What cue stroke are you using?

What type of stroke are you using?


  • Total voters
    122
  • Poll closed .
I think my stroke is pretty close to pendulum-like, but I don't worry about dropping my elbow at all.
Shots will come up where dropping it will make more sense and require less strain than trying to
generate 100% of your cue speed with your bicep and then rigidly stopping at the end of your swing.

I do think the pause is the nuts and the theory behind less-moving-parts is very solid.

Creedo,

I agree...&...I disagree.

Shoot Well!

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick
 
I have a video of me playing in the instructor forums, I guess I have the "elbow drop" thing, although when I line up, my cue stays level, I don't feel like my arm is moving anywhere except straight forward.

http://youtu.be/W6KKnuZWiWE

About 7:10 I actually played a bit of 9 ball where you can see how I hit better.

9,

I only watched the one rack from the 7:10 point once but it looks like on a couple of shots your tip came up a bit & you hit higher than where you were 'aligning'. I don't know if that was your intention or not but it could be from the elbow drop with the grip not being right for it. Check it out.

Don't mean to nit pick because I like how you play but that's what jumped out at me.

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick
 
I voted pendulum variation. Call it a J-stroke.

Elbow and shoulder are fixed before and at contact. On soft shots I have very little follow through....pure pendulum. On harder stroked shots, I have more follow through and my elbow drops after contact.
 
A straightish one? Atleast that's what I aim for :)

Since I started playing the American style billiard games I realised my snooker stroke, that got taught to me as the be-all-end-all of strokes wasn't the best thing since sliced bread after all.

From a head on shot of me, my bridge, head, shooting shoulder and triceps through to my elbow are all aligned. Doesn't matter if I drop my elbow, stroke in a piston or pendulum motion...it hits where I want to hit. Without an elbow drop I can't generate enough power for some shots, and if I don't need an elbow drop I don't use one.

Watching and playing snooker I was used to one stroke. When I started watching the likes of Efren and Buste I thought who are these jokers? No one can play using a stroke like that. Never been so wrong.

There is a vid of O'Sullivan on Youtube of him dipping his toes into 9 ball. He got spanked by a kid, granted the kid was amazing! And so many times he played it like it was snooker. Full table shot that required 4ft of draw. Most pros would eat that up for breakfast, but Ronnie couldn't do it. The best snooker player ever to play the game couldn't manage a shot most bangers do as a 'warm-up'.
 
I'm going to go all Brewster's Millions on you and say none of the above. Or perhaps I should simply reply Yes.
 
A straightish one? Atleast that's what I aim for :)

Since I started playing the American style billiard games I realised my snooker stroke, that got taught to me as the be-all-end-all of strokes wasn't the best thing since sliced bread after all.

From a head on shot of me, my bridge, head, shooting shoulder and triceps through to my elbow are all aligned. Doesn't matter if I drop my elbow, stroke in a piston or pendulum motion...it hits where I want to hit. Without an elbow drop I can't generate enough power for some shots, and if I don't need an elbow drop I don't use one.

Watching and playing snooker I was used to one stroke. When I started watching the likes of Efren and Buste I thought who are these jokers? No one can play using a stroke like that. Never been so wrong.

There is a vid of O'Sullivan on Youtube of him dipping his toes into 9 ball. He got spanked by a kid, granted the kid was amazing! And so many times he played it like it was snooker. Full table shot that required 4ft of draw. Most pros would eat that up for breakfast, but Ronnie couldn't do it. The best snooker player ever to play the game couldn't manage a shot most bangers do as a 'warm-up'.

Nice post Pidge.

You're a little tough, but I think we get the point.

Believe it or not my stance, stroke, etc is close but not exactly like snooker. As I'm sure you know you can get some power when you need it but not with a 'measured' stroke. This may sound crazy but it goes along a bit with what CJ says about from the ground up. My snooker type stance has my right knee flexed. I am in an athletic position perhaps because I played so many other sports. I may be wrong but I think that that flex can contribute or should I say not inhibit a bit of additional 'power'.

That might be a bogus thought but it is sort of a feel thing.

Best Regards & Wishes,
Rick
 
I have a pretty snooker like piston stroke w/ multiple points of body contact and an open stance.
 
I voted pendulum variation. Call it a J-stroke.

Elbow and shoulder are fixed before and at contact. On soft shots I have very little follow through....pure pendulum. On harder stroked shots, I have more follow through and my elbow drops after contact.

Ron,

See, what you are talking about is a bit different than what I meant when I said a complete pendulum stroke. I now realize that I was not very clear.

IMO, the difference between you and someone using a complete pendulum stroke would be that while you would extend your hand straight along the cue line their hand would come up like on the 'up' side of a complete pendulum.

Thanks & Best Wishes,
Rick
 
Ron,

See, what you are talking about is a bit different than what I meant when I said a complete pendulum stroke. I now realize that I was not very clear.

IMO, the difference between you and someone using a complete pendulum stroke would be that while you would extend your hand straight along the cue line their hand would come up like on the 'up' side of a complete pendulum.

Thanks & Best Wishes,
Rick

I agree, I am not pure complete pendulum. That's why I voted pendulum variation.
 
I agree, I am not pure complete pendulum. That's why I voted pendulum variation.

Ron,

You voted correctly. I saw that. I was just referring to your comment about the softer shot...'pure pendulum' vs more power being a J-stroke.

That type analysis would make the length of a stroke be the defining parameter. In my mind it should not be so. By your description I would call your soft shots a mini piston-J because if you magnify the intensity it would be a full blown piston-J. Would I really be wrong to do that. At contact & right after, your hand is either coming up or extending down the cue line. I'd say that you might have a piston-J stroke regardless of the intensity.

And that is what I have seen when some post a video of certain pros & refer to their stroke as a pendulum but when you watch the whole video there are shots with a bit longer stroke that is not a complete pendulum but is a J stroke like yours.

That was my earlier point.

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick
 
Nice post Pidge.

You're a little tough, but I think we get the point.

Believe it or not my stance, stroke, etc is close but not exactly like snooker. As I'm sure you know you can get some power when you need it but not with a 'measured' stroke. This may sound crazy but it goes along a bit with what CJ says about from the ground up. My snooker type stance has my right knee flexed. I am in an athletic position perhaps because I played so many other sports. I may be wrong but I think that that flex can contribute or should I say not inhibit a bit of additional 'power'.

That might be a bogus thought but it is sort of a feel thing.

Best Regards & Wishes,
Rick
Rick are you right handed? I am and I've always kept my right knee locked, no matter how high or low a table is. There are some very good snooker and pool players that do flex both legs though. Usually because they're tall, but not always.If I bend both legs it just puts strain on my right quad and feels "wrong" to me.

You can generate power with a true pendulum stroke, but you whack yourself in the chest with the grip arm. Snooker is understandable...you rarely have to hit a ball "full speed". Pool is different. The break for me is an all out assault on the CB, so I'd constantly have a bruised right nipple if I were to use a pendulum stroke. Try explaining that to the wife...!

I actually have no idea what my stroke is like now-a-days. Haven't filmed or watched my self play in a LONG time. My set up is what its always been. Right foot on shot line, bridge shoulder elbow on shot line and body turned so my left cheek is against left shoulder and right chest angled outwards. No idea what my right arms doing, I'm too busy looking at the OB :)
 
Rick are you right handed? I am and I've always kept my right knee locked, no matter how high or low a table is. There are some very good snooker and pool players that do flex both legs though. Usually because they're tall, but not always.If I bend both legs it just puts strain on my right quad and feels "wrong" to me.

You can generate power with a true pendulum stroke, but you whack yourself in the chest with the grip arm. Snooker is understandable...you rarely have to hit a ball "full speed". Pool is different. The break for me is an all out assault on the CB, so I'd constantly have a bruised right nipple if I were to use a pendulum stroke. Try explaining that to the wife...!

I actually have no idea what my stroke is like now-a-days. Haven't filmed or watched my self play in a LONG time. My set up is what its always been. Right foot on shot line, bridge shoulder elbow on shot line and body turned so my left cheek is against left shoulder and right chest angled outwards. No idea what my right arms doing, I'm too busy looking at the OB :)

Pidge,

Yes I am right handed & I am only 5'9" 'tall'.

I used to wear western boots with 1 & 3/4" heels when playing at a couple of places because the tables were so high.

My knees are not 'bent'. They are just flexed & not locked out & I have a rather wide stance. I am also very square to the line of the shot, not literally but I think you know what I mean. I'm almost like playing middle linebacker getting ready to move to the right.

Have you read what CJ has said about a feeling of shooting out of your chest. Well it is kind of like I am shooting out from between my pec & shoulder but my hand never hits that area because the cue is moving straight out without the butt coming up & the tip arcing down. It's a Dr. Doolittle stroke. The cue says pull me / push me. That's the first time I have ever referred to my stoke in any kind of terms. If I can't find it the next time I'm at the table I'm blaming you.:wink:

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick
 
Mines kinda ....upright stance / pendelum/ wrist snap/ elbo drop with an occasional side of chicken wing. :shrug:
What catagorie do fall in ?
 
Mines kinda ....upright stance / pendelum/ wrist snap/ elbo drop with an occasional side of chicken wing. :shrug:
What catagorie do fall in ?

I think you are in the wrong forum.

This a forum for cue sports not bowling.:wink:

Best,
Rick
 
Mines kinda ....upright stance / pendelum/ wrist snap/ elbo drop with an occasional side of chicken wing. :shrug:
What catagorie do fall in ?
A tall wristy non-vegetarian?

Rick, if you can't find your stroke when you're next at the table, make sure the dominant eye is facing East. Easiest way to find it ;)
 
A tall wristy non-vegetarian?

Rick, if you can't find your stroke when you're next at the table, make sure the dominant eye is facing East. Easiest way to find it ;)

Thanks for the chuckle. Actually it was a double chuckle.

But that won't work...

my wife does not go the pool hall with me.:wink:
 
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