Am I Missing Out?!?!?

[travis92]

Before I say this, I just want to say that I am not meaning to bash anyone or the ideas they have on this, I am just curious.

There are a lot of people on here that talk about the pendulum stroke, and people who are firm believers in this style of stroke. My question is, if this is the most preferred way, then why is it that a majority of the pro's don't use this. I was watching a bunch of youtube videos tonight and not many of the big-name players had a textbook pendulum stroke. Form SVB to Efren, they don't seem to use a pendulum stroke. A lot of them seem to drop their elbows on the backstroke, not keeping it perfectly in place like what some people here advocate. I understand that everyone has what works for them, and nobody's stroke is or should be the same, but if this is what the best of the best are doing, then why aren't we taking something away from that?

 

[softshot]

it's not about how they are different...

it's about how they are the same..


Pro's finish their stroke

Pro's hit the CB EXACTLY where they intend to every time

Pro's control their speed to an accuracy of Inches..

the best instructors take what you have and make it better..

the worst instructors tell everyone to do it exactly like they do it..

we are all built different ... we all have different eyes... we all see the table differently..

the secret is to take what you have and make it meet the minimum requirements..

hit the ball exactly where you intend to

aim at the right spot

control your speed

finish your stroke

when you can do those things.. you are instantly better

when you gain decent control of those things... you are flat out good

when you master them... your name shows up on the forum..

good coaching can shave years off of your learning curve..

bad coaching can add years to it...

make a good choice..

if you do it is very very worth it...

I know.. first hand

 

[RunoutJJ]

I was taught to keep the elbow up after a follow through and never to drop it. I think its a matter of prefernce tbh. Earl drops his elbow all the time and he's Earl!!! Karen Corr and Allison Fisher are great examples of the Penedulum stroke.

Personally i use the Penedulum style stroke and it feels pretty solid. That and you know when your playing badly right from the start. Take a look at the Avatar and you be the judge :wink:

 

[greyghost]

dropping the elbow just accentuates the follow through, it does not throw another axis into the stroke, so its still going to be straight if you drop your elbow, not to mention you hit the ball long b/f the elbow ever drops so that only happens after the fact and will have no effect on how accurate you shoot

 

[cswann1]

The pendulum method is good for those who need help with their mechanics and are trying to develop a good stroke technique.

A pro player very well might have started off using this technique but as any artist does, he or she eventually developed their own unique stroking style. Although some pros got to be pros by being extremely dedicated to perfecting techniques like the pendulum and being always conscious of their mechanics. That also may be why some of us go through a period when we seem to be going backwards. We start to do things a little differently because it "feels right", but the results are poor for a while because we haven't adjusted for the differences in our playing style.


To answer the OP's question: It depends on where your skills are. If you are fairly skilled, probably not. If you are having a lot of trouble with your longer shots, you may need to look at your stroke and see if their is room for improvement their. If your newer to pool and want to try some techniques to develop your game as quickly as possible the pendulum is a good place to start.

 

[Cameron Smith]

Before I say this, I just want to say that I am not meaning to bash anyone or the ideas they have on this, I am just curious.

There are a lot of people on here that talk about the pendulum stroke, and people who are firm believers in this style of stroke. My question is, if this is the most preferred way, then why is it that a majority of the pro's don't use this. I was watching a bunch of youtube videos tonight and not many of the big-name players had a textbook pendulum stroke. Form SVB to Efren, they don't seem to use a pendulum stroke. A lot of them seem to drop their elbows on the backstroke, not keeping it perfectly in place like what some people here advocate. I understand that everyone has what works for them, and nobody's stroke is or should be the same, but if this is what the best of the best are doing, then why aren't we taking something away from that?

The professionals you mentioned basically approached and practiced the game the way it came most naturally. Any lessons they would have had, the intructor would have adjusted the mechanics they already had rather than doing a complete overhaul. So the reason why they do things the way they do, is they most likely weren't taught a pendulum.

Watch some snooker, where most professionals have had coaching at some point, and you will find some pendulum strokes. There is not nearly same amount of variety in styles.

 

[lee brett]

dropping the elbow, allows you to hit through the cueball naturally, a golfer doesnt stop his swing at the golf ball, or a tennis player, they hit through the ball 100%.

i coach this technique and not going to go into detail on why and how.

this is the way forward for players like golf advanced and any other sport, pool will look back in 10 years and the argument will be drop the elbow or pendulum, i will guarantee more of the champions will be dropping thee elbow.

anyone wants to learn this let me know.

 

[woody_968]

dropping the elbow, allows you to hit through the cueball naturally, a golfer doesnt stop his swing at the golf ball, or a tennis player, they hit through the ball 100%.

pendulum

Do you think that someone using a pendulum stroke is stopping the cue AT the cueball?

 

[lee brett]

Do you think that someone using a pendulum stroke is stopping the cue AT the cueball?

no woody but, it effects the cueball differently, and you will not be as accurate and the tighter the pockets the more you will see them miss, and also more under pressure the elbow drop holds up.

 

[pooltchr]

no woody but, it effects the cueball differently, and you will not be as accurate and the tighter the pockets the more you will see them miss, and also more under pressure the elbow drop holds up.

If you watch closely, most pros who do drop their elbow do so after the cue ball has already left the cue tip. So there is no different effect on the cue ball. If they drop it before contact, it causes the tip to rise, and can change the spin applied to the cue ball.
The pendilum stroke is the purest movement possible, and will provide consistency that very few other methods can accomplish.

If you shoot like Efren or SVB, you can get away with a lot more than if you shoot like the rest of us.

Steve

 

[PKM]

It seems like the pendulum stroke is the best way to learn, and I certainly don't think it is less accurate in any way, but it is curious that few pros use the "textbook" stroke. Since pros obviously take training seriously, you would think more would adopt best practices. That suggests to me that elbow drop after contact is not a big deal (we know it doesn't affect the CB, but having no elbow drop must be taught for a reason, for the benefits of a consistent stroke).

I don't know anything about golf, but is it more the case that pros would use a "textbook" swing that instructors would try to teach? Do you hear as much as in pool the argument, "well, they're pros so with their experience they can compensate for any imperfections in their swing"?

 

[pooltchr]

The reason we recommend pinning the elbow is because if you don't drop your elbow, your grip hand will always finish in the same spot. If we have a consistent finish spot, we have an easy way to quickly recognize any variation that might indicate a stroke flaw.

Being able to evaluate your stroke is an important part of the learning process.

Steve