The Stance - Pool Tutorial | Pool School

[@acepahmad7682]

Dear Sir, i'm playing American Pool (9foot table) using your stance style surprisingly improved my accuracy so significant... the best stance lesson on KZbin. Thank you so much.

[@PoolSchool]

Acep Ahmad excellent, thank you very much, I’m glad it helped.

[@stieger_fx1862]

In the basement of my college dorm we have the big 9 foot tables too, this is defiantly a technique that I should utilize.

[@SGX_kingumii]

😮🎉❤❤🎉😮😮❤)[

[@1GQ_gent]

I agree! We have a pool table at the office. The entire office stops their work immediately to come watch me shoot pool. I'm that guy now!

[@hoangvu620]

The chest tip is really spot on! I'll try it in the next game. Thank you for the guide!

[@zenildogoncalvesdeoliveira1189]

Of all the channels on KZbin, I've never seen anyone who explained it so well!! Thank you very much

[@Fearless13289]

Sir your stance really helped me mostly with the chin and chest guideness for my cue

[@MrSegopa]

Thanks Pool School your tutorials & basics has managed to improve mh game a lot... God bless you for that & keep on coming with those tutorials

[@PoolSchool]

Thank you, that's great to hear.

[@Peter_1986]

It is amazing how strongly you can remember playing pool, even though it was really long ago; the last time I played pool was literally in school when I was 15 years old, and that was back in 2001, and it still feels like I played it just a few days ago.

[@belle9438]

I love these short to the point video's. I don't have much tolerance for someone who likes to hear themselves talk. Thank you

[@goodworx82]

Glad to see your posting again. Very informative vids

[@gregtechno506]

Short and simple. Great video

[@enesprtc]

The best pool tutorial ever! Thanks sir for your great effort

[@henrih137]

I have not finished the lessons but i am beyond confident that your approach & tutorial will make me better

[@PoolSchool]

Cheers, hope it helps.

[@brucecharlie8613]

Great tutorial, cleared up a few issues cheers guv

[@henrih137]

Great presentation and visualization!!!

[@haseebmadani286]

The perfect explanation of a stance

[@jimmydonnelly327]

Thanks again pool school, I've been playing arse ways for years lol. I tend to stand more square with my chin too high almost a foot away from the cue. I'll try this out this evening because as u said the cue moves around when it shouldn't. Will get back to u after some practice

[@hikarugo1520]

Thank you. Very helpful and informative for a beginner like myself.

[@PoolSchool]

Thanks, glad it helped.

[@damarisobonyo677]

Wow thanks a lot. I'll need to try this

[@MyNetpro]

Fantastic instructions !

[@MyNetpro]

Great information !

[@anwargonoz1831]

Thanks for the Lesson, it's very helpful -From Philippines 🇵🇭

[@RichardsWorld]

Makes sense. I was trying to lower my head but the cue touched my chest and I didn't think it was right. And my arm swerved a lot. I'll have to try to have the cue touching my chest next time. I thought I just needed to lose some weight 😀

[@joeygonzo]

Perfect explanation

[@Elido]

Very thorough, thank you.

[@tweakedplayboy4176]

Going try this tonight, thank you

[@yusufhasan302]

Good info

[@RussellWardman]

Thanks. Very helpful.

[@ibanez33150]

I took a two day clinic with Nick Varner and this was the exact same thing that was taught.

[@rommelmongcal1298]

Thanks for this video i will try this👍👍👍👍

[@bigboomyoutube]

Thank you!

[@YiiSama]

Much Appreciated!

[@b00merangisback]

Very nice easy lesson...thanks from France

[@PoolSchool]

Merci beaucoup

[@RogerHolden]

Hi. Do you have any vids on the bridge hand? What do you think about using a closed bridge that seems so common in American pool? cheers and keep 'em coming.

[@PoolSchool]

That's on my to do list. I'm just finishing a video about changing a cue tip and then I think the bridge hand will be next. I will cover the closed loop bridge in the video but there are a few reasons why you primarily see it used in American pool and the open bridge in English pool. Firstly the shape of the cues used are quite different. English cues are thinner and have a more tapered shaft. If you try to use a loop bridge with this you need to adjust the size of the loop as you cue back and forth and it can be a little loose. The American cue shaft tends to be thicker and more uniform so it is much more suited to this bridge. The other is the size of the cue ball. With the English cue ball being so small the loop bridge can be a little intrusive on your view of the ball. The final reason is that with the bigger tables and heavier balls you tend to be hitting the balls harder more often, the loop bridge can be better for this in terms of keeping the cue and control.

[@Axe0403]

What kind of shoes do you have on? They look really nice

[@milboltnut]

This Bloke is smashing !

[@ClaytonBigsby01]

Subbed for the great short and sweet video

[@janetairlines1351]

1:30 I do this.....I use my chest (right nipple area specifically) to keep the cue steady. An instructor recently told me not to do that, that the cue shouldnt touch the body, but i literally cannot shoot if my cue is "floating". It feels shakey, wobbly, and out of control.

[@PoolSchool]

There isn’t a “right” answer when it comes to the stance. Every player is different, height, body shape, flexibility, arm length etc. The important thing about the stance is that it is solid and stable and allows you to deliver the cue in a straight line. If you can do that and it’s comfortable then it’s right for you. In my opinion you only need to look at changing you stance if you are not delivering the cue in a straight line. You only need to look at professional snooker players to see how much variation there is between players stance.

[@monroeranderson]

Thank you

[@jessecandelario273]

Thank you very much 😊

[@MickMCC-of1gn]

Nice to see explanation from the UK. I'm in NZ and have an English pool table setup. PLEASE would love to know what brand/make of pool cue you favour plus the tip size, I use 8mm.. And suggestion cleaning cue butt and shaft. Would love a reply. Thanks

[@PoolSchool]

Thanks. My next video is going to be a review of a pool cue kindly sent to me from my new sponsor. I’ll covering a lot of cue stuff in that video. My own cue is a 9.5mm tipped, 3/4 jointed cue from “Taylor Made Cues”. I find that baby wipes are a very good way of gently cleaning the cue without too much moisture. Give them a quick wipe down and then polish with a dry cloth.

[@tylerlove9364]

@Pool School I love the your cue. Do mind telling us where you purchased it or what kind it is?

[@PoolSchool]

It is a “Taylor Made” cue and I bought it from a shop in Southend. Unfortunately he is no longer there.

[@Fearless13289]

Sir am using your stance is the best 💯🙌the slightly bend legs but my left leg in front slightly for balance

[@nolancombrink515]

THis is a great piece of advice using the chest as a guide. Im 6'3" and i struggle to get my chin on the cue. What can you suggest to help me get my chin on the cue

[@PoolSchool]

Thanks. Getting your chin on the cue is not essential, especially if it is uncomfortable. To help achieve it as a taller player then you either need to bend the legs a little more (it’s very difficult to do with the straight leg snooker stance if your tall), or work on your flexibility. A lot of pool and snooker players don’t really think about the sport as something you need to be fit and flexible for, but it can really help with being able to have a comfortable and stable stance.

[@OdirileMacha]

thank you, very much my cue action is more stable now

[@PoolSchool]

Odirile Macha glad to be of help.

[@fanboybrother]

Best video

[@rawhideleather]

You didn't mention the knees. Some players maintain that both knees should be locked if possible to further reduce unwanted movement (not feasible for taller players). I feel more comfortable with just my right knee locked (I'm 5'10" & right handed). What are your thoughts? Whatever feels most comfortable?

[@PoolSchool]

I'm not sure I'd advocate locking "both" knees as that would be very uncomfortable and I'm not sure it would be that stable either. If you are going to lock one then it would be the back one. However for some taller and indeed less flexible players, locking the knee is very uncomfortable or not even possible. Definitely needs to be a position you feel comfortable in.

[@AG_Prime]

I'm a tall guy (203cm) and I find it hard to get my stance "right". I feel like I have to get really low and it not comfortable anymore. Do you have any tips for tall people? Also great video.

[@PoolSchool]

I’m quite short myself so a little hard for me to say but I’m not the youngest or most flexible and find a dead straight leg uncomfortable myself. I’ve played against very tall players and they tend to play with quite a lot of bend in both legs as it’s the only way they can get down. There is no “right” way but the most important things are comfort and stability.

[@AG_Prime]

@@PoolSchool thanks 👌

[@hoangvu620]

how about bending your knee a little bit? sorry for 6 months late comment.

[@kennyx8482]

great vid. so im only 5'4, and cos of that i feel like a standard cue stick length is too long for me to control it properly..is this true? shud i use a shorter stick?

[@PoolSchool]

Quite possibly. Everyone is a different shape and size and it’s more to do with arm span than height, but generally if you’re shorter your arms are likely to be a little shorter as well. If you hold the cue so that your arm is at about 80-90 degrees when the tip is touching the cue ball and then see how much spare cue is behind your hand. A little bit is ok and gives you extra reach when you need it, but if your holding the cue maybe 10-12 inches from the back then a shorter cue might be better suited.

[@neiltaylor2963]

Wow, loving your channel and much appreciate the concise and practical approach to coaching. I’ve just bought a supreme winner table and installed it in my shed/man cave and your tutorials have been very useful. One thing I have discovered to my dismay is that I inherently apply left side even though I’m thinking and trying🎉 to simply play a non spin shot. I’m left handed and for some reason, either though I setup almost exactly how you demonstrate, I must push through and squeeze the cue into my chest and inadvertently apply the left side. I’ve even taken a slow motion video of the cue action and the cue tip does indeed move ever so slightly to the left as I push through the ball. The more power I apply, not surprisingly, amplifies the issue and gives more side. Any suggestion please on an approach to rectify this ?

[@PoolSchool]

Thanks glad you like the channel. It's always very hard to say exactly what is going on without seeing someones cue stroke. I think the fact you used the words "squeeze the cue to my chest" might possibly be the reason. It really only needs to be a very light contact and is more of a guide when setting up. If you are "squeezing" the cue into your chest then the fact that the cue gets wider towards the base means that tip would be further to the left (for a left hander) when the fatter part of the cue is against the chest, compared to the thinner part. It might not be this at all but worth trying not to squeeze. If you are squeezing it then you will be pulling the cue across when all your focus should be on going back and forth.

[@neiltaylor2963]

Thanks for your response. Yeah that was a good pointer regarding me squeezing the cue into my chest. Did some more practice and relaxed the contact points and it certainly feels better and is more consistent. Looking forward to gradually working through some of your practice routines. Just need to ensure I have a reasonable chance of deliverIng the cue straight each time before getting too carried away 😝

[@Derek_1111]

I am a right-handed player and I have the exact same issue as you. I put unattended right English on the shot. When filming myself I see that I accidentally push the cue towards the right as I follow through. Of course I've made a bunch of unconscious adjustments to adjust for this so I've got good being able to play with this cueing across the cue ball flaw. My problem is I can't quite figure out how to get myself to cue straight. It's easy if I'm just setting up the cue ball and shooting it directly into a pocket without an object Ball. But when I add in the object ball I always cue off to the right. Today during a long practice session of shooting only one particular straight in shot trying to fix this I was able to actually cue straight sometimes and when I do I'd miss. Basically I've changed the aim to reflect my crooked cueing so delivering a straight stroke misses. Of course with a slight change in aim I start making them. But the problem is I can't get consistent on cueing straight. Tying to find the exact reason why I'm having issues with this has been difficult to determine. The other issue I have watching my form video is my right elbow leaks out away from my body quite a bit. I can't seem to get it directly in line with the shot line. Even when I'm constantly squeezing it towards my body it still looks to be away from my body.

[@joshuaschiller-c3p]

My bridge hand left shoulder hurts and I don't know why any tips thanks

[@krismonette6290]

Love that you’re wearing a Tom Tom watch

[@PoolSchool]

😂 Shows the age of the video!

[@Ramp10er]

The Perfect Stance...

[@kafilkavich707]

This was very helpful! I've been playing for about a year now and have been playing very well. But my stance is still off and sometimes I miss shots I'm not supposed too!

[@fatdabaroonies8649]

You can tell the magician started playing pool before he could walk, he keeps his swinging arm tucked in not on the line, something developed when you can't reach over the table and need to hit the ball.

[@dnbmania]

Is there's one tip I could give everyone it is to use the chest and chin contact points. Your cueing will improve so much. Make sure you bring your chest down to your cue though - DO NOT pull your cue into your chest otherwise you'll lose accuracy

[@kalencwil3924]

dnbmania thats why I get so much movement

[@OrneryNugget]

Thank you for all the helpful videos! I did have a good laugh, however, trying to get my chin down to the cue. I’m sure I couldn’t do it at 42 years old much less at my current age of 72.

[@PoolSchool]

Thanks. Yeah I struggle myself sometimes and I'm only 48!

[@kaitlyngarner740]

Unfortunately I have quite an ample chest which means I can only really have my stance in 2 ways (since I like my cue locked against my body since I can't get reliable straight cueing with a floating cue). The first position has me locking the cue under my right breast. This means that the cue has much less room to travel if my dyspraxia kicks and I'm more likely to get straight cueing but my head is too high up to really look down the cue which is ok for shots which are less than half the table width in distance but anything longer and my accuracy suffers. The second position has the cue above my breast. This doesn't lock the cue as much but I can get around that. This also means I can get my cue under my chin but since the cue is so high up on my body, on some longer pots, my head is just slightly out of position and that forces me to crane my neck in a mildly uncomfortable fashion for twice as long as I'd do a normal shot since my eyes need to refocus and I need to go through the mechanics twice to make sure I'm all lined up and correct. The second works best for me and I've found success with it since it's extremely similar to my stance from before I grew out 😅 so I make do with the occasional crick in my neck if I'm forced into multiple long pots

[@PoolSchool]

It must be a really tough one to deal with as you obviously can't get the cue in the ideal position. At least it sounds as though you've found a couple of compromises that work for you, even if they're not perfect. I can't really think of any other suggestions I'm afraid.

[@kaitlyngarner740]

@@PoolSchool that's ok, I hoped you would be able to give me a couple of pointers but didn't expect it considering the circumstances. Love your videos and I still use them for pointers after years playing in my league and I've definitely seen an improvement

[@malakiyahamari8448]

Thanks

[@Damolil90]

what size tip do you recommend for uk pool? my cue now is a 9.5mm but my mate has a 7mm which is really small compared. thanks

[@PoolSchool]

Personally I use a 9.5mm tip but as with everything it comes down to personal choice. The general rule is, the larger the tip the easier it is to hit the ball straight, the smaller the tip the more spin you can get on the ball. However, how you deliver the cue is always a more important factor. If you have perfect delivery there is no reason you can't hit a ball straight with a small tip, and there is no reason you can't achieve spin with a larger tip. If your delivery is slightly off however, that is when the tip size will exaggerate things.

[@eLstupido16]

what size is your table sir? it's quite smaller than the regular one?

[@PoolSchool]

It’s a 7ft English pool table which is standard tournament size for English pool.

[@dermotshaw6775]

Is that a cuesoul 3/4 jointed?

[@PoolSchool]

No it’s a 3/4 “Taylor Made”.

[@dermotshaw6775]

@@PoolSchool sorry i wasnt meant to cause any offence there, just the splices are very similar to mine. Can't really tell on the video too much. I have ash shaft with an ebony butt, I haven't played with it yet, so I was going to ask what you thought of how it plays. Nevermind. Nice content though pal 👍

[@PoolSchool]

No offence, sorry did I sound offended? Didn’t mean to. “Taylor Made” is the make of my cue. It made by a guy called Gary Taylor so he uses his name, it wasn’t tailor made for me. Hope you enjoy your new cue.

[@dermotshaw6775]

@@PoolSchool it's just hard to tell emotions when reading sometimes. So I said that just in case. I know of the brand, he does nice cues. Thanks mate. I'll have to let you know 😅

[@-Clutch_]

noice 👍

[@felixsibilis9814]

Could someone please explain when you should have your hand on the rails

[@PoolSchool]

I talk about it in this video (about 7mins in). kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZmzfHefnLeVm9k

[@hedvigjenson4902]

As a woman learning this game, I have a personal question regarding male and female body physiology. As a woman, I have a large breast area to consider while I’m preparing my shot. The stick to chest position does not work for me. I find my aim and shot completely impacted by my anatomy. Do you have a suggestion or hint as to how to deal with this particular issue? Your answer and response would be so appreciated. Thank you.

[@PoolSchool]

That's an excellent question but one I don't have a definitive answer to. Like several things in pool, people have there own way of doing things and personal preferences but this is clearly something you find is actually hindering your shot. The 3 most important aspects of the stance are stability, alignment and comfort. It sounds as though you may have to sacrifice one of these a little in order to achieve an accurate cue action. Excuse my bluntness but it really depends how big we're talking about? The first option would be to try to rest the cue against the outside of your right breast. This might involve holding the cue a little further from your hip with the back arm. It is important that if you do this you maintain the vertical line of the back arm and elbow, and don't "tip" it away from the hip. If you do this and still use the chin as a guide you might be able to achieve a decent line between the three. If this is not possible then another option might be to hold the cue between your breasts. This might be too central to the chest though and make it difficult to align your back arm. If neither of these options work then you might need to stand higher on the shot so the cue is below your chest. This is not ideal as you won't be able to place your chin on the cue but you might still be able to use part of your chest to help stabilize things. It's clearly not ideal and I'm sorry I can't give you a perfect answer. Let me know how you get on and I really hope you can find something that's comfortable and works for you.

[@hedvigjenson4902]

Thanks for giving me several options to try. I appreciate the feedback. 👍🏻

[@PoolSchool]

No problem, let me know how you get on?, it would be interesting to see if you can find something that works for you.

[@lowellb123]

Why does nobody ever mention the hip hinge instead of bending down at the back? Improved my game massively

[@nekonohiki]

Absolutely, it's the critical point for me too.

[@drewmortenson]

I've played pool twice now and after getting some friendly trash talk for my stance last night, I figured I'd look up the proper stance. Yeah I'm lost....

[@sssgaming1918]

hahahah

[@Lezgooooooooo896]

What are the measurements of your table

[@PoolSchool]

It’s a 7ft English pool table

[@vardhan254]

love u

[@ryanz06]

I love these videos because Jason Statham is doing the explanation

[@PoolSchool]

😂 My partner’s favourite man! This comment made her laugh 😂

[@thomasgallagher2971]

Was asked question about stance...can’t find person who inquired so posting my reply.

[@khae74]

Just practice more...all of this will come to you directly from instincts

[@21Gannu]

why can't i bend like you guys and keep head close to the stick

[@kiritokirigaya2330]

When you want to learn pool it's ez make friend with the GOAT the LEGEND the BEST PLAYER the MAGICIAN the man from other planet it's EFREN REYES

[@wombra8314]

you need a blue dog print in the collection ✊🏼🐶👍🏽

[@vbrrjcc]

It's easier to die in such a twisted position than to play...

[@Moonshine1234]

i will try this and report a week later

[@jaydennoel659]

I'm right handed but use my left hand to put power, strange

[@motormk1152]

Anybody else gets a lower back pain ?

[@cueball5858]

A pendulum starts high, swings down, then goes high again. Your cue did not do that. Instead it was kept level throughout the stroke, like a piston in a car or on a train - and all the better for it!!!

[@Fearless13289]

I do slightly bent legs am tall sir

[@PoolSchool]

There is nothing wrong with that, you have to be comfortable. As long as it’s stable that’s fine.

[@Fearless13289]

@@PoolSchool thanks for the advice sir

[@m96920]

need to put your head so low?

[@PoolSchool]

There are some people that play with the head higher but personally I think it is better to have to the head on the cue for several reasons. It's important to keep the head still during a shot, so by having it in contact with the cue this helps you to feel that you haven't moved up on the shot. It also helps with consistency because you are placing you head in the same spot every time, not some arbitrary distance above it. There are some occasions when being higher up can help, maybe a short shot where you want a better overall view of the table to judge position, but generally I would be down low on the cue, especially if the shot is over any distance.

[@m96920]

@@PoolSchool thanks

[@alifnaufal]

if only i don't have back problems. oh well.

[@HammerMcKim]

HammerMcKim Hi

[@teddyruxpin8115]

Chin splinters

[@MyMax147]

Glad he's not helping me

[@lostinbjj9266]

That is terrible information for pool players. Watch mark Wilson’s video on this instead.

[@linhviethoang]

But why doe

[@cubanraider5373]

Thanks

[@GROB410]

Thanks