That’s jacked up!
Level cue! Level cue!! Level cue!!! That’s what we’re constantly told and reminded of. The more elevation in your cue, the more room there is for error. The more elevation, the more chance there is to inadvertently masse the cue ball. The more elevation, the more chance there is to unintentionally miscue or jump the cue ball. All of these are very valid reasons to always try to keep your cue as level as possible.
However, there comes a time when you find your cue ball so close to the rail that you just have no option but to jack up to achieve your desired result. This would be an instance when it’s acceptable to not keep a level cue.
Jacked up shots, like a draw shot or a jump shot, are its own category of shots. I thank Tom Ross, one of my earlier coaches, for having me devote the last 10-15 minutes of my daily practice to shooting nothing but jacked up shots. Eventually, I got so comfortable with them I could make them from the middle of the table while drawing the cue ball back to the rail. You don’t have to take such extreme measures, but here are a few tips to remember when shooting jacked up shots:
- You don’t need to hit the ball very hard. It’s easy to want to nail the cue ball because we often associate the jacked up shot with the jump shot (where you do need to shoot it pretty firm). Sometimes, we even let our muscles get away from us. Tip #2 will help with this one.
- Once you’re lined up and jacked up, visualize just dropping your cue. Try to imagine just letting that cue slip out of your fingertips and let the weight of the cue drop straight onto the cue ball without any of those extra movements from your arm and wrist getting in the way.
- Make sure your stance is aligned and locked in. Whether you prefer to line up for the shot from your normal stance and come up on it, or to just walk right up to it, make sure your stance is perfectly aligned. Depending on the shot, you may find yourself on a tippy-toe or two. That’s okay. Just make sure your body is aligned and you are well-balanced. Actually, practicing jacked up shots helps develop your normal alignment as well. You’ll quickly learn that the slightest bit of variance in your stance will not pocket the ball. Everything must come together.
- Unless you’ve really mastered the jacked up shot, avoid using any side spin. Elevation + side spin = masse.
When practicing jacked up shots, begin with straight in stop shots along the foot rail. Then, set up straight in draw shots. Next, give yourself a slight angle. Start with devoting a few balls per practice to just shooting jacked up. Before you know it, you’ll rarely miss a jacked up shot again!
An important note: Make sure you do not shoot from the same spot every time. Like jump shots, the elevation in your cue can be very hard on the equipment. Move the cue ball around and practice the shot in moderation.
And most importantly, even though you now have the tips to shoot effective jacked up shots, only shoot them when absolutely necessary. When you have the option to roll the ball versus jacking up to achieve position, rolling the ball is always the higher percentage shot.
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