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The Making of a Billiards Champion (Series II of V)

The Making of a Billiards Champion
(Series II of V)
Fundamentals
Learning the proper fundamentals is the most critical aspect of a player’s pool game. Mechanics will affect every shot executed. By learning the proper techniques first, you will be able to build upon them easier and be the best that you can be in the shortest amount of time. There is much to learn about having proper mechanics, this article is about the three most critical.

Bridges
A bridge is used to hold the cue stick in place while your shooting. The purpose of a bridge is to allow for a smooth and stable place for your cue stick, so that you can make your intended contact with the cue ball. If it is not stable and smooth, you will hit the cue ball inconsistently, and therefore, will get random results of aim, english and “deflection”.
An “Open Bridge” is the easiest to learn and has its advantages and disadvantages. It allows you to see the shot better because your index finger is not covering the top of the stick. And, by bending your knuckles, you can get more height with this bridge for a high/follow stroke. At the Boys and Girls Club, this is the first bridge I teach. Once they see how easy it is to form that “little V” between their thumb and knuckle, they can quickly make more shots on the table. A disadvantage of an open bridge is that there is a chance that the stick can move upwards because your index finger is not covering it.
A “Closed Bridge” takes time for the muscles in your finger to wrap around the shaft of the cue in a way that is tight enough that it doesn’t move around, but loose enough that it does not inhibit your stroke. In school, I used to practice this with my pen, until my muscles were trained to do it without thinking about it.

Stroking Arm
The purpose is to move the cue stick through the ball while keeping it straight and level. Therefore, your arm should be at 90 degrees before contact. If you hold it closer to the ball (less than 90 degrees), you won’t be able to follow through enough. If you hold it farther away from the ball (more than 90 degrees), it is extremely hard to keep it level.
To test to see if you have a consistent, straight and level cue. Place an empty pop or beer bottle on its side on the table. As if the bottle opening was the cue ball, do some practice strokes into the bottleneck without touching the sides of the bottle. You should be able to follow through all the way to the bottom of the bottle without touching it.

Stance
The objective of your stance is to be stable and solid, while executing your shot. Many times, when nervous about a shot or result, players tend to jump up during the critical point of contact. And as a result, the stick moves unintentionally, and the shot is missed. One of my instructors, Robert McCullough Colliding SpheresTM, says, “you can either treat the symptom or treat the source.” For quick results, for someone that just plays occasionally for fun, practice staying still until all the balls stop rolling on the table. For the more serious player, treat the problem at the source for lasting results. McCullough, in agreement with Allison Fisher, teach that your stance should be forward weighted to help prevent your head from popping up.

In the next article I will talk about a stun shot. This is the most basic of shots and should be mastered before learning other shots.

(Jackie “The Angel” Broadhurst, 2003 BCA 8-Ball and Trick Shot Champion, is currently training to win the US Open Championship. This would be a historic event since a woman has never won this title. She invites everyone, no matter what gender, ethnicity, age or background you are, to play and learn together about this great game. Visit her website at www.TheAngelofBilliards.com)

About the Author

2003 National 8-Ball and Trick Shot Champion
www.TheAngelofBilliards.com

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