How on earth to be consistent

[misspentoldage]

In practice or in match play I can have flurries of excellent play (for me) then it's gone by the same mysterious way it came. How to capture it, retain it? That's the great mystery for me.. I've tried everything, pre-shot routines, mantras etc which work for a couple of minutes, then vanish along with the passages of good play. One thing I do know is that when I'm playing well the 'why' thoughts never enter my head - it just flows. But I can't summon that up at will. How to think the unthinking excellence? That's the great unanswered question.

[Cue crafty]

In practice or in match play I can have flurries of excellent play (for me) then it's gone by the same mysterious way it came. How to capture it, retain it? That's the great mystery for me.. I've tried everything, pre-shot routines, mantras etc which work for a couple of minutes, then vanish along with the passages of good play. One thing I do know is that when I'm playing well the 'why' thoughts never enter my head - it just flows. But I can't summon that up at will. How to think the unthinking excellence? That's the great unanswered question.

I know you say you have tried it, but I really do think the pre-shot routine is the way forward. ive had that feeling in practice sometimes "this aint working" ive also been guilty of feeling a bit stupid, you know the " oh look at me with me pre-shot routine missing everything in sight" but working on a finding a pre-shot routine that fits and feels comfy will always give you a good "go to" place when things are not going well. I've been searching for mine again recently, its weird I mean how can you forget it? But today in practise a "light" turned on and I found the old 3 feathers, slow draw back and shoot and its like finding an old friend called form! Probably not something that many of us spend too long working on, but I really believe it helps.

[Vitikka]

Have you tried to practice 8 hours a day for ten years?

[tedisbill]

Nobody is consistent. Everyone comes in and out of form. Everyone has good days. When Ronnie has a bad day, he can still make 100s. He doesn't always play at 100% of his game, it's just that he doesn't need to in order to play good snooker.

[ace man]

Agreed. No such thing as consistency regardless of standard. I remember watching a match between Hendry and Williams on telly a few years ago. In 4 or 5 frames played their top break was well below 20. If they can play that badly, then anyone can.
The problem is that a lot of people like to think that their best game is their average, or at the very least that it should be their average. Unsurprisingly, I was one of those for years. It only led to frustration. Occasionally I still get those unrealistic thoughts.

[misspentoldage]

Ace man, that's an excellent point. I get frustrated because I expect to play as well as I can all of the time. But you're right, it is unrealistic. Funny, though, how quickly form can come and go, from one frame to another. BTW Vitikka, I do practise just about every day, though more like 2 hours than 8.

[inevermissblue]

Practise is very misleading. To think that hours upon hours will make you a better or more consistent player is ludicrous! How do I know this??? Because I see it all the time. People who are well known for putting in countless hours. Who don't even improve, or who do for a while until their next break away from the table, and then they feel more or less back to square one.
It makes no difference which ball you are sighting or this, that and the other. Unless your time at the table is spent wisely, armed with what you need to know, and what to do. Only then do you start to move forward.
These people I speak of don't have a clue what their game consists of when asked!!! Which is crazy!
I remember a phrase someone once told me...if its not constructive practise...then its destructive. Very true!
I've also heard people say that they have no idea how they will play the next time. They will just turn up and see! That mentality wouldn't fill me with much reassurance.
Snooker is probably one of the most technical sports/games there is. So to not have a grasp of this aspect of it won't see you achieve much at all. Except maybe quite a lot of frustration. Which is when most quit, to then languish in the Snooker Players graveyard (pool). Lol.

[itsnoteasy]

INMB does Jamie Cope never play or practice either? Does he just turn up to tourneys and get his cue out? I'm just wondering where this no playing or practicing theme has come from.
I would say I do like your above post but it is different from a lot of what you have said in the past .

[inevermissblue]

INMB does Jamie Cope never play or practice either? Does he just turn up to tourneys and get his cue out? I'm just wondering where this no playing or practicing theme has come from.
I would say I do like your above post but it is different from a lot of what you have said in the past .

How so???

This is what I mean. Misleading!!! Practise means different things for different people. Certainly for pro's. They are reinforcing their game, we however for the most part are trying to discover ours!

[inevermissblue]

Here is an example. My recent job move means that I'm fortunate to now have a social club within the works grounds. I went across there last week for the first time after my 2nd day shift (I work 2 days, 2 nights then 4 off! 12hr shifts). I went in there for a swift half and a game. I knew that conditions would be poor, but I went in with an open mind. Sure enough this was to be the case!
I was handed a Green tattered premier ball set, then I grabbed a rack cue. Full varnish with an ok tip. The table hadn't been cleaned for what seemed a lifetime.
So I used the time to concentrate just on my technique. I'm probably the worlds best at moaning about conditions. So to my absolute astonishment I went on to miss a long brown on 78!!!
Like I say...If you know what's required technically, you will still get results. Regardless of table time and now obviously conditions too!

[itsnoteasy]

I just feel you have said before you don't practice and just turn up and beat folk, but to me you have gotten good at the game, forgotten how much work you put in , then because you can maintain your game with little play, you think everyone can do that and you believe that's what you have always done.To test your theory you shouldn't be playing club players ,you should be playing folk ,at least, just a bit better than you, then see how you get on not playing for a few weeks . I can only go by darts and I could pick up a set now and beat 90% of club players ,but that's proving nothing, if I went and played at my past level ,county or above, I would have to hit the practice board for a few hours a day just to get close, that's why I feel this no practice theory isn't right unless you are playing folk at your proper level.I notice you haven't said that you don't play or practice at all ,in this thread ,but you did say it many many times when discussing it with Splasher. Maybe you did get to be a century maker by playing one hour a week as you have said before but I would bet you are the only one who has ever done it.well done on the break by the way, that's good going!

[jonny66]

Here is an example. My recent job move means that I'm fortunate to now have a social club within the works grounds. I went across there last week for the first time after my 2nd day shift (I work 2 days, 2 nights then 4 off! 12hr shifts). I went in there for a swift half and a game. I knew that conditions would be poor, but I went in with an open mind. Sure enough this was to be the case!
I was handed a Green tattered premier ball set, then I grabbed a rack cue. Full varnish with an ok tip. The table hadn't been cleaned for what seemed a lifetime.
So I used the time to concentrate just on my technique. I'm probably the worlds best at moaning about conditions. So to my absolute astonishment I went on to miss a long brown on 78!!!
Like I say...If you know what's required technically, you will still get results. Regardless of table time and now obviously conditions too!

How is anyone supposed to know this without practising? Also knowing and doing are two different things.

[inevermissblue]

I just feel you have said before you don't practice and just turn up and beat folk, but to me you have gotten good at the game, forgotten how much work you put in , then because you can maintain your game with little play, you think everyone can do that and you believe that's what you have always done.To test your theory you shouldn't be playing club players ,you should be playing folk ,at least, just a bit better than you, then see how you get on not playing for a few weeks . I can only go by darts and I could pick up a set now and beat 90% of club players ,but that's proving nothing, if I went and played at my past level ,county or above, I would have to hit the practice board for a few hours a day just to get close, that's why I feel this no practice theory isn't right unless you are playing folk at your proper level.I notice you haven't said that you don't play or practice at all ,in this thread ,but you did say it many many times when discussing it with Splasher. Maybe you did get to be a century maker by playing one hour a week as you have said before but I would bet you are the only one who has ever done it.well done on the break by the way, that's good going!

The way I started out was no different than anyone else. However, I noticed that my form was fragile and I've since proven this to be because I was playing OB and never had the time to put into it to keep that muscle memory fresh. This is no doubt many others predicament. Since moving over to CB sighting, I now find it much more rewarding. No need for muscle memory. Which makes me feel like I can almost always hit the ground running. Yes there may be slight differences in terms of results, but I'm happy with them.
Sighting this way may just be my own benefit, although I'm not 100% convinced. Also there is an element of conscious play needing to replace subconscious play which is equally beneficial to all.
How can you just turn up and slog your cue around aimlessly and expect results???
It just wont happen.

[itsnoteasy]

The way I started out was no different than anyone else. However, I noticed that my form was fragile and I've since proven this to be because I was playing OB and never had the time to put into it to keep that muscle memory fresh. This is no doubt many others predicament. Since moving over to CB sighting, I now find it much more rewarding. No need for muscle memory. Which makes me feel like I can almost always hit the ground running. Yes there may be slight differences in terms of results, but I'm happy with them.
Sighting this way may just be my own benefit, although I'm not 100% convinced. Also there is an element of conscious play needing to replace subconscious play which is equally beneficial to all.
How can you just turn up and slog your cue around aimlessly and expect results???
It just wont happen.

You can't just keep playing and expect time just to fix things, I totally agree with that, I also liked what you were told about destructive practice, that's a very good point, just reinforces bad habits, but I also believe you still have to put in thousands of hours to hone your technique, what ever ball you sight. I don't think it's good for someone looking for help to be told to play less, play smarter ,definitely, but not just for an hour a week. Even if that was great practice,that's no where near enough to improve and does nothing but confuse folk as they will be thinking ,why can't I knock in tons like you I'm playing an hour a week, just like you said. If someone asked me how to get better at darts the answer would be time on the board, work on your throw, every dart, learn from every single shot, and try and repeat the good ones, but you won't get anywhere with one hour a week or a day.
Completely different ball game once you are good, you can maintain a half decent level with a few hours a week, especially against local league players but as I said before you should test your theory against lower ranked pros maybe, if you think that's the next level up from you,see how it stacks up, they will be practicing,see how you do when you don't play for a few weeks, then step in to that level of comp, I knew I could tell the difference in a few days when I didn't play darts, it just felt a bit off.
I'm not having a go at CB sighting as I think it is a viable way of playing, if nothing else it stops your eyes flicking around off the target, I'm just asking about this narrow point of the amount of practice to tell someone to do who's either just learning or struggling to improve.

[inevermissblue]

You can't just keep playing and expect time just to fix things, I totally agree with that, I also liked what you were told about destructive practice, that's a very good point, just reinforces bad habits, but I also believe you still have to put in thousands of hours to hone your technique, what ever ball you sight. I don't think it's good for someone looking for help to be told to play less, play smarter ,definitely, but not just for an hour a week. Even if that was great practice,that's no where near enough to improve and does nothing but confuse folk as they will be thinking ,why can't I knock in tons like you I'm playing an hour a week, just like you said. If someone asked me how to get better at darts the answer would be time on the board, work on your throw, every dart, learn from every single shot, and try and repeat the good ones, but you won't get anywhere with one hour a week or a day.
Completely different ball game once you are good, you can maintain a half decent level with a few hours a week, especially against local league players but as I said before you should test your theory against lower ranked pros maybe, if you think that's the next level up from you,see how it stacks up, they will be practicing,see how you do when you don't play for a few weeks, then step in to that level of comp, I knew I could tell the difference in a few days when I didn't play darts, it just felt a bit off.
I'm not having a go at CB sighting as I think it is a viable way of playing, if nothing else it stops your eyes flicking around off the target, I'm just asking about this narrow point of the amount of practice to tell someone to do who's either just learning or struggling to improve.

I agree with most of that! However...there was a lad who plays division 2 that came to me for advice. I gave him just 3 aspects to change. Obviously these changes will be strange for him and he plays a lot, with nothing to really show for it. Last night he text me telling me he beat one of his nemesis's in a league match. Told me that he stuck to the plan, and played out of his very own skin! He said that the whole club ended up watching him in disbelief!