Correct mindset / state of mind to maximise performance

[ace man]

Never refuse the correct shot (that is within your capability) that you always play in top form or fear wins, breaks drop and you go into your shell and limit your game. It is better to play the correct shot and miss, than hit 20 breaks or win a frame IMO (unless you've got big money on it!).

How can the correct shot be the one that made you lose the frame?

[jrc750]

How can the correct shot be the one that made you lose the frame?

The correct shot is the one that gets you best position on the next ball, if you don't pot it then you may lose, but it WAS the correct shot to play

[Byrom]

Nick- Ultimately you're suffering a lack of consistency, this does not breed confidence.

Do you have a standard pre shot routine that you use for each shot? If you find you're missing balls the best thing to do is limit the chances of you missing them. One way of doing this is to Have a consistent pre shot routine.
By doing this you'll understand what 'the norm' is for you, you'll understand why you played a shot well or badly and ultimately will trust your technique giving you one less thing to worry about.

I've not played for 3 weeks but the next time I play i'll go back to my standard routine which is now engrained in me so the amount you play is not the be all and end all.

The pyschological aspects of any sport come down to limiting the variables which can effect your performance. Making sure you are consistent with your cueing cuts out many of these variables.
Sorry for rambling on.

I think this is correct and a good question to ask - the pre shot routine keeps you consistent and means you have less to think about as ur time and methods at the table are ingrained - thing is Tom to get like this took lots of practice and lots of hours - yes?

Some players are just more natural than others and some are able to keep at a standard without much practice but to get to a standard in the place first takes many hours of practice for everyone - don't matter who u are.

I agree with Tom here the pre shot routine is the important bit to get right. Otherwise yer snooker is always stop start n up n down

[tomwalker147]

I think this is correct and a good question to ask - the pre shot routine keeps you consistent and means you have less to think about as ur time and methods at the table are ingrained - thing is Tom to get like this took lots of practice and lots of hours - yes?

Some players are just more natural than others and some are able to keep at a standard without much practice but to get to a standard in the place first takes many hours of practice for everyone - don't matter who u are.

I agree with Tom here the pre shot routine is the important bit to get right. Otherwise yer snooker is always stop start n up n down

Yes Byrom, it took a long time... longer than it should have too.
When I first started playing I didn't care much for technique I just played the game and did well off the little bit of natural talent I have. My game didn't improve until I improved my technique which is largely due to having a consistent pre shot routine. I'd say my practice between the ages of 10-20 was almost a waste of time, I used to just turn up and hope to play well without any idea of why I played well or badly (much like Nick).

I don't think Nick can hope to improve too much until he understands why he's making mistakes and equally why he's playing shots well. A pre shot routine is a good starting point to help with that.

[Byrom]

Yep - best advice we could give him or anyone learning I think...

I think it might also help if a new player studies and mimics a pro player - close to their set up someone like Davis or Murphy in terms of pre shot routine perhaps? Lots of footage on you tube for these.

Perhaps technical stuff like timing grip feathering learning angles for me come second after learning stance bridge locking positions and shape on the shot.. / foot position is... It is Most important to be able to get down on the line of the shot consistently and see it before you get down. It makes the game far more natural when down ... Stops you fishing around trying to find the line thinking this n that.

Everything comes from the stance and feet if you ask me - I think I saw the poster golferson mention it a bit abruptly previously on a video somewhere on tsf.
He was right to emphasis it - other coaches should too... all the pros and players of a certain level walk or step onto the line and find it before getting down ... It's important to keep the lines straight at the back with the cue all the way through the ball -

Many players starting out overlook the importance of this bit just try and aim at the front and when down move around fish for the hit going off line at the back - many just don't get it and stay inconsistent - .the ones that do get it are quicker to progress much faster.

It is poss to learn it - takes many hours - and I still do it after years - but worth it if you suss it as it makes snooker a bit more zen like on occasion even for occasional players like me - if u have less to think about snooker becomes more natural just to find the line get down play shot ... Some fine tuning in with your feathers all part of your natural timing of the shot.

In response to the opening post this is going off topic but I think you get better at playing when you change certain things and become aware they effect you - if you think snooker all in the head - I agree it has an effect for some but think this is mainly comes into play at a higher level.

Before that level it is these more technical changes and practice that will help the most in your quest to improve...

Good luck😎👍

[djax]

Yep - best advice we could give him or anyone learning I think...

I think it might also help if a new player studies and mimics a pro player - close to their set up someone like Davis or Murphy in terms of pre shot routine perhaps? Lots of footage on you tube for these.

Perhaps technical stuff like timing grip feathering learning angles for me come second after learning stance bridge locking positions and shape on the shot.. / foot position is... It is Most important to be able to get down on the line of the shot consistently and see it before you get down. It makes the game far more natural when down ... Stops you fishing around trying to find the line thinking this n that.

Everything comes from the stance and feet if you ask me - I think I saw the poster golferson mention it a bit abruptly previously on a video somewhere on tsf.
He was right to emphasis it - other coaches should too... all the pros and players of a certain level walk or step onto the line and find it before getting down ... It's important to keep the lines straight at the back with the cue all the way through the ball -

Many players starting out overlook the importance of this bit just try and aim at the front and when down move around fish for the hit going off line at the back - many just don't get it and stay inconsistent - .the ones that do get it are quicker to progress much faster.

It is poss to learn it - takes many hours - and I still do it after years - but worth it if you suss it as it makes snooker a bit more zen like on occasion even for occasional players like me - if u have less to think about snooker becomes more natural just to find the line get down play shot ... Some fine tuning in with your feathers all part of your natural timing of the shot.

In response to the opening post this is going off topic but I think you get better at playing when you change certain things and become aware they effect you - if you think snooker all in the head - I agree it has an effect for some but think this is mainly comes into play at a higher level.

Before that level it is these more technical changes and practice that will help the most in your quest to improve...

Good luck

I like your points on the importance of Stance and seeing the shot beforehand, dead right. Just wondering though? How many of us with home tables and those in clubs where they can be very near each other, allow for enough area to "Walk into the shot"?

[Cannonball]

Yep - best advice we could give him or anyone learning I think...

I think it might also help if a new player studies and mimics a pro player - close to their set up someone like Davis or Murphy in terms of pre shot routine perhaps? Lots of footage on you tube for these.

Perhaps technical stuff like timing grip feathering learning angles for me come second after learning stance bridge locking positions and shape on the shot.. / foot position is... It is Most important to be able to get down on the line of the shot consistently and see it before you get down. It makes the game far more natural when down ... Stops you fishing around trying to find the line thinking this n that.

Everything comes from the stance and feet if you ask me - I think I saw the poster golferson mention it a bit abruptly previously on a video somewhere on tsf.
He was right to emphasis it - other coaches should too... all the pros and players of a certain level walk or step onto the line and find it before getting down ... It's important to keep the lines straight at the back with the cue all the way through the ball -

Many players starting out overlook the importance of this bit just try and aim at the front and when down move around fish for the hit going off line at the back - many just don't get it and stay inconsistent - .the ones that do get it are quicker to progress much faster.

It is poss to learn it - takes many hours - and I still do it after years - but worth it if you suss it as it makes snooker a bit more zen like on occasion even for occasional players like me - if u have less to think about snooker becomes more natural just to find the line get down play shot ... Some fine tuning in with your feathers all part of your natural timing of the shot.

In response to the opening post this is going off topic but I think you get better at playing when you change certain things and become aware they effect you - if you think snooker all in the head - I agree it has an effect for some but think this is mainly comes into play at a higher level.

Before that level it is these more technical changes and practice that will help the most in your quest to improve...

Good luck����

Copy Hendry. Maxi maker told me that. Not bad advice.

Another good route is to launch your cue out the window now and again in anger. Instantly dumps frustration and it gets you straight out the room. After you've launched loads of ruined cues and stacks of money, you either find another way or quit. I know someone who did this and it worked for him. Don't do this is you use a JPU, 3yrs is a long wait! :biggrin-new:

[itsnoteasy]

Ok I will go into it a bit more - basically it's expectations and how you deal with them. Every player gets frustrations at this game ted for example knows to get good you need to put the hours in and he has done so he can now knock in a ton on occasion but as he said consistent 40-50 s more realistically. He will however just get one of those days as we all do when he is tired or has things on his mind or just not with it accepting this can do yer head in lol

We are all different in how we tick but sometimes there is certain things that might help during a game. A great coach called Del hill called these things -dummies-

I concentrate on keeping still and down not moving up off the shot too quickly and getting the foot placement right so I get down on line correctly and this helps me - some people might say to themselves keep head still or relax the grip or speed up a bit or smooth helps timing or down to up or just something to do with keeping with the pre shot routine.

Your own pre shot routine that you work on as you develop helps you retain a consistent approach and the hours you put in developing that pays off. Again though if you don't put that practice in you cannot seriously expect much.

I don't think any snooker player is ever truly happy for long tho it's the nature of the game. The good players or ones that want to improve all get frustrated Searching for perfection that is unobtainable don't we? Some people just deal with it better than others because if you do dwell what good does it do ya? Move on stay in the present focus treat the game with respect keep calm and try your best.

Oh n practice practice practice - two times a week with yer mates not enough that is just playing - do some solo stuff set some targets and develop a solid pre shot routine and consistent approach to suit your particular style of play ... Many many More hours in the club basically as this help you prepare right. Fail to prepare then prepare to fail.

Great post Byrom, nearly everything you said to do when having a mare, is what I do.
Just read Toms post as well, usual top quality stuff.

[MrRottweiler]

Great post Byrom, nearly everything you said to do when having a mare, is what I do.
Just read Toms post as well, usual top quality stuff.

I agree it sums it up.

The key is the solo practice. You have to have table time to yourself where you can do anything you like and this is where you prepare for match play. Without the solo practice you will never feel prepared and always have an issue with how you played even if you win.

Combining solo practice with matches allows you to assess your game during a match and then work on problem areas on the practice table. This constant cycle will make you a much more confident player.

[itsnoteasy]

I agree it sums it up.

The key is the solo practice. You have to have table time to yourself where you can do anything you like and this is where you prepare for match play. Without the solo practice you will never feel prepared and always have an issue with how you played even if you win.

Combining solo practice with matches allows you to assess your game during a match and then work on problem areas on the practice table. This constant cycle will make you a much more confident player.

If I'm playing crap and win, I'm devastated, I take not one bit of pleasure from it, but if I'm playing out my skin, say knocked in two or three fifty breaks in a session and get humped, I'm over the moon lol, maybe there is something wrong with me.

[alabadi]

i've found after many many hours of playing that the number one technique that every player needs to improve is a straight cueing action.
unless you can push the cue through straight every time , you will find progress inconstant. plus you will never know why you missed if you can't cue straight.
i think all the other techniques have be mentioned , Tom has a good point about pre shot routine, this is very important too.

if there is one issue i have is selecting the line of the shot and then getting down on that line. it's something i am finding troublesome for me. i see the angle however i am inconstant in how i determine the path the cueball will take to make contact with BOB.

however as i said earlier cueing straight is paramount , so i would make sure of this point before you move on to any other part of your game

[ace man]

The correct shot is the one that gets you best position on the next ball, if you don't pot it then you may lose, but it WAS the correct shot to play

Agreed, but only if the shot was not low percentage.

[ace man]

...however as i said earlier cueing straight is paramount , so i would make sure of this point before you move on to any other part of your game

Straight cueing is most important, yes, but those of us who started late with snooker should not despair if we cannot cue quite as straight and as smooth as kids who often bring their food to the club.
I for one began to play better when I accepted my technical limits and inconsistencies. No point in crying about not having technique like a professional player.

[Erwan_BZH]

Hmmm, someone once said the shot should look crystal clear when you're down or 10/10. If you miss, then set-up/cueing has gone awry. Because your eyes don't lie and we can all pot them blind when we're in the groove. It's easy to forget but running a 10/10 check before first feathers is vital. If it doesn't look 10/10 you can start to correct things by getting up and sussing the solution. Once it does look 10/10, you've solved the set-up issue and what's left is body and head movement (tension) and relaxed, dead-straight cueing (no wrist rotation). Your partner can tell you if these areas are issues by simply standing behind you and looking at your grip and body movement. I think that within 10mins, players can understand what is different to 'normal'. This is why a bit of line up or free potting is a great way for two players to start a session and help each other. Players can miss consistently at the highest level, go to the practice room mid-session, then come out and hit clearance after clearance. So even Ronnie has to make wee adjustments to get back to his best. Obviously, confidence is an issue because that stops body movement and tense cueing/snatching/rotating. So leave everything at the door before you get the cue out someone very knowledgeable told me. Whatever is on your mind cannot be sorted until you leave, so forget it unless it's critical, in which case, leave the snooker room immediately! :biggrin-new:

Oh yeah, have fun! Enjoying the game and setting out to do so vastly improves the standard for most folk. Get into a good mindset an hour before you go to practice, think about what you'd like to achieve and do on the table, even the night before if you have time. Make a mental plan or jot a few ideas down; or have some small notes on your phone. If having a beer helps you relax, do that but don't go overboard. I'd avoid high sugar foods and drinks, that makes people antsy and jumpy and too energetic and it can lead to less concentration. Don't go after a heavy meal, that can lead to soporific issues. Do the social chat with your mate after the session not during.

Always play the shot 100%, never 80% or 120%. Too little is giving into fear, too much is being aggressive towards fear. Fear wins in both cases; form drops. 100% means the computer is in charge, not the monkey. Never refuse the correct shot (that is within your capability) that you always play in top form or fear wins, breaks drop and you go into your shell and limit your game. It is better to play the correct shot and miss, than hit 20 breaks or win a frame IMO (unless you've got big money on it!). This is basically the Hendry philosophy.

Byrom has mentioned more 'practice' which is controversial on TSF (no I'm not joking) as Inevermissblue will explain soon enough I hope. :biggrin-new:

Excellent post !

[jonny66]

What are your pre shot routines? I haven't got a conscious one and it would be good to see some examples : )