The Dreaded Yips

[Shockerz]

Shockerz, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by yips. Just hesitation before striking or a bit of twitching and shaking of cue arm? Happens more during competitions? If the latter, perhaps I can offer some insight.
I used to think that I had some kind of confidence/psychological problem, felt deeply ashamed when arm shaking occurred in front of people watching the tournament.
To cut the long story short, rather than self pity, eventually I realized that my micro muscle coordination will never be great and it never really was. What I did was to stop looking for that ultimate technical setup which would make me completely twitch free. So I compensate for that during feathering and striking. There is no other way for me to play the game.

From what I understand the yips is different for different people, some people pause and then can't start the forward motion, others actually have an involuntary muscle twitch. Mine was a twitch but I think most struggle to start the forward motion.

Dart players struggle to let go of the dart and golfers struggle to take the club away or sometimes bring it forward if a pause.

[Shockerz]

Yup, it's a construct you've built for yourself. Do you think if you had some distraction techniques, a mantra, or a song to sing in your head when down on the shot it would help? Worth a try Do you have anything to lose?

I'd also consider building in just ten minutes a day of meditation into your routine. Meditation is very simple, it's just clearing your mind of thoughts. Stopping thinking for a bit. Singing a song, or repeating a sentence over and over in your head (a mantra) is a simple way of doing this.

My thread here goes into the negative thought patterns and gives some methods to combat it http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...real-good-is-a

Fascinating subject this.

I'm actually fine now (I think), the loose grip, clear mind, longer pause and hitting from the elbow have finally nailed it (I hope!!).

I'm talking around the topic to try and build a list and then an article on what people feel and have done to rid themselves of it.

I used the song bit for myself for a while but although a great distraction technique it didn't work for me hence my 'maybe there are more than one cure' mindset, and the post of course to find out.

[Shockerz]

The Inner Game of Tennis always gets rave reviews. I have a copy but gave up after about 3 pages. Must finish it one day...

I tried the inner game of golf years ago when golfing but found that even though I'm quite a deep person this was a stretch for me!

Much preferred the Harvey Pennick green and red books for quick fixes! Maybe there's a snooker one in there somewhere?

[ace man]

We can't be sure whether those dreaded yips are physical or mental in nature, or both. I'm in the physical camp. Not all people have perfect hand coordination, especially when adrenalin kicks in during snooker competitions. There are bound to be some twitches present in most people.
I had been thinking about that for a while and came to conclusion that there are indeed some fine motor skills that I have never really conquered, not even as a child.
Handwriting, especially cursive letters. Bloody awful.
When some moron hit my car on the road we had to fill out forms for police and/or insurance company. With all the nerves and anger, writing became even more difficult than usual.
Also some other tremors occur from time to time...bringing cup of hot tea to mouth, eating soup with spoon...etc. Touch screen devices...can easily miss those icons if I'm even slightly nervous.
And snooker is also at least partly about fine motor skills. I am 100% sure that not all people can be excellent at that.
The game become more enjoyable for me when I accepted my physical limits. There's no reason why you couldn't beat players who have better coordination and/or technique than you. Snooker is a complex game.
This worked for me. I started winning. Two weeks ago I even won club snooker event played over 3 days which I haven't won in years. On the way I beat two guys who have way better technique than me, both have higher high break and both practise more. Go figure.

[Shockerz]

JT calls it twitching (moving the cue off-line). Hendry called it yips, not being able to deliver the cue after a pause. I suppose terminology is important HMBS! All of these things are in the head as the Cat says, so all are solvable. Hypnosis? I guess that's a bit like meditation in a different way.

Must admit, I still work on completely clearing my head which has had a benefit not just to this but to all the rubbish we think of when waiting to get back to the table;

Cor, he got away with that bad shot, how lucky is he, nothings going for me and all that rubbish that doesn't help our clear thinking when you do get back to the table.

Cueman - a real shame if you can't get back to the table and get rid of this. I packed the game in for 11 years and started again around 5/6 years ago and have enjoyed re-learning so to speak so never too old but; I do understand the frustration this brings and when you can't play the the level you feel you deserve.

It's a tough game.

[Shockerz]

Something has also come to mind about whether psychological or nature.

When I work long hours and burn the candle at both end's my eye twitches and sometimes arm muscles etc.

I wonder looking back whether it was around these times or not, difficult to say but just a thought.

[Big Splash!]

Something has also come to mind about whether psychological or nature.

When I work long hours and burn the candle at both end's my eye twitches and sometimes arm muscles etc.

I wonder looking back whether it was around these times or not, difficult to say but just a thought.

Knackered: involuntary muscle spasm. Needs a break.

[Shockerz]

Knackered: involuntary muscle spasm. Needs a break.

Maybe that's just the life we end up in and without realising it we are blind to see what the cause is............maybe?..........worth a thought.

[itsnoteasy]

That's quite a sad read Cueman, ever thought of hypnosis? I haven't a clue if stuff like that works but it's worth considering if you miss the snooker enough.

[cueman]

Thanks for the replies guys, though I wasn't looking for sympathy, LOL.

I think if you've ever suffered with the yips badly, and I'd have to say I'd consider mine to be as bad as it can be, then I think the only option is to quit.

It seriously messes with your emotions and I found I was in a constantly bad mood at its worst. Felt so tense all the time, it was like I was fighting with my cue to try and hit the white.

No matter what positive thoughts or determined mood I was in prior to playing, it would just be there constantly. The trouble with playing with it over a period of time, its hard to remember a time when I played without it. I think its one of those things you have to overcome quickly because the longer it goes on for the more severe it gets and therefore the harder it is to get rid of it.

In a strange way I actually don't miss playing now. I feel more relaxed now I've stopped playing. That's why I thought I'd give it a try last week, feeling that I was in a good mindset and yet despite that, it was still there and nearly as bad as it was before. That's why I don't feel its possible for me anyway to overcome it, unless there is a proven method that someone has come up with, without the need to buy a book or product! Isn't it funny how people always claim to have the answers yet want financially rewarding all the time!

[Shockerz]

Thanks for the replies guys, though I wasn't looking for sympathy, LOL.

I think if you've ever suffered with the yips badly, and I'd have to say I'd consider mine to be as bad as it can be, then I think the only option is to quit.

It seriously messes with your emotions and I found I was in a constantly bad mood at its worst. Felt so tense all the time, it was like I was fighting with my cue to try and hit the white.

No matter what positive thoughts or determined mood I was in prior to playing, it would just be there constantly. The trouble with playing with it over a period of time, its hard to remember a time when I played without it. I think its one of those things you have to overcome quickly because the longer it goes on for the more severe it gets and therefore the harder it is to get rid of it.

In a strange way I actually don't miss playing now. I feel more relaxed now I've stopped playing. That's why I thought I'd give it a try last week, feeling that I was in a good mindset and yet despite that, it was still there and nearly as bad as it was before. That's why I don't feel its possible for me anyway to overcome it, unless there is a proven method that someone has come up with, without the need to buy a book or product! Isn't it funny how people always claim to have the answers yet want financially rewarding all the time!

If people were that confident with their books and dvd's they should get paid on performance. I must admit, I stopped playing golf as I struggled to take the club away at all; that and rebuilding a swing with lessons totally froze any natural thinking I had.

Sometimes a breather is good, hope you can find a way back!

[Catch 22]

If people were that confident with their books and dvd's they should get paid on performance. I must admit, I stopped playing golf as I struggled to take the club away at all; that and rebuilding a swing with lessons totally froze any natural thinking I had.

Sometimes a breather is good, hope you can find a way back!

Actually I was better at snooker when I first started solo practicing myself . Once I started getting advice and reading books etc my game fell apart hahaha

I don't have yips but in matches my hand feels alien lol

Last night I got frustrated and went into Drago mode . Playing fast and free . I could feel how relaxed my arm and grip hand were .

Don't know if I'd risk it in a league match tho haha

[Big Splash!]

Actually I was better at snooker when I first started solo practicing myself . Once I started getting advice and reading books etc my game fell apart hahaha

I don't have yips but in matches my hand feels alien lol

Last night I got frustrated and went into Drago mode . Playing fast and free . I could feel how relaxed my arm and grip hand were .

Don't know if I'd risk it in a league match tho haha

Sounds like you enjoyed it more that way. I reckon it's worth a go in league. Why not? If you lose, you learn. If you play well you learn.

[Catch 22]

Sounds like you enjoyed it more that way. I reckon it's worth a go in league. Why not? If you lose, you learn. If you play well you learn.

I remember a match last year when I was 2-0 up with 1 to play and my team had already secured enough points for the win .
I was wanting home because the match went on late . So because the outcome of that frame didn't matter I just drago'd it and I played an excellent frame (for me )
Might give it a go

[Big Splash!]

I remember a match last year when I was 2-0 up with 1 to play and my team had already secured enough points for the win .
I was wanting home because the match went on late . So because the outcome of that frame didn't matter I just drago'd it and I played an excellent frame (for me )
Might give it a go

Let us know! Rhythm is an important part of snooker performance.