A day with Chris Small

[mrbluejay]

I think you just have to like that page, I just checked the link and I can see it, 23hrs ago on the left hand side.

[cyberheater]

I think you just have to like that page, I just checked the link and I can see it, 23hrs ago on the left hand side.

Nope. Still can't see it.

EDIT: Found it. You have to click on a box that says mailchimp.

[cyberheater]

I've read the document. First off. I would like to say it's very well written. Very clear, direct and methodical. It's clearly aimed at someone who is serious about the game and is or wants to be a professional. Although there are lots of good tips that would help any player who plays matches around pre match routines and getting your head straight and free from distractions.

It also gave me a valuable insight into what it's like to be professional snooker player and the huge amount of work and dedication required just to get to the top 32. I honestly don't know how you guys do it.

Thanks Chris.

[mythman69]

Got it . . . some worthwhile tips. Thanks!

Not sure about the bit about putting on your shoes and socks in the correct order.

But I have heard that a lot of sportsmen have superstitions.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine...ry/559002.html

Maybe I should start taping my spare cues to the roof?



Anyone else on here have a sport superstition?

[alabadi]

a fascinated read and some very good stuff on how some one who is serious about snooker can reach a high standard, very useful tips and in particular what i was interested in the mental aspects of the game. i intend to go over those articles again especially , pressure, concentration and determination....all good info.

thanks Chris

[dave121260]

I've subscribed to it and confirmed my email what next ??? sorry not very computer literate

[mythman69]

I've subscribed to it and confirmed my email what next ??? sorry not very computer literate

Click on this link

https://www.facebook.com/ChrisSmallSnookerCoaching

Then scroll down a little bit, second post down on the left hand side you will see:

"Chris Small Snooker Coach" - then click on the mail chimp box.

That should work.

[itsnoteasy]

Back in today playing the same lad, I was playing well, we probably shared the frames maybe he won the odd one more, but the biggest point was, I. Was on 49 , perfect on the black just on the low side, stun up still three reds on, round the pink area ,I had got all the colours on the spots, now do you A, roll it in just to make sure you beat yesterday's high break of 54. B, stun up still 51 left on the table I will be on 56 possible century on, or C, twitch take your eyes right off the pot and miss it and hang your head in shame.







The answer is C BLOODY TWITCHED ON IT AND HUNG MY HEAD IN SHAME LOL.

[chrissmall147]

Hi jim

I have faith mate u will reach your target of 75 in about 3 or 4 months so not long to wait

Cheers Chris

[itsnoteasy]

Thanks Chris, I think I missed that shot as I was in two minds still when down as to what to do, I should have stood back up, but I will know for next time( sorry for not doing the right thing), the lad I was playing was mad at me lol, he is a great lad and wants me to do well, but won't give one point away for nowt so you have to work for the chances you get,which is just what I need. Before we hooked up playing I always thought you don't really need to play anyone to get better you can just do it through practice, boy was I wrong, you need that bit of competition to hone that cue action. Even though it doesn't mean anything in the long run, just the fact that if I miss it could be end of frame concentrates the mind, another thing that helps is the state of the table, I used to play the odd game with another lad and like me he was at a low level and we both got the table messed up, now I have got a bit of control over the white the table as a rule stays a lot tidier and so it's easier to get breaks.
Today before we played I was asking the lad how you break the pack up without sticking in it as I always seem to do , he asked me how I played it and I told him so he said wait till you get a chance and I will tell you once I see the shot you have, well I didn't have to wait long couple of reds on second black on low side to play back up into the pack , he asked me how I would play it ,I said batter it with stun lol, he said no just below so it's just a bit of screw, but the important thing is not to hit it hard!!, I didn't believe it to be honest but I hit it at half the speed I would have and the pack just exploded ,it was quite amazing, I didn't land on anything easy but I have never got the balls to react like this before, I used this shot a few times through the session and each time they just opened lovely.

[alabadi]

Thanks Chris, I think I missed that shot as I was in two minds still when down as to what to do, .

Jim you have made a valid point here, I have done this so many times.

I was having a coaching session the other day and I was explaining to the coach that I am terrible at breaking the pack up from being high on the blue. so many times I either miss the blue or pot the blue miss the pack, or on occasion when I do hit the pack I hit the pack 1/4 ball and lose the white.

so we set it up and after a few shots bang on form I was doing what I always do, either miss the pot or miss the pack. so the coach got me to pick the angle, where on the cueball I will hit it and what power. he told me get down and trust yourself and don't think of anything else. the first shot I potted the blue and missed the pink to the right, I was paying from the green side of the table (right hand player).

so he said as you have missed it to the right now make an adjustment... to cut a story short after 2 or 3 more attempts I hit the pick full ball. so he said now you know what height, what angle and what power. get down fully committed don't think of anything else, forget the pack and play the shots.

the results were bang on, I have never broke the pack that well before, I didn't even know where the cueball hit the pack because I was concentrating on the blue and didn't even look at the cueball.

its so easy to anticipate where the white will go we actually forget the shot we are on, we either take our eye off the shot by looking at the white instead of the object ball because we are not sure that we have correctly selected the right , height, angle, power...etc.

and this is what the coach was trying to get me do. he said you have to trust your decision and go through with it, if it wasn't right then you will learn from it, next time you will make some adjustment and so on until you get it right, he said its the only way to learn.
the brain needs clear instructions what to do or it will just be confused and end up with erratic results.

easier said than done. I am getting there all be it a bit slow for my liking, nevertheless its progress.

good luck Jim in your pursuits for that 75 I am hoping I can get that first 50 which is still eluding me.

Alabbadi

[itsnoteasy]

That is the absolute winner Alabadi, pick your spot and hit it , this sounds simple but it's so hard not to flick your eyes away to look at the position before you have potted the object ball, today I had a 47 and a 48 I missed a red on the 48 I should have got ,wobbled it and was bang on the black , I can't believe my highest break was 46 at the start of this week and I have gone past it four times. Keep practicing Alabadi as I would say we are about the same standard ( from your red line up video)and I reckon the break through can't be far away for you, I seem to have found a tempo in my swing that keeps me still even when I want more reaction from the white, I don't know how you teach this or even if you can,maybe Nic Bs gadget swing thing can do it, but without it ,it seems to just come with time at the table.
I got the Jack Karnehm dvd and on it he said this is a game of aiming not potting, don't pot the ball , play the line, by that I think he means pick your line of aim and if you cue along that you have to pot the ball, I found this quite interesting as it can take the pressure off trying to pot balls if you know what I mean, I don't do this but it could be worth a try if you get a bit excited when potting high colours or something like that, which we all do at the beginning ,I still do it lol.

[cyberheater]

An interesting discussion alabadi and itsnoteasy.

I'm slowly coming around to getting my head so that I spend a bit more time working out my aiming point, trying to work out what line the white will follow after impact and at what speed I need to get the position I require.
The only think I need to do then is to get down on the line of aim. Spend a bit of time to ensure I'm hitting the white exactly where I should and then the only thing I need to do it concentrate on the aiming point then then deliver the cue through smoothly. I don't look at all where the object ball or white has gone until the balls have stopped moving. It's very hard to do but I'm getting results.

So basically. All the decisions that need to be made about aiming point and position is all done when I'm standing right behind the shot. When I get down, it's all about the execution.

One thing I've found recently. If I don't walk correctly on the line of aim and I get into the potting position, the cue is not aiming on the potting line. I am forced to twist my body around to get to the correct line and I often miss.
Now I just get back up and re-walk into the shot. It has made a big difference to me.

[itsnoteasy]

An interesting discussion alabadi and itsnoteasy.

I'm slowly coming around to getting my head so that I spend a bit more time working out my aiming point, trying to work out what line the white will follow after impact and at what speed I need to get the position I require.
The only think I need to do then is to get down on the line of aim. Spend a bit of time to ensure I'm hitting the white exactly where I should and then the only thing I need to do it concentrate on the aiming point then then deliver the cue through smoothly. I don't look at all where the object ball or white has gone until the balls have stopped moving. It's very hard to do but I'm getting results.

So basically. All the decisions that need to be made about aiming point and position is all done when I'm standing right behind the shot. When I get down, it's all about the execution.

One thing I've found recently. If I don't walk correctly on the line of aim and I get into the potting position, the cue is not aiming on the potting line. I am forced to twist my body around to get to the correct line and I often miss.
Now I just get back up and re-walk into the shot. It has made a big difference to me.

I refer the honourable gentleman to post 323 lol.

[cyberheater]

I refer the honourable gentleman to post 323 lol.

I know mate. I did read that and slowly shook my head in commiseration and sympathy coupled with a horrible nagging feeling as my memories of similar missed balls battled to surface.

It's a tough game for us as we slowly try to climb the technical and mental mountain. The only thing we can do is keep practicing and keep trying.