Proper way to increase cue power

[var1234]

Hi all.

In certain shot, in particular stun shot would need larger power to get the cue ball in desire place.

For a shot need greater power, i would use longer back swing but everything cue else, cue speed, power stay the same.

Normally, I use only the upper arm muscle. I saw players even professionals can generate great power with very little backswing. I have tested in practice, the ball seems being hit harder if i use lower arm / shoulder, but the cue action all messed up.

Is there anything other than longer backswing can generate more power?

[Terry Davidson]

Using the larger shoulder muscle will increase power however it causes the cue to go off-line in most cases and requires PERFECT coordination to control the cue. Ronnie does this but I don't recommend it.

So the longer backswing is the correct way to go to maintain accuracy, however power is also related to how well you accelerate THROUGH the cueball. Always try and drive your grip hand through to the chest and accelerate the cue all the way to the chest and this will mean you will get the maximum power from the length of backswing you used.

Try and avoid using the shoulder muscle (which means dropping the elbow early) in generating more power. Also, having a cue which is a little less stiff can help a bit too

Terry

[nrage]

Hi all.

In certain shot, in particular stun shot would need larger power to get the cue ball in desire place.

For a shot need greater power, i would use longer back swing but everything cue else, cue speed, power stay the same.

Normally, I use only the upper arm muscle. I saw players even professionals can generate great power with very little backswing. I have tested in practice, the ball seems being hit harder if i use lower arm / shoulder, but the cue action all messed up.

Is there anything other than longer backswing can generate more power?

1. A heavier cue.
2. Greater cue acceleration/speed on impact.

[CoachGavin]

Imo I think if its an easy pot then just drop your elbow and that can increase the power gained. I wouldnt get a heavier cue as you may find you can't accelerate it as quickly and so the change in cue becomes pointless. Judd and robertson both have tremendous cue power and their elbows stay up. Keep the backswing long, keep it slow and then push the tip right through the cue ball trying to keep the tip in contact with the cue ball as long as possible. This is achieved by starting the delivery slowly and finishing quick.

[jim evans]

i assumed keeping cue in contact with cue ball is a push shot

[Terry Davidson]

jim:

Technically true, but we're talking micro-seconds here plus if they called a foul for accelerating through the cueball with the tip remaining in contact for that microsecond longer then Ronnie would foul every shot! (along with most of the other pros too!)

Terry

[Robo93]

Not necessarily true http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD659eZ054I&feature=plcp

[Terry Davidson]

The important aspects of cue power (screw power or spin if you like) are:

1. Acceleration through and BEYOND the cueball to ensure you are accelerating through the cue ball. (Timing and rhythm)
2. The shaft flex of the cue (the more whippy the cue the more spin imparted however too whippy would mean loss of accuracy).
3. Quality of the cue (in other words the 'hit' of the cue).
4. Quality of the tip on the cue (a spongy tip will not impart as much spit even though it is softer).

I agree with the posted youtube clip. The weight of the cue is not an important factor and the shaft flex is more important than weight.

Terry

[Particle Physics]

The important aspects of cue power (screw power or spin if you like) are:

1. Acceleration through and BEYOND the cueball to ensure you are accelerating through the cue ball. (Timing and rhythm)
2. The shaft flex of the cue (the more whippy the cue the more spin imparted however too whippy would mean loss of accuracy).
3. Quality of the cue (in other words the 'hit' of the cue).
4. Quality of the tip on the cue (a spongy tip will not impart as much spit even though it is softer).

I agree with the posted youtube clip. The weight of the cue is not an important factor and the shaft flex is more important than weight.

Terry

Spot on. Though I disagree with Terry about weight of cue. If you can accelerate a heavier cue at the same pace as a light cue, and go through the ball the same amount, you will achieve more spin with a heavier cue. The heavier cue has more mass, and F=MA. More force, more spin. But the difference between the 16oz and the 19.25oz I play with now has meant I can hit the ball harder and achieve more spin ceteris parabus. Some folk believe a soft tip grips the ball more and imparts more spin. I'm with Terry on this one. They offer more feel yes, more spin, no.

Terry's no.1 is the most important aspect to work on. The rest can be changed easily by purchase, but the cue action can't, it's something we each have to develop unfortunately. But that's the fun part too. ;-)

[jim evans]

i do understand that a chalk mark should appear 6-7 ins beyond the white with the follow through on the cloth but i seem to stop

[Terry Davidson]

jim:

Mentally try and hit the object ball with the tip (unless the balls are too close together) or try conciously driving the grip hand through to the chest when practicing (if you have time to practice with all those cues you're making for me!)

Terry

[DandyA]

F=MA.

errr ... does it? by that I assume you mean force = mass times acceleration ...

it's been a long long time since I did schoolboy physics but I have the idea in my head that F=MV2 ... ie force = mass times velocity squared ... try this experiment ... stand in front of a train at standstill accelerating by say 5metres/sec2 ... then try standing in front of a train doing 100km/h and also accelerating at 5metres/sec2 ... which one hurt most? obviously the second one, it's nothing to do with acceleration, it's to do with mass and velocity ...

however, and I'm making this up as I go along but I'd have thought it has some merit, I'd say E=Fs ... energy = force times the milliseconds it was applied for ... and this is where acceleration may come in ...

we're generally using bits of wood about four times the weight of the cueball, not so massive the cueball goes into orbit or something silly like that ... the cues are also spongy, the wood and tip compress and then bounce back as they hit the cueball ... these things help prolong the contact between tip and cueball which gives more energy to the cueball as does (possibly) accelerating the cue ...

but actually, I personally think accelerating the cue through the cueball is important for a completely different reason ... and that is because it helps me deliver the cue straight ... human muscles are most accurate if they are being used and by accelerating the cue through the whole delivery, I've got my muscles in their "sweet spot" ...

only my thoughts, please feel free to disagree

[nrage]

Not necessarily true http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD659eZ054I&feature=plcp

Not necessarily false either. Neil (above clip) is correct in that good technique is far more important than cue weight, in fact a good tip and a bit of shaft flex is probably more important than cue weight, but weight is a factor. The more mass you can strike the white with, the more effect you can apply.

You have to strike it in the right place, with a good tip and shaft to get maximum benefit, but if you could play the exact same shot with a cue with a bit more mass, you would see even more benefit.

As Gavin mentioned however, some people cannot accelerate a heavy cue and actually get less total power from one. So, it depends on the player.

My original response was a bit flippant, I gave the physical means by which you get more power, what I should have done is given some advice on how a player might improve, as Terry has done

[nrage]

errr ... does it? by that I assume you mean force = mass times acceleration ...

it's been a long long time since I did schoolboy physics but I have the idea in my head that F=MV2 ... ie force = mass times velocity squared ...

Newton's 2nd law..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton%...27s_second_law

http://tutor4physics.com/detailFormu...ntentTopicID=1
The acceleration of a body is directly proportional to the net unbalanced force and inversely proportional to the body's mass, a relationship is established between Force (F), Mass (m) and acceleration (a). This is of course a wonderful relation and of immense usefulness.

F = m x a

That said, this formula tells you how much force was required to accelerate the cue. This force produces a velocity and momentum, and kinetic energy. It is implied that the energy this force produced is then transferred to the white, this is partially true. Some energy is lost to sound, light, and the compression of the tip and wood. Plus not all the energy is transferred, the cue does not stop moving does it, in fact it barely slows down. Partly that's because the arm is still applying force, so at the point where the cue tip strikes you are actually applying force directly to the white with your arm - which is why it's so important that you're still accelerating at this point and not slowing down.

try this experiment ... stand in front of a train at standstill accelerating by say 5metres/sec2 ... then try standing in front of a train doing 100km/h and also accelerating at 5metres/sec2 ... which one hurt most? obviously the second one, it's nothing to do with acceleration, it's to do with mass and velocity ...

Actually, I think the 2nd one hurts more because it has a lot more kinetic energy and momentum.

You're definitely right about the importance of accelerating the cue right through, both for application of power/energy and because of it's effect on how well you deliver the cue. It's like a car applying brakes and getting the wobbles, you don't want to do that with the cue as you deliver it.

[Particle Physics]

i do understand that a chalk mark should appear 6-7 ins beyond the white with the follow through on the cloth but i seem to stop

Hit the ball softly, maybe with just half the pace you think you need. Do this to a blue going into the centre pocket with the white in line so the shot is straight. Don't even worry about the pot, it doesn't matter. Just concentrate on pushing the cue through the cue ball. Don't do it so gently that you miscue either. Keep practising this until you can feel the reaction of the white in your cue. Once mastered, you can apply more force, but the secret is less is more. If you whack the ball, all you do is stun it. Sorry for the lecture, I'm learning this stuff myself, but it is true.