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Billiards Cues Power

Over the years there has been much conjecture over the importance of billiards cues power for breaking balls or applying english, etc.. Some players have thought that a heavy billiards cues would make them break better. Thank goodness, most players have finally been educated to the reality that a lighter billiards cues is more powerful. A fact that has been repeatedly proven by the Meucci Staff and other players in breaking contests over the years - ever since I first introduced the use of a radar gun at tournaments in the early 90's. The simple fact is that a human, male or female, has limited strength and can only move a certain amount of weight so fast; the heavier the weight, the slower the swing. Conversely, the lighter the weight, the faster the swing.

It is the speed of the billiards cues, not its mass (weight), that causes the acceleration of the billiards cues ball because of the billiards cues's compression at the moment of impact as it first tries to overcome the inertia to remain at rest.

The optimum billiards cues weight to accomplish maximum speed and compression before the billiards cues snaps back and sends the billiards cues ball forward is about 18 to 18 3/4 oz. for most men and about 17 to 17 3/4 oz. for most women.

What do I mean when I say compression? I mean that at the moment of impact, with sufficient speed, before the billiards cues ball moves, the first thing that happens is the shaft bends away from it's spine creating an "S" shaped wave that travels through the billiards cues as the billiards cues is fore-shortened by it's compression, thus loading energy into the billiards cues.

As the inertia to remain at rest is overcome, the billiards cues ball is projected forward by the power of the player's arm and swing speed plus an additional kick from the pre-loaded billiards cues, thus equaling billiards cues power.

The more we can compress the shaft from the moment in which the billiards cues ball is impacted until it leaves the tip, the more power you will develop.

You've seen the same kind of dynamics in the sport of pole vaulting, tennis and others. It is also applied in golf. Before the extra-whippy fiberglass pole was introduced in pole vaulting, when athletes just used a stiff wooden pole, the world record was just slightly over 15 feet high. Within one year of the introduction of the fiberglass pole, the world record was increased a whopping 20% to 18+ feet. The rest is history.

So then, the question is... how much compression/flexibility should a billiards cues have? If you were to take a solid steel bar with no compression and put a tip on it, you would have a hard time striking the ball with enough force to bank 3 rails. I know this without question, I tested it myself.

On the other hand, when does a billiards cues get so flexible that it over-compresses and does not return to shape until the billiards cues ball is long gone, therefore losing power? With the use of the Myth Destroyer, our new testing robot, we have found that optimum point of compression and we now build it into every Meucci "RED DOT" shaft with 10% additional stiffness to allow for dimensional reduction through years of play. End Result: The most powerful billiards cues in the world with the absolute least amount of effective billiards cues ball deflection!

However, this important feat can not be accomplished by only considering the technology of shaft taper and flexibility. You must also consider joint material, joint style (flat face or piloted), joint size, forearm taper, shallow inlays (as opposed to true spliced points) and solid or 2-piece butts. All these factors must be optimized to obtain maximum billiards cues power.

Now then, how do you use this power?
First, when breaking the balls, increased power equals increased forward motion velocity.

Secondly, when striking the billiards cues ball off-center, there is a combination of forward motion and english velocity (speed of side spin). Therefore, you will be able to reach the billiards cues ball position desired when playing 9 ball, 8 ball, or other demanding pool games without having to over-stroke the ball and thus lose accuracy.

Some have said that too much power or spin equals less control. This of course would be true for an amateur or weaker player to some degree, but, if they use a low-power billiards cues, they surely will not have the power when they need it for that 3-rail draw or follow shot.

The mistake they make is not understanding the technology of "percentage-of-tip" position-play.
All truly great players break up a draw or follow shot into as many as 12 different tip positions in each area; above, below and left or right of center. They generally strike the billiards cues ball about the same speed whenever possible and let tip position complete the job. If you master this same technique, it will enhance your game tremendously.

Remember, if your billiards cues has limited power... so will you. So, get rid of that heavy billiards cues - lighten up - and play better!
 

Cue Selection:

Try several cues and start with the one that feels most comfortable to you. It is difficult for a beginning pool player to know which weight cue to get. Keep in mind that most professional pool players use a cue that weighs between 18 and 20 ounces. The shaft size of a cue mainly has to so with personal preferences and the size of your fingers. Shaft size for pool cues basically run between 12 to 14 millimeters. Most professional pool players play with a shaft size of 12 1/2 to 13 1/2 mm.

Proper Grip of the Cue

Hold cue lightly with thumb and first three fingers. When the cue is gripped properly, it should not touch the palm of your hand. It is very important to maintain a light grip on the cue at all times. Gripping the cue too tightly  while stroking through the cue ball is a common mistake that must be corrected.

Where to Grip the Cue

When you are bent over in your shooting position and the cue tip is almost touching the cue ball. the shooting hand should be directly under the elbow. It is okay to have the shooting hand an inch or two ahead of the elbow at impact. It is never recommended to have the shooting hand behind the elbow at impact.

Cue Stance

Face the shot. Before you ever bend over to shoot, there is a lineup of three points - the chin, the cue ball and the exact place you want the cue ball to go. Turn your body slightly to the right without your chin leaving the point of lineup. Bend over at the waist, put your bridge hand down 7 to 10 inches from the cue ball so that your chin  is 2 to 8 inches directly above the cue stick. Adjust your feet to distribute your body weight approximately 50/50. A generally accepted stance when you are in your shooting position is to have the tip of the right toe directly under the line of the cue. This should allow a 4 to 6 inch gap between the hip and the cue for freedom of movement. A common mistake made by beginners in their shooting position is to have the shoulder and chest facing facing the cue ball. A preferred technique is to turn the left shoulder out in front and the right shoulder back, thus turning the chest to the right. This makes a better body alignment.

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