Stance and alignment

A Balanced Stance

fundamentals

The thirty-second answer

Build a comfortable, balanced position that supports your sightline and lets the cue move cleanly. There is no single foot arrangement for every body and every shot.

See the body, feet & hands ↓

Build Your Stroke · positions up close

See the setup.

Full-body examples and hand close-ups. Choose the situation, then inspect the support, foot placement, and space your cue needs.

Right cue hand · left bridge hand

01 / Body & feet

Build the stance around the line.

Choose the shot upright. Then place your feet, lower your body, and leave the cue a clear route.

Bring your sighting position over the cue line at a comfortable head height.
Reach from a balanced base. Let the bridge arm settle without pulling the torso forward.
Leave space beside the hip for the grip hand and the whole practice stroke.

Feet & body clearance

The staggered shoes show one starting arrangement. Adjust their spacing and turn until you can stay still without strain; neither shoe has to sit on an exact line.

The bridge hand

Spread the bridge fingers and settle the hand before the cue moves. Lift the thumb toward the index finger to form the open channel.

Before you pull the trigger

Take three slow practice strokes. If your hip, chest, or chin makes you steer the cue, stand up and move the stance.

Read the technique →

Stay in good companyMore from Build Your Stroke

Learn the movement.

Find the shot line while upright, then step into a comfortable, balanced position. Leave room for the grip hand and cue to travel. Your height, mobility, and reach affect the arrangement; a stock foot angle is not a fitting service.

Look along the intended line and take a few calm practice strokes. If you feel cramped, stand up and reset rather than twisting around the shot. Repeatable entry is more useful than holding a pose that hurts.

Try it

One useful set.

Setup & action: Approach the same short shot repeatedly, standing up between attempts.
What to watch: Check comfort, alignment, and clearance; ask your coach to review a persistent problem.
Practice format: 10 attempts is a starting suggestion. Record the pattern, not just the best one.

Record an attempt

A common complication.

Settling into the stance before deciding the line, then steering to compensate.

Change one thing

Choose the line upright and approach it afresh on each attempt.

What changes the result?

Your setup, the equipment, and the intended outcome affect the comparison. Use a repeatable starting point and a modest target; bring persistent technique questions to a coach.

Keep something useful

A note to yourself.

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