How long did it take?

[Izzyfcuk]

Tedisbill

Good on your that you have a lovely cue action.

But what you need to understand is that

1. Yes, after seeing a coach for say 1 hour, you wont' be making 50s or 100s, that is truth.

2. The purpose of "coach" or "coaching" seeing helping you to "see" what you "can't see" and hence tell you what you didn't observe yourself and make improvement from there.

E.g - Have you ever watched how your cueball travels when you cue?
E.g - Have you ever noticed if your cueball "jump"
E.g - Have you ever noticed how your hand moved when you deliver your shot and where it stay or which position your grip hand is at when impact was made?
E.g - Have you noticed how much your body/shoulder/head moved when you cue?

The term "coach" is used too loosely nowadays that it has lost its sense to a certain extent it's intent.

[thinsy]

Unfortunately, snooker (and any other sport for that matter) is something that needs continuous attention. It's not just the getting to a 50 or a 100 break standard, it's keeping there too.... Some people can get to a certain standard with or without coaching but the problem is when playing you can't see what you are doing and if one little thing slightly changes it can easily throw your whole game!!!!

If you are friendly with these better players who think you have a good cue action maybe they can help you if you don't want to pay for a coach? Play them for £1 a frame or something as long as they agree to help you.

I usually record myself playing and watch it back if I feel something is going astray, but of course, I also know what I'm looking for!!

[cantpotforshíte]

For you to get very good?

I have been playing every Saturday for the last year, and I make 20 breaks, and maybe one 30 each time I go.

I want to be consistently making 50+ breaks. How long did it take until you achieved this, and how often do you play?

As far as I'm concerned mate, I'm only as good as the number of times I've been practising in the last couple of weeks. A couple of hours twice a week is just about enough to maintain a decent standard, but if I want to play well, or improve, then 3 times a weeks makes a difference.
If I've been practising 4 times a week or more, then I can notice an immediate and marked improvement.

And if you do have a solid cue action, then the only thing stopping you from making bigger breaks is your positional play (as jarcher says). Break building has nothing to do with potting and everything to do with position. Make sure that you're thinking a shot ahead - ie., don't just play to get on the next red, play to get on it to leave yourself a nice angle to get on the next colour.

[gtjohnnymac1965]

Believe me, natural ability plays a massive part in all of this. I'm not saying that practice is not important, as , honestly it is. However you cannot get anywhere in this game without mastering the absolute basics. I'm sure the Snooker coaches on here will be more than willing to agree.

Try to get on the table a little more. And practice as well and long as possible.

[magicman]

Well most of its been said I think. Talents a big factor. Practice makes perfect obviously, coaching points out fundamental errors you can't see yourself etc.

I have to add that one player came to me for coaching as he was desperate for a century and his highest break was 92 and had been for five years. Within a week he'd had a ton. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying I'm great, or this is possible for anyone getting coaching. In this instance the guy played too many shots with side and continually moved the white more than was necessary.

The ease with which you make breaks is also directly attributable to the quality of your opponents. You need to play better players than yourself to evolve as a player, but in playing inferior players than yourself you get more opportunities for making breaks. So try and mix up your playing partners!

[cazmac1]

Just want to add I made the jump from being a 30 - 40 break player to a 70 – 80 break player in a few days by changing one thing in my game. I then gave up the game for a long time. I have now spent the last 4 years trying to rediscover the form I used to have, although I have made countless 70's, 80's and a couple of 90's I am still nowhere near my full potential but after watching a video of myself and seeing the amount of upper body and head movement I have made some changes and as I posted earlier I haven't hit the ball so sweet in 20 years. My practice partner who makes regular tons was a mess; I just didn't miss a ball for 5 frames. It is two early to say if I have found the missing ingredient or just hit a purple patch, time will tell, but my progress follows the same pattern as when I played years ago. So I'm quietly confident I'm 95% there.

[tedisbill]

I've got a session booked with a coach tomorrow.

I'm really looking forward to it.

I'll post up here what he though and his general feedback.

He's very confident he can get me to 50 break played in not too long.

[zach123]

I've been playing for the last 8 months practising all day on saturdays and still can't get a 30 break. I practise using the line and get loads of 30's and 40's but don't know I can do to get better. I don't know whether I'm in your shoes tedisbill but I don't know what to do.

[nevets]

You need a balance of practice, friendly games and competitive games. Also practising all day for one day will not bring the same results as practising for a shorter time more often. It's quality of practice, not quantity and remaining focused for a whole day is very hard.
Some coaching would probably the most beneficial thing you could do, as that will give some things to work on in practice.

[zach123]

Yeah see I'm in school so can't play more than once or twice a week and when you play at my local club it's 10 pound all day so it's really good. I do play freindly games and competitive ones but it's difficult to play on a regular basis.

[nevets]

Yes, it is difficult. Try to keep your practice routines interesting. Mix things up and take breaks to maintain your concentration. You won't gain much by aimlessly hitting balls around for hours on end. Here are some sources of good practice routines, which you can also use to measure your progress:

http://pjnolanschampionsacademy.com/...os/category/16
http://fergalobrien.ie/practice.html

[zach123]

Cheers nevets

[checkSide]

My advice is to practice lots of straight shots.

Play them from all over the table. Different distances, and particularly different bridging positions off or near to the cushion.

This will help you no end.

Good luck.

[tedisbill]

Went to see the coach today.

He said my cue action and technique were fine. My shot selection is what's letting me down. Hense the reason I struggle to get very big breaks.

I also like to play lots of shots with stun, and he really opened my eyes to playing shots with run through. Seems obvious, but I'd still be in position, just not as good as if I played a run through.

Going again next week. Have lots of practice to do this week.

[marriott]

I'm 25, from Leicester, and my highest break is 127 total clearance and to date have made 12 centuries. I had my first table at 3 years old (a little table-top plastic feet snooker table) then a 5ft when 6 and started at a local club when 8, where I played 10am-1pm on a Saturday with my Dad for approx a year. Always remember my high break was 36 when 10 years old and then I started playing Sunday and Wednesday as well as Sat with my Dad as he noticed my standard improve.

My advice is: play as often as you can and look to get battered by far better players when starting out as you'll pick up good habits and they should point out flaws in your game and good practices to include. I won an under-18 tournament in Loughborough when 13 and started playing in the Loughborough Winter League the same year with all team-mates better than me. When 14, my Christmas & birthday present was a John Parris 'Special' cue and the same year (1999) I began playing at Willie Thorne's in Leicester where I was competing (and taking the odd frames) against the likes of Mark Selby, Tom Ford, Judd Trump and Ben Woolaston to name 4.

I'm not a pro, but purchasing a good cue, playing reegularly and playing better players competitively improved my game no end. I lost 2-1 to Selby the year he turned pro, I lost 3-2 and 4-3 to Judd Trump when he was 12 (and I was 16), but now have the capability to make any break possible when playing because of the high level i have had to aspire to in order to compete with top players in the past and present - and putting their advice to good use.

I must say, the late Malcolm Thorne also had a big influence on me as a youngster - when 15 years old my handicap at Willie Thorne's was 21 and he called Judd Trump my bogey player!! R.I.P and God bless Malc - an amazing human being and am looking forward to competing at the WT's handicap tomorrow in his memory!

To date, I've had officially one coaching lesson with Alan Perkins (Selby's former coach) immediately after nearly upsetting Mark in a handicap tourney. Everything else is the result of a willingness to learn from better players and watching messrs Hendry and O'Sullivan on TV. Never refuse advice, the closed-book individuals never get past a certain standard and always try to enjoy it - and good luck!