How long did it take?

[zach123]

Thanks mate will do

[Marlboro]

I always thought straight cueing and potting is the most important thing in snooker. Positional sense for break building comes from experience.
You can basically hit 30s/40s with minimal positioning if you can cue straight. If you have trouble hitting 30s then you should look at your cue action.

[alabadi]

So my thinking now, is that I'm not going to get any better until I play 4-5 times a week for 6 months, and then yes, I'll make 50+
__________________
Originally posted at Http://thesnookerforum.com/board

hi tedisbill
Believe me getting 50+ will take longer than 6 months, I've been playing for 13 months now my highest brake is 33 , 6 months ago it was 21 .
I practice twice a week for about 8 hours and play once a week too so it takes time even to add a few points to your breaks.

It all depends sometimes how the balls break in a match or practice, the difficulty comes when you're out of position and have to make the angle for your next shot, unless you are a very good player you won't get on the shot to make it easy and this is why hi breaks fall short.

Sometimes I get to the stage where I am positive that I'll make the shot, but for some reason I either don't pot or get out of position and I can't explain it. That's why I have had a few coaching sessions and believe me it helps a lot, obviously it doesn't make you better instantly but there are things only a coach can see, things that you are not aware of.

We all like to think that our cuing is perfect our stance is solid, we don't move on shots however it's not true, I thought that too but a coach spotted slight movements when I pot, also I sometimes put unintentional side on some shots, the coach gave me routines to correct this which helped a lot. It's not perect yet but I have improved, I'm afraid it's a long process and for me in particular taking my age into account I hope that by next year I'll be potting 50+ breaks on a regular basis not just one offs.

Keep it going mate you'll get there in the end , however I do recommend you have at least one coaching lesson, preferably a whole day if you can afford it.

__________________
Originally posted at Http://www.thesnookergym.com/forums

[tedisbill]

Well the above post is wrong

I have had 4, one hour coaching sessions, and today I hit 31, 32, 35, 37 and 56!!

So, it's taken me 4 weeks to see a very good improvement.

[Terry Davidson]

There is just no way it should take over 6 months to get a 50+ break.

If you see a good coach and he gets you set up with a good technique whereby you can deliver the cue consistently straight at least 95% of the time you should have no problems reaching that target.

Now to get past the 50 break class and on towards 80-100 break class takes a fair bit of practice and realizing you have to get on either black or blue correctly to break out more reds from the pack.

Generally, since club tables are normally pretty slow the blue is the best ball to break the pack with as long as the pink is still tight on the pack as sometimes from the black on a club table you have to absolutely smoke the black in to get a decent split.

Never mind what you see the pros doing when they break the pack from the black. Unless you play on a fast match cloth or at least a brand new 6811 you just cannot achieve the same results.

Yellow and Green to break the pack is also a good shot to practice as it takes some learning to get the right amount of stun/screw and side

Terry

[Citrus138]

I've been playing since I was five (32 years) and can remember knocking in 80's and 90's on a 6 foot table when I was 10/11, but on a full size table I was stuck on about 39 for months and months. That was until something clicked, and I kept braking my high break month on month for about a year until i was knocking in 90's.
50/60+ 90 breaks before I made my first ton.

As for coaching, well it's a difficult one for me to offer any advice on, because it was all trial and error with me, self taught if you like.
For me, it was the fascination with the game that drove me towards seeing what worked for me in terms of grip, stance, feathering or not feathering, cue speed, cue action, shot selection, use of side and spin and all the other ingredients that go into making one a half decent player.

Basically, 'play, watch, learn, and play some more' will take you quite a long way in my experience.

[Citrus138]

Just to add, it's all very well practicing for hours on end, but if your not analysing why your missing or playing badly then it will be largely a waste of time IMO.

While your practicing, you should be asking yourself question like...

Am I moving my head?
Am I hitting the balls too hard for the shot required?
Am I taking my eye of the shot?
Is my stance affecting my cueing?
Am I gripping the cue too tightly?
Etc, etc

You'll your practise session will be much more productive if you ask yourself questions like this IMO.

[Citrus138]

Generally, since club tables are normally pretty slow the blue is the best ball to break the pack with as long as the pink is still tight on the pack as sometimes from the black on a club table you have to absolutely smoke the black in to get a decent split.

Never mind what you see the pros doing when they break the pack from the black. Unless you play on a fast match cloth or at least a brand new 6811 you just cannot achieve the same results.

Terry

geez! You must be playing on some pretty crap tables, mate!

I can honestly say that I have never played at a club where the tables are so bad that you can't split the pack from the black.

[finabb]

Well the above post is wrong

I have had 4, one hour coaching sessions, and today I hit 31, 32, 35, 37 and 56!!

So, it's taken me 4 weeks to see a very good improvement.

This is what you said in an earlier post

I find it very hard to believe a coach could help me (I'm a man, and very arrogant). You were wrong

[lennon11]

it took me about 2 years playing at age of 12/13 to make a fifty break(playing about 1hour aweek with my dad),then by 15 had made a few 50's,progressed to a high break of 94 by my late teens but was then stuck making 70/80/90's for years,until i made my first century,now they seem to come at about 1 a month.i put my improvement down to playing league snooker.

[DG GIBERT]

What a great thread, I presume the century breaks made some were in matches?

I play one frame ( league) per week plus 3/4 hrs on a Sunday, best break 70,
30's fairly consistent, but no way can i hit regular 40+.

This thread has inspired me to go to a coach, but at 52 my energy levels ain't great, heres hoping.

[Rane]

There is just no way it should take over 6 months to get a 50+ break.

If you see a good coach and he gets you set up with a good technique whereby you can deliver the cue consistently straight at least 95% of the time you should have no problems reaching that target.

Now to get past the 50 break class and on towards 80-100 break class takes a fair bit of practice and realizing you have to get on either black or blue correctly to break out more reds from the pack.

Generally, since club tables are normally pretty slow the blue is the best ball to break the pack with as long as the pink is still tight on the pack as sometimes from the black on a club table you have to absolutely smoke the black in to get a decent split.

Never mind what you see the pros doing when they break the pack from the black. Unless you play on a fast match cloth or at least a brand new 6811 you just cannot achieve the same results.

Yellow and Green to break the pack is also a good shot to practice as it takes some learning to get the right amount of stun/screw and side

Terry

Hello Terry

When you give this answer, how many hours a week do you then expect to put into the game ?

I remember when I was playing regurlarly, I had two friends that I played with, and we usually matched each other quite well typically getting 20+ breaks quite regular, then they got unemployed playing 40 hours a week and all of a sudden was close to 100.

These days playing maybe once or twice a year, I struggle to pot more than 4 or 5 balls in a row, and even that beeing tough.

[tedisbill]

My form is improving all the time now.

In practice I made 71, 84 and 91 last night.

I know it's practice, but I was frustrated I couldn't hit a 40 before.

[firefrets]

There is just no way it should take over 6 months to get a 50+ break.

If you see a good coach and he gets you set up with a good technique whereby you can deliver the cue consistently straight at least 95% of the time you should have no problems reaching that target.

Now to get past the 50 break class and on towards 80-100 break class takes a fair bit of practice and realizing you have to get on either black or blue correctly to break out more reds from the pack.

Generally, since club tables are normally pretty slow the blue is the best ball to break the pack with as long as the pink is still tight on the pack as sometimes from the black on a club table you have to absolutely smoke the black in to get a decent split.

Never mind what you see the pros doing when they break the pack from the black. Unless you play on a fast match cloth or at least a brand new 6811 you just cannot achieve the same results.

Yellow and Green to break the pack is also a good shot to practice as it takes some learning to get the right amount of stun/screw and side

Terry

I've coached people at all levels throughout my playing days, be it taking a quick look at a fellow players cue action, to meeting someone for a scheduled coaching session, and every one of them are different, and with different requirements.

This comment needs reconsideration:

There is just no way it should take over 6 months to get a 50+ break.

Some guys play pool for years before ever playing snooker. Some have never picked a cue up in their life, and the closest they've ever come to self discipline and dedication is to scratch their balls every morning.

'Some' people will go on to make a 50 break in 6 months. The majority won't, and for the simple reason, that there is so much development needed, both in technique, and understanding, and also psychological conditioning.

I can take a complete novice, and over a course of lessons show him or her how to approach the game, and how to play each shot, but what I can't do is give them physical or mental memory, nor can I recreate situations for them in a way that they are able to overcome inhibitions, or give them the courage and convictions needed to make a break.

I can't change the licensing laws that allow them on the premises, nor can I change the opening times of the local facilities. Neither can I change the work schedules of the individual, or the family commitments, or the amount of folks that just happen to be in the club at the same time they want to play.

I can't change the finances of each individual which in turn dictate how often they can play, or how often they can afford to pay for lessons, or how much they can spend on equipment or further learning resources.

I can't sell them an attention span, or perfect eyesight, or physical fitness, and I can't make them remember anything, other than offer them certain ways of learning and encourage improvement and perseverance.

All these things take time, and for the majority of people, their learning is life long, as opposed to fast track. Different age groups have better learning capacities than others too.

For most people, learning doesn't comprise of 8 hour instruction on a daily basis, with an experienced coach, capable of guiding them right through each step on their way to their first century.

Most will learn bad habits from their friends, or from people who 'think' they know what they're talking about. Most will play one or 2 nights per week, and probably play 4 hours maximum per night, of which 80% of that time is taken up picking balls out for their more experienced practise partner, or drinking beer and chatting socially.

Over a period of 6 months, their 'social snooker' time will be less than 200 hours, and by the time it's broken down in to actually playing, we're probably looking at less than 30 hours of mindful practise.


I would hazard a guess that less than 20% of people who take up the game will hit a 50 break more than 10 times in their entire lives, without getting help from someone who knows what they're doing.

Even guys who know how to play every shot, and have knocked in century breaks regularly will struggle to make regular 50 breaks should their circumstances change, and their hours at the table become reduced, or even stopped, for a period.

.....................

Now then. Give me a 13 year old lad, with the desire to dedicate their immidiate future to the sport of snooker, and give me enough regular hours with him that I can establish momentum, and avoid reversal, and my success rate at taking the 13 year old lad from zero to 50, inside 6 months increases dramatically.

Give him a cue that works for him, and give him the right attitude to believe in both himself, and indeed me, and my chances of getting him to a regular 50 break standard improves all the time.

There is so much to learn and so much dedication required that sometimes as seasoned players we forget just how difficult the game is to someone who is just beginning.

I'm sure deep down you truly believed at the time of writing what you wrote, but I'm also sure, that as a mature adult, when you stop to actually reflect, you'll agree that your statement was a tad optimistic to say the least.

I could list every ingredient I personally feel it would take to make a player who can knock regular 50 breaks in, and I'd still be here writing my book at the end of the month, such is the vast amount of knowledge we've accumuated over the years, in which to become a complete player.

Just getting 'one' 50 break is something in itself, but being able to amass 50 points from most given situations takes real skill and experience, and no way will a fresh egg reach any where near the required level in such a short space of time, without massive factors being in their favour.

I also taught guitar too, just for the record, and the principles are not dissimilar.

.............................

[nevets]

Great, great post firefrets. You're the best thing that's happened to the forum for a while.