Deconstructing the Jump Shot

Angle of Impact
When lining up a jump shot, you want to make sure you're hitting the cue ball at an angle that allows for it to clear any obstructions. Because gravity is immediately working against you and the cue ball doesn't jump at an angle equal to that of your cue, you will have to hit at a relatively steep angle. In Diagram 1, you need to clear the 3 ball. If the angle from the center of the cue ball to an area safely above the obstruction is 30 degrees, you'll want strike the cue ball at an angle of up to 60 degrees.

Imagine the cue ball's equator being in line with your cue (Diagram 2). If you're approaching the cue ball at 45 degrees, the equator shifts 45 degrees. Hitting the cue ball at a point on this line effectively translates to a center-ball hit.

Previous Page Page 6 Next Page >


Top