Two of the greatest players to ever step into the saddle are current 10-goalers Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres. Their consistency is nearly unrivaled and although there are differences in how they approach each game, the comparison of their offside forehand swings yield interesting insights.
See below for the breakdown:
Start of the Backswing
Here both Cambiaso and Pieres set the mallet angle as they begin to pull their elbow back to initiate the swing and their torso moves slightly forward to begin bringing their center of gravity over top of the stirrup.
Top of the Backswing
Producing nearly identical positions at the top of the backswing, Cambiaso and Pieres showcase impressive rotation of their torso, while maintaining the strong platform and foundation that allows them to begin their downswing
Contact Position
At contact, both players produce straight lines from their shoulder to the ball, extending through the ball without any bend in their elbow. Impressively, both have the horse in stride, providing the best possible platform to achieve a consistent strike. While both Cambiaso and Pieres demonstrate a bent knee that allows them to drive through the ball, in this instance there is a slight difference in their foot position as Pieres drives his toe down, while Cambiaso has his toe slightly up.
Follow Through
In the follow through, both Cambiaso and Pieres extend their hand in a path that crosses in front of the horse's eye. This extended follow through allows them to produce power through the ball, instead of a bent elbow that would slow their arm speed and prevent a stable connection through the ball. This follow through with the arm and mallet in the same straight line can be seen consistently from both Cambiaso and Pieres.
See below for the side-by-side comparison video of this swing between Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres:
For more swings of Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres, visit the Polo Development app:
Adolfo Cambiaso Swing Examples
Facundo Pieres Swing Examples