vmax was right!

[Terry Davidson]

throtts:

I would say start with the basics and then develop your own individual technique which works for you but don't let the changes let you stray way too far from the basics. There is the 'ideal' technique and then there's the technique everyone else uses (except for maybe Steve Davis in his prime who was very close to the ideal technique).

Terry

[Terry Davidson]

Gerry Armstrong:

I was taught by Nic Barrow to use the nose as an example but keeping the nose on the line of aim just means when standing behind the shot the head should be square to the shot, the same as when you're doing any other activity.

I figured Jack Jones is the best example I could think of where a good player cues to the side of his chin when in the address position, so I watched a frame of his against Ali Carter in the 2012 Worlds and you can see he stands behind the shot with his head square (in other words the nose pointed at the object ball) and then as he assumes the address position he still keeps his head square but has the cue running to the extreme left of his chin.

I then tried to see what I do and sure enough when standing behind the shot my head is square to the shot but in the address position my head is turned slightly.

I think every player aims with his head square (and the nose or eyes over the line of aim to get the binocular image) but then as they get into the address position and assume the sighting line they automatically adjust to wherever the cue runs or the head turns. In each case, both Jack Jones and myself it appeared to me that the heads did drop straight down but in my case I must turn the head slightly to the right but still drop it straight down.

I figure this point is so minute that it doesn't really matter since everyone stands with the head square to the line of aim and can detect the correct line of aim and most players with a little experience can get onto the correct line of sighting if they drop the head straight down even though they might turn it or as Jones does, bring the cue in under the left side (or right side) of the chin. I don't think it really matters as practice will make whatever system they use natural and correct for their technique.

Terry

[j6uk]

I with you on that

Haha, Play and try and enjoy, jmo..

[nrage]

Every player plays there best when there in their natural play state of mind. How often do you hear a snooker player say, " I played awesome snooker today and was in the zone, however I can't remember what I was doing right, can't remember what my grip configuration " etc etc. I just think so many players become too robotic which impeded ones natural flair. Play and try and enjoy, jmo..

Think during practice (and when sat at home on the snooker forum), just play during matches.

[j6uk]

I know were your coming from with this but, I am right handed and sight from my left eye (Just like Ron) I wish Anyway, so my lead foot, shoulders and nose are at one o'clock as I do all my preliminaries. I think I'm not the only one..

Gerry Armstrong:

I think every player aims with his head square (and the nose or eyes over the line of aim to get the binocular image) but then as they get into the address position and assume the sighting line they automatically adjust to wherever the cue runs or the head turns. In each case, both Jack Jones and myself it appeared to me that the heads did drop straight down but in my case I must turn the head slightly to the right but still drop it straight down.

I figure this point is so minute that it doesn't really matter since everyone stands with the head square to the line of aim and can detect the correct line of aim and most players with a little experience can get onto the correct line of sighting if they drop the head straight down even though they might turn it or as Jones does, bring the cue in under the left side (or right side) of the chin. I don't think it really matters as practice will make whatever system they use natural and correct for their technique.

Terry

[nrage]

I know were your coming from with this but, I am right handed and sight from my left eye (Just like Ron) I wish Anyway, so my lead foot, shoulders and nose are at one o'clock as I do all my preliminaries. I think I'm not the only one..

Are you at 1 o'clock standing up behind the shot aiming? Or at 1 o'clock when you're in your address position.

I am like you, right handed and my cue naturally sits just left of my nose. I still stand with my "nose" on the line of aim (actually it's not my nose but the center of my body that I use) to do my aiming. The main idea IMO is that you want to be consistent about where you stand and that the center of your body is easier to find than, for example, the line running to the left of my nose. I don't think I'd gain anything by using the line to the left of my nose for when standing up behind the shot and aiming.

[j6uk]

Yes and the arc of my foot on the lead leg is the line of aim every time, bang, left eye is also on that line, i drop under that it, ready to go!

Are you at 1 o'clock standing up behind the shot aiming?

[armstm]

Yes and the arc of my foot on the lead leg is the line of aim every time, bang, left eye is also on that line and i drop under that it, ready to go!

Another method to try if you consistently under over cutting certain shots is to experiment standing a little to left or to the right and see if the eyes finds the right angle easier. I've noticed this helps with cut back blacks. Where suddenly u see the angle clearer. This is only for low break players as I assume good players do this automatically.

[j6uk]

If I have alignment issues, I will take them to the baulk line..
Its worth learning all the color angle patterns. This will bring more clarity in the overall table/game, help with any anxiety on the shot and should bump up your scoring considerably enjoy

Another method to try if you consistently under over cutting certain shots is to experiment standing a little to left or to the right and see if the eyes finds the right angle easier. I've noticed this helps with cut back blacks. Where suddenly u see the angle clearer. This is only for low break players as I assume good players do this automatically.

[ace man]

The OP started the topic about achieving 5 reds 5 blacks in a line-up formation. This really isn't demanding on one's cue action at all provided you keep the cueball under control. To me it is more about touch and feel.
People usually fail at this because they make a lot of positional mistakes, choose wrong shot, wrong speed/spin, cannon other reds...etc...

[armstm]

The OP started the topic about achieving 5 reds 5 blacks in a line-up formation. This really isn't demanding on one's cue action at all provided you keep the cueball under control. To me it is more about touch and feel.
People usually fail at this because they make a lot of positional mistakes, choose wrong shot, wrong speed/spin, cannon other reds...etc...

i agree it should be easy but for me its not. i've achieved it once since i started this thread but it's 1 out of 100 attempts for me at the moment.

you do learn a lot doing this routine, i have corrected quite a few errors. one of which is sighting (i stand further up the table when i'm on the yellow side potting to the green side, i can see i was sighting incorrectly. another is looser grip which helps my elbow position. another is only potting with the elbow (i tend to throw shoulder movement in on blacks to the green side pocket which means i overcut them).

and then as you point out you have to learn touch and feel for the cueball position which is very sensitive on this exercise.

i enjoy doing this routine starting with 3 reds, progressing to 4 and then taking on 5.

i don't beat myself up at failing regularly at this routine because i figure if i can't do this simple exercise then i have no chance at doing a decent break in a match.

[ace man]

i agree it should be easy but for me its not. i've achieved it once since i started this thread but it's 1 out of 100 attempts for me at the moment.

Nobody said it was easy. However, most of the pots in this drill are 3ft pots. There is plenty of margin for error, so even if you have some cueing issues, it shouldn't show too much. Maybe you just dwell on trying to achieve perfect technique.

[armstm]

yes, agreed. i do miss easy pots, partly through sighting issues (which i believe i am getting the hang of). i also think my shoulder is involved when i am potting high blacks from the yellow side to the green side (resulting in an overcut) but this is also disappearing as i am more aware of this.

so mainly i am breaking down because i finish near a cushion and miss the pot from the cushion, ie its positional play, which i guess is just practice to improve my touch and feel round this area. also i don't have any other colours to play for (i only use black) so i guess that makes it more difficult.

however a good player should find this easy, and certainly if i want to make decent breaks i have to master this bad boy!

i asked a 100 break player in my club and he said would be able to do this 5 reds and blacks routine 8 or 9 times out of 10 which shows you how far i have to go.

[humperdingle]

shows you how far i have to go.

Me too, although i'm noticing a gradual improvement since restarting playing a couple of weeks ago... I'm up to 37 off the line-up. Problem is, I'll be playing pants, knock in a 30-odd, then play pants again!

Consistency is the real problem for me.

[armstm]

i would say this is the most difficult part of the line-up. i managed a few 50s on the line up but this is just simple pots mainly to the middle using the blue and pink.

area around black is more difficult to master, position has to be more precise and its more relevent for match play in my experience.