continuing concentration

[tofushop193]

finally got to over 50 for my line up today. did it twice and lost positioning.

how do you guys keep your concentration? i was getting out of focus on my last few shots and lost my positioning.

i did take some break like 30 secs after like 4 shots. but i don't think that was enough.

[Byrom]

Firstly well done

When you learning I think best not to get hung up on numbers - don't count just pot and work it out after don't have a break till you make 100 or in your case at least 50 - I never count it just try and clear up. challenge yourself and set target to beat.

I don't take a break I try and keep in a rhythm

[bolton-cueman]

Firstly well done

When you learning I think best not to get hung up on numbers - don't count just pot and work it out after don't have a break till you make 100 or in your case at least 50 - I never count it just try and clear up. challenge yourself and set target to beat.

I don't take a break I try and keep in a rhythm

yep, never count the break you can always count up your 'break' after if you want!

[tofushop193]

thought I want to keep track of it so I can see my improvement. I don't remember the score. I used those app where i press the color and the numbers add up.

I tried counting them after but I cant remember what I potted.

[Byrom]

if you do count it can ruin your rhythm or make you tense when you get near your 'high break' number

Best not to bother and just try and play to a consistent rhythm

My advice is if you must count - Just remember the colours you pot and try not disturb your rhythm

8 blacks 3 pinks 2v blue etc add it up after roughly ... it does not matter really

I never really bothered counting just tried to clear them all - its not really a break just a practice routine so the break does not count for anything. The improvement will come if you keep practicing and your target is to clear as many reds as possible until you can do them all.

[Catch 22]

I was taught to remember your pre shot routine on every ball . Keeps your mind on the job

[Byrom]

sorry that's what I meant by rhythm

[tofushop193]

Ok thanks everyone. I will just focus on potting.

[tmax]

Film yourself while doing a lineup - really helps

Gives you something to watch when you get home

I pop my phone on the Extended Spider, and rest that up against a chair or table - then play and forget about it

I'm usually working of something about my action, or ball striking when doing a lineup - so not bothered if I miss one early on, just replace it

If I find I've taken about 8+ reds without missing, then I start to concentrate, and try to play the easier shots to keep it going

If you just wanna clear as many as you can, I always find it easier to start with simply roll throughs onto the blue, and clear the reds around the blue, then work down around the pink

I play a 4,7,3, 1 (Bk-Pk, Pk-Bl, Bl +3, 1 +Br) lineup - one of the easier lineups, but hey, you still gotta pot them

[Shockerz]

Firstly well done

When you learning I think best not to get hung up on numbers - don't count just pot and work it out after don't have a break till you make 100 or in your case at least 50 - I never count it just try and clear up. challenge yourself and set target to beat.

I don't take a break I try and keep in a rhythm

I'm glad you have brought this up. I have always counted line up and sometimes lose track as the numbers build up and then stop to add it up. Since I have stopped counting I pot a great deal more, get better position and am close to clearing more times.

I've also tried not listening to the ref as you are potting as well when the scores are adding up, just pot balls until the crucial part!

[Shockerz]

Film yourself while doing a lineup - really helps

Gives you something to watch when you get home

I pop my phone on the Extended Spider, and rest that up against a chair or table - then play and forget about it

I'm usually working of something about my action, or ball striking when doing a lineup - so not bothered if I miss one early on, just replace it

If I find I've taken about 8+ reds without missing, then I start to concentrate, and try to play the easier shots to keep it going

If you just wanna clear as many as you can, I always find it easier to start with simply roll throughs onto the blue, and clear the reds around the blue, then work down around the pink

I play a 4,7,3, 1 (Bk-Pk, Pk-Bl, Bl +3, 1 +Br) lineup - one of the easier lineups, but hey, you still gotta pot them

The filming bit is great and worked for me.

I couldn't work out why I was missing long straight pots with stun or screw until I filmed it and could see my head lifting an extraordinary amount.

I did a couple of filmed line ups and saw how poor I had gotten with position which started me trying to visualise the shots more.

They were both poor for different reasons and the second was all over the place, I'm not proud so take a look if you want (here).

I've worked on my game a lot since then so it changed a fair bit but it does back up the point that you can see a lot about yourself by film and not feel!

[Shockerz]

Sorry forgot to mention my latest practice routine that you might want to try.

Do the 'T' line up with a rest for practice. It's good practice for little stun shots etc but i'd be interested to see what someone decent could get doing this......there's a challenge then!

[tmax]

Shockerz

You mean with all rest shots ???

Not many I think

[Shockerz]

Shockerz

You mean with all rest shots ???

Not many I think

Yep. Play every shot with the rest. Might seem a bit daft but it makes you stay above all the reds (toward the blue rather than black) so you can get the rest properly on the table.

I guess if you put the red balls across the table from side to side (either side of the pink) then you could play virtually every shot with the rest properly just betting on the pink.

I was just trying to think of a good practice routine for people struggling with rest play.

Personally I have always put a cue extension on the cue and got down in a normal snooker stance and just played with a longer cue as normal (4 points of contact). I always get frowns and puzzled looks in the league but rarely miss with it as you have to keep still with a slow motion.

I saw Jimmy White do it in the eighties a few times and it just stuck.

It's great when you pot a crucial ball with it and you just just hear people saying, "What's that pillock doing!"

[tmax]

LOL - I've never seen that done, but I had thought about it before - didn't know JW had actually played like that

The problem with practising rest shots is the setting them up, especially after a miss - it drives me crazy

The technique I've been using recently is to let the cue hand flow upwards on the shot, ie so the tip dips down and through the ball - works well for stun and small screw shots

If you watch Alex Higgins with the rest, you'll get the idea, especially when he's feathering

Also I find it easier to not hold my cueing arm elbow too high (like Shaun Murphy does) - It works for me better to keep the elbow a little lower (still parallel to the bed of course)

But the real trick is all in the timing of the shot PLUS bags of confidence through practising with it