3 Steps to Better Cueing?

I've been experimenting and found today, 3 steps that lead to better cueing; much better cueing. If any coaches want to come back and elaborate, I'd be most grateful.

1. Invert (cockerel) the wrist outwards slightly. Make sure you're using the V grip and the V is directly over the imaginary line that is centre cue. This line extends from the chamfer up the cue, so it is easy to find.

2. Adjust the forearm a couple of degrees inwards, as compensation for the slightly cocked wrist. The elbow should still be pointing upwards and the elbow to cue line should be vertical.

3. Feel the tendon and muscle at play between the ulna and radius. It seems important that this muscle generates cue movement which then achieves a hinged movement. The hand muscles feel like they holding the cue, not moving it. The muscles on the top side of the forearm also feel redundant. It feels and looks more like Hendry (than previously, with the use of hand and topside forearm muscles at play).

The overall effect is to have a looser hinge at the elbow and the cue flies through the ball, generating amazing power (spin, stun, stun-run-through etc). I've also learnt that firmer bridge leads to less body movement and cue movement. Concentrating on the feeling of the bridge muscles also stops one thinking about the shot (see my previous post on subconscious potting) on the strike. With a near straight shot, I've previously struggled to stun the ball far, but with better cueing, I was able to strike the ball much sweeter, and generate a lot of cue ball pace. The same is true for spin, as I was able today, to glide right through the cue ball.

It was a revelation, like hitting the cue ball for the first time again. Less muscle is more pace; bizarre but true. Sweet timing seems so important. With less muscles at play, and the correct group of muscles at the back of the forearm generating cue movement, the cue goes offline less and accuracy improves a lot, especially on long blues/rail shots.