gotta get through this

[Byrom]

i do have my moments.... lol

on a good day i can string 10-15 in a row yet the next day i can't manage 4-5 ..swings and roundabouts.

cueing to some extent isn't my biggest issue, i am pretty sure for me its recognising the correct angle and getting on that line. if i can consistently and confidently know i'm on the correct line 9-10 i'll pot.

I think its your need to be perfect that stops your fluency - As teddy says your long potting of them blues is great same as Les Edwards actually but you don't have that comfortable rhythm and fluency or consistent approach I think both of you over think it technique wise and are a little too hesitant both into the shot and around the table. I also think you dwell on the shot you just took too much - made me laugh that you spoke to yourself as you did it - dwelling on the shot takes away focus on the next one - just deal with what you have and get on with it stay in the present.

To improve I would work on a pre shot routine that concentrates on playing to a set rhythm you can feel and try and concentrate on that rather than sighting stance blah blah blah. You will of heard about some people say muscle memory and getting in the zone and things -

you guys probably don't know what that means as you are still crunching through the gears telling yourselves to remember to put the clutch in and take you foot up slower trying hard with both hands too firmly on the wheel at 10 - 2 trying to keep the car aligned perfectly whilst waiting for the instructor to yell stop so you can slam on the brakes.

[alabadi]

I think its your need to be perfect that stops your fluency - As teddy says your long potting of them blues is great same as Les Edwards actually but you don't have that comfortable rhythm and fluency or consistent approach I think both of you over think it technique wise and are a little too hesitant both into the shot and around the table. I also think you dwell on the shot you just took too much - made me laugh that you spoke to yourself as you did it - dwelling on the shot takes away focus on the next one - just deal with what you have and get on with it stay in the present.

To improve I would work on a pre shot routine that concentrates on playing to a set rhythm you can feel and try and concentrate on that rather than sighting stance blah blah blah. You will of heard about some people say muscle memory and getting in the zone and things -

you guys probably don't know what that means as you are still crunching through the gears telling yourselves to remember to put the clutch in and take you foot up slower trying hard with both hands too firmly on the wheel at 10 - 2 trying to keep the car aligned perfectly whilst waiting for the instructor to yell stop so you can slam on the brakes.

thanks Byrom for the advice.

i'm not sure which vid you refer to, i'm assuming the long blues. if that's the one , well yes i did take more time on some of the shots because of the need to be more accurate with that type of shot. plus i was trying to screwback into the bottom opposite pocket.

i have been working over the last few months on my approach and rhythm and if you see me play i do have the same stroke pattern when down on the shot, i don't dwell i have a front pause , three feathers a back pause and strike. the coach i have been working with tells me i'm streets apart from where i was 6 months ago.

i'm having a coaching session today and i think i need to work with the coach on getting on line first time and playing the shot no matter what without hesitation. i feel that i am almost there, many aspects of my game are now good and i can feel i am more fluent when i play.
its just one or two little things that will make everything fall into place which i haven't discovered yet.

[vmax4steve]

thanks Byrom for the advice.

i'm not sure which vid you refer to, i'm assuming the long blues. if that's the one , well yes i did take more time on some of the shots because of the need to be more accurate with that type of shot. plus i was trying to screwback into the bottom opposite pocket.

i have been working over the last few months on my approach and rhythm and if you see me play i do have the same stroke pattern when down on the shot, i don't dwell i have a front pause , three feathers a back pause and strike. the coach i have been working with tells me i'm streets apart from where i was 6 months ago.

i'm having a coaching session today and i think i need to work with the coach on getting on line first time and playing the shot no matter what without hesitation. i feel that i am almost there, many aspects of my game are now good and i can feel i am more fluent when i play.
its just one or two little things that will make everything fall into place which i haven't discovered yet.

Too much straight cueing practise is bad for you mate, you have to stop avoiding those angled pots as they're imperative in break building. You can't make breaks if you leave yourself straight all the time and subconsciously that's probably what you do in match play because that's what you practise so much, not just those long blues but also in the line up where there is nearly always a straighter alternative to that 1/4 ball black or red that you're afraid of.

You've proved you can cue straight so take that knowledge into your match play.
I would forget practise routines for a month or so and simply play frames against yourself with no safety and just go for breaks.

[alabadi]

Steve it might seem that i practice long straight shots all the time, but to be honest i haven't done these for at least 6 months. i just revisit them now and again just to see if i am still cueing straight.

my biggest problem is trying to figure out what angle the white come off after contact with the OB, as i find this one of the issues that is holding me back. i have found myself thinking that the cueball will take a certain route to get to where i want, where in fact i have misjudged it and ended up making contact on the OB in the wrong place to achieve the angle i have decided.
so i have missed the pot and got the position on many occasions. this is very evident when i am playing angled blacks off the spot from high. i am getting a thicker contact than expected.

so for me my next stage is to pick the correct contact point to pot and stick to it and from that just work up and down the white to learn the angles it comes off it.

[ace man]

Very impressive cueing Mr. alabadi. If only I could cue that clean, wow.
With that technique not being able to get a ton...problem can only be position play and shot selection. I don't buy that you cannot judge angles right.

[Byrom]

Too much straight cueing practise is bad for you mate, you have to stop avoiding those angled pots as they're imperative in break building. You can't make breaks if you leave yourself straight all the time and subconsciously that's probably what you do in match play because that's what you practise so much, not just those long blues but also in the line up where there is nearly always a straighter alternative to that 1/4 ball black or red that you're afraid of.

You've proved you can cue straight so take that knowledge into your match play.
I would forget practise routines for a month or so and simply play frames against yourself with no safety and just go for breaks.

I totally agree - and I might add - I think too much coaching can fill your head with - I should do this or that.

I wonder aba have you ever just got down and played spread the reds - stop thinking and just play the shot and position move on play the next miss who cares play the next ball loose the fear of missing play the simple shots try focus on leaving the right line for position and settle into a smooth rhythm - stay focused but play to a natural pace without thinking about anything but the shot and position?

Feel your movements rather than think about them. Does not matter if you feather 3 times or once whatever is your natural way if you can play the shot when you are ready to and try to stick to a steady pace you feel comfortable to play in. Take longer over your long blues by all means if it helps not that they come up to often if you can play better position. I would work on what you might think is the easy stuff because like V-max rightly says you should now have confidence you can cue straight.

and I think his advice here is very sound.

[guernseygooner]

Steve it might seem that i practice long straight shots all the time, but to be honest i haven't done these for at least 6 months. i just revisit them now and again just to see if i am still cueing straight.

my biggest problem is trying to figure out what angle the white come off after contact with the OB, as i find this one of the issues that is holding me back. i have found myself thinking that the cueball will take a certain route to get to where i want, where in fact i have misjudged it and ended up making contact on the OB in the wrong place to achieve the angle i have decided.
so i have missed the pot and got the position on many occasions. this is very evident when i am playing angled blacks off the spot from high. i am getting a thicker contact than expected.

so for me my next stage is to pick the correct contact point to pot and stick to it and from that just work up and down the white to learn the angles it comes off it.

I think the continuous pots off the black spot is a very underestimated routine that could help you. You need all the white and little stuns and screws to leave angles to keep the white under control.

Not as easy as it sounds

[Leo]

I think the continuous pots off the black spot is a very underestimated routine that could help you. You need all the white and little stuns and screws to leave angles to keep the white under control.

Not as easy as it sounds

Agreed used to be a Saturday morning favourite for me. Set a target say 50 blacks continually and if you miss start again

[alabadi]

Thanks Byrom, yeah i have done the spread reds all over and played without care, i usually do that when i get fed up of playing certain routines like lineup or cross exercise. i do it it to let off steam a release the tension.

i recently uploaded a Christmas tree 10 red exercise , not sure if you see that. its just 10 reds between blue and black in a tree formation. i can clear that quite often. however adding the black , pink and blue has proved trickier to complete, haven't manged it yet got to the last red a few times, but saying that i have only started practicing that last week or so.

so yeah i am trying different things, i am getting there slowly though.

[guernseygooner]

Agreed used to be a Saturday morning favourite for me. Set a target say 50 blacks continually and if you miss start again

That's right, set a target before moving on. It might help change alabadi's mindset. All mental effort is taken up with where do I hit the white, strength, leave the white etc - no technical thoughts.

I find after doing this routine, that making a break around the black in a frame becomes not easy as such, but more autopilot as you just know what to do.

[Byrom]

I also did the black thing Leo speaks of - setting targets then I moved to pink and black pink black - fav of mine is the cross routine that helps with those soft positional stun shots around the pink area keeping close control and staying focused on rhythm as this helps develop an instinctive feel for the shot.

[Byrom]

and this one

[alabadi]

yeah i have done the cross routine but not with colours, its on my channel on youtube . i think a lot of my issues are to do with potting. i can get into vey good positions and miss simple 3/4 ball pots.

now the reasons are not clear to me, could be to do with what i am trying to do with the white is making the pot more difficult than it is, or just a case of focus.

[Byrom]

you pot long blues but miss simple 3 quarter ball pots - well practice them then

[itsnoteasy]

Unless you are playing with a fair bit of side ,what you are doing with the White on a three quarter ball pot won't cause you to miss. You miss because you make a mistake on one of the basics. That can be anything from not being online,taking your eye off the ball, closing the grip, body ,head ,shoulder ,hip movement, cue steering,etc etc , for me if you are hitting the White up and down the centre line to get position, that doesn't cause you to miss. Just my opinion though.
I would like to add, you are way beyond doing red routines Alabadi, do things you can't do ,not things that are easy for you, unless you stretch yourself you can't improve, the cross with no colours is just wasting your time IMO .