Lineup is a waste of time

[lesedwards]

Hi Les, for me the positives are: your focus, staying down on the shot and you look to be cueing pretty straight. The things you could work on could be: getting the tip of your cue closer to the ball, bridge hand too could be closer to the white so, your more compact. Also I'm not sure If you have a consistent sighting pattern because the back-swing and follow through doesn't seem regular and deliberate.
have you thought about having coaching?

Here is the last video, and yes I do have a coach Terry Davidson but he is 1-1/2 hours away and I am self employed so I only get up to see him on the odd occasion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkH5wPVIlD0

[Byrom]

Here is the last video, and yes I do have a coach Terry Davidson but he is 1-1/2 hours away and I am self employed so I only get up to see him on the odd occasion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkH5wPVIlD0

Hi Les -

I noticed that you play more roll in shots than anything.

This is a major fault and the ball call roll off with this type of shot and is less reliable than the stun shot option. I agree that you might need to have less bridge too but I think if you want to improve you need to learn the stun shot properly striking up and down the centre of the white to gain position without using the cushions. Learn to strike through the ball more positively - do not be afraid of missing - we all do it when we are learning and do not decelerate as you go through-strike it.

Master this shot and you will improve greatly.

[humperdingle]

Here is the last video, and yes I do have a coach Terry Davidson but he is 1-1/2 hours away and I am self employed so I only get up to see him on the odd occasion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkH5wPVIlD0

Three points from this video...

1. On the first missed red, your head position shifts when down on the shot. If it looks wrong when down, get right back up and start again.
2. The bridge hand - as someone else said - is rarely flat on the slate. Even when the CB is well inside the cushions.
3. I'm not sure your 'cue leg' is on the line of aim on most shots? You might need to try the Jack Karnhem tape-on-the-floor video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP4RvZJMPd8

[lesedwards]

Three points from this video...

1. On the first missed red, your head position shifts when down on the shot. If it looks wrong when down, get right back up and start again.
2. The bridge hand - as someone else said - is rarely flat on the slate. Even when the CB is well inside the cushions.
3. I'm not sure your 'cue leg' is on the line of aim on most shots? You might need to try the Jack Karnhem tape-on-the-floor video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP4RvZJMPd8

1. Yes I agree I think my pre shot routine needs help.
2. My bridge hand will always look wrong for one reason, I had my arm smashed when I was 4 and only have 10% movement in my arm which makes for a crooked bridge arm and a very awkward looking bridge.
3. I will have to check my stance.

[Terry Davidson]

Les:

I haven't looked at the videos as I just got back onto the site and no time this morning. Just one quick suggestion this morning...try and see if you can make a good loop bridge as it will give more stability on the right side of your body.

When you can get up next we will have to video you during a coaching session. Remember, you've only really had 2hrs of formal coaching and it takes much more to get everything settled into your technique.

Terry

[Terry Davidson]

Les:

I watched the 2 videos and recommend you work on the following:

1. Too much cue out over the 'V' of the bridge. Put a light pencil mark on your cue at 11" and make sure that is at the 'V' when in the address position. In addition (as has been said) GET THE TIP OF YOUR CUE TO WITHIN 1/4" OF THE CUEBALL AT ADDRESS. This was one of the points from your coaching session with me that you were tasked to work on.

2. The grip forearm is WELL behind the vertical in the address position. Since you have to keep your bridge arm well bent I recommend you move the grip hand a good 4" up the butt in the address position. (This should be helped when you receive your new shorter cue from Stu.) Ensure the forearm is in the vertical position at address as right now it's a good 3" behind the vertical and that means although you get more follow through you have to come through the vertical at the moment you strike.

3. On a lot of the harder shots (more power) you are delivering the cue with your left elbow rather than having it act completely like a hinge and keeping the elbow up until well after the strike. This means you are using your stronger shoulder muscle to deliver the cue rather that the muscle in the upper bridge arm.

4. I couldn't really see the stance but it looked to me like you are out of alignment. Make certain the nose, chin, shoulder, elbow and grip hand are all right on the line of aim.

5. You bridge hand appears to be weak. Work on getting that real solid, as solid as you can make it and turn the right wrist a little more to the left so you don't have the cue running over the 'thumb pillow'. Also, see if your fingers are flexible enough to form a good solid loop bridge.

6. You need to study and copy how to form a bridge when the cueball is nearer to the cushion. You form a real weak bridge in those situations and straight delivery is totally dependent on your grip hand with no point of reference and stability from the bridge. When you next come up here or I go down to your place I will show you how to bridge when near the cushion or I believe Nic Barrow has a video on youtube where he lines up about 6 reds straight out from the cushion and shows the correct bridge for each length.

7. Keep practicing as no matter what your technique with tons of practice you will improve but if you have any flaws in the technique the improvement will be slower.

8. On the line-up where you missed an easy pot and also went to far for the black position I believe you have far too much information you're processing while down on the shot. In your pre-shot routine you should decide the line of aim, where you want the cueball and then how much power to apply and where to hit the cueball. These pot & position thoughts should be clear in your head BEFORE you get into the address position. DO NOT think about technique issues when down in the address position, just the sighting, power and height you want to hit the cueball to get it to where you wanted it.

9. Lastly, there is no silver bullet in snooker, just like in golf so don't raise your expectations too high or that will lead to disappointment and a loss of confidence.

Terry

[j6uk]

I saw the first four shots but, Yeah I second that!
A good practice could be only reds lineup mixed with The Black routine.

Hi Les -

I noticed that you play more roll in shots than anything.

This is a major fault and the ball call roll off with this type of shot and is less reliable than the stun shot option. I agree that you might need to have less bridge too but I think if you want to improve you need to learn the stun shot properly striking up and down the centre of the white to gain position without using the cushions. Learn to strike through the ball more positively - do not be afraid of missing - we all do it when we are learning and do not decelerate as you go through-strike it.

Master this shot and you will improve greatly.

[lesedwards]

Thanks for everyones help espicially my coach Terry. A lot to comprehend but when I look over most of it there is nothing Terry has not already told me but I tend to slip back to old habbits. Well lets hope my next video is much better. Yes the stun shot which Terry taught me on my first visit and the angle the cue ball would come off the object ball. I must get to work.

[itsnoteasy]

Hi Les -

I noticed that you play more roll in shots than anything.

This is a major fault and the ball call roll off with this type of shot and is less reliable than the stun shot option. I agree that you might need to have less bridge too but I think if you want to improve you need to learn the stun shot properly striking up and down the centre of the white to gain position without using the cushions. Learn to strike through the ball more positively - do not be afraid of missing - we all do it when we are learning and do not decelerate as you go through-strike it.
Master this shot and you will improve greatly.

Totally agree with this, the first red leaves you low on the black this is a stun shot or a stun/screw shot if you want to come back on the same side, it would leave you much closer to the reds and enable you to get your hand on the table instead of having to cue off the Cush a lot.
On first video, first red you miss you hit at it(in fact most power shots)these shots must be cued smoothly(this will help stop the little bit of movement you have) and don't shut your grip,, too soon, this way you will get more reaction, with less effort(try smacking a ball in with follow through as hard as you can, then do it nice and relaxed and smooth and see what one gives more follow through, you may be surprised) I also noticed on the last red down the Cush your elbow was outside the line, I couldn't tell if it was just this shot or if it's a technical fault, all in all I would like to see everything a bit more relaxed and smooth, this is added to what everyone else has said, bridge length , shot routine(this is a must before you get down onto the shot, sometimes you were halfway down and still working out the shot)believe it or not Les you are not far away, most of these things are quite easily fixed, with a good repeatable shot routine.
The first coach I went to see told me a good thing and that was, tell the ball to go in don't ask it, by this he ment you have to cue with authority , not hard but with confidence, this will sort out your steering the cue worries.

[lesedwards]

Now a question for everyone. What would you say is the best routine to start implementing all these changes and start building confidence.

[DandyA]

Now a question for everyone. What would you say is the best routine to start implementing all these changes and start building confidence.

well I don't know but I watched one of your videos and I really don't see the point of resetting the balls and starting again if you miss ... isn't all you are doing is practising the shots you can get and not practising the more difficult shots you can't get?

[Terry Davidson]

les:

What was my rule for new players doing the line-up? It was 'RE-SET THE SHOT AND TRY IT AGAIN UNTIL YOU GET IT RIGHT!'

Secondly, to answer your question above do what I already told you a few times and that is 'WORK ON JUST ONE THING AT A TIME' or you'll only get confused, won't know what's going wrong and WILL lose confidence.

When I come down to your place have your computer and printer ready to go and I will do up a large wall chart with the points I'm trying to drill into you in big and bold lettering right on the wall beside your table. Perhaps a regular and frequent reminder is in order

Terry

[lesedwards]

Yes my snooker room is complete with everything except for a good player...LOL 26" LCD Score Board. Video Camera and Web Cam looking forward to some coaching.

[j6uk]

The lineup! Though I didn't start the lineup till I could clear a reds line from black to blue three times in a row. As well as the black routine, try to do 10 then 20,50,100..

Now a question for everyone. What would you say is the best routine to start implementing all these changes and start building confidence.

[j6uk]

If I was you Les and I couldn't do a 15 red line and 10 blacks by the end of next week, I'd think about selling the table.