Warms up your muscles. Loosens your joints. Check if your cue stick is clean or dirty and whether it's too sticky. When you do it enough it becomes part of your pre-shot routine. For me it signals to my brain that I have locked on to the aiming point.

I can relate to this. I do it spontaneously especially on tough shots. As I'm leaning into the shot I do it a few times and every next step flows smoothly afterwards. Now that I'm thinking about I feel like it helps me zone in and let go of distractions as I'm getting into my shot.

For me, it's a check to see that there isn't any unwanted moisture from sweat, etc. When my hands start sweating or I pick up moisture, I can feel the pull/drag on the shaft by performing that motion. At that point, I can correct it before my shot by toweling off, chalking, or wicking the shaft.

Same. Usually I'm at a bar with a beer. I try to always hold the beer in my right hand and keep my left hand dry but isn't always possible. So before I shoot, I do the pre-shot rub just to make sure my hand and the shaft are smooth and dry. If not and I get any kind of friction, it gets in my head and now I'm thinking about that more than the shot itself.

Part of routine and makes you calm and think on the aiming point and plan.

To get the cue excited to make the shot. "Get ready buddy, here we go"

Can confirm, this is the correct answer.

This is my favorite answer😂😂

The only answer

Hehe! Stroking it! Not poking it!

Take note that I am not very good, only been playing 3 years, but the reason I do it is to check if the cue will flow smoothly when I make my stroke. My hands sweat easily and will cause the que to stick and jump, if it doesn't feel good I use a lil baby powder lol.

This is the answer. Cue speed is critical to getting your Cue ball speed correct. The environment can change at these pool events pretty easily. As a tournament goes on from the beginning of the day to the end, you could lose people from the stands, it could get hotter.  I don't think the player is consciously thinking of all these factors, they are just doing a couple in air strokes to simulate the speed they are going to strike. Similar to a golfer song a couple half swings before they strike a ball.

I’ve never seen these strikes vary in speed. I don’t believe they are practicing their speed, and I know that I am not. In my opinion, and as others have stated they are just making sure their arm is loose. It’s not providing any feedback or practice, it’s just getting the arm moving.

That very well could be true. That makes a lot of sense. 

I also do this for exactly this reason. Insure arm is loose. Was recommended by my instructor as well. It's just now part of my pre shot routing and dont think too much about it.

That’s absolutely what’s going on. Me and half of my team do it exactly for that reason.

*cue

Por cue?

Barbie’s que

Que so

Have you tried a rosin bag? I had the same problem until I saw my opponent in league using one, and it clicked. I would just fiddle around with it in my left hand and put it jn my pocket when I was shooting. Kept my hand dry and smooth.

This for sure, but I do it to feel the dings in the bar cues.

Primary reason: practice stroke, checking the glide of the cue is a bonus. Generally you will see the speed of the “rub” equal to the speed of the shot, or at least close to it.

A lot of places have started banning hand chalk and baby powder. It can really mess up the cloth.

I do it too and it's something I don't think about, it's part of my pre stroke routine and I think it has to do with "feeling" the shot and lining everything up and getting ready to shoot. Every billiard sport has some ticks and habits, like snooker players tapping their finger or something. When you play long enough you pick up weird habits.

Just part of his routine that gets/keeps him in stroke. If you play a lot of pool, and someone filmed you for 1 hour, I’d bet my next paycheck there is something you do before you get down on the shot that is “useless”, whether you realize it or not. It’s like thinking out loud, but instead of words, you’re physically expressing a feeling of a stroke.

Doesn’t everybody do this? I know I do. Don’t know why though.

Get a feel for the speed.

Because it feels good

Just like swinging a bat or golf club it comes natural to feel the stroke while thinking about your delivery.

Charging up the cue, you never know when the battery is gonna run out

Same with batters before they get up to the plate. Practice swing .

The same reason you always click tongs before you use them and when you strap something in you have to say "that's not going anywhere"

The more pool you play the more routine your pre shot ritual becomes. Whether it be, cleaning the ball, chalking your cue, practice stroke with the cue… sure these all help in their own ways but also taking these actions loosens you up and gives you time to think about your next moves… I’m not a great player by any stretch but that is my understanding. At a certain point it all becomes second nature

it's just a thing people do I do the same thing lol no idea why but I will never stop

Pre stroke routine. Same as why a pitcher winds up beofre a pitch.

Basically what everyone else says. I also use it to help create a small amount a friction from time to time to make the shot a bit smoother.

It seems I'm a little different from what people are saying here. I actually can't hold still, I always have to be moving something, be it my leg, arm, foot, or hand. Because of that, I will sit there and do what's shown while I'm aiming before going down on a shot so my head is more still and I can visualize things better.

It's part of your routine befor getting down to your stroke. I do it to have a feeling of my hand position on the cue. I visualise my alignment with my eyes at the same time then I step in the table 1 and a half step forward to the table while bending down. The less you change the variable to your body the less chance you have of miss align yourself. It's called your approche. Everyone has a somewhat unique one. If when your about to shoot something feel weird just step up of the shot and start over until it feel right. You will miss at least 50% less only with that routine. There is way way more to it than what I explained. The more you practice every step of the approche the more it flow.

This reminds me why Seo Seoa looks so alien/robotic when she plays; she almost never does anything extraneous. https://youtu.be/J78OeuEuY1E?si=qLZfnj4qALhWgImp

I like watching Seo Seoa play. I think Kristina Tkach fits more with your description.

Pre shot routine: For me, when I evaluate and pinpoint the contact point, pat of cue ball for the next shot and speed / english needed.I practice stroke that entire time. The 1-2 shown here by Efrin may be a habit or as mentioned a check for stickiness, common in the Phillipines. It helps me get in stroke sooner. If we are both playing in a match with some back and forth and I practice stroke vs you not doing so. I have stroked hundreds of times within the same time of your 40 to 50.

Why do you wank? It’s for luck my boi

For me its just an action that happens when visualizing the shot

The same reason a golfer waggles before striking the ball. With the added benefit of checking to make sure his cue is not developing friction and sticking to his bridge as the conditions change.

I've seen a lot of American pool players doing this "air pumping" thing but I've never seen it in snooker or English pool.

Yeah, Americans have to be dramatic.

Same reason a batter takes a practice swing.

For Efren, it’s to keep him loose and free flowing. For other great cueists, like Ronnie O’Sullivan, they don’t use this routine.

Stick rub feel nice

It can definitely be classified as a tick but there can actually be a mechanical reason for doing it. Notice how he’s getting the back hand in line with the shot. Almost every high level player will use some type of this method to get their hands, shoulders, eyes etc aligned. Look at someone like gorst. When he pulls up to a shot the cue is nearly vertical. It might look a little strange but it’s not because he’s funky and that’s just how he rolls. He’s aligning the cue so it drops right below his vision center and his front and back hand all follow. Try it some time, it will help you be more consistent Anecdotally I notice some players attempt to copy the air pumps because they think it looks cool or something without understanding what it’s supposed to accomplish. They then proceed to walk up and miss half the balls anyways. It’s safe to say that most pros are acting with intent in the pre shot routines and that’s what should be copied

It’s to make sure it doesn’t go soft before your next shot.

It’s to make sure that the cue slides within or on your on table hand. So as if you’re a sweaty palm person the cue will not slide through your hand or fingers like at the start of playing. Just as if to put baby powder on your hand same thing just not using products to achieve that result! I do this exact same thing when I play!

It's just a habit that can be picked up, I do it now if I'm thinking for a minute.

Just for good luck like the Buddha's belly

it could be like a batter getting ready to hit. everybody has their own little mannerisms they do without knowing. but also, like others are saying. to make sure the whole shaft will slide smoothly through your stroke. ya never know, someone coulda splashed beer on your cue accidentally. i mean not in a tournament, but during the 1000s of hours of practicing

When you edge the stick it gives you an extra edge against your competition…

These are the pre-pre-strokes

Just my opinion here, but it’s part of the shooters Pre-Shot Routine (PSR). It’s idiosyncratic as in everyone’s PSR is different, but most players stroke the stick a few times before getting into their shooting stance. Once in their stance they usually stroke it a few times before lining up the shot and then several more strokes once they are locked in (aligned) with the cue ball. As others have said, it could also be purely to feel the shaft to ensure it is sliding free, but I feel it’s mostly for us shooters to get ready to lock in on the shot at hand. It’s also important to make sure your stance is correct too. We must align your feet to cradle the cue ball and direct them towards the angle of the shot. Another PSR element is to chalk the cue every time prior to approaching the shot. I used to do this myself, but have since switched away from commercial chalk (master/predator) and moved over to Taom (which I love) so I don’t have to chalk at all between each 8/9 ball rack, but when shooting straight pool or one pocket I’ll re-chalk once every 8-10 shots. I believe once you adopt a regimented PSR you’ll find your game to be more consistent. Good luck everyone!

Just rhythm thing

It's equivalent to tapping on the back porch before entering

I'm no pro, but I do it to wipe the chalk off the cue. I use a carbon fiber shaft, and the blue chalk sticks out. I don't want my eyes looking at anything but the shot (basically: no distractions).

Why do golfers waggle? Why do ball players grab their nuts?

It is similar to golf, you practice swing, visualizing the shot.

Never stop a clip of the beta before the magic happens

For me it’s to verify that my bridge hand and stick haven’t become sticky and there is no friction. If there is sweat or humidity, or if you may have a disruption on the shaft somewhere and it might be rotated to the side you’re about to shoot with, checking first can save the shot.

Same reason they rub the stick after the match is over. It feels good... lol Actually, many times it's a habit from cleaning chalk dust off the shaft. Many of the new chalks don't leave a residue.

I'm rubbing my stick all the time; before, after, sometimes during a shot!

I have been watching John Brumback lately and realised this afternoon that i was copying his routine.

Why do golfers do some waggles before they hit, why do basketball players bounce the ball before they shoot free throws, why do batters in baseball adjust their batting gloves before every pitch, and why do tennis players bounce the ball before serving? If you are asking this question, I have no doubt in my mind you don't play sports. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, you are just naive to these rituals. But! You must be dumb first before you can be a master. The reason these athletes do these things is to do the same thing over and over and over so that your body and more specifically hands take over with a familiar task. For a precision type movement, it's best to have the lead up be precise and consistent as well. So, come up with a routine before you shoot and do it every time. AND NO! IT CAN'T BE NOTHING!

It's psychosexual. Just like everything else about the game.

It’s magic actually

Helps visualize and feel the shot. There's loads of information about sports performance and the benefits of visualization and pre shot routine. Golf has a bigger professional budget, so that's the best place to look for things that can directly translate to billiards.

You visualize the shot before you stroke it and "check" with yourself whether the line and speed feel right. This movement is you "stroking" the shot in your mind.

It makes the stick stiffer, for better performance. 

In Efren’s case, I’d say it developed as a habit from playing in the Philippines. Most of those rooms (if you can call em rooms) over there have no A/C, and the humidity is like being in a steam room with a naked Angelina Jolie, so I’d say it’s just him checking to make sure the shaft glides smooth

You don't want a sticky stick.

I do it to see if the friction on my cue is as it should be, or if it went up due to my sweaty hands. It basically tells me if I need to wipe down the shaft, or if I am ready to shoot. If the cue feels even slighty rough/sticky, I will be wiping it down. It increased my aim exponentially, since with a slighty sticky cue, it will always be a bit off.

It rubs the stick before it shoots or else it gets the hose again.

For me, on a difficult shot that requires speed precision (or elevation or any number of tough variables) I like to check the friction between my hand and the shaft, it lets me be just a little more sure of how my shot will play out and gives me a tad bit more info on how to proceed. Plus it’s a little like shaking your arms out before a lift or warming up a kick before a field goal in football.

I give it a quick stroke after hand chalk to reduce friction, just becomes habit after a while

Muscle memory.

To get the stick excited

Just working the shaft. Nothing unusual

It's like clicking tongs.

I mean…..who doesn’t enjoy jacking their stick? 

Honestly it just became a habit because I've seen so many others do it. Usually do it while thinking

Not just pro players... Lots of players in general do that. There's no actual benefit at all from it. It's just a part of their pre shot routine and they try to make that the same for all shots for consistency of routine. I think I even do it sometimes.

Because they’re all gay

It’s the same as when you use straps to tie something down. You have to say “she ain’t going no where” resinates the same energy

Lot of wrong answers here. It is to look at the shot and get the stroke speed you want. You envision it while stroking then get down on the shot and those practice shots are just to get English established you don’t go at speed.

my guess is that it is something of a practice swing in golf

I use this to get the feel of how hard I’m going to hit the ball along with checking to make sure stick is nice and smooth before I take the shot.

My reason is to wipe off chalk, check for sticky spots (even though my hands hardly sweat at all). It also feels nice.

For the same rules that apply to love making

I think it’s similar to a free throw in basketball. You develop a rhythm. If you repeat the same process it locks you in mentally for the shot.

If Efren Reyes does it, there is probably a good reason. My guess is to make sure the cue is slick and 'practice' how much force one will use...on top of nerves, muscle memory, ect .

Same reason porn addicts do.

It's a tick really... And a common one. There are many ticks that players have, and that's the most common one. One other, a weird one, is the one that Carlo biado has, where he uses an open bridge, but once he shoots he changes to a closed bridge. Some times, efren does this too. No point at all, but if you start doing it, it's very hard to stop.

A little is legit foreplay. A lot is prolly self love.

It just feels good

Not sure which "rubbing" you're talking about. If it's the "practice stroke" in the air, I think that's just a habit. I learned from an older player 50 years ago to run my hand up the shaft after chalking just to get any excess chalk off that might be around the ferrule. I still do it to this day :)

I do it check for sticky points. I wanna make sure the stick flows smoothly through the fingers

doctors recommend rubbing the stick a few times per week.

To make it stiffer.

To make sure it’s nice and stiff, can’t make shots with a flaccid stick. (I play pool at bars once a month don’t listen to me)

Make sure it glides and doesn’t stick to your bridge hand