Can anyone explain the grip in this shot (Video included) please?

[-Blade-]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oZ0freyR2E&NR=1

In the 10th shot of this video (a great shot I saw live on TV at the time), there is a great camera angle to see his grip.

Ebdon treats the grip like a pump, and I've noticed all snooker players do this.

Where can I find an explanation of this grip? Is this what people on here mean by loosening on the grip in the backswing and then cloosing in on when cueing forward? Also, is this how one would get the wrist snapping?

I haven't yet seen a video explaining wrist snapping, which is a shame as it seems important. If anyone has a clip or gif, please let me know.

Thanks

[checkSide]

Do you mean shot 8??

[-Blade-]

Do you mean shot 8??

Apologies, I actually mean shot nine "Peter's positional play".

[bongo]

http://fcsnooker.co.uk/fcsnooker_new...s/the_grip.htm

Have a look at the link above.

Fig. 7 shows what the grip is doing on the backswing, then when the grip goes forward it goes into position like the very first picture on the page, it shows the grip throughout the shot.

If you stick to the 'textbook' grip(s) which are discribed on the page, with the thumb positions like the thump 'v', the tightness, and the fingers positions like Fig.7 on the backswing, then you cannot go far wrong.

With practise, you can play power shots like Peter's. Why can he do it so easily as it looks? Because he has been playing for a long time and thousands of hours of practise gets an effective grip or cue hold, on all shots, not just on power.

Believe me, it is no more complicated than that, if you cannot play deep screws or whatever, then do not worry, it will come if you apply the correct technique, if you apply the correct technique when you have been playing for a short time, and you cannot play the deep screws then keep the good technique then it should come when older.

Also, strength in the arm as a young player gets older increases and power shots become easier.

Remember Timing, and Technique, do not forget the basics, Natural Talent is a part of it in my opinion, "you've either got it or you 'aint".

If the cue arm drops a little then that can help too, or a "flicking action" can help to get power aswell.

I will post a link showing the elbow drop and the "flicking action".

And I haven't seen a video about the wrist snap.

REMEMBER PRACTISE IS THE KEY AND DO NOT WORRY ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO PLAY REALLY POWERFUL SHOTS IF YOU CANNOT PLAY THEM!

[CoachGavin]

I also have some info on the wrist cock on my page along with photos
www.snookercoaching.net

A qualified coach should be able to get you to cock your wrist on the backswing. The elbow must be kept up on the backswing and then when the elbow drops on the follow through the wrist snaps shut, creating power.

[bongo]

Go to addressing the table on this link for a little bit of information of the grip and slightly dropping the elbow.

And this link for the 'flicking action'. It's not too much of a flicking action but it can help with power shots. After about 3 minutes it explains that action.

[-Blade-]

I can understand that Ebdon has thousands of hours of practise. The same old "it takes practise" line is beginning to get patronising.

My only real confusion is that he wraps his hand around the end of the cue, where an extension would slot in, not on the edge of the butt.

My confusion now is that dropping the elbow - even slightly - would make the cue tip rise and cause a whole heap of problems, no? Elbow dropping is frowned upon in pool but it's also the only way to get good follow through and thus power etc. I've noticed some players who play snooker raise their tip as the cue goes through the white, but this doesn't seem to have much effect on their cueing or the execution of the shot they're attempting.

I've also noticed that some snooker players also raise the butt so the tip is diagonally down on the white when trying to achieve draw (which gets the results). So would the motion of striking diagonally down at the white but letting the tip rise as the elbow drops be acceptable?

If the tip is going to rise in draw when the elbow drops, then surely the elbow dropping has to be late in the follow through?

Ta.

[checkSide]

The moment you strike the cue ball can measured in thousandths of a second.

All the preparation, the follow through, what the elbow does etc; are there to encourage you to strike the cueball straight and true. As well as strike it "sweetly", which is to do with timing. (I think the follow through encourages good timing.)

I am by no means an expert, but I have discovered it's important not to get too bogged down in the technical aspects.
You should expend most of your energy as a beginner experimenting on the table. That's what I have been doing, and it's starting to bear fruit.

Remember, it's only a few thousandths of a second that count on each shot!

[-Blade-]

I think I'm getting there with the cue action required, which will help me impart spin in long distance shots.

My only problem now is that I need some mental conditioning.

Gavin said on the follow through you snap the wrist shut which I can visualise and imagine how that would be done. Problem is, I know I should be closing the gap between wrist and cue but I tense up.

What can cure this?

Would it just be practise? I imagine I would consciously need to remind myself when cueing not to do this, just like consciously listening to the engine in a manual car and then changing gears accordingly, but then with practise you don't need to listen to the engine or look at the revs to know when to change gears.