Consistency

[Strickimicki]

Evening all,


Consistency, why is it so difficult to achieve?

I generally play a middle class game, Sometimes though I can excel myself for a lot more than one frame.

Sometimes it holds up for weeks at a time I can play position, pot nearly every ball on the table. My safety game is also tip top.

Then again it can happen and is at the moment so, that I can play some brilliant shots, only to miss easy balls or cock up extremely easy positional play!

I ask my self and you all why?

I come to the conclusion that concentration alone can not be the cause.

The problem is maybe that because of playing badly, one starts looking for the cause and changes something that was maybe before straightforward.

For example, this is going back sometime now. Sorry.

Last year I had a real bad downfall in my game and started looking for the cause. I read here that there is a big deficit in how most people sight the ball/balls, lets call this the master eye syndrome.

Well I started working on that because I thought it may help. Well it did and it didn't. Most of the time I'm sure I'm not seeing the cue ball like I should!
Not to mention the object ball.

But when I do then I'm back with a vengeance.

But like I said it comes and go's at its own will. It doesn't matter if I concentrate like a mad man if I don't see like I should. My eyes tell me everything is fine my brain say what the hell are you doing?

Why is it so inconsistent, I'm nearly sure that this master eye thing is correct. But does it Master eye vision wander and change? If you can't follow me, I mean that on one day you are more right eyed than on some days and more left on others.

It sounds strange I know but I’ve got too get to the bottom of this, it's really depressing you know

Just so you can follow everything I've tried to put down in words.

Some days breaks between 50 and 90 are just there for the taking!

At the moment I have extreme problems potting two balls back to back!

Consistency where the hell is it?
How do I find it?
How I keep it?

Consistency! Jesus help, if you can't, ask your dad.

Thanks guys

Brian

[bongo]

I will edit this post and put a very good link, just 2 seconds, or 60!


Here we are - http://www.fcsnooker.co.uk/coaching_..._yourselfe.htm

If you need any more help just ask, I hope that the link helps, its interesting.

[bongo]

http://www.fcsnooker.co.uk/coaching_...nd_opinion.htm

Consistency is the problem that we all go through, I got through I all right, along with about 3 cues!!!, I would say it was not my cue, it was my game, but i've got through that mostly now, i'm playing well.

[Strickimicki]

wel Bongo,

that about sums up every problem I have!

I was playing today, as badly as the last few months.

Against a much better player than myself, he was watching me on my shots and correcting me.

It helped to some extent. What surprised me was, he said and I quote " Unbelievable how straight your cueing is, it's absolutly dead straight". Which obviously gets me well chuffed.

Then I missed the next easy ball. What the hell is going on here.

What do you do if you are sure you are not seeing the object ball like you should?
Beside going to the Eye doctor/opticians or what ever you want to call them.

I've done that. apparently everything is just fine.

If you are not sure that the spot/line that you are aiming for is the right spot/line.

Like I put down above if you can not believe your eyes and your brian is screaming, get up and have another look. What do you do.

Sometimes I'm stood there like a bloody yoyo

When I'm standing all is clear, when I go down, Oh my lord!

[dantuck_7]

If you're not confident on the shot get up (something I should have done a few times today!) - have a walk around the table and convince yourself from a couple of angles where you should be aiming.

As for getting up and down like a yoyo it can't quite be as bad as the situation I went through last year where i would actually freeze on shots and not being able to cue at all. Just like dartitis - that was horrendous!

[Strickimicki]

I think I'm getting to the bottom of this!

Was out last night practicing, paid an awful lot of attention to how I was cueing (real hard work). My Stop on the back final back swing was to short or not there.

After I had realised that, I was off. I wouldn't say things are back to how they were, but it seems to be on its way.

I don't know when it got to be like that it must of just slipped in at sometime, to much playing when every thing is going well and not enough practice concentrating on the essencials of technique. My rythm is shot aswell I mean the feathering of the cue before the striking of the cue ball.

I have to admit, I was sure I was not seeing properly. Thought also that I was not standing correctly, not for one minute did I think about all the other things.

Its going to a long climb again but I'm going to put things right.

Consistency: How can I expect a consistant qualitity if I'm doing nearlly everything wrong?

I'll keep you informed!

[Strickimicki]

I'm back

It's probably touch wood, not going to take me as long as I thought it would to get me back to where I was!

I was out today, practicing and every thing was just fine not great but not that bad either.

Got a 64 break. Thinking about how I was playing only 3 days ago that is damn good.

I'm on my way back, I could cry

I'll keep you informed

Brian

[stjimmy18-1991]

It's probably touch wood, not going to take me as long as I thought it would to get me back to where I was!

I was out today, practicing and every thing was just fine not great but not that bad either.

Got a 64 break. Thinking about how I was playing only 3 days ago that is damn good.

I'm on my way back, I could cry

I'll keep you informed

Brian

lucky guy i struggle to make a 20!!! haha

well ive only been playing properly for a few weeks so...

i'll get there soon!!

[C-J]

Evening all,


Consistency, why is it so difficult to achieve?

I generally play a middle class game, Sometimes though I can excel myself for a lot more than one frame.

Sometimes it holds up for weeks at a time I can play position, pot nearly every ball on the table. My safety game is also tip top.

Then again it can happen and is at the moment so, that I can play some brilliant shots, only to miss easy balls or cock up extremely easy positional play!

I ask my self and you all why?

I come to the conclusion that concentration alone can not be the cause.

The problem is maybe that because of playing badly, one starts looking for the cause and changes something that was maybe before straightforward.

For example, this is going back sometime now. Sorry.

Last year I had a real bad downfall in my game and started looking for the cause. I read here that there is a big deficit in how most people sight the ball/balls, lets call this the master eye syndrome.

Well I started working on that because I thought it may help. Well it did and it didn't. Most of the time I'm sure I'm not seeing the cue ball like I should!
Not to mention the object ball.

But when I do then I'm back with a vengeance.

But like I said it comes and go's at its own will. It doesn't matter if I concentrate like a mad man if I don't see like I should. My eyes tell me everything is fine my brain say what the hell are you doing?

Why is it so in consistent, I'm nearly sure that this master eye thing is correct. But dose it Master eye vision wander and change? If you can't follow me, I mean that on one day you are more right eyed than on some days and more left on others.

It sounds strange I know but I’ve got too get to the bottom of this, it's really depressing you know

Just so you can follow everything I've tried to put down in words.

Some days breaks between 50 and 90 are just there for the taking!

At the moment I have extreme problems potting two balls back to back!

Consistency where the hell is it?
How do I find it?
How I keep it?

Consistency! Jesus help, if you can't, ask your dad.

Thanks guys

Brian

Thanks for writing up my problem from the last years.It's very frustrating when you played fluent and quickly the other day only to come back and play like a beginner again!I'v largely overcome my urge to cue across to the left(wich happened when i didn't see the ball well) by sightning up the shotline correctly(when standing) and concentrating on parting the cueball in two equal halfs(when down) and forcing myself to strike along this line and keep cueing straight.This works best for me to get my "easy" sightning and confidence back.

cheers, C-J

[Blondie]

Evening all,


Consistency, why is it so difficult to achieve?

I generally play a middle class game, Sometimes though I can excel myself for a lot more than one frame.

Sometimes it holds up for weeks at a time I can play position, pot nearly every ball on the table. My safety game is also tip top.

Then again it can happen and is at the moment so, that I can play some brilliant shots, only to miss easy balls or cock up extremely easy positional play!

I ask my self and you all why?

I come to the conclusion that concentration alone can not be the cause.

The problem is maybe that because of playing badly, one starts looking for the cause and changes something that was maybe before straightforward.

For example, this is going back sometime now. Sorry.

Last year I had a real bad downfall in my game and started looking for the cause. I read here that there is a big deficit in how most people sight the ball/balls, lets call this the master eye syndrome.

Well I started working on that because I thought it may help. Well it did and it didn't. Most of the time I'm sure I'm not seeing the cue ball like I should!
Not to mention the object ball.

But when I do then I'm back with a vengeance.

But like I said it comes and go's at its own will. It doesn't matter if I concentrate like a mad man if I don't see like I should. My eyes tell me everything is fine my brain say what the hell are you doing?

Why is it so in consistent, I'm nearly sure that this master eye thing is correct. But dose it Master eye vision wander and change? If you can't follow me, I mean that on one day you are more right eyed than on some days and more left on others.

It sounds strange I know but I’ve got too get to the bottom of this, it's really depressing you know

Just so you can follow everything I've tried to put down in words.

Some days breaks between 50 and 90 are just there for the taking!

At the moment I have extreme problems potting two balls back to back!

Consistency where the hell is it?
How do I find it?
How I keep it?

Consistency! Jesus help, if you can't, ask your dad.

Thanks guys

Brian

Hey Strick,

....no worries, keep going strong, and I think 'consistency' is a problem for most of us.

And just wondering as well with work and everything how 'often' you actually get to practice? As I always tend to find that the more 'routine' practice that I get in, the more 'consistency' I tend to have. And for me anyway this tends to stay with me until the next time I can get to a table. [If I have 'sporadic' practice, it can take a while to get 'comfortable' with the balls again though, and to get your 'rhythm' going too, it can take a while to find it again.] It's not easy though as I travel abroad alot in my job, so finding a 'table' sometimes is difficult, but I can always manage to track one down..]

And also whether you practice with a practice partner, or friends, or just have a 'knock about' on your own?] As I tend to find as well playing with a 'regular' partner, who is a lot better than me, tends to improve my game more, and also keep a bit more 'consistency' in my game too.

When I first started playing years ago, I tended to practice only once a week, say between 3 - 4 hours maybe, but as the years have gone on it tends to be 2 - 3 times a week, [and more often than not it's 3, and anything between 3 - 4 hours.] The 'practice' varies as well, some nights it's purely drills for potting, so long reds, the long blue, black off it's spot, reds across the middle, other nights, it's more positional play, so 'the clock', cueing over a pocket, screw, side, canons off the blue, cueing off the cushion etc. And I always try to get one match in a week as well, sometimes maybe 2, and for me, in terms of 'consistency' this kinda works as I'm practicing regularly, have set practice drills to play, and can test any potential improvement through match play.

Although, as I mentioned earlier, when I can't get to a table regularly, the old 'consistency' tends to go a bit 'pear shaped', always makes me laugh as well, probably through sheer frustration, although for me, it's better than crying..

And good luck with it all, and from your other posts, it sounds as if you're 'getting back there', enjoy yourself.

Lol.....xx

[Strickimicki]

Practice hours?

I get around 10 - 15 practice hours every week. That wasn't really my problem, for some reason, don't ask me why! I lost my whole rythm, I mean really lost it.

But now I'm consentrating on a smooth natural rythm and it it seems to work!

Over the last months, I have doubted my eye sight, blamed my stance worked on nearlly everything but not for one minute did I think about rythm!

No stop on the final back swing, nothing. It just never occured to me that I should really go all the way back to the basics.

Now I've found the problem I can really get to grips with playing sound snooker again.

As for practiceing set routines, normally much the same as yourself! 5 reds on the table with only blue, pink or black. Take on red then colour alternatly.

Line up. 15 balls across the middle line, to be potted from balk into top pockets and so on!

But over the last months I've really been through it! Tears, nightmares I've had it all
I hope I'm over it now! I've gone though bad patches before but not like this!

I'll just plod along now and hope for the best!

Remember if you try and don't succeed, break your cue and go play golf

Sorry, I wanted to say:try and try again

P.S.

Bongo thanks
this got me really thinking: http://www.fcsnooker.co.uk/coaching_...nd_opinion.htm


All the best

Brian

[poolqjunkie]

I think going through a stage when you think you are not playing as well as you should could be a good thing. It makes you re-evaluate your game, and find ways to improve yourself. Usually, you will become a better player once you come through of this "bottle neck."

Another thing I have noticed is that a lot of people including myself do not really have a realistic idea of where their skill level is at in reality. Take myself for an example, I would miss a shot, got really upset, because I think it was a shot I was supposed to make all the time, just to find out later on a practise table that it was actually a shot I miss quite often.

When I missed such an "easy" shot a few times in a real game, I would tell myself I was not playing well, then I would panic and tried something different which usually made the problem worst. The truth is that I missed a shot that is not a certainty in my shot range, and it really should not have been as big a deal as I made it out to be.

What I have learned is just to have a realistic idea of my actual skill, and to have confidence in my technique. I keep reminding myself also that everyone misses and no one makes all the balls.

I am trying to put in a lot of pracrise now. Practise let me know my skill level, and gives me a realistic idea of what is within my ability and what is not.

Practise also helps me to feel comfortable with my cueing, sighting, aiming, and so on, so I would not doubt myself in the middle of a game when I start missing.

Sometiems, it may just be a change of tempo that is causing the problem. At least, that is quite often my case--when I play with someone who has a different style and tempo, I may shot at a diffferent tempo and play worst. I think we need to remember that we have a natural rhythm which we play the best--and it is important to keep that rhythm to play to our optinum level. It is easier said than done, and I am still working very hard to achieve that.

Best wishes to your game. Glad to hear you had a 60+ break.

[Blondie]

Remember if you try and don't succeed, break your cue and go play golf

All the best

Brian

Hey Brian,

.....funny comment, this makes me laugh so much. And can really relate to this as I enjoy a game of golf, and with regards to 'over putting' on the greens/fairways, have built up quite a nice relationship with both the ducks in the pond, and the shrubs 'in the rough'. [hehe]

Seriously though, and not sure if you've tried this, but it can really help with your snooker play if you try and get some golf 'putting' practice in say early morning, or even play a round on the course, and then have a couple of hours off, and then try and go to a snooker practice session early evening. With me anyway, I just seem to be able to have more of a 'free flow' with the cueball/balls, everything seems to fall into place, and it seems easier to get a 'rhythm' going.

Not really sure why this is though, can only think it's maybe because some snooker practice drills are similar to 'putting' drills, and strokes, to an extent, only with golf it's on a larger scale. And with golf as well you still have to find your 'rhythm' in putting, with plenty of focus on the ball, and have a good balanced stance.
And I definitely get a bit carried away with practicing long putts as well, bit like long reds in snooker, only different terrain. And a bit sad really as alot of my friends say golf is 'too boring', always makes me laugh as well as I find it very relaxing, so on that happy note I'm going to sign-off as I've become "too boring" .

.....and following on from your earlier quote, I would just like to add...

"Remember, if you try and don't succeed, break your cue and go play golf, and if you still don't succeed, don't hit anyone with your club "..:

Enjoy the baize, and have fun on the fairways...

Lol....xx

[Sidd]

Dear All,

It was not only great but also a matter of relaxation, shall I say, to finally get to read this very thread. Consider me in. I have been playing for quoite some time now, say 5 years or more, and am a victim to what everybody seems to be talking about here. At first I did not know what it was and i tried everything from the basics including the grip, bridge, intending to alter my natural stance etc but nothing seemed to work for me. One day I would make a break of 40-50 and the very next day when I would go for practice to the same club same table I would end up struggling for a mere 25. I am left handed and have a left master eye and so I even started playing with more focus on that but nothing seemed to work. I normally go to practice after work and thought maybe its the tiredness and so I tried going at different hours but no success. I would pot a pretty difficult ball and suddenly miss out a fairly easier one. It has to do with patience and focus I guess. Talking about consistency, I have the worst case scenerio in a sense that I would play 2-3 frames briliantly and suddenly become dull during the fourth one. Thats a big motivation killer but I guess one has to live with it. I would welcome any ideas on this.
ADIOS!