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So as many of you know from my previous threads etc, i've been having serious problems with my snooker over the last few months up to a year........ so i resorted to what most people do, threaten to quit the game, realise no one actually cares if you quit, and then resorted to coming the the forum to bare my soul to you all 
Anyway, i've had alot of advice, especially from Terry on here, and i just want to tell you what i have found over the past 2 weeks in the hope newer players can quickly learn to avoid going through the same problems i have for such a long time.
1) So the first thing i worked on was simple, making sure i'm keeping my nose on the line of the shot - now i know this is common sense, but it really surprised me how much i was not doing this. I was picking the line yes, but not actually going down on the line etc. So all i really did was make sure i was concentrating on making sure my nose was on the line while i chalked my cue. It was amazing how quickly i found i was potting more consistently etc. The only thing i found was that sometimes i was moving my nose sideways when putting my other leg to the side of the line of aim - so i basically found myself a way of making sure i kept my head still. Such a small adjustment for such a bigger return.
2) The second biggest thing i worked on was loosening up my grip hand, and when i mean loosen, i mean going as far as hardly holding the cue at all and using only from first 2 fingers. It was only after Terry mentioned it that i conciously starting analysing my grip after every shot, especially more powerful shots, and low and behold, my grip was going from releatively tight, to literally choking the life out of my cue after the follow through. So i went to the practice table, and again conciously made an effort to keep my grip really loose throughout the whole stroke (this is still hard on power shots) and again, i found i was cueing straighter more often, i was cueing through the ball better. Yes, occasionally i found i was still tightening the grip up, but if you do what Nic Barrow suggests, and stay down and analyse why you miss the shot after you play it, you will notice your grip tighter, and then you know to adjust on the next shot.
3) But the biggest change for me was in how i pick my potting angles. Again, for ages i was convinced i could not see the angles, i couldn't visualise a ghost ball etc, and i was getting me so down. I was literally think of potting as if it was degree level triganometry. I was visualling triangles all over the table, imaging have protractors measuring angles etc. If you can think of a method for finding potting angles, i've probably tried it, yes it would work for a little bit, then it wouldn't and i was back to square one. So i asked on here, and again Terry replied saying i was probably thinking to much about the angles and should trust the fact most people know the angle of the shot naturally, it's the fact most people don't get down on the line properly, or move their shoulder, or tightening the grip to early that causes the missed pot - but most people will then resort to blaming the fact they picked the wrong angle rather than realising its the cueing that was the problem. So again, all i did was not think about the angles, i would stand up behind the shot where i felt it was right, and then make sure i kept my nose on that line - i was literally just trusting my instincts to put me on the right potting line - look at the object ball, look at the pocket, stand behind the shot and get down keeping the nose on the line. And again, it was amazing, i was potting balls i would normally miss more often than not - especially black off the spot wid an angle more than 1/2 ball. Yes this did help, but it was also the fact i was cueing straight that helped - but the main thing - it ment it was one less thing for me to think about on the shot - i was learning to trust myself, and then giving myself more time to focus on loose grip, still shoulder, and keeping my nose on the line.
Now these all sound like common sense things, but to me they never really were, no coach ever really made sure my nose was on the right line, or made sure my grip was loose enough, so i always continued with the way i was doing things and getting no where. I had gone months without making a break more than 20, and was always getting chances and messing them up.
Now in the last 10 days, just with a few changes, and more concious awareness, i have made a 40, 38, 27 clearenace, and another 4 breaks over 20. What impressed me more though, is i actually made my first league break over 20 in the first game i played after these changes. Now this may sound like nothing, but to me, it was important, it was the fact under pressure, my technique was holding up. My win ratio in the local club has gone up to around 75%. This is purely due to me making less errors, potting more balls, and now compling small breaks when im getting chances.
I still have some problems, most improtantly, letting my positional play slip because i'm still worried of missing pots, so i'm just trying to pot some colours instead of trying for the position aswell. The other thing i suffer with is still accepting luck from other players - but that is something i have to deal with
But hopefully these improvements stay - just wish i done these things sooner
So for all you new players, all players struggling out there, take some solice in my story because there is always a way to improve, and it normally starts with you conciously realising that you might be doing things wrong. I always thought my technique was great due to no coach ever picking me up on these things, and always focusing sessions on positonal play, even when i was consistently missing pots in practice. So try and take in everything you learn on here and keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel
Anyway, i've had alot of advice, especially from Terry on here, and i just want to tell you what i have found over the past 2 weeks in the hope newer players can quickly learn to avoid going through the same problems i have for such a long time.
1) So the first thing i worked on was simple, making sure i'm keeping my nose on the line of the shot - now i know this is common sense, but it really surprised me how much i was not doing this. I was picking the line yes, but not actually going down on the line etc. So all i really did was make sure i was concentrating on making sure my nose was on the line while i chalked my cue. It was amazing how quickly i found i was potting more consistently etc. The only thing i found was that sometimes i was moving my nose sideways when putting my other leg to the side of the line of aim - so i basically found myself a way of making sure i kept my head still. Such a small adjustment for such a bigger return.
2) The second biggest thing i worked on was loosening up my grip hand, and when i mean loosen, i mean going as far as hardly holding the cue at all and using only from first 2 fingers. It was only after Terry mentioned it that i conciously starting analysing my grip after every shot, especially more powerful shots, and low and behold, my grip was going from releatively tight, to literally choking the life out of my cue after the follow through. So i went to the practice table, and again conciously made an effort to keep my grip really loose throughout the whole stroke (this is still hard on power shots) and again, i found i was cueing straighter more often, i was cueing through the ball better. Yes, occasionally i found i was still tightening the grip up, but if you do what Nic Barrow suggests, and stay down and analyse why you miss the shot after you play it, you will notice your grip tighter, and then you know to adjust on the next shot.
3) But the biggest change for me was in how i pick my potting angles. Again, for ages i was convinced i could not see the angles, i couldn't visualise a ghost ball etc, and i was getting me so down. I was literally think of potting as if it was degree level triganometry. I was visualling triangles all over the table, imaging have protractors measuring angles etc. If you can think of a method for finding potting angles, i've probably tried it, yes it would work for a little bit, then it wouldn't and i was back to square one. So i asked on here, and again Terry replied saying i was probably thinking to much about the angles and should trust the fact most people know the angle of the shot naturally, it's the fact most people don't get down on the line properly, or move their shoulder, or tightening the grip to early that causes the missed pot - but most people will then resort to blaming the fact they picked the wrong angle rather than realising its the cueing that was the problem. So again, all i did was not think about the angles, i would stand up behind the shot where i felt it was right, and then make sure i kept my nose on that line - i was literally just trusting my instincts to put me on the right potting line - look at the object ball, look at the pocket, stand behind the shot and get down keeping the nose on the line. And again, it was amazing, i was potting balls i would normally miss more often than not - especially black off the spot wid an angle more than 1/2 ball. Yes this did help, but it was also the fact i was cueing straight that helped - but the main thing - it ment it was one less thing for me to think about on the shot - i was learning to trust myself, and then giving myself more time to focus on loose grip, still shoulder, and keeping my nose on the line.
Now these all sound like common sense things, but to me they never really were, no coach ever really made sure my nose was on the right line, or made sure my grip was loose enough, so i always continued with the way i was doing things and getting no where. I had gone months without making a break more than 20, and was always getting chances and messing them up.
Now in the last 10 days, just with a few changes, and more concious awareness, i have made a 40, 38, 27 clearenace, and another 4 breaks over 20. What impressed me more though, is i actually made my first league break over 20 in the first game i played after these changes. Now this may sound like nothing, but to me, it was important, it was the fact under pressure, my technique was holding up. My win ratio in the local club has gone up to around 75%. This is purely due to me making less errors, potting more balls, and now compling small breaks when im getting chances.
I still have some problems, most improtantly, letting my positional play slip because i'm still worried of missing pots, so i'm just trying to pot some colours instead of trying for the position aswell. The other thing i suffer with is still accepting luck from other players - but that is something i have to deal with
But hopefully these improvements stay - just wish i done these things sooner
So for all you new players, all players struggling out there, take some solice in my story because there is always a way to improve, and it normally starts with you conciously realising that you might be doing things wrong. I always thought my technique was great due to no coach ever picking me up on these things, and always focusing sessions on positonal play, even when i was consistently missing pots in practice. So try and take in everything you learn on here and keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel
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