The Pause

I believe that a "pause" in your stroke is a good thing.  If you ever had the privileged to see Buddy Hall in person or on tape, you will see so clearly his pause!  And of course Allison Fisher has a clearly defined pause.  But, not all pro's have this clearly defined pause in their stroke.

People talk all the time about if you need a pause to be a good player or does it help you be a good player, etc.

I sometimes pause, I sometimes don't.  It's not a consistent long pause in my stroke for sure.

The other day someone posted about pause, and thought I'd paste what he said.  Food for thought:

From Pool School instructor Leslie C. B. Rogers:

I just wanted to add my 2 cents to this discussion of what the "pause" in a stroke represents. I'll try to be concise and to the point. That's not easy for me (ask anyone).

I feel the term "pause" is frequently taken out of context and misconstrued because there are basically two sides to the pause coin. Both are equally important, and in order to avoid confusion in discussion, it is necessary to distinguish between the two. On one side, the pause is an "Event" that happens naturally. On the other side, the pause can be an intentional "Act." Both are related to what is happening at the moment the stroke changes from a backward motion to a forward motion. The true focus of the term "pause" is about this transition.

Physics states that in order for an object to change direction 180 degrees, its velocity in the contrary direction must approach zero. Like when a pendulum reaches its apex, the backward motion must stop before there can be any forward motion. This period during transition of no velocity in either direction is frequently referred to as a "pause". Whether the duration of the pause is discernible to the naked eye is immaterial; it is there. For all practical purposes, the forward stroke starts from a stopped position and accelerates from there.

Physiology states that muscles operate by contraction. Basically, there are different groups of muscles used for each (forward and backward) stroke. This means that before moving the arm forward, the muscles used for the back stroke should stop contracting to allow the next muscle group to do their job. This period during transfer of control between muscles can also be referred to as a "pause". The amount of time it takes to transfer control may be different for everyone.

The above are somewhat simplified descriptions, but essentially the pause is about transition. It is not about "if" (because it does) or "how long" (that depends) a cue stops at the end of the backstroke. It is about transitioning from one state of motion to another. Since this pause happens anyway, it is neither a question of "should I pause?", nor "how long should I pause?". That would just be missing the point. The real question should be "how well do I pause?". Ideally, the pause should happen smoothly without fighting the inertia of the cue or trying to muscle through it. Which brings us to ...

Pausing can also be an act of deliberately or forcefully stopping the cue. But (and this is important), for a specific purpose: to help learn the feel and timing for smooth transitions. As such, it is useful mainly as a practice tool to aid in developing proper habits. Exaggerating the pause during practice can help build muscle memory and rhythm much more quickly than simple repetitive trial and error. It's about developing feel and control. In essence, this type of pause is not about how to play - it's about a way to practice.

When I first devised the Set-Pause-Finish description of a stroke, I needed clear and concise words that could reference each phase of the stroke order. I chose "Pause" because it is both descriptive and directive. It is a simple way to reference that specific point in the stroke (and asking a student to "Transition!" during class is a bit tedious as well as distracting). The SPF regimen has always been intended mainly as an instructional and practice tool.

In a classroom environment, I use the word "pause" because, frequently, that is exactly what I want a student to do. Sure, with video I can freeze-frame, but sometimes stroke issues are easier to diagnose when pointed out on the spot. By exaggerating a pause, it can be easier to identify and correct errors in the stroke transition. Using a pause helps me to efficiently analyze and communicate with my students. It is also a simple method for practice that can be used by anyone without the need for video equipment.

I disagree that "any stroke with a change of direction that lasts under 1/30 of a second does not have a pause". By definition, if it lasts more than 0 seconds it has a "pause". There is no exception for duration.

Regarding the assessment that "over 90% of (professionals) do not use a pause", well, that might be accurate - but only because there is a difference between "having" a pause and "using" one. Deliberately "using" a pause is not really a suitable technique during play because focusing on your stroke can take focus away from the shot. If you're not used to it, it can even feel downright weird. Professionals have generally established their technique to a point that they don't need to think about their stroke. Years of cueing have helped them to develop habits that allow for a smooth and efficient transition. Some may be quick, and others may be a bit more methodical about it.There may not be a conscious effort to use a pause, but they do have a pause. Pretty much all of them.