A day with Chris Small

[chrissmall147]

Alibaddi my advice is just focus on getting the middle of the body in line with the spot on the ob that you need to hit to pot the ball.I explained this on my previous post so you can imagine lining up with either your nose belly button or imagine a sheet of glass running from contact point of ob right through to middle of the body. Your tip will point at the target for full ball shots as its straight on but for angled shots your tip will be pointing outside the line of aim because if it was on the line of aim you would hit thick wouldnt you. So here is an example. Imagine standing behind a very thin shot were your contact point on ob is the extreme edge. From standing you would try and get middle of the body lined up to this extreme edge and then drop down on the shot. You should now be addressing centre of the white but your tip is pointed outside the line of aim because the extreme edge of cb is going to hit extreme edge of ob to pot the ball. So if your tip was pointing at contact point on ob you would hit this shot very verythick and miss the pot. So you have lined up the middle of the body to contact point but tip is outside this contact point to enable you to get this pot. So again my advice is focus on lining middle of the body to contact point and dropping down on this line and dont worry about where your tip is pointing as this is something I never worried about and just gives you something else to think about. I hope this has helped and next time you are down the club set up a very thin cut and you will see what im talking about.

Cheers Chris small

Www.chrissmallsnookercoaching.co.uk

[alabadi]

Alibaddi my advice is just focus on getting the middle of the body in line with the spot on the ob that you need to hit to pot the ball.I explained this on my previous post so you can imagine lining up with either your nose belly button or imagine a sheet of glass running from contact point of ob right through to middle of the body. Your tip will point at the target for full ball shots as its straight on but for angled shots your tip will be pointing outside the line of aim because if it was on the line of aim you would hit thick wouldnt you. So here is an example. Imagine standing behind a very thin shot were your contact point on ob is the extreme edge. From standing you would try and get middle of the body lined up to this extreme edge and then drop down on the shot. You should now be addressing centre of the white but your tip is pointed outside the line of aim because the extreme edge of cb is going to hit extreme edge of ob to pot the ball. So if your tip was pointing at contact point on ob you would hit this shot very verythick and miss the pot. So you have lined up the middle of the body to contact point but tip is outside this contact point to enable you to get this pot. So again my advice is focus on lining middle of the body to contact point and dropping down on this line and dont worry about where your tip is pointing as this is something I never worried about and just gives you something else to think about. I hope this has helped and next time you are down the club set up a very thin cut and you will see what im talking about.

Cheers Chris small

Www.chrissmallsnookercoaching.co.uk

thanks Chris i will definitely give this a go next time i do some solo practice

[itsnoteasy]

I have a question that's bugged me for a while, and as it has arisen again today in the thread defeating yourself ,I'd like to ask.
I have heard many times before that you don't think of technique when playing this is only for practice, this sounds wrong to me, that sounds like, you don't bother if your online, you get down any old way, don't visualise the shot,then just hit it, with no thought to anything, I know this sounds daft, but it's just a way of pointing out technique or shot routine has to be followed every time in practice or play, does it not? If it doesn't what do you do in a game?, thanks.

[DeanH]

A day with Chris Small

what they mean is in practice you can think about technique, any aspect that you need to focus on and you do this enough to get it ingrained into your game so when you are in a match you don't have to think about technique but just the shot. Easy to say but difficult to do all the time. So in a match you are online, holding the cue lightly, focusing on the ob, deliver the cue straight and everything else without focusing on them. I have a habit of still thinking about my grip sometimes during a match

[alabadi]

well Chris i tried the lining up to the center of the body on Saturday, and i had a very good session, my pot accuracy improved considerably. i did have mishaps too but that can be down to not get down bang on line.

i did find it harder to use this method on long distance shots i.e over 5 feet but when close worked a treat.

i am not going to start saying this is the solution to all my problems, i have learnt from experience any new addition to technique can have an immediate impact but then after a few weeks fade away. what i would say this is the first time i have had some focal point for me to use to get lined up.

from my practice i found it working very well even on very thin cuts. i used this in conjunction with a new aiming technique my coach introduced to me last week, they both compliment each other so i continued using both.

i have seldom had a better solo practice session for some time and cannot be happier at this moment in time. i will be sticking with this and keep practicing it until it becomes a natural part of my set up.

I would like to thank you Chris for your help, i will be reporting back in the future of how i am getting on.

Alabbadi

[throtts]

alabadi, make sure you finish off the good aiming with good sighting, they truly are paired like every part of snooker.

The most common thing you hear is that when one makes a change there is an immediate improvement. I think that should tell us all that we do not do all things correctly and consistently.

[alabadi]

alabadi, make sure you finish off the good aiming with good sighting, they truly are paired like every part of snooker.

The most common thing you hear is that when one makes a change there is an immediate improvement. I think that should tell us all that we do not do all things correctly and consistently.

throtts for me the sighting bit is very important, once i get the correct contact point i am very good at potting. i used one of those spotted balls on Saturday to test some shots that i have been struggling with, i set it up and lined BOB with one of the spots and then just put the cue ball in various positions and just tried to look at the contact point. i was really surprised at how little the angle changed between shots when the cueball was moved by a balls width.

it worked a treat for shots high on the black, i was miss judging these all the time. i have to say once i got the correct point i hardly missed a shot all night.

it just goes to show one little thing can make a huge impact.

Alabbadi

[chrissmall147]

Hi alibadi

Just take more time over the long pots. Stand behind the shot a bit longer and zone in on contact point and get middle of body in line with the contact point and then make sure you keep that line walking in. Its common sense though to take longer over harder shots. Try this and see if your potting percentage goes up on the long ones.

Cheers Chris small

Www.chrissmallsnookercoaching.co.uk

[alabadi]

Hi alibadi

Just take more time over the long pots. Stand behind the shot a bit longer and zone in on contact point and get middle of body in line with the contact point and then make sure you keep that line walking in. Its common sense though to take longer over harder shots. Try this and see if your potting percentage goes up on the long ones.

Cheers Chris small

Www.chrissmallsnookercoaching.co.uk

Cheers chris will do

[Terry Davidson]

I'm one of those players who has to focus on the object ball at the front pause (since I don't have a decent rear pause) and lately I've found it really helps me if I force myself to concentrate hard on the object ball at the front pause, even to the extent of adding a bit of time (not much though) to the length of the front pause.

It seemed to me a lot of time my eyes would be traveling from the cueball to the object ball during my delivery and were somewhere in between at the moment of strike and I've been working really hard to correct that and get locked on at the time of strike. As an older player I've also found it does take a little longer to focus properly on the object ball and for me at least this seems to be a good solution. I can remember when I was younger I could focus a lot faster so I'm going to blame it on my age.

As an added bonus I find my timing is much improved using this method too.

Terry

[alabadi]

As an older player I've also found it does take a little longer to focus properly on the object ball and for me at least this seems to be a good solution. I can remember when I was younger I could focus a lot faster so I'm going to blame it on my age.

As an added bonus I find my timing is much improved using this method too.

Terry

this is true Terry

I have been trying to focus on the back pause or sometimes half way through the back swing, I feel that sometimes I don't have enough time to focus on the contact point.

I have noticed this whenever I miss a shot that I should get, I can't recall where did the cue ball make contact and on occasions I even couldn't tell where did the OB strike the jaw of the pocket, its as if my eyes were closed although they are open.

I think you are probably right in that for an older person I should give myself more time to focus, I use to switch my eyes at the front pause not that long ago, I changed to get better rhythm and timing, however it doesn't seem working.

I will have to introduce this a bit at a time when I solo practice because I have got use to the rear pause now. I don't want to completely change all of a sudden as I know it will mess up what I have achieved so far plus its a painful journey to get back to where I am now.
I think I will probably have to start switching to the contact point half way on the back swing and gradually bring it to the front pause.

well it seems like another adventure, wish me luck

Alabbadi

[throtts]

I'm one of those players who has to focus on the object ball at the front pause (since I don't have a decent rear pause) and lately I've found it really helps me if I force myself to concentrate hard on the object ball at the front pause, even to the extent of adding a bit of time (not much though) to the length of the front pause.

It seemed to me a lot of time my eyes would be traveling from the cueball to the object ball during my delivery and were somewhere in between at the moment of strike and I've been working really hard to correct that and get locked on at the time of strike. As an older player I've also found it does take a little longer to focus properly on the object ball and for me at least this seems to be a good solution. I can remember when I was younger I could focus a lot faster so I'm going to blame it on my age.

As an added bonus I find my timing is much improved using this method too.

Terry

Holy moly, Terry, this is very true for me too, other than I still have the rear pause too which tends to promote getting through the cue ball on a ALL shots..If your getting through the cue ball then your not using shoulder muscle, which is so important not to do.

On my 3 month off from the game I naturally fixed on the BOB on the front pause when I returned. I also fully agree that the front pause also helps timing along with making you feel more ready to execute the shot..

Jmo, guys....

[throtts]

this is true Terry

I have been trying to focus on the back pause or sometimes half way through the back swing, I feel that sometimes I don't have enough time to focus on the contact point.

I have noticed this whenever I miss a shot that I should get, I can't recall where did the cue ball make contact and on occasions I even couldn't tell where did the OB strike the jaw of the pocket, its as if my eyes were closed although they are open.

I think you are probably right in that for an older person I should give myself more time to focus, I use to switch my eyes at the front pause not that long ago, I changed to get better rhythm and timing, however it doesn't seem working.

I will have to introduce this a bit at a time when I solo practice because I have got use to the rear pause now. I don't want to completely change all of a sudden as I know it will mess up what I have achieved so far plus its a painful journey to get back to where I am now.
I think I will probably have to start switching to the contact point half way on the back swing and gradually bring it to the front pause.

well it seems like another adventure, wish me luck

Alabbadi

Hi mate,

Put your stick on that potting line, chin and chest on the contact points and literally hold it there looking down the shaft through the CB to the BOB, it may sound long winded but when your in the flow you will do it quickly..

This has transformed my game,,,,, granted I have my own table but it was a turning point for me..

[chrissmall147]

Hi itsnoteasy

If you where working on technique like grip stance straight cueing you would want to work on all of this in solo practice so as you just engrain it into your game and eventually you can play a match not having to think about all of this. If you tried sorting all of this out during a match your head would be all over the place as its hard enough playinga match with a clear mind and dealing with nerves and pressure alone. But during a match you would still have to take care over lining up properly and getting down on that line and thinking about positional play to enable you to build a break but that is all as that is enough to think about in a match anyway. So basically when you play a league match or club championship all that is on your mind is PRE SHOT ROUTINE. Hope this helps mate.

Cheers Chris small

Www.chrissmallsnookercoaching.co.uk

[itsnoteasy]

Thanks Chris and Dean, it's obvious now I've been told , sometimes I'm a bit thick .