bridge arm

Jimbojim

Jimbojim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hello people I have a question. Is your bridging arm straight or is it bent? I see both and I was wondering if it has an impact on the stroke. I noticed a very tall guy the other day who had his whole forearm laid on the table and he seemed to have a smooth stroke. I am about 6 foot 3 and I tried it like that and it seemed like I was more confident.

what about you?
 
mine has a slight bend in it.......basically whatever allows me to have about 8 inches of bridge while i keep my backhand arm at a 90 degree angle.
 
Jimbojim said:
hello people I have a question. Is your bridging arm straight or is it bent? I see both and I was wondering if it has an impact on the stroke. I noticed a very tall guy the other day who had his whole forearm laid on the table and he seemed to have a smooth stroke. I am about 6 foot 3 and I tried it like that and it seemed like I was more confident.

what about you?
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In addition to steadying your stance and pointing your cue stick, your bridge arm also sets the distance between your eyes and the cue ball. A bent arm might set that distance less consistently, which might affect aim.
 
For me, I play more consistently with me elbow straight. It is one of the first things I check when I am not shooting well. Of course certain shots require a bent elbow, but in general, mine is kept straight.
 
mantis99 said:
For me, I play more consistently with me elbow straight. It is one of the first things I check when I am not shooting well. Of course certain shots require a bent elbow, but in general, mine is kept straight.
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Thats really interesting to know that 2 out of 3 people prefer a straight bridge arm. I used to use a straight bridge arm until I saw a video of Thorsten Hohmann suggestion a small bend in the arm. Maybe I'll go back to a straight arm to see how it works.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
In addition to steadying your stance and pointing your cue stick, your bridge arm also sets the distance between your eyes and the cue ball. A bent arm might set that distance less consistently, which might affect aim.
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I also shoot with a straight arm. But you brought up a good point. There are occasions when my arm is bent in order to shoot around a bad layout of balls where my bridge hand goes. This doesn't seem to affect my aiming ability.

Also, I had another thread whereas I questioned the difference of people that stand more erect when shooting their shots then people that have their chin to the cue as if aiming a rifle. Do you think the transition between a person standing more erect on one shot, versus, down on the next shot also affecting their aiming ability?

I sometimes stand more erect when making a thin cut is why I asked this question.
 
mine has always been straight,,,i think it's pretty standard. but sometimes it felt funny,,,like tight and cramped, and it felt like my eyes were being affected. then i read from a site, i can't remember who's but a well-known old player,,,and he suggested a bent arm because it gets you "closer" to the balls.

this worked for me on many levels, even though i fall back onto the old habit. 1...i felt more relaxed, 2...my shoulder doesn't hurt, 3...my VERY long bridge(always a source of inconsistency) had to get shorter because, since everything was "closer", my mechanics were affected in the same way, 4...my grip got shorter too and i think it has made pocketing better.

but that's just me.
 
Has anyone ever tried talking on the phone while playing? I find that when someone calls me while I'm playing, I play a lot better. I'm right handed and put the phone between my left shoulder and ear. When I fully extend my bride arm in that position, it is slightly bent and will feel very unconfortable completely straight. If I didn't look so awkward playing w/ a phone, I would always play with one.
 
Bridge Arm

Slightly bent. This goes back to the proper form. If you are standing at a 45 degree angle to your cue, the slightly bent bridge arm is natural, but if you are standing straight with your cue (Snooker stance), the straight bridge arm seems more natural.

The Snooker stance can present problems in Pool though, for example, Allison's neck and shoulder problems from her to trying to aim all the time in a Snooker stance. The Pool form is much more 'body and stroke friendly' than the Snooker stance is.l
 
Safety said:
Has anyone ever tried talking on the phone while playing? I find that when someone calls me while I'm playing, I play a lot better. I'm right handed and put the phone between my left shoulder and ear. When I fully extend my bride arm in that position, it is slightly bent and will feel very unconfortable completely straight. If I didn't look so awkward playing w/ a phone, I would always play with one.
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I've done it. I don't like to, but I can. I definitely don't play better, but unless I think the match or game is important I will shoot that way. I probably do it about twice a year.:)
 
Do you think the transition between a person standing more erect on one shot, versus, down on the next shot also affecting their aiming ability?

I sometimes stand more erect when making a thin cut is why I asked this question.
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Yes, I think it does affect your aiming ability, but I don't think one height fits all. I think putting your chin on your stick helps to sight the shot line and raising your head helps to sight the angles (that's why snooker players have low stances and caroms players have upright stances). Ideally you could do both: figure the angles with your head up and shoot with your head down. But life is seldom ideal, so you do what you have to do for the shot at hand. I've been known to bob up and down like a pigeon on some shots.

pj
chgo
 
I think that its whatever is steady and comforable. I'm 6'6 and play with a low stance and it feels more natural for me to have my arm bent slightly.
 
Jimbojim said:
hello people I have a question. Is your bridging arm straight or is it bent? I see both and I was wondering if it has an impact on the stroke. I noticed a very tall guy the other day who had his whole forearm laid on the table and he seemed to have a smooth stroke. I am about 6 foot 3 and I tried it like that and it seemed like I was more confident.

what about you?
Click to expand...

My arm is bent for a very good reason. Due to my stance and alignment,
my bridge arm needs to be bent.

As with so many things in pool: the right thing to do is the right thing
for you. I can't see any bad impact on the stroke IF, your stance
indicates a bent elbow. It's more common for players who
feel everyone should play with a straight arm and force themselves
into an uncomfortable, off-balance stance to have problems.

Dale
 
Mr. Natural checking in...

Stand in front of a mirror and let your arms hang naturally. Are they straight or is there a slight bend?

If your arms are straight...then I would say there is some tension there.

Same goes for the bridge arm...I say keep it as natural as it was when you were standing still...nice and relaxed...

Peace

Mike
 
Jimbojim said:
hello people I have a question. Is your bridging arm straight or is it bent? I see both and I was wondering if it has an impact on the stroke. I noticed a very tall guy the other day who had his whole forearm laid on the table and he seemed to have a smooth stroke. I am about 6 foot 3 and I tried it like that and it seemed like I was more confident.

what about you?
Click to expand...
My bridge arm elbow is usually nearly straight.

The orthodox teaching is that a straight bridge arm gives better repeatability to the stance. It anchors the upper body and prevents movement. It causes a constant (consistent) distance between the bridge hand and the eyes and between the bridge hand and the grip hand.

Most top snooker players that I've seen plant their left elbows on the table. This accomplishes the same goals, and is perhaps even better at stabilizing the upper body. It is perhaps a little weaker at keeping the distance from the bridge to the grip constant.

Someone above made the standard "do what's comfortable and natural" argument. I think that argument is entirely bogus. Good bridges are neither natural nor comfortable when first formed. You should go at fundamentals with the goals clearly in mind and worry about comfort only after trying the (alleged) good fundamentals for long enough that they have a chance to seem natural and maybe comfortable. That may take a month or two.
 
Bob Jewett said:
You should go at fundamentals with the goals clearly in mind and worry about comfort only after trying the (alleged) good fundamentals for long enough that they have a chance to seem natural and maybe comfortable. That may take a month or two.
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Tap Tap Tap

What's comfortable is just old habits that are probably mostly poor technique.
 
Elbow

Jimbojim said:
hello people I have a question. Is your bridging arm straight or is it bent? I see both and I was wondering if it has an impact on the stroke. I noticed a very tall guy the other day who had his whole forearm laid on the table and he seemed to have a smooth stroke. I am about 6 foot 3 and I tried it like that and it seemed like I was more confident.

what about you?
Click to expand...

Even with the bridge arm straight, I would assume that the elbow would be relaxed in order to reduce tension. Please confirm.
 
berlowmj said:
Even with the bridge arm straight, I would assume that the elbow would be relaxed in order to reduce tension. Please confirm.
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I suppose a locked elbow is the theoretical mechanical best, but I think you get more discomfort than improvement over "almost locked".
 
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