GoPro Snooker training analysis

[Nic Barrow]

Points To Remember

Seeing Nic Barrow using this technique in one of his videos, I borrowed a GoPro headcam from a colleague and used it last night. The idea was to get another point of view on my game, as I have been struggling to cue straight as of late.
So I made a series of videos I uploaded on YT so everyone can have a look:

https://youtu.be/UrxnJd31YFI
https://youtu.be/FLe0Uy_y-ok
https://youtu.be/HEqatDr7W1Q
https://youtu.be/RHQRUtoArTU
https://youtu.be/BjJmoPidpnQ

I already was able to spot a few deficiencies in my game from these videos but I am curious to get your input guys...What do you think?
thanks

Hi Erwan
I noticed that when you get down, you shuffle the bridge around to confirm the line of aim - this is too late to do so.
To test how well you get down to the line of aim, approach a shot and as soon as the tip is on the cue ball.... STOP EVERYTHING.
With NO cue actions or adjustments, pull the cue straight back and straight forward gently to reveal where you were aiming.
When you plant on the shot correctly first time you can then concentrate on cueing rather than aiming.

You seem to have a bit of a double delivery, whereby half way through the delivery the cue seems to stop and the shoulders seem to tighten (leading to you lifting the head).
Delivery smoothly all the way through like a stone falling from the side of a building.
Keep the grip and shoulders the same tension (ideally quite loose) all the way through the delivery to keep still - as this movement IS MISSING YOU POTS as it will pull the cue off line in ways you cant predict.

I would also try twisting your bridge arm slightly to angle the hand under the cue a little more as that may give a sharper V for the cue - right now the cue seems to be pushing against the 'thumb pillow' muscle at the base of the thumb and on the left side of the cue shaft.
Clearing this away from the cue often gives great freedom in cueing and allows the elbow to bend a little more which will help anchor it onto the table bed a bit more.

At 3 mins 11secs on the first video your head is moving all over the place on that safety shot - learn to commit to one line and play that.
If you feel it is wrong then get up and start again - but ban yourself from adjusting for one week and report what happens.

Apart from that, you have a nice approach, nice cueing method and good Foto Finish after the shot is complete.
Have you had a ton yet?

Sincerely
Nic

[Nic Barrow]

I didn't mean the player (or student) is playing and watching his technique in real time as that would be impossible wouldn't it. Like any other video analysis you record the video and then sit with the student and watch it together so the student can see what he's actually doing.

Besides, GoPro doesn't have a WiFi facility so you would have to have the player dragging around a USB cable while he was playing and if he's looking at the TV monitor then he can't be looking at the object ball (or CB, whatever your preference). This was always meant for after analysis, the same as any other video analysis in any sport.

It does have Wifi - and you can stream the video to an ipad for example and watch yourself in real time OR if you didnt make the mistake of updating the app you can view yourself with a 4 second delay....

[Ramon]

well, after searching the internet, I found this !! Looks like they're not expensive !! (If this one is the right one , of crs ).

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/camer.../camera-mounts

[Terry Davidson]

It does have Wifi - and you can stream the video to an ipad for example and watch yourself in real time OR if you didnt make the mistake of updating the app you can view yourself with a 4 second delay....

I don't think mine has WiFi capability Nic, but of course I bought it a few years ago. I'll have a look in the manual. I just got it for the 120fps capability.

[Nic Barrow]

I don't think mine has WiFi capability Nic, but of course I bought it a few years ago. I'll have a look in the manual. I just got it for the 120fps capability.

Iphone 6 has 200fps
all gopros have a wifi button - although not sure about your version

[Terry Davidson]

Iphone 6 has 200fps
all gopros have a wifi button - although not sure about your version

I have the HERO2 and no WiFi. Don't think I'll switch to an iphone6 just for the 200fps, as my Blackberry phone is working fine. Maybe there's an app for Blackberry video.

[Erwan_BZH]

dont know if you feel you want/need anymore imput erwan, but what are you doing in pracrice and how many hours are you doing a week?

Sorry, was away from TSF for awhile. but yes, always open to get more input.
A classic snooker week for me means practicing after work 2-3 times a week, generally 2h30/3h per session. Content varies if I have someone to play with or not but I try to mix frames and solo practice (lineups, crosses, etc.)

[j6uk]

10 hrs a week is quite a bit an thats heading in the right direction if you wanna be knocking in nice breaks with the odd ton. depending on your ambitions those hrs could be doubled.. do you play in any international events?

Sorry, was away from TSF for awhile. but yes, always open to get more input.
A classic snooker week for me means practicing after work 2-3 times a week, generally 2h30/3h per session. Content varies if I have someone to play with or not but I try to mix frames and solo practice (lineups, crosses, etc.)

[Erwan_BZH]

Hi Nic,

sorry for the late feedback, I didn't see your reply
See my comments below

Hi Erwan
I noticed that when you get down, you shuffle the bridge around to confirm the line of aim - this is too late to do so.

Absolutely, I've been struggling with my bridge recently and your comments (this one and the one below) conforts my initial thoughts to angle it a bit more to get the sharper 'V' you're talking about. Since that video I have tried to pattern this and I indeed gained some stability.

To test how well you get down to the line of aim, approach a shot and as soon as the tip is on the cue ball.... STOP EVERYTHING.
With NO cue actions or adjustments, pull the cue straight back and straight forward gently to reveal where you were aiming.
When you plant on the shot correctly first time you can then concentrate on cueing rather than aiming.

I don't know if you went through the other videos I posted above after this series (the ones filmed by my static camera, not the GoPro) to see me in action around the table. It could give you another indication of my body language during a shot. If I follow your exercise (I will do it tonight at the club to be sure), I'm pretty sure of the result: when down on the show with tip on the cueball, most of the time the tip would point to the center of the cueball but the butt would be offline, aiming to the right (to the outside if I can say). So my backhand is not aligned with the line of aim....which leads of course to applying unwanted lefthanded side spin most of the time, as I cue accross the ball. This is also why I wanted to use the headcam, to try to detect that movement. If my analysis is correct then it should point to a bad stance as I often find my hip obstructing my backswing (I used the boxer stance with right foot in the line of aim). Terry tried to correct me on this one but I'm still struggling.

You seem to have a bit of a double delivery, whereby half way through the delivery the cue seems to stop and the shoulders seem to tighten (leading to you lifting the head).
Delivery smoothly all the way through like a stone falling from the side of a building.
Keep the grip and shoulders the same tension (ideally quite loose) all the way through the delivery to keep still - as this movement IS MISSING YOU POTS as it will pull the cue off line in ways you cant predict.

I try to deliver the cue ala Maguire, with this acceleration through the delivery but quite often I tend to start slowly to deliver before 'panicking', thinking I'm already too far in the delivery so I rush a bit the final inches of the cue action.....So it looks rocky at times, probably what you spotted above. I'll try to be smoother in the delivery and eradicate all body movement.

I would also try twisting your bridge arm slightly to angle the hand under the cue a little more as that may give a sharper V for the cue - right now the cue seems to be pushing against the 'thumb pillow' muscle at the base of the thumb and on the left side of the cue shaft.
Clearing this away from the cue often gives great freedom in cueing and allows the elbow to bend a little more which will help anchor it onto the table bed a bit more.

Yes, that's what I evoked above. Currently correcting this with success.

At 3 mins 11secs on the first video your head is moving all over the place on that safety shot - learn to commit to one line and play that.
If you feel it is wrong then get up and start again - but ban yourself from adjusting for one week and report what happens.

Actually I went for the shot on this one...But failed miserably However I'll take care of not adjusting again while on the shot. It is something I've known for ages but sometimes, in action, you just lose the plot and your brain convinces himself that it is doing the right things. Happenned to me last night again during a training session. I swore after that, knowing too well I made an mistake easy to avoid

Apart from that, you have a nice approach, nice cueing method and good Foto Finish after the shot is complete.
Have you had a ton yet?

Unfortunately no 'real' ton to report as of yet but your comment makes me believe you think I'm capable of, which is gratifying. To tell you, my best break in a frame is 71 but that was two years ago. Most of the time, I'm a 40-break guy, which frustrates me a lot because I know I could do much better on a regular basis. My all time break is 104 on a practice lineup but Tony Blair was the resident of 10 Downing Street by that time
I think my game doesn't need drastic changes, probably more little things here and there but it could make a huge difference....that's why I'm looking for professionnal advice to sort this out once for good. I'll have a coaching session with your colleague PJ Nolan next September as he's coming down to coach in my area but I'm also thinking about going to England for a couple of days to get something, maybe with you actually. Need to sort this out.

Anyway thanks for the input and advice, very much appreciated. going to the club tonight so will apply what you've said and will report.

[Erwan_BZH]

10 hrs a week is quite a bit an thats heading in the right direction if you wanna be knocking in nice breaks with the odd ton. depending on your ambitions those hrs could be doubled.. do you play in any international events?

Yes, it's nice quantity wise but not all the time quality wise, in the sense that my club is very noisy at times so hard to get focussed on the job. Besides that I'm also playing another sport so can't really go above the 10-15 hrs mark....which is already pretty big I agree.
But my ambition is clearly to knock in a ton on a regular basis.

Never played in any international event even though I could have tried to register for a PTC event for example, just for fun. But I don't have the pretention to have the level to compete in those events. Not fancy going there, pay 100 quids or so and get thrashed 4 or 5 nil. OK I would have the pleasure to play on a Star table against maybe a pro but well. Not sure it's very enriching. Better sit around and watch a lot of games as a spectator.
I reached twice the last 16 of the French Cup and once the last 64 of the French championship...but overall level is fairly bad to be honest.

[Byrom]

so yesterday tech -

You guys need one of these

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/f...ur-life#/story