bridge length, wrist, elbow and shoulder

the more moving parts in anything means the more likely something can go wrong.

if you have great eye hand co-ordination or perfect ability or affinity for something you can most often overcome those added chances of disaster.
if not "keep it simple stupid" applies. KISS.
 
you dont mention where in your stroke you "need your shoulder drop to be accurate"
IMO
neither elbow drop or shoulder drop are necessary to be accurate
if fact those movements could make it more difficult to be accurate
here is a monster stroke with minimal if any shoulder or elbow drop

if I need to do a lot with the cueball, I tend to lengthen my bridge and vice versa. To get the necessary follow through to remain accurate with a longer bridge, it seems my stroke has to be longer also. I guess that could come from where on the cue I place my back hand as someone mentioned, but the shoulder movement generates more power and accuracy a la Earl.. I guess on some level I have been making these adjustments on a subconscious level for years, but it wasn’t consistent. Now that I understand where my mechanics were breaking down and why, I think a breakthrough is possible. I practiced a little today and felt much more comfortable at the table.
 
Last edited:
@bbb ,

I'd add that I don't think anyone develops or perfects the elbow drop by how it looks. It happens by watching the front end of the cue and checking for level or whatever the desired action. It can be a slow and awkward drill but both <slow> and <drill> are well worth the bother.
 
To get the necessary follow through to remain accurate

Shoulder/elbow drop occurs AFTER contact, correct? How does something that happens after contact create a more accurate hit?



Bridge arm bent or straight, bridge length short or long, grip hand front or rear, etc… I want to make contact as close to perpendicular as possible, so I’m not just accurate, I’m precisely replicating my preshot tip placement.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bbb
I've been working on my mechanics and stroke recently and came to sudden realization that may be obvious to others, but wasn't to me.

I first starting playing pool in the late 70s in NY when most people were playing 14.1. Back in those days I used a very short bridge and short stroke because that's what gave me the most accurate hit on the cueball and object ball. At that time a little of my stroke came from my wrist and a little from my elbow, but it was short and compact. Over time, I switched to playing some 14.1 and some 9-ball. My bridge length increased and my stroke lengthened over time with the changes in my game. It wasn't a concious change. It just sort of happened because 9-ball demanded doing more with the cueball on a regular basis. So I needed a longer more powerful stroke more often. I think more of my stroke came from elbow movement. As time passed, the length of my bridge got even longer. I'm not sure why. It just did. I then started dropping my shoulder a bit to keep my accuracy and power. What I just noticed yesterday during drills was that as I lengthen my bridge I need a longer stroke which in turn requires some elbow drop to remain accurate. If I lengthen it even further I need some shoulder drop to remain accurate. To me, this was a major revelation. I've been struggling with my back hand mechanics for decades. I played around with wrist action, elbow action, shoulder drop etc... searching for the magic bullet, but I never realized that bridge length is a component in stroke length which is then a component of the kind of movement you need in the back hand to remain accurate. For me. it felt like a ureka moment because my back hand, elbow, shoulder movement has been inconsistent and all over the place for a long time.

Does what I am saying make some sense?

Was this obvious to everyone except me?
Not obvious.
Give yourself some credit for noticing it. Most are blind to these things and need someone else to point them out. Depending on when you started playing, elbow drop wasn't considered a bad thing. Idk where all that crap came from. Woke up one day and guys who couldn't beat me in a million years are saying drop is a no no. Lol. I've got one helluva drop when I have to load up and go. Thankfully it doesn't happen that often, but my cue goes way out there on follow thru. Longer bridge is an absolute necessity, imo, if you want to play at that level. Given where your balance point is and all that other fancy stuff.😎 Lol.
 
Alan Hopkins did OK with a short stroke and short bridge
Just sayin
Alex Pagulayan does well with a short bridge and a short stroke
Just sayin
To each their own. That's one thing about pool. You can find some of the most bizarre looking strokes out there on guys making balls. For most,
14:1, tighten up and shorten. 9 ball, or games requiring travel, lol, loosen up and lengthen. One size does not fit all. Comfort and confidence in whatever stroke you have play a big part.
 
Shoulder/elbow drop occurs AFTER contact, correct? How does something that happens after contact create a more accurate hit?
It feels like you are continuing the linear motion of the cue after contact. Without a drop there is a potential for the tip to rise up. It feels better driving the cue on a straight line through the CB. If it adds accuracy or not I can't say but it feels better and less likely for me to decelerate that way.
 
I've been working on my mechanics and stroke recently and came to sudden realization that may be obvious to others, but wasn't to me.

I first starting playing pool in the late 70s in NY when most people were playing 14.1. Back in those days I used a very short bridge and short stroke because that's what gave me the most accurate hit on the cueball and object ball. At that time a little of my stroke came from my wrist and a little from my elbow, but it was short and compact. Over time, I switched to playing some 14.1 and some 9-ball. My bridge length increased and my stroke lengthened over time with the changes in my game. It wasn't a concious change. It just sort of happened because 9-ball demanded doing more with the cueball on a regular basis. So I needed a longer more powerful stroke more often. I think more of my stroke came from elbow movement. As time passed, the length of my bridge got even longer. I'm not sure why. It just did. I then started dropping my shoulder a bit to keep my accuracy and power. What I just noticed yesterday during drills was that as I lengthen my bridge I need a longer stroke which in turn requires some elbow drop to remain accurate. If I lengthen it even further I need some shoulder drop to remain accurate. To me, this was a major revelation. I've been struggling with my back hand mechanics for decades. I played around with wrist action, elbow action, shoulder drop etc... searching for the magic bullet, but I never realized that bridge length is a component in stroke length which is then a component of the kind of movement you need in the back hand to remain accurate. For me. it felt like a ureka moment because my back hand, elbow, shoulder movement has been inconsistent and all over the place for a long time.

Does what I am saying make some sense?

Was this obvious to everyone except me?
IMO, you might get better feedback from your cousin.

And you are making sense. Bridge length is a component for stroke speed from a “get more speed without increasing acceleration” standpoint. The additional movement of your body, possibly a result of the stroke and not an input to the stroke. Trying to pin thr shoulder and elbow on bigger strokes might be detrimental to your overall health, or could be a subconscious restriction to the flow of your stroke.

Good to see you posting, Wayne.
 
I would think - pfft lol, I do think it works by not predisposing the the stroke to an unwanted motion. The motion through the ball remains in one plane.

For me, what tends to happen without the movement of my shoulder is that my elbow moves out like a chicken wing or my wrist twists a little at the very end of the stroke but sometimes a hair BEFORE I actually strike the cueball. So it all breaks down and I lose accuracy. It's like on some level my body knows I need more follow through than is available and it has to come from somewhere. So it either comes from the shoulder movement which keeps it all accurate or chicken wing and twists which are a disaster. But this only happens when my bridge is longer and my stroke is longer. If everything is short and compact like with most shots in 14.1, it's not nearly as much an issue,
 
IMO, you might get better feedback from your cousin.

And you are making sense. Bridge length is a component for stroke speed from a “get more speed without increasing acceleration” standpoint. The additional movement of your body, possibly a result of the stroke and not an input to the stroke. Trying to pin thr shoulder and elbow on bigger strokes might be detrimental to your overall health, or could be a subconscious restriction to the flow of your stroke.

Good to see you posting, Wayne.

I don't see Fran nearly as much as I'd like. We mostly see each other at parties and funerals (ugh). I'm sure she could help a lot if we had some practice time together. Life keeps interfering with my love of pool. :rolleyes:
 
For me, what tends to happen without the movement of my shoulder is that my elbow moves out like a chicken wing or my wrist twists a little at the very end of the stroke but sometimes a hair BEFORE I actually strike the cueball. So it all breaks down and I lose accuracy. It's like on some level my body knows I need more follow through than is available and it has to come from somewhere. So it either comes from the shoulder movement which keeps it all accurate or chicken wing and twists which are a disaster. But this only happens when my bridge is longer and my stroke is longer. If everything is short and compact like with most shots in 14.1, it's not nearly as much an issue,
I tried the short bridge and stroke for a period and while personal accuracy might improve I think leverage in a game like pool, is at a premium, so no lopping off the bad ends of the carrot anymore.
For me the inaccurate strike was a reflex to aiming on the rock. The desired stroke in fact finishes several inches past the rock. So, simple fix, aim the stroke past the rock. Or, like Ray Martin put it in regards to draw shots, aim (shoot?) like the cue ball is not there. Works on everything.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bbb
Back
Top