Pendulum Stroke vs. Elbow Drop

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
I was wondering if anyone has made a distinction especially when it comes to higher level players.

Which player plays the best 9 ball, the pure pendulum stroke or the occasional elbow dropper? Which player plays the best one pocket?

Or do you think both types of players play either game equally well.
JoeyA
 
Do either long enough and we can get very proficient at it......SPF=randyg
 
I watched the legends on TV recently

JoeyA said:
I was wondering if anyone has made a distinction especially when it comes to higher level players.

Which player plays the best 9 ball, the pure pendulum stroke or the occasional elbow dropper? Which player plays the best one pocket?

Or do you think both types of players play either game equally well.
JoeyA
Click to expand...

Joey,

As you know, this subject has been of great interest to me. I watched the legends on TV recently and as usual was watching strokes carefully when the TV shot let me see them. I can't recall any of them that didn't drop the elbow and push with the whole arm on some shots. I need to straighten my stroke out a little but it seems like all the things I try to take out of my game are used by the top pro's and the old greats. Damned shoulder is still torn up. If it ever heals I am going back to plan "A", pocketing a ball and getting shape on the next one! Off of the subject for this thread but I'm going to look at the cue ball last too. Works for me and trying to reinvent the wheel just leaves me frustrated.

Hu
 
a little different

JoeyInCali said:
Slip stroke!!!
Click to expand...

Joey,

This is a little differet than a slip stroke. It is a stroke I see used sometimes when a lot of touch is needed. I rarely play on seven footers but this is when I use it the most. I am comparatively stronger on seven footers now. I have credited that to my eyes but I wonder if it is really stroke changes because I am usually playing position tighter and trying to hit smaller gaps on the seven footer.

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
Joey,

This is a little differet than a slip stroke. It is a stroke I see used sometimes when a lot of touch is needed. I rarely play on seven footers but this is when I use it the most. I am comparatively stronger on seven footers now. I have credited that to my eyes but I wonder if it is really stroke changes because I am usually playing position tighter and trying to hit smaller gaps on the seven footer.

Hu
Click to expand...
Ok,
STROKE SLIP!!!:)
Efren slips the cue on all shots.
I asked him one time if he liked linen or leather wrap in his cues, he then showed me how he grips the cue ( holding my thumb ) , he barely put pressure on it.
He said if he had a cue that had a wrap, he'd stroke like a white man.:D :eek:
 
JoeyInCali said:
Ok,
STROKE SLIP!!!:)
Efren slips the cue on all shots.
I asked him one time if he liked linen or leather wrap in his cues, he then showed me how he grips the cue ( holding my thumb ) , he barely put pressure on it.
He said if he had a cue that had a wrap, he'd stroke like a white man.:D :eek:
Click to expand...

I seen how Efren grip his cue. I played with him before (SEA Games). Cue is like floating in his grip.

If he is using linen, his cue is likely to fly off his hand. :D
 
JoeyA said:
I was wondering if anyone has made a distinction especially when it comes to higher level players.

Which player plays the best 9 ball, the pure pendulum stroke or the occasional elbow dropper? Which player plays the best one pocket?

Or do you think both types of players play either game equally well.
JoeyA
Click to expand...

Joey,

If you recall, we have discussed George Rood in the past.
George would follow thru with his whole arm on virtually EVERY shot.

If you wonder about the infamous 'elbow drop' question,
just watch any tournament of top level Straight Pool and see
what the players do on break balls and shots where they open
clusters.

Dale
 
I personally think you should be able to adjust your stroke depending on the shot or conditions. I've used a slip stroke quite a lot over the past couple of years, but have drifted away from it a little lately. I tend to slip stroke a little more when I have a long shot and my cue ball is on the rail. I actually slip stroke the break quite a bit on 10-ball or 8-ball racks. Yes, I've thrown my cue completely out of my hands toward the rack like a spear. Pretty funny when it happened, my pool buddies had a few laughs at my expense.

I seem to do things naturally a lot though, without actually thinking about it. For example, I used an open bridge almost exclusively for the past 5 years and recently found myself using a closed bridge. I don't think I even noticed until after a month of doing it. It's a natural progression I guess.
 
shinyballs said:
I personally think you should be able to adjust your stroke depending on the shot or conditions. I've used a slip stroke quite a lot over the past couple of years, but have drifted away from it a little lately. I tend to slip stroke a little more when I have a long shot and my cue ball is on the rail. I actually slip stroke the break quite a bit on 10-ball or 8-ball racks. Yes, I've thrown my cue completely out of my hands toward the rack like a spear. Pretty funny when it happened, my pool buddies had a few laughs at my expense.

I seem to do things naturally a lot though, without actually thinking about it. For example, I used an open bridge almost exclusively for the past 5 years and recently found myself using a closed bridge. I don't think I even noticed until after a month of doing it. It's a natural progression I guess.
Click to expand...

OK. But Joey asked about elbow drop, which happens after CB contact, not slip-stroking, which happens sometime prior to the final stroke.

What do you think about elbow drop?

Dale
 
pdcue said:
OK. But Joey asked about elbow drop, which happens after CB contact, not slip-stroking, which happens sometime prior to the final stroke.

What do you think about elbow drop?

Dale
Click to expand...
I think he's talking stroke-slip/letting the cue go.
Not slip-stroke ala Jimmy Moore or Mosconi.
 
I think the point is that you generally don't drop your elbow as much when slip stroking.

Sorry if I got a little off topic though, my excuse will be that it's kinda late.
 
JoeyInCali said:
I think he's talking stroke-slip/letting the cue go.
Not slip-stroke ala Jimmy Moore or Mosconi.
Click to expand...

I've always been told that slip stroke was letting the cue slide through your hand. What's the difference?
 
This is the cold hard fact about it. The cue ball and the object balls have no idea if your elbow is dropping or not. As long as you hit your intended target on the CB and stroke straight through it you can start tap dancing if you want to. Not dropping the elbow is a good thing to teach a beginner, as are all the basics of form and stroke, but everyone has their own style and own characterisitics. Things will change. You're not going to get any better action with a non dropped shoulder if you're hitting the ball in the same spot and driving through the same.
MULLY
 
shinyballs said:
I've always been told that slip stroke was letting the cue slide through your hand. What's the difference?
Click to expand...
Not correct.
Slip-stroke is holding the cue a little forward, then before pulling the cue one last time, you slip the grip hand back towards the rear, pull then shoot.
 
I grasp the concept, but don't really see the point of it. It's just adjusting WHERE you grip the cue before you stroke?
 
The purpose of following through is to make sure that the player is accelerating the movement of the cue as contacting the cue ball.
Since we can not bring the cue to a full stop in zero time we actually slowing down to a stop, if we are not following through then we are slowing down toward the contact with the cue ball. Following through will ensure that the CB will be hit in the desired speed.

Our body mechanics will only allow us to move the cue forward to a point while using the pendulum stroke. If further movement is required for better acceleration (like on extreme draw or extreme follow) then dropping the elbow is a must! this is the secret of the pro's stroke, this is why the can move the CB so much without hitting if hard, the don't punch it hard (unless you're John Schmidt :D ) they just move it faster...

Slipping the cue will allow the cue to move past the point that our body allow us, so in a way it does what dropping the elbow do.

Both technics will work great once the player is able to control them. Whether to use one over the other is matter of personal preference and comfort.

Beginners should stick to the pendulum stroke without dropping the elbow or "slipping" the cue as they should focus more on delivering a straight and smooth stroke first.

Sorry about the long post :o
 
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