Problem with the mental/concentration aspect of snooker

[Viktortheman]

Hi!

A long time since I last posted anything here but recently I have encounter a problem that is starting to annoy me a bit and I feel like I should reach out to you guys. I'm not sure why it happens but the problem is that my concentration and motivation drop gradually during a match. I've played a lot of practise matches lately and I always start off very strong and confident, knocking in breaks of 30-40 in the firts couple of frames. But then, the quality of my game drops and I cannot really figure out why.

It sure cannot be something about my technique so I reckon it is all in my head. It's like I become too relaxed when I'm in front in a match. Recently, I played a best of 9 match and quickly got a 3-0 lead. Then, everything went from good to really bad. I lost 4 consecutive frames before I could reply to equalize to 4-4. However, I lost the match 4-5. I keep telling myself that I should concentrate but it doesn't seem to have any effect on me.

I "hope" anyone here has experienced the same problem and I therefore ask for any advice how to cope with this. Snooker is a hell of a mental game and I'm obviously struggling with it at the moment.

[Terry Davidson]

While your opponent is at the table concentrate try to lock your eyes on the cueball and attempt to keep the eyes on the cueball without moving them except for following the cueball. This is VERY hard to do but it helps hone the concentration during a match.

Terry

[Viktortheman]

While your opponent is at the table concentrate try to lock your eyes on the cueball and attempt to keep the eyes on the cueball without moving them except for following the cueball. This is VERY hard to do but it helps hone the concentration during a match.

Terry

Will try that next time! I always tend to watch other matches in progress and that is of course a distraction.

[j6uk]

Hi!
I "hope" anyone here has experienced the same problem and I therefore ask for any advice how to cope with this. Snooker is a hell of a mental game and I'm obviously struggling with it at the moment.

pressure affects confidence and lac of confidence affects concentration.
for me my concentration is done on the practice table, and there are some very good routines for helping with this and your focus. but when it comes to match play is about confidence and how you react to pressure. so its about believing in your ability, being confident under pressure. and staying in the moment and not thinking the worst when your opponents on a 30, 50 behind, 2 frames down or all three.

[alabadi]

concentration is a funny thing, you cannot consciously concentrate, if you try to concentrate you won't be able to . by focusing on the OB as Terry says is in effect helping you concentrate.
to concentrate you need trust, doubt effect attentiveness. you cannot focus on the object ball if you have doubt that you are on the correct line of aim or not for instance. doubt will in effect make your mind jump to try and take control of the action instead of simply attending to it.

the reason we need trust to concentrate is because focusing energy in one place means taking it away from someplace else.
so to concentrate on the OB or your cue action you have to abandon other thoughts. to be at one with your action you can't be thinking how to execute it. you have to trust your technique that it will be done.

obviously we wouldn't be able to accomplish the simplist of tasks without trust, however its when faced with difficult situations that trust can be difficult.

i don't want to delve into too much psychology, and you may already know that this game is more in the mind than the body, however for it to be natural we need to remove all the thoughts and doubts and place our trust in our technique which should have been learnt during solo practice.

easier said than done. hey

alabbadi

[lesedwards]

concentration is a funny thing, you cannot consciously concentrate, if you try to concentrate you won't be able to . by focusing on the OB as Terry says is in effect helping you concentrate.
to concentrate you need trust, doubt effect attentiveness. you cannot focus on the object ball if you have doubt that you are on the correct line of aim or not for instance. doubt will in effect make your mind jump to try and take control of the action instead of simply attending to it.

the reason we need trust to concentrate is because focusing energy in one place means taking it away from someplace else.
so to concentrate on the OB or your cue action you have to abandon other thoughts. to be at one with your action you can't be thinking how to execute it. you have to trust your technique that it will be done.

obviously we wouldn't be able to accomplish the simplist of tasks without trust, however its when faced with difficult situations that trust can be difficult.

i don't want to delve into too much psychology, and you may already know that this game is more in the mind than the body, however for it to be natural we need to remove all the thoughts and doubts and place our trust in our technique which should have been learnt during solo practice.

easier said than done. hey

alabbadi

Great Post, fits me to a T. I am still struggling with this as Terry knows. I have been working very hard on my game and I just sent Terry an email the other day to tell him I am really seeing the progress. I have been working on the T routine and my high was yesterday with 4 Blacks and 3 pinks when I add that up that is 14 balls. I played a match today and the most I potted in a row was 4 balls. I start looking at shots that I make all day long in practice and talk myself into missing it and so there is no thought of position when that should be my only thought.

[Sidd]

Dear Vicktortheman,

I can very well understand this given that I have been struggling with this aspect for a long time now. I am just like you in this regard that whenever I go and play I would play my first few frames really well and then as the time progresses irrespective of the fact that it is the same match or a new one (I mostly play without a break and go on 4-5 hours continuously) my form suddenly dips and I find it hard to concentrate. There comes a time typically after the first two hours when I find it hard to sometimes pot a single ball even if i have made a break of 40 the same day. This hampers consistency and I start getting those doubtful thoughts in my mind and then there goes an ongoing process that does not stop and i keep playing bad and bad.

I think my reasons could be:

1. Too much cigerette smoke in the club.
2. Too many boys at the table talking shouting and all that.
3. Negative comments on playing a bad shot coming in from the corners of the table.
4. I think I am over weight and get tired easily and need to start exercising to build stamina?
5. No breaks during frames for 4-5 hours has to dull your nerves, no?

I will try to keep looking at the white with my eyes when opponent is at the table and see if it works for me as Terry says. Ans also Alabadi has a good point here, concentrating on the OB during your own shots helps build concentration as other thoughts can be gotten rid of ... lets see if that helps too.

But really, this is my problem and as soon as this happens, I start blaming my technique, the grip mostly, and hence fall in to the abyss rather than concentrating on coming back again and start potting again.

[snookerloopylewis]

I'm not sure how much of a help this may be but I was once on a training course with an instructor who had changed from being a psychologist to an i.t trainer. He told us that the average human brain can only provide concentration for half an hour at a time and hence that was the way he taught us.

As an average game is probably around about half an hour. Might be an idea to take a quick couple of minutes break after each match ? I.e. toilet break, wash hands, etc.

You could also try drinking an energy drink towards the end of your games ?

[alabadi]

i think that trust is one of the main issues for not executing a shot in a game that you would pot 9/10 in practice. I am the same.

I had a coaching session and the coach told me to perform a particular shot. however when I looked at the angle a wasn't sure that I could execute the shot and hold for the next ball on. I questioned the coaches choice and he said just play the shot and see.

obviously my doubts were so over whelming that I couldn't execute the shot correctly, it was a soft screw shot off a 1/4 shot. anyway I must have played the shot half a dozen times and couldn't pot the ball. so the coach said ok play the shot as a medium paced stun to come off two cushions. now this shot I was more comfortable with and got down and potted it first time.

this proved to me beyond doubt that its all about confidence and trust and most shots that are missed are because of the doubts. not trusting that you could perform a particular should causes anxiety all the conflicting ideas in your head will create doubt and inevitably lead to tension in the arm and body which makes the easiest of shots impossible.

well later on I went back to the first shot that was causing me problems and after a lot of inner struggle did perform it successfully.

its a hard thing this trust and can only be done with lots of practice, eventually one should get to a stage where they have total confidence in their own ability and technique to perform a shot. this is when you are at one with the game.

Alabbadi

[cantpotforshíte]

Alabadi: If you've not already ready 'The inner Game of Golf' by Tim Gallwey, then I think you'd enjoy it; it ties in very well with what you've just said, that it's all about trust.
If you're composed once you're down on the shot - ie. if you're lined up and you know that you are lined up, then moving your cue in a straight line is as easy as cueing along the baulk line with no balls to aim at.

[alabadi]

Alabadi: If you've not already ready 'The inner Game of Golf' by Tim Gallwey, then I think you'd enjoy it; it ties in very well with what you've just said, that it's all about trust.
If you're composed once you're down on the shot - ie. if you're lined up and you know that you are lined up, then moving your cue in a straight line is as easy as cueing along the baulk line with no balls to aim at.

yes I have got the book, however I really haven't had time to read it, I started a few months ago and didn't get past chapter 1. I think I might try and read it because its been mentioned a lot.

[SouthPaw]

Alabadi: If you've not already ready 'The inner Game of Golf' by Tim Gallwey, then I think you'd enjoy it; it ties in very well with what you've just said, that it's all about trust.
If you're composed once you're down on the shot - ie. if you're lined up and you know that you are lined up, then moving your cue in a straight line is as easy as cueing along the baulk line with no balls to aim at.

yes I have got the book, however I really haven't had time to read it, I started a few months ago and didn't get past chapter 1. I think I might try and read it because its been mentioned a lot.

I have that book too but it's finding the time to read it, though from what I gather it will be a good read!

[Viktortheman]

Some useful tips you guys have posted here, much appreciated! Well, I think one big factor is that I'm not really fit. I mean, I am rather thin but that is due to eating healthy food rather than exercising (running etc). I tried the looking at the cue ball method today and it helped a bit to be honest. However, I started to play a match after I've been practising alone for 3 hours so I was a bit tired. But it is as one of you have stated: it's difficult to tell myself to concentrate, it should be natural and automatic.

On a side note: do you ever get a pain in your right leg (if you're right-handed) after a while? I always end up with a pain after 3-4 hours wich of course is a distraction to my game. Is that normal or could it be that I'm stretching my right leg too much? Today I played for 5 hours and now my right leg hurts

[alabadi]

On a side note: do you ever get a pain in your right leg (if you're right-handed) after a while? I always end up with a pain after 3-4 hours wich of course is a distraction to my game. Is that normal or could it be that I'm stretching my right leg too much? Today I played for 5 hours and now my right leg hurts

i am a right handed player and haven't experienced pain in my right leg, however i do get pain in my left knee if i play over 3 hours. i have had a couple of ops on my left knee from playing lots of football in my youth, so leaning on my left leg doesn't help.

you might need to look into your stance to see why, and maybe just try a few different positions. i find that if i point my right foot slightly outwards it helps to take the stress away from my hamstring.

[chrissmall147]

Hi mate

The secret is to concentrate from the first ball to the last ball which isnt easy. I started off trying to keep my eyes on the table for a whole frame whether it was me or my opponent at the table and I really mean stay focused on the table nowhere else. Then gradually 2 3 4 5 frames until I could eventually play a best of 19 match and stay focused for the whole match and its a great feeling. So in other words if your up the club playing dont look at the bar area or the tv or whos playing on the next table stay focused on your table and even if your opponent is on a break keep the eyes fixed to the table and yku can pick up useful tips like the speed of the table and small drifts etc. If you manage to do this properly then you will blank out what is going on around you and notice nothing apart from what is going on at the table and being in the zone. A wee tip for you too. If playing a match and you are 3 o up first to 5 never take your foot off the gas go for the kill because if you start thinking this is easy and take it for granted then you will get punished believe me. Plus not taking your foot off the gas means you will keep your focus as you know you still have a job to do. I was 10 7 up on john parrot in the last 16 of the world championship and took my foot of the gas abit thinking I was home and dry and paid the price I lost 13 12 and still haunts me now as it was a silly mistake on my parpart.good luck with your game mate and most of all enjoy it.

Cheers Chris small

Www.chrissmallsnookercoaching. co.uk