Elbow drop or pendulum stroke

[trob]

I think the basic problem with elbow drop before impact is that the tip will contact the cue in a different place than it was at setup. Generally the tip will make impact higher than it was at setup. I think this is why some pros with early elbow drop set up with their tips lower than they want it to be at impact. In theory, if someone could match elbow rise in backswing with the same amount of elbow drop by impact, they would hit the same contact point as at address. Either way, an early elbow drop probably requires a lot of natural talent and practice to be precise with tip contact point.

Elbow drop after impact will occur naturally if the shoulder does not rotate until upper and lower arm have contacted each other.

Just my opinions. That said, if I was a consistent strong APA 9/7, I wouldn’t be doing much tinkering with my stroke.

Well yeah that’s that problem.. the contact on the cue ball isn’t even close. I don’t even know how you would have an elbow drop before And still play well but understand how people play with the slip stroke either lol

 

[straightline]

I've seen people stiff arm it from the shoulder. Not the most elegant looking technique or results but it's done.

 

[The_JV]

Just my opinions. That said, if I was a consistent strong APA 9/7, I wouldn’t be doing much tinkering with my stroke.

Food for your thought. I've never been anything but a 9/7 in the world of APA, and I'm always tinkering with my stroke in hopes of increasing reliability. Never the basics mechanics, but motion and delivery.

 

[Poolmanis]

I have not think about elbow drop in 15 years.. I remember i had similar as Fedor but i checked from video that i don't do it anymore.
I think it won't matter. What matters is that cue go straight.

 

[RacerX750]

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.

Agreed. The less moving parts the less chance for error. Having said that, many top pros have a less than orthodox stroke, but they do it consistently. That's the key, as long as you can repeat whatever you do for each shot.

 

[trob]

Food for your thought. I've never been anything but a 9/7 in the world of APA, and I'm always tinkering with my stroke in hopes of increasing reliability. Never the basics mechanics, but motion and delivery.

Yeah I mean you can always get better. Btw pretty much the same. lol a friend brought me in as a 7 and I was a 9 by the end of the first session. I would bet even pro’s are looking for ways they can get a little more consistent

 

[trob]

I have not think about elbow drop in 15 years.. I remember i had similar as Fedor but i checked from video that i don't do it anymore.
I think it won't matter. What matters is that cue go straight.

Your not wrong as long as that elbow drop happens post contact and not pre like it does for me lol

 

[Flakeandrun]

Your not wrong as long as that elbow drop happens post contact and not pre like it does for me lol

Michael Holt did an interesting YT video on cue action (smashing in long blues with deep screw and then waving his cue around like a magic wand).

The point was, what happens after you've contacted the CB and put all the impetus in a straight line through the ball, means nothing. It doesn't matter at all what happens to your body. You could do the Macarena after every shot, as long as the contact point was where it needed to be and was driving momentum in a straight line.
As for elbow drop, It was definitely frowned upon when I was growing up playing snooker. I personally don't see how an elbow drop prior to contact would give the necessary accurate forward momentum. After contact, it's irrelevant. So I would say pendulum is the more appropriate method, or the mechanics that I would suggest offer the greatest probability of playing well.

Short version of how a snooker coach will rabbit on in your ear...
- align the shot (foot, hip, shoulder, elbow of cueing arm) with the desired line of travel
- when down on the stroke check the alignment of the cue, and stand up again if it's feeling off, it should feel like everything marries up with the line of intended travel i.e. the parallel of foot, hip, shoulder, elbow you just made (hand, elbow, shoulder of forehand aligning with back arm - HIGH elbow - cue locked under chin running alongside body)
- from this point the only thing swinging is that elbow joint (frozen shoulder)
- point of delivery/contact (pendulum of elbow only, lose grip (mine is middle/ring finger balance point) there is some level of acceptable 'play' in the wrist for generating power, stun, spin)

I'll try to find the video, because watching him bash them in and waving his cue around like a lightsabre is pretty entertaining. He seems a bit of a cocky dude, and has an annoying northern accent, but his content is pretty good.

 

[Flakeandrun]

I think the exact element of discussion was actually on another social media platform and I can't locate it, but it included a similar video to this. He mentions impetus straight through the ball, and that once contact is made at the desired pace, with the desired direction achieved, you can basically do anything you like with the cue and your body.

 

[pw98]

True story: in college, I just about wrecked my car due to nipple pain.

I had this happen too except the cherry from a cigar fall off and burnt through my pants and burnt my junk while driving.

 

[7stud]

My cue is always in contact with my chest, along with my chin... If the butt of the cue was rising to any notable degree. This would manifest in my tip dropping.

...as well as the butt of the cue smashing into your chin. I tried chin on cue, but I almost gave myself a concussion. Then I watched some videos of snooker players, and I noticed that on their follow through the cue moves downwards away from their chin, which means the tip has to go up.

 

[BeiberLvr]

Not sure if it was mentioned yet, but here's a pro tip from a top 10 one pocket player. (in Shooters Pool)

If you drop your elbow and suck at pool. Stop dropping your elbow.

If you don't drop your elbow and suck at pool. Give dropping your elbow a try.

 

[lfigueroa]

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.

I had to laugh today.

I saw an instructor giving a lesson place a piece of chalk on the upper arm of a student in shooting position, telling them to ensure it didn't fall.

Lou Figueroa