Bad practice worse than no practice?

[snooks1000]

Hi all,
the reason i ask this question is i've turned into a 'tweaker' after reading countless threads on here regarding technique etc. i've found my general standard has dropped in the last few months and my mate thinks i've tried changing too much without being coached if these changes are correct and that i've forgot what 'default' is. the thing is, i'm keen on practice and enjoy playing solo and putting the hours in but at the minute i'm worried i'm at best just wasting my time and money, or worse case actually harming my game even more?

thanks in advance...

[cally]

I've been here myself bud, reading this and that and trying too implicate numerous things into your game best you can too get the 'technique' right but it defo can fill your head with all kinds of doubts and your just 'tweaking' what you feel like you 'think' your doing wrong.

Your changing/tweaking things that might not be needed, basically your guessing.

Best advice you could poss have here.............................

Book to see a coach for an hour or 2 and they will put your mind at rest and tell you what you should be working on.

I now got a much better understanding of MY game/technique after seeing a coach. defo worth it...

[snooks1000]

i plan to see a coach asap but i think in the meantime i might be wasting my time practising until a coach can give me peace of mind on the correct things for me to work on...

[chapperzUK]

What is the normal hourly rate for a coach?

[Theguywithaplan]

What is the normal hourly rate for a coach?

20-50 pounds. Most around 25

[57varieties]

I noticed someone had recently been to see Nigel Bond in Chesterfiedl which isn't too far from you and they were well pleased, he charged £50 for a two hour session and didn't stick to the two hours either.

[snooks1000]

i'm leaning heavily towards going to see nigel as like you say he's not to far and there isn't many more experienced people in snooker around...

[57varieties]

Good luck with that, let us know how you go on if you decide to see him,always interested in feedback.

[ccfook2123]

in my opinion and personal experience

solo practice is good, if you teaching yourself the right things,

but if you teaching yourself bad things, i suggest you to stop if not you will develop bad technique which will be very hard to change later( like myself)

my advise is, line up the cue ball and object ball dead straight, try with follow through , see if you can consistently pot both to the same pocket, start from shorter range and then further the range. if you can pot both balls in same pocket consistently, lets say 8 out of 10 for straight close range shot to same pocket
also can play with stun shot to see if you apply any unwanted side, and align same shots like the follow through but with screw shots to see if you can cue straight when you hit at bottom.
if no unwanted side when you play stun shot, and you can play straight pot consistently
then you should not work on your technique. the very basic thing of this game is to cue straight consistently, so before you can do this, i suggest you to work harder on this part first, then other part will come naturally or every time you didnt pot the ball, the problem will be remain myth because you are not sure if you are cueing straight.....

im not sure with what i written here, anyone would like to add or change something, please feel free.....

[ccfook2123]

try

in my opinion and personal experience

solo practice is good, if you teaching yourself the right things,

but if you teaching yourself bad things, i suggest you to stop if not you will develop bad technique which will be very hard to change later( like myself)

my advise is, line up the cue ball and object ball dead straight, try with follow through , see if you can consistently pot both to the same pocket, start from shorter range and then further the range. if you can pot both balls in same pocket consistently, lets say 8 out of 10 for straight close range shot to same pocket
also can play with stun shot to see if you apply any unwanted side, and align same shots like the follow through but with screw shots to see if you can cue straight when you hit at bottom.
if no unwanted side when you play stun shot, and you can play straight pot consistently
then you should not work on your technique. the very basic thing of this game is to cue straight consistently, so before you can do this, i suggest you to work harder on this part first, then other part will come naturally or every time you didnt pot the ball, the problem will be remain myth because you are not sure if you are cueing straight.....

im not sure with what i written here, anyone would like to add or change something, please feel free.....

[wildJONESEYE]

one thing you do not need is advice left right and center. get yourself a coach through thick and thin follow his lead chopping and changing will do nobody no good.

[snooks1000]

thanks for taking the time to respond to this thread everyone. I've booked in to see Nigel bond in early June so till then I'm gonna ease up on the practise this month. The seasons just finished anyway so Will do me good to have a little break. I think i just need someone who knows there onions to just make sure I'm only tweaking what actually needs tweaking...

[amactaggart]

I really don't see how going to see Nigel Bond is going to improve your game in the manner i think you desire. no offence to Nigel but he wasn't exactly world champion material in his hey day... just as i can say going to see Stephen Hendry isn't going to improve your game either. my point here is....everyone can have an opinion on what you are doing wrong but until YOU work it out and YOU put it right then it is all just words. save your money and put it into table time.

[snookerpoolman]

I really don't see how going to see Nigel Bond is going to improve your game in the manner i think you desire. no offence to Nigel but he wasn't exactly world champion material in his hey day... just as i can say going to see Stephen Hendry isn't going to improve your game either. my point here is....everyone can have an opinion on what you are doing wrong but until YOU work it out and YOU put it right then it is all just words. save your money and put it into table time.

Got to take issue with this - Nigel as well as being a world class player over many years, is also a qualified World Snooker coach. You may not remember but he did reach the World final in 1995, was ranked as high as World no' 5 and beat John Higgins from 69 - nil down with 67 on the table in the final of the 1996 British Open... So please do not dismiss Nigel as a 'no-mark' or someone who cannot help a struggling amateur.

I know players of all abilities who have been to Nigel for coaching and come away with nothing but praise for him....

Your post also misses the point of coaching. We consistently make and re-make the same mistakes until someone points them out to us...

[amactaggart]

Got to take issue with this - Nigel as well as being a world class player over many years, is also a qualified World Snooker coach. You may not remember but he did reach the World final in 1995, was ranked as high as World no' 5 and beat John Higgins from 69 - nil down with 67 on the table in the final of the 1996 British Open... So please do not dismiss Nigel as a 'no-mark' or someone who cannot help a struggling amateur.

I know players of all abilities who have been to Nigel for coaching and come away with nothing but praise for him....

Your post also misses the point of coaching. We consistently make and re-make the same mistakes until someone points them out to us...

i think you have totally missed my point to be fair. i am not making Nigel out to be a "no mark" just as i am not making Stephen Hendry out as a "no mark"... my point is what might be right for Nigel may not be right for Stephen and therefore both coaching styles may not be right for YOU. I honestly think there is no such thing as bad practice but i do think there is such a thing as bad coaching. only my opinion.