Practice Routine

[badgermeat]

Folks,

I've been practicing snooker properly for the first time for about a month and a half now. I have started to book the 5 hour slots at a club to save some cash, and I wanted to ask what you think of my routines and am I wasting too much time on one thing or another.

I've started spending a fair bit of time just trying to cue straight along the spots, and putting reds on either side to make it harder. Part of me thinks I should spend at least an hour or so doing this each 5 hr session?

The rest of my time is spent trying to find the right potting angle on different types of shot, pretty random really. I do like to finish with some long potting, and if I get one have a go at making a break.

My instincts tell me to practice straight cuing first and lots of it, but maybe I'm wrong?

Be nice to hear how some of you might break down a 5 hr practice session

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

Gotta ask: how much does a 5 hour session cost?

[badgermeat]

Eighteen pounds from 12pm - 5pm Sun through Friday. Gonna try for one of these a week, plus another hour or two or until my money runs out

[Shockerz]

Nice long session, I only normally do 3 hour sessions of practice routines but there;s probably others can help with a 5 hour session.

On Sunday morning I starts with 40/50 straight blues off the spot
Standard line up for an hour
'T' line up for half an hour
Black ball only off the spot for as many times as I can
Place 5 reds between the black and pink but 3 inches to the right and the white to the right of the yellow and practice trying to pot a red and get the white safe in baulk but by passing through differing colours e.g. yellow, brown and green.....helps test potting and weight.
Place a red between middle and pink and pot long straight reds as if to get in the balls, tests timing and straight potting; have to stop white dead for pink.
Clearing colours
Place all reds randomly around table and practice potting slowly and also rushing around table so no time to think just react. Found that in some ,matches I can turn a poor performance into a better one by changing speed of play if it ain't happening!

[badgermeat]

Thanks for the info, I especially like the bit involving safety play, will give your setup a bash for that. Not sure about rushing for me, wouldn't pot a bloody thing!

[Shockerz]

Thanks for the info, I especially like the bit involving safety play, will give your setup a bash for that. Not sure about rushing for me, wouldn't pot a bloody thing!

Not for everyone. I just find it gets me used to changing pace if I feel I should.

It's nice to have a bit of everything in your practice.

[tmax]

Nice post shockerz

Couple of those I'll pinch from you thanks

Another one I like, is 4 reds between pink and black but off to one side (usually in line with either the yellow or green spots)

I usually start with a half ball on a bulk colour to get me up to the 4 reds, then take blacks or pinks with the reds

With the starting colour I like to vary it, I especially play the 1 or 2 cushion shot off the yellow, missing the blue and either getting directly on a red or off the green coming across behind the red into the opposite top pocket





Of course there are numerous others from the bulk colours like coming across the table twice etc



This routine is especially good for playing the back with the white coming up centrally onto another red



T

[badgermeat]

Looks like a good idea to learn the pace of shots and some positional play, cheers for the info, it's greatly appreciated!

[tmax]

No problem

They key is to play one of these a few times, so you are getting the pot most of the time

Then stand behind and feel the complete shot in your head

Doesn't matter if you don't know where the ball is going - JUST GUESS !!! (the pros do it all the time !!! lol )

Then try to get that same feel when you are down and then try to execute that feeling !!!!!

It is NOT just a case of cueing straight and getting the pace right - you need to be able to PLAY that shot (i.e. know how to do it from practice)

So many shots are the same just in different positions !!!!

[Shockerz]

tmax....nice diagrams and response, I like the getting the pace answer.

I keep trying to push myself to see the shot before I play it (like a video) so I can gauge the pace and feel of what i'm about to do.

How did you do the diagrams as they are a good reference to help people. I could do a few and build them up in a programme but if you already have a couple I could pull apart then they would certainly be a good way of showing people what we mean.

PM me if you like, good post though.

[tmax]

Shockerz

Just PM'ed you with the files bud

[thunder66]

Shockerz

Just PM'ed you with the files bud

Could you also let me know the program used for the diagram? It's really neat!

[matthias]

Nice post shockerz

Couple of those I'll pinch from you thanks

Another one I like, is 4 reds between pink and black but off to one side (usually in line with either the yellow or green spots)

I usually start with a half ball on a bulk colour to get me up to the 4 reds, then take blacks or pinks with the reds

With the starting colour I like to vary it, I especially play the 1 or 2 cushion shot off the yellow, missing the blue and either getting directly on a red or off the green coming across behind the red into the opposite top pocket





Of course there are numerous others from the bulk colours like coming across the table twice etc



This routine is especially good for playing the back with the white coming up centrally onto another red



T

hi tmax

is it possible for you to put more of these on here?
if you have them ofcourse

they are really nice

[Tommykiid]

Try pj nolans routines http://147academy.com/ cleared one last night and was delighted after a month of trying certain ones

[badgermeat]

I tried doing the baulk colours set up as shown in the diagrams and it was good to try and judge the pace etc. of the shots. Obviously different angles on the yellow changed the shot.

What I have noticed recently is I'm starting to get a cue action going and I'm seeing the potting angle better. I'm trying to stay relaxed and focus on getting through the cue ball, I think playing shots at pace and maintaining a good cue action will take time.

Still find long potting easier than close cue ball control