What is the point of a long backswing?!

[wayync]

Well the question is what is the point of a long backswing if you can pretty much play all the shots required with a short jab-like backswing shot?

I mean, are there some certain shots that ONLY a long backswing can pull off?

For instance when there are only colors left and is on the yellow, a long sort of straight shot, 99% of the pros I see use a long backswing for that shot. That is the only shot I see which a long back swing maybe required but even then, that shot can be pulled off with a short backswing too.

[DeanH]

Some coaches do indeed say to have differing lengths of backswing to reflect the strength of shot required.
i.e short backswing for a soft shot, long backswing for a shot with more strength.
I play with varying backswing depending on shot/cue ball reaction/etc. required.

[Particle Physics]

Well the question is what is the point of a long backswing if you can pretty much play all the shots required with a short jab-like backswing shot?

I mean, are there some certain shots that ONLY a long backswing can pull off?

For instance when there are only colors left and is on the yellow, a long sort of straight shot, 99% of the pros I see use a long backswing for that shot. That is the only shot I see which a long back swing maybe required but even then, that shot can be pulled off with a short backswing too.

The theory behind a long back swing is to generate the acceleration by gliding through the cue ball. If you use a short, 'jab' like shot, you are in danger of jabbing the ball, which may result in nothing but stun. The other problem with short jab like shots is the tendency to overgrip the cue, which pushes it offline, and the pot can be missed due to tension alone. If you can accelerate through the cue ball without either of these problems, the keep a short backswing. The downside to a long backswing is that all that travel increases the chance of the cue going offline as well. Horse for courses I guess.

[wayync]

The theory behind a long back swing is to generate the acceleration by gliding through the cue ball. If you use a short, 'jab' like shot, you are in danger of jabbing the ball, which may result in nothing but stun. The other problem with short jab like shots is the tendency to overgrip the cue, which pushes it offline, and the pot can be missed due to tension alone. If you can accelerate through the cue ball without either of these problems, the keep a short backswing. The downside to a long backswing is that all that travel increases the chance of the cue going offline as well. Horse for courses I guess.

That is exactly my feeling about long backswings.

The way I see it short backswing for everything, and if you need power just jab harder. It works if you keep your body still.

Then again I really admire the ones who use a long smooth backswing on every shot, there is just so much control.

[wayync]

The theory behind a long back swing is to generate the acceleration by gliding through the cue ball. If you use a short, 'jab' like shot, you are in danger of jabbing the ball, which may result in nothing but stun. The other problem with short jab like shots is the tendency to overgrip the cue, which pushes it offline, and the pot can be missed due to tension alone. If you can accelerate through the cue ball without either of these problems, the keep a short backswing. The downside to a long backswing is that all that travel increases the chance of the cue going offline as well. Horse for courses I guess.

That is exactly my feeling about long backswings.

The way I see it short backswing for everything, and if you need power just jab harder. It works if you keep your body still.

Then again I really admire the ones who use a long smooth backswing on every shot, there is just so much control.

[Particle Physics]

That is exactly my feeling about long backswings.

The way I see it short backswing for everything, and if you need power just jab harder. It works if you keep your body still.

Then again I really admire the ones who use a long smooth backswing on every shot, there is just so much control.

It is elegant.

[Particle Physics]

That is exactly my feeling about long backswings.

The way I see it short backswing for everything, and if you need power just jab harder. It works if you keep your body still.

Then again I really admire the ones who use a long smooth backswing on every shot, there is just so much control.

It is elegant.

[Dave Maguire]

Hurricane higgins hardly had any backswing , he was a completw stabber of the cueball and got enough generated spin to beat anyone he came up against ..... So I suppose u dont need a long backswing to do wonders on a snooker table

[Terry Davidson]

Using a long backswing all the time like Selby, muphy, Higgins and a few of the others means you don't have to increase the rate of acceleration as rapidly which will prevent both movement on the shot and also gripping the cue too tight and too early.

I prefer myself to use a backswing length proportional to the amount of power I require.

The danger of a long backswing is there is more chance for the cue to go off-line during the backswing but normally a slower backswing should prevent this.

Terry

[Particle Physics]

Using a long backswing all the time like Selby, muphy, Higgins and a few of the others means you don't have to increase the rate of acceleration as rapidly which will prevent both movement on the shot and also gripping the cue too tight and too early.

I prefer myself to use a backswing length proportional to the amount of power I require.

The danger of a long backswing is there is more chance for the cue to go off-line during the backswing but normally a slower backswing should prevent this.

Terry

Terry, are you varying both the backswing and hand acceleration on shots? Should we be fixing one or the other? By this I mean fixing the backswing length and changing velocity depending on the shot, or keeping the velocity the same and varying backswing?

*Hendry appears to be using a shorter backswing than some, pretty much fixed length for most shots, variable acceleration?

[Particle Physics]

Using a long backswing all the time like Selby, muphy, Higgins and a few of the others means you don't have to increase the rate of acceleration as rapidly which will prevent both movement on the shot and also gripping the cue too tight and too early.

I prefer myself to use a backswing length proportional to the amount of power I require.

The danger of a long backswing is there is more chance for the cue to go off-line during the backswing but normally a slower backswing should prevent this.

Terry

Terry, are you varying both the backswing and hand acceleration on shots? Should we be fixing one or the other? By this I mean fixing the backswing length and changing velocity depending on the shot, or keeping the velocity the same and varying backswing?

[sydneygeorge]

That is exactly my feeling about long backswings.

The way I see it short backswing for everything, and if you need power just jab harder. It works if you keep your body still.

Then again I really admire the ones who use a long smooth backswing on every shot, there is just so much control.

Great thread you have started here Wayync.
Are there any pro s using jab like deliveries ?

[DeanH]

Was it Dave Harold who had no back swing at all on all shots?

[Terry Davidson]

If you look at the very top players they all have longer backswings for all shots except perhaps Graham Dott. This means they very the rate of acceleration for every shot and not the length of acceleration. It gives them a much smoother delivery than a player who uses a short backswing

Terry

[Terry Davidson]

particle:

It depends on what you feel most comfortable with. I try and lengthen the backswing for power shots to provide myself with a smoother rate of acceleration and also the longer backswing does help to drive through the cueball.

Try using a longer backswing and try stopping the cue at the cueball and you'll see what I mean...it's virtually impossible NOT to drive through.

So to answer your question...I change my backswing length in order to keep the rate of acceleration almost the same on all shots. That's not to say on a 10ft deep screw shot that I won't really drive that cue, faster than I normally would but the longer backswing gives me a smoother shot

Terry