My long pot video - help please

[thunder66]

Compared to my videos a year ago, it seems I always have the same problem, and I wonder if that's the reason my long pot is never more than 50% success rate even in practice, and after two years of dedicated practices, my average good break is still at 25 to 30.

Looking at the rear view, I see my elbow has a tendency to be left of the line, and also on delivery drops even more to the left, instead of on the line:

http://youtu.be/pPYQyLfM8hA

side view

http://youtu.be/nvLh8L9krG0

front view

http://youtu.be/ZQWVHs99P6Y

From the front view, it seems my tip has a tendency to go to the right (or to left from my own perspective), wonder if this is also caused by my elbow issue?

Really appreciate any tips or help!

[Terry Davidson]

Not really a lot wrong here. Your elbow is not far enough out to affect the shot so I wouldn't worry about that. I did however notice a few things that are small items but maybe you can correct them which should help.

1. When standing behind the shot you never have the centre of your body and head on the line of aim, they are always to the left of the line. When standing behind the shot imagine you have a cue sticking straight out of your belly button and then start your move to the address position. The centre of the head should remain on the line of aim as you drop it down but I noticed yours comes in from the left. You might have to lean a little to the right as you place your right foot.

2. You have the back of the heel on the line of aim and you could try having the arch (or laces) of the right foot on the line of aim. Not a big difference but it might help. Turn the toes out 30* or so with both feet.

3. When you are in the address position make sure the cue is on the chest and when feathering, backswinging and delivering ensure the cue remains on the chest at all times, even to the end of the delivery. This will provide a channel for the cue, but bring the chest to the cue and NOT the cue to the chest.

4. I noticed when you get into the address position both legs are bent and then you straighten the right leg and lock it. Lock the right leg before you get down.

5. Try cueing slowly along the baulkline without any balls and try to keep the right elbow up as high as possible throughout the backswing and delivery and try not to drop it at all. Remember, chest on cue all the time.

6. Although it's hard to tell from the videos it looked to me like you were tightening your grip and also dropping the elbow before the strike. Both of these will seriously affect your long potting. Tightening the grip too early (also too tight) will definitely take the cue off-line and dropping the elbow means you are using your shoulder muscle to deliver the cue. It's OK to drop the elbow after the strike in order to keep the cue on the same plane.

Tightening the grip too early and too tight will cause the cue to go to the left on delivery and that means you are actually cueing across the cueball right to left. When shooting the spots you will likely find when using power it will be difficult for you to have the cueball come back within one ball's width on the 4th leg. Try starting out with a very loose grip and try not to tighten it at all until the back of the grip hand hits the chest.

Terry

[golferson123]

don't worry about the cue going to the left its just a result of the hand contacting your chest. I know terry advocates cue touching chest but if you just suck your right breast in a touch you will find that the cue will stay on line but don't worry its just the result of being a chest thumper

[rimmer10]

I'm not qualified to try and advise you on technique so I wont. But my first impression was; Why is he hitting it so hard? If I was you I would slow the delivery down a bit and try to stroke them in a bit more

[golferson123]

that's the point chest thumpers tend to hit not stroke

[Leo]

can't see anything wrong with that shot & approach whatsoever,if there was something wrong you would of missed the damn thing

[itsnoteasy]

I only mention this because no one else has, but your head bobs up and down a wee bit because you pull your cue up into your chest on the backswing, I will let the others tell you how to correct this ,if indeed it needs corrected.

[sealer]

You have yellow line in the first video, is that the line of aim?

Your cue is not on it.

M

[jrc750]

In the first vid, that last red jumped off the table, yet you didn't hit it very hard ???? very odd ????

[cyberheater]

I can't help with your technique but I just wanted to say that they are excellent videos to show your technique.

[thunder66]

My long pot video - help please

Terry and everyone, very excited to see so many help and suggestions, thank you all! And especially Terry for the very detailed advises! I tried to incorporate these, and my responses inline below.

Not really a lot wrong here. Your elbow is not far enough out to affect the shot so I wouldn't worry about that. I did however notice a few things that are small items but maybe you can correct them which should help.

1. When standing behind the shot you never have the centre of your body and head on the line of aim, they are always to the left of the line. When standing behind the shot imagine you have a cue sticking straight out of your belly button and then start your move to the address position. The centre of the head should remain on the line of aim as you drop it down but I noticed yours comes in from the left. You might have to lean a little to the right as you place your right foot.

Yes, fixed it, feels so different now! I always thought I'm right eye dominant and tend to put my right side on the line on approach, but always felt there's some sort of alignment issue. With your change, this feels so much better now!

2. You have the back of the heel on the line of aim and you could try having the arch (or laces) of the right foot on the line of aim. Not a big difference but it might help. Turn the toes out 30* or so with both feet.

Tried this, feels there's more room opened up for hand and hip gap.

3. When you are in the address position make sure the cue is on the chest and when feathering, backswinging and delivering ensure the cue remains on the chest at all times, even to the end of the delivery. This will provide a channel for the cue, but bring the chest to the cue and NOT the cue to the chest.

Yes, this feels nice.

4. I noticed when you get into the address position both legs are bent and then you straighten the right leg and lock it. Lock the right leg before you get down.

Someone showed me this at the local pool hall, I see Higgins does this as well. My reason for doing this is to go easy on my back, at age 42 my back is really hurting these days with all the snooker I do

Anyway, tried not to do this for now.

5. Try cueing slowly along the baulkline without any balls and try to keep the right elbow up as high as possible throughout the backswing and delivery and try not to drop it at all. Remember, chest on cue all the time.

Yes I tried this, is it correct to say this drill will have the hand exerts an upward pressure to press the cue up against the chest? and then allowing the hand to drop down by itself on delivery since it's at a more steep slope than before?

Is this similar to what Del Hill teaches?

6. Although it's hard to tell from the videos it looked to me like you were tightening your grip and also dropping the elbow before the strike. Both of these will seriously affect your long potting. Tightening the grip too early (also too tight) will definitely take the cue off-line and dropping the elbow means you are using your shoulder muscle to deliver the cue. It's OK to drop the elbow after the strike in order to keep the cue on the same plane.

Yes, I always try to remind myself to keep the grip loose and the grip pressure constant during delivery, and I did read your posts about having the thumb tighten up grip automatically upon impact with chest. But I think my real problem is the shoulder muscle driving the delivery, it gets everything tensed up, include the grip. Like Rimmer and Golferson said, I am hitting too hard, I know it myself and especially seeing myself on video, sometimes just can't control it especially when facing a difficult shot or pressure is on, just don't know how to fix this. :upset:

How can I stop to be a chest thumper? Is actively reminding myself on keeping elbow high and in fixed position during delivery will fix this?

Tightening the grip too early and too tight will cause the cue to go to the left on delivery and that means you are actually cueing across the cueball right to left. When shooting the spots you will likely find when using power it will be difficult for you to have the cueball come back within one ball's width on the 4th leg. Try starting out with a very loose grip and try not to tighten it at all until the back of the grip hand hits the chest.

Terry

Sorry, what did you mean by "on the 4th leg"?


Here is my new attempt at long pot after trying Terry's advises

http://youtu.be/UFe8hVAgzmc

My attempt at 15 reds, not great but much better than my usual performance, with the new changes integrated, of course, I need much more practice to fully absorb these

I think majority of the improvement come from center body alignment, and having the chest contact as a channel.

http://youtu.be/LkzLwyZTckk

[rimmer10]

You look good mate! Wish I could do the 15 reds like you. Can't believe you're only knocking in 25, 30's. I think the first half century is just around the corner.

[itsnoteasy]

Terry and everyone, very excited to see so many help and suggestions, thank you all! And especially Terry for the very detailed advises! I tried to incorporate these, and my responses inline below.



Yes, fixed it, feels so different now! I always thought I'm right eye dominant and tend to put my right side on the line on approach, but always felt there's some sort of alignment issue. With your change, this feels so much better now!



Tried this, feels there's more room opened up for hand and hip gap.



Yes, this feels nice.



Someone showed me this at the local pool hall, I see Higgins does this as well. My reason for doing this is to go easy on my back, at age 42 my back is really hurting these days with all the snooker I do

Anyway, tried not to do this for now.



Yes I tried this, is it correct to say this drill will have the hand exerts an upward pressure to press the cue up against the chest? and then allowing the hand to drop down by itself on delivery since it's at a more steep slope than before?

Is this similar to what Del Hill teaches?



Yes, I always try to remind myself to keep the grip loose and the grip pressure constant during delivery, and I did read your posts about having the thumb tighten up grip automatically upon impact with chest. But I think my real problem is the shoulder muscle driving the delivery, it gets everything tensed up, include the grip. Like Rimmer and Golferson said, I am hitting too hard, I know it myself and especially seeing myself on video, sometimes just can't control it especially when facing a difficult shot or pressure is on, just don't know how to fix this. :upset:

How can I stop to be a chest thumper? Is actively reminding myself on keeping elbow high and in fixed position during delivery will fix this?



Sorry, what did you mean by "on the 4th leg"?


Here is my new attempt at long pot after trying Terry's advises

http://youtu.be/UFe8hVAgzmc

My attempt at 15 reds, not great but much better than my usual performance, with the new changes integrated, of course, I need much more practice to fully absorb these

I think majority of the improvement come from center body alignment, and having the chest contact as a channel.

http://youtu.be/LkzLwyZTckk

There should be no upward pressure from the hand , the cue should stay on the same plane, this is why your head is bobbing up a wee bit, the good players will tell you how to fix this.
Looks like you should be doing far far better than what you are, are you making sure everything is clear in your head before you get down, so all thoughts are just on hitting the correct point of the object ball.
As for chest thumping , I was told what you are after is maximum reaction for minimum effort, again the coaches will tell you how to achieve this, as I can't explain it properly.

[thunder66]

haha, thank you Rimmer! Did miss one red though, and the long red was half a fluke :P. Like I said, I'm much better than usual today

Wish I could do 40-50 sometime soon.

And yes itsnoteasy, my head movement is also always a problem, I think it has something to do with my grip and feathering combined.

[thunder66]

In the first vid, that last red jumped off the table, yet you didn't hit it very hard ???? very odd ????

Yes, very odd, it rarely happened and I thought it was funny, haha