Elbow drop or pendulum stroke

Elbow drop or pendulum stroke

  • Total voters
    35
trob

trob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So 30 plus years of playing and I still fight the same thing. The elbow drop. I consider myself a good player. Not a gambler. Never have been or will be. But I’ve won plenty of local tournaments. Finished tops of all the local leagues one time or another . Consistent 9/7 in apa. A solid amateur is what I consider myself. the one thing I’ve always fought is the elbow drop. I can’t have one. I’ve never got the timing right and it always drops before contact so I’ve worked on the pendulum stroke to make it 2nd nature of course but it sneaks in. Last night long straight shot Running out and boom there it is lol the shot I missed on a valley goes but a 4.25 inch diamond pocket that’s a nope lol so I’m thinking maybe I should put some time into the elbow drop. im obviously not a robot so no matter what I do a flaw in my stroke will pop up now and then but I’m not so sure that the work I put in will add to my consistency. So the question is am I in the minority? What kid of stroke do you have and How many of you struggle with the same thing.

And before anyone gives me shit for the not gambling because god forbid you play pool and not gamble I don’t care lol casinos bore the hell out of me And I have better things to do with my money then gamble. I take my wife and watch her and am bored to tears 😂 I get all the pressure I need out of leagues and tournaments. to each their own.
 
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Me too. I'm 71. If I drop my elbow I miss. I don't gamble either. I am currently shooting a tournament at a casino. I don't spend a dime there gambling.
 
bbb said:
there has to be a reason i would guess more than 90% of pro pool players drop their elbow
it cant be that bad a thing
just sayin
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I don’t disagree. The same reason I added the pause at the end of my stroke. the best ball strikers in the world have one so I should have one lol. And it’s helped my consistency

could you also hit the poll above. Im really interested to see how many of us have it
 
bbb said:
there has to be a reason i would guess more than 90% of pro pool players drop their elbow
it cant be that bad a thing
just sayin
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I’d have to say I don’t agree with that statement. I guess it depends on what degree of elbow movement you are considering as an elbow drop (piston) stroke as opposed to a pendulum (elbow remaining relatively stationary) stroke. Some are way more extreme than others.

Do a search for a 2019 thread titled “Ultimate Argument: Pendulum vs Piston Stroke”. It will save you having to wait for responses and opinions, as there are 196 posts in that thread.
 
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ChrisinNC said:
I’d have to say I don’t agree with that statement. I guess it depends on what degree of elbow movement you are considering as an elbow drop (piston) stroke as opposed to a pendulum stroke. Some are way more extreme than others.
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It just takes timing that I can’t seem to master hence why I worked hard on the pendulum stroke
 
bbb said:
there has to be a reason i would guess more than 90% of pro pool players drop their elbow
it cant be that bad a thing
just sayin
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I think that percentage is much lower and most of their drop comes after the CB is hit.
Historically I've had an elbow drop stroke, but I've been working on my pendulum stroke for the last 20 years. Overall, I believe it's more consistent when I do it correctly.
 
ChrisinNC said:
Allison certainly does not have an elbow drop stroke, in my opinion.
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That’s what I’m saying. Her stroke is picture perfect. Aside from her pros can drop/lift do anything. She’s my role model. I’m a fan of SPF. My issue is wrist twisting. I’m very self conscious of not dropping the elbow/shoulder.
 
GoldCrown said:
That’s what I’m saying. Her stroke is picture perfect. Aside from her pros can drop/lift do anything. She’s my role model. I’m a fan of SPF. My issue is wrist twisting. I’m very self conscious of not dropping the elbow/shoulder.
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I had a problem with twisting my wrist years a go when I first started playing. I started playing with a small bowling glove on that locks your wrist when I was practicing. Broke that habit lol.
 
trob said:
I had a problem with twisting my wrist years a go when I first started playing. I started playing with a small bowling glove on that locks your wrist when I was practicing. Broke that habit lol.
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Whatever it takes. Strange how we can shoot the cue ball straight onto a pocket all day long but put an object ball in between and oh baby. I missed some really easy game balls from habits
 
ChrisinNC said:
I’d have to say I don’t agree with that statement. I guess it depends on what degree of elbow movement you are considering as an elbow drop (piston) stroke as opposed to a pendulum (elbow remaining relatively stationary) stroke. Some are way more extreme than others.

Do a search for a 2019 thread titled “Ultimate Argument: Pendulum vs Piston Stroke”. It will save you having to wait for responses and opinions, as there are 196 posts in that thread.
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I’m going to be busy most of the day so I can’t really discuss our difference of opinion at the moment, but maybe you can give me a gist of what that thread conclusion was
 
GoldCrown said:
That’s what I’m saying. Her stroke is picture perfect. Aside from her pros can drop/lift do anything. She’s my role model. I’m a fan of SPF. My issue is wrist twisting. I’m very self conscious of not dropping the elbow/shoulder.
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2 things have helped me with limiting / eliminating my wrist twist. One is wearing a wrist brace, at least for practice if not all the time.

The second is a tip recently given to me by Ernesto while he was here working on our tables - Removing your thumb completely from your grip.
 
bbb said:
I’m going to be busy most of the day so I can’t really discuss our difference of opinion at the moment, but maybe you can give me a gist of what that thread conclusion was
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Played with a banger at my last community… he had a locomotive stroke. He keep that piston turning and eventually fired away. No consistency.
Whatever works best is the proper stroke. But if a consistent system is needed to rely on the SPF is up there.
 
bbb said:
I’m going to be busy most of the day so I can’t really discuss our difference of opinion at the moment, but maybe you can give me a gist of what that thread conclusion was
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That’s up to you to do if you wish. I don’t recall and I don’t have the time to read through 10 pages of posts. I was just making the OP and others here interested in this topic aware of it.
 
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Ok... I'm an idiot.

What stroke that follows through the CB does not contain some level of elbow drop...? Is there some threshold of drop we're discussing...?

I know I personally have some pretty darn solid snooker mechanics, and I also know that my elbow will drop during follow through. Is this just a matter of grip location...?

Maybe I need pictures... Possibly drawn in crayon 🥴
 
The_JV said:
Ok... I'm an idiot.

What stroke that follows through the CB does not contain some level of elbow drop...? Is there some threshold of drop we're discussing...?

I know I personally have some pretty darn solid snooker mechanics, and I also know that my elbow will drop during follow through. Is this just a matter of grip location...?

Maybe I need pictures... Possibly drawn in crayon 🥴
Click to expand...
In a stationary pendulum stroke, on the follow through your elbow angle increases (bends up), your hand and the butt of the cue rise up and may even run in to your torso as the cue tip follows down in to the cloth on the follow through. Basically your elbow doesn’t significantly move down or forward through the completion of the stroke.

In an elbow drop piston stroke, your hand and elbow fire through towards the target, your cue remains more level with the table surface throughout the follow through, and your elbow angle may actually decrease during the follow through. Your elbow significantly drops and moves forward on the follow through.

At least that’s the way I see it.
 
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ChrisinNC said:
In a stationary pendulum stroke, on the follow through your elbow bends up, your hand and the butt of the cue rise up and may even run in to your torso as the cue tip follows down in to the cloth.

In an elbow drop piston stroke, your hand and elbow fire through towards the target and your cue remains more level with the table surface throughout the follow through.

At least that’s the way I see it.
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huh interesting...

This may a difference in stance vs mechanics then. My elbow definitely doesn't go up, but I do hit my torso with my hand during follow through. My cue stays on plane throughout and does not rise or fall while following through. Thinking I need to review some video of my game

Probably why I'm struggling with the poll.
 
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