Pool Players Anonymous

[336Robin]

My name is Robin and I have a Pool Problem and I'd love to hear from those that have had it and fixed it so I can fix my little problem.

I underwent video analysis and wow I'm an elbow dropper and I want to fix it. I play well with it but I can see that things will be much better when I fix it. Any Suggestions?

Feel free to confess your shortcoming.

 

[pt109]

Before you "fix" that elbow dropping thing...
...maybe you could tell us what's wrong with elbow dropping.

 

[Straightpool_99]

My name is Robin and I have a Pool Problem and I'd love to hear from those that have had it and fixed it so I can fix my little problem.

I underwent video analysis and wow I'm an elbow dropper and I want to fix it. I play well with it but I can see that things will be much better when I fix it. Any Suggestions?

Feel free to confess your shortcoming.

Look, even the best drop their elbows some on power shots. The exceptions are very rare indeed. If you insist on no elbow drop at all, I'd suggest you focus on finishing with your grip hand hitting your chest as a first step. It's going to be a long road, changing your technique like that, and you'd better be prepared that improvement may be slow or non existant at first.

 

[RichSchultz]

This is the only bad elbow drop

 

[336Robin]

Less muscles

Before you "fix" that elbow dropping thing...
...maybe you could tell us what's wrong with elbow dropping.

I'm not an expert by any means but I'm told there are less muscles involved in the stroke without elbow dropping. I'm also told that because of the elbow dropping you'll hit higher on the cue ball during the stroke which I dont do as a general rule. I was always told to play with a level as possible cue and I do, so level that the tip never touches the cloth.

 

[pt109]

I'm not an expert by any means but I'm told there are less muscles involved in the stroke without elbow dropping. I'm also told that because of the elbow dropping you'll hit higher on the cue ball during the stroke which I dont do as a general rule. I was always told to play with a level as possible cue and I do, so level that the tip never touches the cloth.

If your aspiration is to be a one-trick pony...then you're heading in the right direction.

Some shots, IMO, the elbow should drop, some shots it shouldn't.

 

[336Robin]

Probably

If your aspiration is to be a one-trick pony...then you're heading in the right direction.

Some shots, IMO, the elbow should drop, some shots it shouldn't.

I think Im a little far over on the side where it shouldn't so calming some of that down is likely in order but I don't expect to change everything just what I should within reason.

Does anyone know of a way to make the process easier?

 

[pt109]

I think Im a little far over on the side where it shouldn't so calming some of that down is likely in order but I don't expect to change everything just what I should within reason.

Does anyone know of a way to make the process easier?

I strive to control the cue, not my arm.
Controlling the cue is the 'proof in the pudding'...if it's doing what you want,,,good enough.
Your body moves the cue, but the cue tells your body what to do....
....it's a Zen thing.

 

[Ironhead1970]

Just last week I took a 3 day class with Randy G in Dallas Texas and one of the things we looked @ was my elbow dropping on a break shot it's going to any power shot I would think your elbow is going to move. On all my other shots my elbow should not move and my hand ends up at my chest. One of the things he did was measure how far my tip moves past the point of impact on the Q-ball when I make the perfect stroke mine happens to be 5.5 inches what I've done is draw a line on my cue right @ 5.5 inches since I know I use a 9 inch bridge when I'm doing my Mother drills I use notebook reinforces the holes in the notebooks paper stick then to the table I set the ball I'm shooting on one and after my stroke one of things I look at is the 5.5 inch line if it's right above that little white circle I know I made a perfect stroke and my elbow did not move.

 

[ctyhntr]

Is your elbow dropping before or after the cueball has been struck? Elbow drop alone isn't a bad thing, it just one indicator of potentially bad form.

 

[336Robin]

Everything else looks pretty good

Is your elbow dropping before or after the cueball has been struck? Elbow drop alone isn't a bad thing, it just one indicator of potentially bad form.

Everything else looks pretty good as far as I know. I am short armed and stocky. I know Im not finishing right by hitting my chest on a lot of shots. I think that might ought to be my first goal. My elbow dropping Im sure is a habit I got into to make sure my cue stayed perfectly level. Im going to run practice some today and see if I can get a table alone and just work on it.

 

[pt109]

Everything else looks pretty good as far as I know. I am short armed and stocky. I know Im not finishing right by hitting my chest on a lot of shots. I think that might ought to be my first goal. My elbow dropping Im sure is a habit I got into to make sure my cue stayed perfectly level. Im going to run practice some today and see if I can get a table alone and just work on it.

If you don't drop your elbow, your hand tends to come up...and the tip goes down
...perfect for many shots...not so good for others.

Watch Carlo Biados on YouTube...tell me you wouldn't want to play like that.

 

[strmanglr scott]

I concentrated pretty heavy on it years back.

My issue was more gripping the cue too far up and really worked on the pivoting elbow, gripping straight down from the elbow w the tip at the ball.

Nipped the elbow drop then.

Whenever I work on form or pre-shot routine I just throw the balls out and play v conscious. Look for physical cues for muscle memory.

I'd work consciously on it and then the next day have a camera already set and start playing regular games and try playing loose, not conscious.

 

[336Robin]

True

If you don't drop your elbow, your hand tends to come up...and the tip goes down
...perfect for many shots...not so good for others.

Watch Carlo Biados on YouTube...tell me you wouldn't want to play like that.

True, I got to watch him and Duel play a few years back at QMaster up close and those guys were really playing some pool. Yeah I'd settle for that!

 

[driven]

If you follow through past a certain point the elbow must drop, try it.
If you want your elbow to stay put learn how far to follow through without letting the joint move.
good luck.

 

[336Robin]

Thats it!

If you follow through past a certain point the elbow must drop, try it.
If you want your elbow to stay put learn how far to follow through without letting the joint move.
good luck.

I follow through a long way so thats probably it and stay flat so theres my drop. I'll check that.

 

[pt109]

A follow-through should not be thoughtless....sometimes a long one is required...
...sometimes the cue should be stopped as soon as possible...
...and all the distances in between.
The cue ball is affected by different lengths of follow-through.

 

[driven]

Here is a fine example of a non elbow drop player, you could balance a champagne glass on this kids elbow.

https://youtu.be/UgPuJhXnRHY

For me, I don't think about it anymore, this video messed up my game for a while. I find it best to let the elbow do what ever it must for any given shot.

good luck
steven

 

[Poolplaya9]

A follow-through should not be thoughtless....sometimes a long one is required...
...sometimes the cue should be stopped as soon as possible...
...and all the distances in between.
The cue ball is affected by different lengths of follow-through.

The cue ball is not affected by different lengths of follow through. This is one of the biggest myths in pool. The cue ball doesn't know about or care about how much you followed through nor does follow through have any significant effect on tip contact time.

What follow through does is that it simply makes it more likely that you consistently hit the cue ball in the spot and at the speed that you intended to as opposed to the cue being jerked offline or inadvertently slowed prior to contact with the cue ball if you were to not follow through. Follow through itself has no direct impact on the cue ball or the shot's outcome. It is not what follow through does but rather what it prevents that makes it so useful and such a good thing.

 

[pt109]

The cue ball is not affected by different lengths of follow through. This is one of the biggest myths in pool. The cue ball doesn't know about or care about how much you followed through nor does follow through have any significant effect on tip contact time.

What follow through does is that it simply makes it more likely that you consistently hit the cue ball in the spot and at the speed that you intended to as opposed to the cue being jerked offline or inadvertently slowed prior to contact with the cue ball if you were to not follow through. Follow through itself has no direct impact on the cue ball or the shot's outcome. It is not what follow through does but rather what it prevents that makes it so useful and such a good thing.

I think the myth is that the follow-through doesn't matter.
....the biggest effects are delayed draw and quick draw (my personal name for this effect
don't know what else to call it)
Set up a shot about 3/4 full...hit it with 6:00 draw...pretty hard..vary your follow-through
from stop quick to full follow...watch the different places that whitey goes.

I won't be spending too much time debating this on AZ..I hesitated to start this....
...but at an actual table...I can show it...not gonna do any vids