The front pause.

[throtts]

I have always had a front pause and its mainly when I go down on the shot. I pause immediately on going down to sighting position and yesterday evening while having a quick 90 minute practice I made it an even longer front pause. Well holy moly, it made a huge difference and my scoring was heavy to a point where I thought a ton was coming up. It made me feel so settled down on the shot and confident. Also made sure eyes WERE fixed on the BOB of the OB and this was achieved by that extra bit pause.

Sidd, I feel this may suit you too as you seem a quick player like myself. Maybe you need a bit more time from the start so you can check the angle and the aim. I consider myself quick because I believe in my ability but maybe it's that confidence that's tripping us up..

[Terry Davidson]

There are 4 distinct 'pauses' in the whole cueing action. The first one, which I call the 'preliminary pause' is when the bridge hand hits the table and you stop the cue in the address position and it's usually quite short, perhaps 1-2 seconds.

The second is the traditional 'front pause' after the feathers and just before the final backswing. This one can be a little longer but every player should have one as it ensures you believe you are on the right line of aim and for older players I recommend the eyes go to the OB at this time.

The third is the 'rear pause' which has been discussed a lot on here and other forums and I believe it helps in so many ways. It shouldn't be overly long, perhaps 1-3 seconds at most.

The 'last pause' is at the very end of the delivery when the player should stay down and still with the cue extended as he watches the OB with his eyes only and without moving the head. This pause helps give the brain the feedback loop it needs in order to learn. You can see a slightly exaggerated version of this in Shaun Murphy's delivery.

All these 4 pauses are valuable and all do perform a function which encourages most players to play more consistently.

Terry

[throtts]

I watched Neil Robertson and as soon as he hits the sight position he feathers, no pause for at the very start. Obviously done it all his playing life and the opposite can be said for M Fu, mega front pause.

[nrage]

.. And IIRC I have seen Murphy start feathering as he slid his bridge into position.

[SouthPaw]

.. And IIRC I have seen Murphy start feathering as he slid his bridge into position.

Yes I've noticed that too, also a few others, though it doesn't do him too much harm he's usually very steady...

[itsnoteasy]

Throtts i think you have found a winner there, having an initial pause in the stationary position, with cue at cue ball before you start any cue action was put into my action by Chris Small, i have to use it to make sure i have everything right (still on line cue still on line , tip in middle of cue ball). I dont count it out like the back pause but it is a proper pause, longer than my front pause.

[DandyA]

yes, I've been working on my front pause and reducing feathering, I've not banned myself from feathering but if I do, I just try to go back to another front pause ...

seems to help ... the simple fact is it's a lot easier to see where the cue is pointing if it's still and addressing the white compared to when it's moving during feathering ...

[itsnoteasy]

Sometimes it's natural to let a little feather slip in as you get down,but as long as you stop ,front pause ,check everything, I don't think it matters.

[888]

I have always had a front pause and its mainly when I go down on the shot. I pause immediately on going down to sighting position and yesterday evening while having a quick 90 minute practice I made it an even longer front pause. Well holy moly, it made a huge difference and my scoring was heavy to a point where I thought a ton was coming up. It made me feel so settled down on the shot and confident. Also made sure eyes WERE fixed on the BOB of the OB and this was achieved by that extra bit pause.

Sidd, I feel this may suit you too as you seem a quick player like myself. Maybe you need a bit more time from the start so you can check the angle and the aim. I consider myself quick because I believe in my ability but maybe it's that confidence that's tripping us up..

I got this problem too....

Pause= jam

~..~

[888]

There are 4 distinct 'pauses' in the whole cueing action. The first one, which I call the 'preliminary pause' is when the bridge hand hits the table and you stop the cue in the address position and it's usually quite short, perhaps 1-2 seconds.

The second is the traditional 'front pause' after the feathers and just before the final backswing. This one can be a little longer but every player should have one as it ensures you believe you are on the right line of aim and for older players I recommend the eyes go to the OB at this time.

The third is the 'rear pause' which has been discussed a lot on here and other forums and I believe it helps in so many ways. It shouldn't be overly long, perhaps 1-3 seconds at most.

The 'last pause' is at the very end of the delivery when the player should stay down and still with the cue extended as he watches the OB with his eyes only and without moving the head. This pause helps give the brain the feedback loop it needs in order to learn. You can see a slightly exaggerated version of this in Shaun Murphy's delivery.


All these 4 pauses are valuable and all do perform a function which encourages most players to play more consistently.

Terry

Wow...

I like Shaun Murphy and Stephen lee cue action, they are rolls Royce.
Ding junhui and mark selby too...

[888]

Junhui: almost short feathering

Murphy: long to short feathering

[Sidd]

I have always had a front pause and its mainly when I go down on the shot. I pause immediately on going down to sighting position and yesterday evening while having a quick 90 minute practice I made it an even longer front pause. Well holy moly, it made a huge difference and my scoring was heavy to a point where I thought a ton was coming up. It made me feel so settled down on the shot and confident. Also made sure eyes WERE fixed on the BOB of the OB and this was achieved by that extra bit pause.

Sidd, I feel this may suit you too as you seem a quick player like myself. Maybe you need a bit more time from the start so you can check the angle and the aim. I consider myself quick because I believe in my ability but maybe it's that confidence that's tripping us up..

Hmmmm interesting. First of all, are you referring to the preliminary pause or the front pause here ??? The way you explained it is preliminary pause and not front pause .. front pause is the one at the end of the final front swing ...

Here is what my basic problem in this regard is and I just discovered it recently. Yes like you I have a faster tendency to play the game... the more I pot consistently the more quick my cue action becomes and the more confident I become however in the process. You are very right mate its the confidence tripping us up because once you get confident and can pot and go faster ... what happens is that during the process you start to take things for granted cuz you have been potting and potting so we tend to do something lesser than required or do not pay attention to some technique detail.

For example: i do not have a properly pronounced preliminary pause yes but I fortunately do have both the front and the back pause and the head down technique that Terry mentioned above. However, I just noticed that those simple pots that I miss are totally due to the fact that while playing well one takes things for granted and for people like us once we play faster we might not be doing our natural front or back pause and hence rushing things ... I noticed that during a match I was missing balls and then right after the match I practiced and potted everything and then only I realised that in practice I was doing my full routine with a relax manner and hence doing the pauses and slow backswing whereas in matches i was rushing ....

Perhaps we need keep ourselves relaxed and concentrate on doing the technique things and the drill and routine in full at all shots under all circumstances... Once we pot we become confident and then suddenly that confidence takes the form of over-confidence and that is where we miss again

[throtts]

Hi Sidd,

It is the preliminary stage.

I have been drilling in to myself that when playing well and feeling supremely confident I must look for the potting line PROPERLY before getting down. I notice a good few week back that my routine standing up aiming % goes right down when playing well because of being over confident. On Sunday I practiced for 2 hours and the consistency was fantastic, when I now go to the sight position I am now sure that the pot will drop and has already, made a lovely 8 red and 8 blacks too plus many other breaks. Had yesterday away from the table but will play later.

Another thing, I just play the game which is natural for me now, everything, the stance, the grip being not too loose but not tight either etc etc and its working very nicely. I think too many on here get wrapped up with this and that, they should just play within their natural flow.

I posted a thread which for my game was a big turning point, it was regarding the % between "aiming" and "sighting" and the aiming come up the most valuable part that would promote playing good snooker. Chris Small on second thinking put "aiming" at 95%, which says it all really. I think many players are convinced they are not cueing straight when they miss a pot but in fact they have just dropped down to the sighting position "off line" due to poor "aiming". When you go back to many snooker clubs you watch the typical player, he hardly takes any true respect and time on the "aiming" stage, hence being off line and missing frequently.

All the best with your game and remember, Sidd, when in the zone / flow, still respect the aiming stage. We all know where the BOB is, now we have to "aim" it too..Good luck, buddy..

[chrissmall147]

Treat every pot with the same respect whether its a ball over the bag or a long straight blue because if you dont respect every pot then this is where errors creep in. Have the same pre shot routine for every shot aswell and also take as much time on the line of aim on easy shots as hard shots. If u respect the game then this will stand you all in good stead. I am speaking through experience of playing pro snooker and I got bitten on the bum a few times for not giving respect to all shots. I soon learned though as it was sometimes the last shot that I got and I was up the motorway an hour later. It is also a great routine to get into and also great for concentration.

Cheers Chris small

[Sidd]

Hi Sidd,

I posted a thread which for my game was a big turning point, it was regarding the % between "aiming" and "sighting" and the aiming come up the most valuable part that would promote playing good snooker. Chris Small on second thinking put "aiming" at 95%, which says it all really. I think many players are convinced they are not cueing straight when they miss a pot but in fact they have just dropped down to the sighting position "off line" due to poor "aiming". When you go back to many snooker clubs you watch the typical player, he hardly takes any true respect and time on the "aiming" stage, hence being off line and missing frequently.

All the best with your game and remember, Sidd, when in the zone / flow, still respect the aiming stage. We all know where the BOB is, now we have to "aim" it too..Good luck, buddy..

I agree to everything you stated. Aiming while standing behind the white and then dropping straight down to the line takes up the maximum preparation for the shot and the shot itself. if you aim well, go down absolutely straight then you are more than half way there, no doubt about that. My problem sometimes I think is that I normally select the line pretty well however I think I might not be dropping down straight on line; I have deliberately slowed down my getting down process these days and when i am bracing the bed of the table I am like in slow motion really for the last 2 seconds- this also helps me have a preliminary pause. I am happy to note that now when I miss long pots, those are mostly wobble in the pocket and miss shots rather than miles away from pocket shots as before; I am happy on this achievement This also means that my long pot success has increased a lot.

I played well last night as well although no big breaks yet but well three breaks of 25 means 75 and a frame consistency is back with me now quite a bit.

Yes dude i have noticed many club players and my playing partners not respecting the aiming thing. They just go and stand behind the white and go down from there within 1-2 seconds. They think aiming is down while down where they keep adjusting and readjusting. I have been begging them to understand this factor but they put no heed to my suggestions and keep playing the way they do. Good for them I say. You know their greatest fear is that if they start to listen to me their game will be ruined in the process but then that is the way to progress isn't it.

Thanks again man, and good luck to you too...