Help appreciated!

[alabadi]

Lastly and most importantly, getting my hip out of the way of my backswing. This has been the real challenge for me, I think because it required a change in stance, but this is the main reason I've been wildly inconsistent for so long. Even now I still have shots where I pull the cue back and it whacks my hip, but at least I now get up and reset, whereas before I'd just go around my hip on the backswing and then obviously cut across the ball on delivery. I've been playing the game for ages and I can't believe my hip has been getting in the way for most of that time!

When my hip is out of the way, it honestly feels like a completely different game. It's hard to explain what I mean, but I think it just gives me a heap of extra confidence and I feel like I'm going to pot balls now when down on the shot. Before, it was 50/50 whether the easiest of shots would go in.

Even with the hip out of the way though, I really need to focus on that backswing because I'm so used to taking the cue back off straight. So my backswing is now quite slow and I rely on feedback from my chin to tell me if I've gone off straight. Does anyone else do this?

.

i think this is a good point, and maybe something that is effecting my progress. i sometimes (not always) on the back swing my cueing hand either brushes my hip or the chalk holder which is clipped to my belt on my hip.

this might explain why i usually put left hand side on shots unintentionally. because if my arm has to move to the right to avoid my hip this means the butt will go right sending the tip left and eventually will come back, so in effect it goes across the ball before straightening out. (this is more prominent on power shots)

i noticed this cue movement when i filmed myself practicing some straight blues , in slow motion i could see the cue move left then back to the right again, but couldn't fathom why. i was under the impression it might be my shoulder moving so concentrated on that.

thanks for the info , i will definitely check this out to see if its the case.

[Marfling]

Finally, the second century!!

Over a year after making my first ton, I’ve finally gone and knocked in the second (in practice this time though). I didn’t think it would ever come - I’ve been absolutely nowhere near it for a long time and resigned to the fact that the first was a bit of fluke (albeit quite a skilful fluke!).

I’ve been playing rubbish as well lately, but I’ve had a few little breaks very recently that made me think things were coming together.

I changed my technique a little bit over the last 6 months as well, taking more of a boxer stance which feels like it gets me online much easier and also helps me lock the right shoulder, something I’ve never done before and I think a big factor in my inconsistency (amongst other things). I always thought my shoulder was frozen in position but it was far from it. Now it feel much more stable and I don’t have to work as hard to stay still anymore. It seems obvious writing it out now but when I'm playing, I feel as though I'm doing everything perfectly! I'm copying Davis' technique to the letter, why aren't the balls going in! But in reality, I'm all over the shop and I don't often play with people who could/would tell me.

I don’t like chopping and changing my technique, it takes quite a lot of work and discipline to ingrain new habits, but when you’re putting in the hours and not moving forward I think somethings got to give. So I committed to a few small changes.

I’ve practiced those changes into my technique now and I feel much, much more confident on the shot. Weirdly, my new setup has also increased my cue power - not sure why! Perhaps because it's allowing me to hit the ball better?

The other thing that really, really helped was this idea of hitting from the elbow mentioned a lot by @cantpotfor****e (above) and @j6uk

I spent hours and hours alone practicing just this idea and it feels like it’s now a bit of subconscious check - when down on the shot, it’s the elbow that hits the ball. Sometimes it really feels effortless. If you haven’t considered this idea yet, look into it. I don't think it's a new idea but I'd never come across it and I've read many coaching books and seen three coaches.

I’ve spent a long time focusing on technique and I know the advice is not to focus on technique when playing games/matches against others, but if I didn’t I’d be 10x worse! But I now feel like I can spend much less time focusing on technique and more time focusing on where I want the white. I thought I’d reached this stage 12 months ago but I was nowhere near.

I still amazes me how little tweaks to foot/elbow/shoulder/grip positioning can have such a big impact.

Anyway, got home and told the Mrs and she didn’t really give a hoot about the ton so I thought you guys would understand my elation more!!

If I have to wait another year for the next, I'm done with it!

Take is easy,

Martin

[throtts]

Hahaha,,,

Well done Martin. Its a beautiful game when all is flowing..

Congrats.

[Marfling]

Cheers throtts, it really is!

Hopefully I can get it flowing a bit more consistently now.

[throtts]

Consistent breaks is the key isn't it..

You should surely be very confident now.

I thought you deserved more than just my one congrats. The guys are busy debating on the spin threads, lol..

[tomwalker147]

Congrats Marfling! I'm hoping I start making a few now with the season starting tonight!

[Marfling]

Consistent breaks is the key isn't it..

You should surely be very confident now.

I thought you deserved more than just my one congrats. The guys are busy debating on the spin threads, lol..

It is and now the breaks are happening more often, I'm less excitable when I get to 40/50/60 so I can keep everything smooth and relaxed. I'm starting to focus more on clearing the balls rather than the break which is probably a good mentality switch.

Ha! Dam spin thread stealing my thunder! Probably not that big a deal to most people on here, knocking in tons for fun. I've worked hard to nail that second one and had to get it off my chest!

Now they start coming like buses, right?

[Marfling]

Congrats Marfling! I'm hoping I start making a few now with the season starting tonight!

Cheers buddy. Good luck tonight, I've no doubt you will.

Have you managed to get to any more comps at SWSA? I think there's an Open event this Saturday but I couldn't get to it.

[tomwalker147]

Cheers buddy. Good luck tonight, I've no doubt you will.

Have you managed to get to any more comps at SWSA? I think there's an Open event this Saturday but I couldn't get to it.

Thank you mate, I need a bit of luck i've not really put the graft in this year!
I haven't been to any comps but will definitely be entering some over the next few months, it'd be good to see you at one!

[throtts]

Thank you mate, I need a bit of luck i've not really put the graft in this year!

So its a good time to delete old bad habits if you had them then. So its basics - do not have a tight grip and keep still on the shot, thats a good start after a long lay off.

[tomwalker147]

So its a good time to delete old bad habits if you had them then. So its basics - do not have a tight grip and keep still on the shot, thats a good start after a long lay off.

Throtts I like your advice. To be fair I played on thursday for an hour and hit the ball lovely, i'll report back tomorrow

[tomwalker147]

I promised to report back... I won my two frames comfortably. Struck the ball very nicely but missed a few balls i'd usually pot. I think that sharpish comes over time as you play more and more matches so i'm not too concerned.

[Terry Davidson]

Congratulations and it sound as if you're doing the right things by getting the shoulder to stay absolutely still and cueing only from the elbow. Now that you have all that sorted it's practice and more practice and the next century will be along in no time

[Marfling]

I promised to report back... I won my two frames comfortably. Struck the ball very nicely but missed a few balls i'd usually pot. I think that sharpish comes over time as you play more and more matches so i'm not too concerned.

Well played Tom. Funny how as much as you can practice, match sharpness takes a bit of time. Probably that extra little bit of pressure. Takes me 4 or 5 matches to get back into it I think.

[Marfling]

Congratulations and it sound as if you're doing the right things by getting the shoulder to stay absolutely still and cueing only from the elbow. Now that you have all that sorted it's practice and more practice and the next century will be along in no time

Cheers Terry. It was actually a few of your posts about locking the shoulder that made me experiment with it. I was having to work too hard to keep my whole action still instead of it happening more as a result of good technique, so thanks for that!