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Training drill
Hi,
I have just returned to playing snooker after a very long time and would like to share a training exercise that significantly improved my game way back when, i hope someone benefits from it.
I used to coach snooker and having no tuition myself on how or what to coach i had to look at the best method from my personal experiences.
The drill doesn't correct stance and assumes you are already familiar with playing the game to a reasonable level and if used correctly i believe will improve your potting in practice and under pressure.
If you practise the drill you will almost be brainwashed into how you play a shot, most of us pot a ball but do not fully understand how we are making the pot/position etc ill explain as we go through the simple steps.
1) put a matchstick or something small overhanging the cushion by the black spot.(3-4 can be placed along the line)
2)place the white ball on the baulk line.
3)the exercise is to knock the matchstick off the back cushion and push the cue as far through as possible through the cue ball
4) with each shot no matter which type you play leave the cue fully extended so you can see how far you are oushing the cue through the cue ball.
5) all the shots should be mixed . Ie full screw back /stun/top/side/side and screw etc
This is the hardest part , you shouldnt play a frame or pot a ball for 3-4 days
The purpose of the first part above is to prove to yourself that you can cue straight, no matter what shot you are playing(assuming of course you are hitting the target you have set)
This should also give a smooth cue action, i also advocate pause on the back swing and look at point of contact but more of that shortly)
This above seems stupid but once you have completed the above and are confident that no matter what shot you are playing you are hitting the intended point again and again and again without fail you are nearly where we need to be.
However do not move onto stage two until at least 3 days to really convince your subconcious that you hit where you aim.
Please dont think you are confident of above this drill is NEEDED by everyone regardless of how good they are
Stage two
Ok we now have to look at where we need to hit the object ball in order for it to go in the pocket.
I am sure you will agree the easiest way to ascertain this is to put the cue ball in a straight line behind the object ball and the pocket, if we hit the object ball in the centre it will go in the pocket.
Now keep your eye on that point on the object ball.....wherever you now place the white on the table the point of contact is exactly the same( obvious i know but telling yourself is worth doing believe me)
Right , remember the first drill you perfected, good put the white anywhere you like, looking at the point of contact and...
Do your usual cueing up to the ball, on your final backswing pause at the back , at this time i want you to forget the cue ball is there at all and push the tip right through to the point of contact that you are looking at -try and make the tip hit the object ball at its point of contact even if its 6ft away etc
The important bit here is to:-
REMEMBER THAT YOU ALWAYS HIT THE POINT YOU AIM AT
PICK YOUR POINT OF CONTACT AND TRUST YOURSELF IT IS CORRECT
a) forget the cue ball is there
B) push the cue tip through to the point of contact on the object ball
C) Do not watch the object ball -keep your eyes where the point of contact was
The ball WILL go in .
The reason this works is the majority of players in practice and more so under pressure subconsciously try and guide the object ball in the pocket by trying to see it go in the pocket and they dont trust a)their cue action or choice of where to hit the ball and part way through the cue ball will alter their aim, resulting in a miss or worst case a miscue etc
But once your mind knows you hit where you aim no matter which type of shot you play , the only real thing you have to do us find the point you want to hit-easy!
Stage 3
Postional play
AAAH this is the only slight change you will need to get used to with this method , a slight loss of control
Most players "feel where the cue ball needs to be when playing the shot".
This is changed because now what you are going to do is:-
1) think about type of shot to play-top/screw side. (Practised in stage 1)
2) how far through you are going to push the cue (practised in stage 1)
So what we are now going to do is one thing only- hit the point of contact
What this does is unfortunately lose a small touch of cue ball control maybe by about an inch , but this is easliy justifiable by how well you will be playing
I always advocate overhitting the cue ball anyway as it tends to leave you high up on the object ball giving more options around the black spot for position and you normally see an open pocket rather than a blind pocket.
So to recap
Do drill 1as much as possible initially VERY IMPORTANT
2) choose where on the white you are going to hit - top/middle/side
3) how far through and speed of cue through the cue ball
4)walk round the table to look at object ball in a straight line to get the point you want to hit
5)walk back round the table keeping your eye on this point
6)get into position and cue up to cue ball as point 2
7)when you are ready PAUSE ON BACKSWING EYE ON POINT OF CONTCT And
8)Trust that you remembered the point of contact and Push the cue right through the ball smoothly (FORGET THE CUE BALL IS EVEN THERE -IMPORTANT)
9)don't forget you should be trying to hit that point with your tip of your cue- almost as if you are pushing the object ball into the pocket with your cue.
10) do not follow the object ball with your eyes
11) if a blind pocket listen as the ball hits the back of the pocket!
I hope this helps someone , years ago using this method i trained someone from scratch to a century player and my own game improved beyond belief
Let me know how you go on, if im teaching you all to suck eggs i apologise , i realise the game has improved in the last 20 years
Paul
I have just returned to playing snooker after a very long time and would like to share a training exercise that significantly improved my game way back when, i hope someone benefits from it.
I used to coach snooker and having no tuition myself on how or what to coach i had to look at the best method from my personal experiences.
The drill doesn't correct stance and assumes you are already familiar with playing the game to a reasonable level and if used correctly i believe will improve your potting in practice and under pressure.
If you practise the drill you will almost be brainwashed into how you play a shot, most of us pot a ball but do not fully understand how we are making the pot/position etc ill explain as we go through the simple steps.
1) put a matchstick or something small overhanging the cushion by the black spot.(3-4 can be placed along the line)
2)place the white ball on the baulk line.
3)the exercise is to knock the matchstick off the back cushion and push the cue as far through as possible through the cue ball
4) with each shot no matter which type you play leave the cue fully extended so you can see how far you are oushing the cue through the cue ball.
5) all the shots should be mixed . Ie full screw back /stun/top/side/side and screw etc
This is the hardest part , you shouldnt play a frame or pot a ball for 3-4 days
The purpose of the first part above is to prove to yourself that you can cue straight, no matter what shot you are playing(assuming of course you are hitting the target you have set)
This should also give a smooth cue action, i also advocate pause on the back swing and look at point of contact but more of that shortly)
This above seems stupid but once you have completed the above and are confident that no matter what shot you are playing you are hitting the intended point again and again and again without fail you are nearly where we need to be.
However do not move onto stage two until at least 3 days to really convince your subconcious that you hit where you aim.
Please dont think you are confident of above this drill is NEEDED by everyone regardless of how good they are
Stage two
Ok we now have to look at where we need to hit the object ball in order for it to go in the pocket.
I am sure you will agree the easiest way to ascertain this is to put the cue ball in a straight line behind the object ball and the pocket, if we hit the object ball in the centre it will go in the pocket.
Now keep your eye on that point on the object ball.....wherever you now place the white on the table the point of contact is exactly the same( obvious i know but telling yourself is worth doing believe me)
Right , remember the first drill you perfected, good put the white anywhere you like, looking at the point of contact and...
Do your usual cueing up to the ball, on your final backswing pause at the back , at this time i want you to forget the cue ball is there at all and push the tip right through to the point of contact that you are looking at -try and make the tip hit the object ball at its point of contact even if its 6ft away etc
The important bit here is to:-
REMEMBER THAT YOU ALWAYS HIT THE POINT YOU AIM AT
PICK YOUR POINT OF CONTACT AND TRUST YOURSELF IT IS CORRECT
a) forget the cue ball is there
B) push the cue tip through to the point of contact on the object ball
C) Do not watch the object ball -keep your eyes where the point of contact was
The ball WILL go in .
The reason this works is the majority of players in practice and more so under pressure subconsciously try and guide the object ball in the pocket by trying to see it go in the pocket and they dont trust a)their cue action or choice of where to hit the ball and part way through the cue ball will alter their aim, resulting in a miss or worst case a miscue etc
But once your mind knows you hit where you aim no matter which type of shot you play , the only real thing you have to do us find the point you want to hit-easy!
Stage 3
Postional play
AAAH this is the only slight change you will need to get used to with this method , a slight loss of control
Most players "feel where the cue ball needs to be when playing the shot".
This is changed because now what you are going to do is:-
1) think about type of shot to play-top/screw side. (Practised in stage 1)
2) how far through you are going to push the cue (practised in stage 1)
So what we are now going to do is one thing only- hit the point of contact
What this does is unfortunately lose a small touch of cue ball control maybe by about an inch , but this is easliy justifiable by how well you will be playing
I always advocate overhitting the cue ball anyway as it tends to leave you high up on the object ball giving more options around the black spot for position and you normally see an open pocket rather than a blind pocket.
So to recap
Do drill 1as much as possible initially VERY IMPORTANT
2) choose where on the white you are going to hit - top/middle/side
3) how far through and speed of cue through the cue ball
4)walk round the table to look at object ball in a straight line to get the point you want to hit
5)walk back round the table keeping your eye on this point
6)get into position and cue up to cue ball as point 2
7)when you are ready PAUSE ON BACKSWING EYE ON POINT OF CONTCT And
8)Trust that you remembered the point of contact and Push the cue right through the ball smoothly (FORGET THE CUE BALL IS EVEN THERE -IMPORTANT)
9)don't forget you should be trying to hit that point with your tip of your cue- almost as if you are pushing the object ball into the pocket with your cue.
10) do not follow the object ball with your eyes
11) if a blind pocket listen as the ball hits the back of the pocket!
I hope this helps someone , years ago using this method i trained someone from scratch to a century player and my own game improved beyond belief
Let me know how you go on, if im teaching you all to suck eggs i apologise , i realise the game has improved in the last 20 years
Paul
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