Factory reset

[Canny Tim]

Hi. Over the last few months I've been tinkering with my cue action. I can have 1 practice session where I'm playing well and the next where I can't pot. I'm also finding myself changing my action several times during matches which is effecting my consistency. I'm just so clouded with thoughts during a shot that I've completely ruined my games. I was just wondering what's the best way to go about starting a clean slate so I can rebuild my game from fresh? Thanks.

[j6uk]

who are your favorite players?
do you watch a lot of snooker?
how much do you play/practice?

[Canny Tim]

Ronnie, Fu, Ding, Trump. I watch most of the tournaments on the BBC. If not live I watch old matches on YouTube. I practice 4 times a week but only for an hour at a time.

[j6uk]

and so you take bits from the players you like and try and incorporate them into your own game right?
how long you been playing for?

[Canny Tim]

Yeah that and advice from here. 4 years odd now. Probably worse now than when I started

[j6uk]

okay well your game is not yet a factory so dont worry, its more like a part time saturday job with the amount of hrs your doing.

if i was you i would split your practice into two two hour sessions or one one hr and one three hr. cus really one hr is just a warm up, unless your a pro.
less watching and more playing, cut down the amount of snooker you watch cus its a time eater. instead grab your cue jump on the bus and hit the practice table.
all the players you mentioned have very differing techniques, so focus on one you would like to emulate
if you have time stick up a vid of what your practice hour looks like

[Canny Tim]

Cheers for the advice. If I was to pick 3 things I should concentrate on more than anything what would they be?

[j6uk]

the basics: every player thats any good will always go back to the fundamentals when things arent going right.
find the line of aim
drop the head straight down
keep the head still till the ob reaches the pocket

practice: straight cueing, the lineup without colors, black routine.
when you feel you can cue fairly fluently and straight, try do x2 15 red lineups without missing, make 20 blacks off the spot without missing or dropping out of position, then move onto the lineup and try to make a ton

dont over complicate things or bite more than you can chew


a couple of examples

[qc2]

love the idea of that 100 blacks one. will give it a go I think

[j6uk]

love the idea of that 100 blacks one. will give it a go I think

yeah its a great all around workout. first aim for 10, then 20, 50, 100. after a couple of weeks you may never miss another black off the spot

[the lone wolf]

yeah its a great all around workout. first aim for 10, then 20, 50, 100. after a couple of weeks you may never miss another black off the spot

Never say never...
But to drill yourself with quality practice exercises will make up for the lack of quantity you have for practicing. Which is sound advice from J6.
You will also need to learn the mental side of the game e.g. Not changing your technique when things aren't going well or losing your technique when under pressure / panic when your opponent knocks in a few good balls.

[Terry Davidson]

Just one word of caution though. I don't recommend to a student to copy a specific pro for technique but rather copy what all pros do in COMMON. That is basically what j6 mentioned in his list. Be yourself and be natural.

I believe the reason your game has gone to crap is because you are changing things frequently and never get a chance to learn whether what you're trying is doing any good. You are also probably trying to do more than one change at a time which is a definite no-no.

Pick one style which goes along with what j6 said above and STICK WITH IT. You will eventually train yourself as long as you don't keep changing things all the time.

[Canny Tim]

Okay then. The main problem Im having when trying to play to my understanding of textbook is with chest contact. Its hard to explain but I feel when Im pulling the cue back whilst using the chest as a guide, it's pulling the cue to the right of the cueball and I dont know why.

This is what i'm thinking when getting down to a shot. Put my foot on the line of aim, straighten back leg and then simultaneously try to put the bridge hand, cue and my head on the line of aim. Is this correct?

[Terry Davidson]

Okay then. The main problem Im having when trying to play to my understanding of textbook is with chest contact. Its hard to explain but I feel when Im pulling the cue back whilst using the chest as a guide, it's pulling the cue to the right of the cueball and I dont know why.

This is what i'm thinking when getting down to a shot. Put my foot on the line of aim, straighten back leg and then simultaneously try to put the bridge hand, cue and my head on the line of aim. Is this correct?

Almost. Place your right foot on the line of aim and then drop the head STRAIGHT DOWN and at the same time move the bridge hand over behind the cueball WITHOUT looking at the cueball until you are down in the address position.

Also, what you are saying here about the cue on the chest and then as you backswing it goes off line. Unless your chest and upper body is moving to the left and up (very common) or else you're taking a breath or expelling a breath which still means the chest is moving. If you keep the cue in reasonably tight contact with the chest the cue will be held in a 'channel' of 4 points, bridge, chin, chest and grip (the chin can be above the cue though if that's more comfortable). You MUST bring the chest to the cue, DO NOT pull the cue up into the chest.

A little exercise for you to confirm this. Place a ball centered on the baulkline as an OBJECT ball. Now get into your address position so the cue is right on top of the baulkline but be close enough to the object ball that you will not hit it but come reasonably close to the ball. Try cueing along the baulkline and watch the ferrule during the backswing and delivery but do the first ones VERY slow and remember to KEEP THE CUE ON THE CHEST AT ALL TIMES. When you complete your delivery leave the cue extended and check and see that the tip is centered exactly on the cueball.

Keep the backswing slow and deliberate but increase the delivery until you are at full power and confirm you are still centered on the object ball. If you are not centered then something has moved as long as you kept the shaft of the cue on the chest during both backswing and delivery.

[Canny Tim]

Almost. Place your right foot on the line of aim and then drop the head STRAIGHT DOWN and at the same time move the bridge hand over behind the cueball WITHOUT looking at the cueball until you are down in the address position.

Also, what you are saying here about the cue on the chest and then as you backswing it goes off line. Unless your chest and upper body is moving to the left and up (very common) or else you're taking a breath or expelling a breath which still means the chest is moving. If you keep the cue in reasonably tight contact with the chest the cue will be held in a 'channel' of 4 points, bridge, chin, chest and grip (the chin can be above the cue though if that's more comfortable). You MUST bring the chest to the cue, DO NOT pull the cue up into the chest.

A little exercise for you to confirm this. Place a ball centered on the baulkline as an OBJECT ball. Now get into your address position so the cue is right on top of the baulkline but be close enough to the object ball that you will not hit it but come reasonably close to the ball. Try cueing along the baulkline and watch the ferrule during the backswing and delivery but do the first ones VERY slow and remember to KEEP THE CUE ON THE CHEST AT ALL TIMES. When you complete your delivery leave the cue extended and check and see that the tip is centered exactly on the cueball.

Keep the backswing slow and deliberate but increase the delivery until you are at full power and confirm you are still centered on the object ball. If you are not centered then something has moved as long as you kept the shaft of the cue on the chest during both backswing and delivery.

Thanks for the help