coaching question

[jonny klu]

heya this is a question for people who have had coaching i have started recently and my coach has given me some routines to do he is working from "red ball" format all the way through to the "Black Ball" format it includes things like line ups putting the white on the baulk coushine and potting into the middle and corner pockets and things along those lines.

my question is has anyone used this "red ball" foramt and if so how much of help did they find it implementing it into thier game.

any responces are much appreciated.

Cheers Jon

[bongo]

heya this is a question for people who have had coaching i have started recently and my coach has given me some routines to do he is working from "red ball" format all the way through to the "Black Ball" format it includes things like line ups putting the white on the baulk coushine and potting into the middle and corner pockets and things along those lines.

my question is has anyone used this "red ball" foramt and if so how much of help did they find it implementing it into thier game.

any responces are much appreciated.

Cheers Jon

Is this the old World Snooker scheme you are talking about? They had something similar to that which coaches used and you had to complete certain challenges for certificates, from Red Level to Black Level.

[jonny klu]

Is this the old World Snooker scheme you are talking about? They had something similar to that which coaches used and you had to complete certain challenges for certificates, from Red Level to Black Level.

yer that sounds the same thing just a different name did you go through it?? and if so did you find the techniques you learnt help in match play???

[bongo]

yer that sounds the same thing just a different name did you go through it?? and if so did you find the techniques you learnt help in match play???

Perhaps you are talking about The Snooker Gym scheme. I have done these sort of schemes and the first level will not really be much help but you should do it because it won't take you long anyway so there is no reason why you shouldn't do it. I find it quite useful but it mainly gives you something to work towards, instead of doing what some players do which is to go to a table and hit balls about with no objective, that will get you nowhere in comparison to the other more beneficial forms of practice such as the coaching schemes. It also is down to how much you practice the skills learnt in the schemes, if you don't practice them after doing the assessment level then the skills will not be of as much help. The assessment levels prove that you can do it, but not necessarily when it matters, this might be something like screw shots or anything else.

[jonny klu]

Perhaps you are talking about The Snooker Gym scheme. I have done these sort of schemes and the first level will not really be much help but you should do it because it won't take you long anyway so there is no reason why you shouldn't do it. I find it quite useful but it mainly gives you something to work towards, instead of doing what some players do which is to go to a table and hit balls about with no objective, that will get you nowhere in comparison to the other more beneficial forms of practice such as the coaching schemes. It also is down to how much you practice the skills learnt in the schemes, if you don't practice them after doing the assessment level then the skills will not be of as much help. The assessment levels prove that you can do it, but not necessarily when it matters, this might be something like screw shots or anything else.

thanks for that i have been doing it for about 2 to 3 weeks now and ive been practing what my coach is giving me about 4 times a week so i have progressed through to the brown ball routines now i just havent peen practicing many frames i just wanted to ask peoples opinion if i should be putting so much practice into these routines instead of doing frames.

Cheers Jon

[bongo]

thanks for that i have been doing it for about 2 to 3 weeks now and ive been practing what my coach is giving me about 4 times a week so i have progressed through to the brown ball routines now i just havent peen practicing many frames i just wanted to ask peoples opinion if i should be putting so much practice into these routines instead of doing frames.

Cheers Jon

Practising frames (match practice) is very important. Perhaps you should do half of your playing in match practice and the other half in solo practice or with a coach.

Solo practice or practice with a coach is important because you can take as long as you like to practice a particular shot and there is no result to worry about, or indeed an opponent to have table time.

Match practice is important as you learn to play when it matters, when a miss can be disastrous, this isn't the case in practice. It makes you focus on what really matters, such as the shot you are playing, and not technique and anything else. Anyway, practice as a whole is all about preparing yourself for a match, and you don't get practice any more real than actually playing a match! Having said that, don't forget the importance of solo practice and practice with a coach.

This may not actually answer your question, but hopefully will give you something to think about.

bongo

[Terry Davidson]

Nic Barrow used this approach in his snookergym coaching literature and he is still using it with some modifications in his latest publications, HTMA100 (how to make a 100 break). All it signifies is your progress through to black level.

Once you master all the routines at black level you should be able to run 100 breaks or at least have the knowledge to do so. It's also a way a student can see progress and is quite common in the snooker world

Terry

[jonny klu]

well terry its good to know that i am working towards learning how to make 100 breaks as that is a dream of mine but seems a million miles away at the moment.

Bongo i think that is very good advice too i need to balance my practice more instead of doing complete solo practice i need to have more matches to feel the added presure of shot selection and playing more within my own means.

thanks again guys

Jon

[bongo]

well terry its good to know that i am working towards learning how to make 100 breaks as that is a dream of mine but seems a million miles away at the moment.

Bongo i think that is very good advice too i need to balance my practice more instead of doing complete solo practice i need to have more matches to feel the added presure of shot selection and playing more within my own means.

thanks again guys

Jon

Although the Snooker Gym system is very good it will not guarantee that you will make a century break. Don't think too far ahead!

[jonny klu]

Although the Snooker Gym system is very good it will not guarantee that you will make a century break. Don't think too far ahead!

i do appreciate that i am setting my self a goal of a 50 break by the end of the year even if it is in a line up i had my highest break last nite of 35 so im getting there, 100 break isint even in my mind yet im far too far off that yet.

cheers for the advise

Jon

[edemrulez]

Dear Terry (or anybody: )!

I didn't know witch topic to post in, but a have a simple question:

Is it a mistake/foul/error that when I play practise matches against someone, we start the first frame without real warm up. Can this couse problems in my technik?
Thanks in advance!

[Terry Davidson]

I can't think off-hand of a sport where the players perfer to come into the competition cold. Every sport, except perhaps rifle target shooting (if that is a sport) has some type of warm-up exercise.

Why should snooker be different? I think a player should be able to warm up if he/she has the chance.

Why would it be a foul? Although it is likely a mistake/error

Terry