Shoulders on the shot

[Unknownplayer]

Hi, I am new here so apologies if this has been asked before. I want to get my shoulders on the shot like Trump, White or O'Sullivan do. Mine are currently like what Mark Williams does in his stance. How do I change that?

Many thanks

[CoachGavin]

Your leading shoulder should be close our touching your cheek. To get the cueing shoulder above your head is only possible if the bridge arm shoulder is pointed more at the shot. The chest will also tend to face to the side rather than down to the floor. This will also bring the shoulder behind the head. Practice in a mirror at home.

[j6uk]

Take a boxers stance down to the table and your not far off.

[vmax4steve]

I think the narrowness or broadness of ones shoulders are as great a factor as height in dictating how natural and comfortable ones stance can be. If you have shoulders like a sauce bottle then you can freely take a square stance, (feet parallel) with the shoulder joint of your cue arm close to straight in line with your elbow, with broader shoulders then the boxer stance, (one foot in front of the other) is needed to do the same as this turns the body to the side a bit more to get that cue arm shoulder joint more in line.

You can take a square stance by twisting the body like Hendry does but a lot of players find this uncomfortable.

Some players naturally don't do this and put the cue under their bodies and have their elbow sticking out like Williams, Day and Cope, but they absolutely must never drop their elbow from the shoulder before the strike as this will take the cue off line before the cue ball is struck and not after during the follow through.

I myself have broad shoulders and at six foot two I need what some would call a severe boxers stance to get down low enough to feel comfortable without twisting my body. I'm right handed and I stand behind the shot with my right foot pointing 45 degrees to the right of the line of the shot, left foot pointing down the line of the shot, feet about six inches apart. I take a long step forward with my left foot, about three feet, and this gets my right shoulder in line with my right elbow on the line of the shot when I'm down.
My body isn't twisted and it feels comfortable as I'm left eye dominant and don't have to move my head to get the cue under my left eye as it's already there. If I was right eye dominant I would only need to move my head a little to the left to get the cue under my right eye and the stance would still be comfortable.

Take a look at Selby and you will see that his stance is a mixture of the two because of his height. He takes a normal boxer stance but also twists his body to get his shoulder and elbow in line.

[j6uk]

You might need to look again

Some players naturally don't do this and put the cue under their bodies and have their elbow sticking out like Williams, Day

[j6uk]

Depending what eye you sight from should dictate your stance. Example if you right handed and you sight with your right eye, its advised that you have a square stance, also dropping the hip and weight distribution will help with twisting or discomfort. Simply be comfortable, on balance and cue straight all the way though to shot to completion. Practice, experiment and you'll find your own way.
I suggest getting a good coach

[Terry Davidson]

Coach Gavin has already given the correct approach above. When in the address position and looking directly into mirrow or having a friend look at you from head-on, the grip arm shoulder should be hidden (or nearly so) behind the head and up as high as it can comfortably go. To get there you need to push the bridge arm shoulder out towards the shot as much as you comfortably can.

Terry

[j6uk]

Respectfully I suggest to stay clear of, This is correct. You must, You have to do this or that! This is so miss leading because, if its not comfortable to the individual not only will it be frustrating, you could do yourself an injury.

[Unknownplayer]

Your leading shoulder should be close our touching your cheek. To get the cueing shoulder above your head is only possible if the bridge arm shoulder is pointed more at the shot. The chest will also tend to face to the side rather than down to the floor. This will also bring the shoulder behind the head. Practice in a mirror at home.

Thanks a lot Will practice to get this right. Hopefully my height and shoulder width wouldn't cause too many problems

[Unknownplayer]

I think the narrowness or broadness of ones shoulders are as great a factor as height in dictating how natural and comfortable ones stance can be. If you have shoulders like a sauce bottle then you can freely take a square stance, (feet parallel) with the shoulder joint of your cue arm close to straight in line with your elbow, with broader shoulders then the boxer stance, (one foot in front of the other) is needed to do the same as this turns the body to the side a bit more to get that cue arm shoulder joint more in line.

You can take a square stance by twisting the body like Hendry does but a lot of players find this uncomfortable.

Some players naturally don't do this and put the cue under their bodies and have their elbow sticking out like Williams, Day and Cope, but they absolutely must never drop their elbow from the shoulder before the strike as this will take the cue off line before the cue ball is struck and not after during the follow through.

I myself have broad shoulders and at six foot two I need what some would call a severe boxers stance to get down low enough to feel comfortable without twisting my body. I'm right handed and I stand behind the shot with my right foot pointing 45 degrees to the right of the line of the shot, left foot pointing down the line of the shot, feet about six inches apart. I take a long step forward with my left foot, about three feet, and this gets my right shoulder in line with my right elbow on the line of the shot when I'm down.
My body isn't twisted and it feels comfortable as I'm left eye dominant and don't have to move my head to get the cue under my left eye as it's already there. If I was right eye dominant I would only need to move my head a little to the left to get the cue under my right eye and the stance would still be comfortable.

Take a look at Selby and you will see that his stance is a mixture of the two because of his height. He takes a normal boxer stance but also twists his body to get his shoulder and elbow in line.

This has really helped me. I am also tall and have broad shoulders but turning my left foot 45 degrees (i am left-handed) made things so much easier. Many thanks