICAL to what it was at the address position during the front pause.

Terry

[Terry Davidson]

x3d:

Also, if you are getting the 'chicken wing' effect then that means you are gripping the cue too tight and too early in the delivery. To learn how to defeat this problem, start out (during solo practice) with an overly loose grip and I mean VERY loose and try delivering the cue that way WITHOUT TIGHTENING THE GRIP AT ALL right to the end of the delivery.

Terry

[x3dnd3x]

I would recommend if you have small hands that you should have a butt diameter in the 27mm to 28mm range to allow your forefinger to curl around the butt so it has a positive hold, but not too tight. The cue just lays there in the address position and during the delivery the hold on the cue should be IDENTICAL to what it was at the address position during the front pause.

Terry

How do you measure how thick is the butt? If I wanna alter my cue butt's diameter, I just send the butt back to the place I bought it and ask him to alter it or do I have to send the whole cue as he would have to redo it?

[Terry Davidson]

x3d:

He would likely want to have the whole cue and reducing the butt diameter will likely take some weight off the cue. Not much unless it's over 30mm now and you take it down to 27mm or something.

Measuring the butt is easy. Go to your local tool store and get an inexpensive digital caliper then measure the diameter of the butt right at the end before it starts to narrow (usually about 2cm from the very end of the butt)

[x3dnd3x]

x3d:

He would likely want to have the whole cue and reducing the butt diameter will likely take some weight off the cue. Not much unless it's over 30mm now and you take it down to 27mm or something.

Measuring the butt is easy. Go to your local tool store and get an inexpensive digital caliper then measure the diameter of the butt right at the end before it starts to narrow (usually about 2cm from the very end of the butt)

Everything in Singapore is expensive sadly.

I'll email Ukrit and see what he says. In the mean time, would hunt around for an inexpensive digital caliper.

[Izzyfcuk]

Calipers digital ones are 15. - 30 sgd

[Acrowot]

Last time I was in Singapore, things were a lot cheaper than here.

[damienlch]

How do you measure how thick is the butt? If I wanna alter my cue butt's diameter, I just send the butt back to the place I bought it and ask him to alter it or do I have to send the whole cue as he would have to redo it?

Hi hi... if your cue is an off the shelf Master cue, the cue dimensions would probably be within the common range. Their cue butts are usually around 29mm to 30mm in diameter, which is a good size for most people. I'd bet it's 29.5mm.

I get the impression that you are rather new to snooker. Perhaps you might want to place more emphasis on developing a sound technique and understanding the shots at this point rather than start fiddling with your cue specs. I don't know whether reducing the size of your cue butt will lessen your tremble, but if you do not have the right technique or know-how to play certain shots, no amount of cue alterations will enable you to play that shot...

[Acrowot]

Sound advice, damienich. He is trying to run before he learns to walk.

[x3dnd3x]

Okay. I'll build on more on my foundation.

Hi hi... if your cue is an off the shelf Master cue, the cue dimensions would probably be within the common range. Their cue butts are usually around 29mm to 30mm in diameter, which is a good size for most people. I'd bet it's 29.5mm.

I get the impression that you are rather new to snooker. Perhaps you might want to place more emphasis on developing a sound technique and understanding the shots at this point rather than start fiddling with your cue specs. I don't know whether reducing the size of your cue butt will lessen your tremble, but if you do not have the right technique or know-how to play certain shots, no amount of cue alterations will enable you to play that shot...