Concentration

[nickdarke85]

Hi guys im new to the forum.

Im a pretty good player (when i want to be) but sometimes i tend to miss shots due to lack of cencentration (mainly easy ones). Is there any tips or advice to improve my levels of concentration?

I think sometimes my problem is if i have an easy red or colour i tend to take it for granted that im going to pot it and then il end up missing and messing up a possible decent break. I need to realise that every shot (easy or hard) has the same importance and give it the same level of concentration.

Also is there a particular routine you go through when taking a shot on?

Any help will be greatful...

Cheers,

Nick

[Belloz22]

hi, you seem an intelligent player to me, the fact you realise that you take some shots for granted over others, this mainly occurs when people can pot difficult shots but not the easier ones. One of the main problems you need to cure is how you perceive all of your shots. Even if the ball is on the pocket, you must attempt to play it like it is the most important shot in the world (imagine it would win you the world championship lol) You may also find that you are approaching you shots to quick when on a easier shot, so you neglect to take that extra bit of care to line the shot up properly, many believe believe players can pot from memory, and i dont doubt this, but unless you are playing every day you need to line up every shot by standing behind the line of the shot. It may feel awkward or out of place to do this, and it will feel like it is breaking your natural flow of your game up, but in the long term, doing this same pre shot set up will help dramatically in your consistency in your potting. It will eventually become natural. One other tip i give is to have an aim for every pot you attempt, this may sound stupid (of course your going to have a goal when you achieve your pot, namely position) but many people forget this, and just attempt to pot the one ball and forget about getting good positioning rather than having some attempt at a colour, in the end getting good positioning will dramtically help your break building. When you line up your next pot, think exactly where abouts on the table you want to be, imagine you need to land on a 50p (professionals play pecentage play - but that a different area) By doing this, you will put that slight more concentration into achieveing the pot and getting the positioning rather that just potting the ball.

Hope this helps

If you need more practice routines i have hundreds for areas including concentration, break building, technique and safety

[nickdarke85]

Thanks for the reply it was very helpful.

What you said about the 50p i think will help me alot. Currently when i position myself for the next shot i only play to get the white in a rough area i dont really pin point exactly where i want it.

Before taking on lets say a red do you recommend i go round and have a look at where i want the white for the next colour? Currently id just get down on the shot and look at the next colour and just position myself near it so its not always perfect for the next shot which just makes things harder than it should be to carry on the break.

When im playing well i can pot really well but i feel if i could position myself just that little bit better than i do currently i could really put together decent breaks more often...

[Belloz22]

yes, thats a good idea, especially when your on your own, you need to slow down a lil bit, and i good way is to walk around the table and have a look exactly where you want the white to land, many people take for granted the positioning, and find when they pot the red, the colour is blocked or it didn't actually pot into any pocket. When your in a match, you can still do the same thing, look around the table, decide exactly what you want to do, positioning mainly. Don't over exaggerate taking your time around the table as this can break up your rhythm, and this really makes things worst. When you start to feel a bit of form coming, you don't have to alwats walk around the table to look, but don;t neglect to stand back from the shot and get a clear sight of the table. Eventually after hard practice you will find you will become much more efficent at spotting ways of making good high breaks

glad you found my help useful

[The Statman]

I can only echo the above comments. As someone who has a tendency to take easy shots for granted, I know where you're coming from! Of course they still usually go in because they are easy, but that certain number of easy ones which are missed – in a period when you're playing well – act as a bit of a wake-up call that you are not giving the shot the concentration it deserves. You then remember that for a time but it is all too easy to slip back into the same habit.

The 50p is a good one (if you want even more incentive, give the 50p to your opponent each time you fail to land on it!). I don't think it's possible to overemphasise the importance of actually going round the table to see exactly where you want the cue-ball to be for the next ball. You see so many players who can obviously pot, and can make the cue-ball travel in pretty much any direction they want – but, they just casually look at getting the white towards the black so they can pot it, but not think about the angle they need on the black to get to the next red. And that is why many people cannot get reasonable breaks, even though they do not lack the ability to play the required shots.

Thinking two shots ahead is vital. One is not enough; three is often unnecessary.

[Stunrunthru]

Nick try this drill.Believe me it works.

Stand back from the shot

2) Look at the shot

3) Decide what shot to play

4) Right foot in line with the shot

5) Walk into the shot, right foot first then left foot

6) Get down to the shot

7) Firm up the left hand side of the body

8) Solid bridge, gripping the cloth hard

9) Tip to the ball

10) Adjust back arm in line with shot

11) Look at the shot

12) Begin preliminary address (called feathers or waggles) and get the cue moving.

13) Search for the white, tip as close as possible during address

14) When ready pull the cue back

15) Eyes on the object ball

16) Push cue through and hit the chest

17) Stay down on the shot until completion

18) Do not bring cue back on completion of follow through (most important)

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'Shot of the match so far' - Willie Thorne comments on the best shot of the match so far.

[nickdarke85]

When about to strike the white is it best to look at the exact point on the white you want to hit or look at the red / colour?

[Stunrunthru]

Nick,

Try to follow the drill in that order. Let me know if any questions after you've tried it.

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' Breakbuilding is all about playing in areas.' - Willie Thorne explaining that you don't need the cue ball on a pin point when break building.

[Belloz22]

as a rule of thumb, it is a good idea to look at the white ball, and the point on the object ball while you are feathering the white, as you come back for your final swing, and just as you pause at the back swing, adjust your eyes to the point on the object ball you intend to hit, this is especially important for long shots, your cue has a tendency to follow your line of sight, thats why many coaches will tell you to stay down on the shot and keep look at the point you intend to hit, even after the red as been hit. This is a bit of an over exagerration, but you get the point of importance

[nickdarke85]

Ok guys im playing snooker tomorrow so il let you know how i get on...

[nickdarke85]

Well i played earlier and took some of those things into consideration. If im honest i played rubbish today but i do feel it helped me out a bit.

Cheers for the advice and hopefully from now on if i keep doing these things i will improve my game...

[Belloz22]

as annoying as it is, you will play bad for a lil while, this is what seperates good players from poor players, the determination to work through the poor patches until you receive the benefits. Any change in the technique will effect your game, but think in the long term, play medicore for the rest of your life, or play really poor for a week or so, until you absorb the correct technique, then play alot better from there after.... the choice is yours