Push or strike the ball?

[steveym147]

Hi all

I have travelled to many places to coach and i find it interesting the more places i visit, how some state that they have been told to PUSH the ball and some have been told to Strike the ball. My view is firmly on striking the ball and push often throws the shot offline but would love to know everyones thoughts.

thanks

[DeanH]

also "Push" may confuse your students (especially those of non-natural English) with the foul "Push Shot"; the rules use Strike
another can be to "push through the cue ball" instead of "follow through".

[steveym147]

haha cheers for the reply mate love the puns!

[Derek P]

Depends on the context of the shot in question but I would be inclined to say from a purely technical point of view both are correct explanations though may be interpreted by those without a firm grasp of the game.

A stun shot requires a punch of the cue ball, or a strike which would be defined as a rapid acceleration to force an effect from the white which is largely contary to the intended and natural cue ball path or pace.

A stroke shot or follow through shot would be described more as a push of the cue ball as the timing of this shot requires more of a natural pace with the cue ball acceleration and also sends it on a natural path from the object ball contact.

The timing of screw is more similar to the follow through in that you stay in contact longer with the white ball however you have a firmer follow through which is slightly different from stun but perhaps shares the 'striking' characteristics even though you stay in contact for longer which suggests push so:

Stun = a strike
Stroke/follow thro = a push
Screw = A combination of both strike and push

That's my thoughts and observations on the way the game is played hopefully makes sense to others.

[Slasher]

You cannot push the ball unless you slowed the stroke down to a snail crawl it's physically impossible.
1/1000th of a second later the ball is gone http://billiards.colostate.edu/high_...ew/HSVA-57.htm
You can however add tension to the arm slow the cue and pull it off line.

[tmax]

Correct the white leaves the tip almost instantly as shown on many slo-mo videos proves

But the feeling for the shot, as perceived by the player, I would interpret:

A push is when using a fairly constant speed cue delivery into the white - so from the end of the back swing, momentum is gathered and then maintained through impact - usually using a longer stroke (think Ronnie back-swing on some of his slow/delicate shots)

A strike is much more accelerating right through impact, and will be felt as a punch with the cue - usually a shorter back-swing is used

Of course, often though a coach may use either of these 2 words to get a client to change his cue action slightly

[dottcom]

Since you are coaching in Hong Kong, could it be an misinterpretation?
When they mention "push the ball", are they actually trying to say push the cue (meaning to follow through the ball instead of jabbing it)?