Bad to worse!

[jimbyjoe]

Hi all
Ok i've just started playing pool a bit more often, most by myself at the pub, just trying to get a bit better. I purchased Precision Pool as well. In the last few weeks I've been going well, pulling off some more difficult longer shots etc.
So yesterday after reading about aiming, I went to play a few games to improve my aim. Unfortunately instead of improving, when I concentrated on my shots they got worse instantly. This happened all night. So I went home cranky and that got the Mrs annoyed!
So is this just a classic example of what happens when you try to correct bad technique? This seems to happen whenever I concentrate when I'm trying to improve something I was usually good at, ie tenpin bowling, or bowling leg breaks, Warney style.
Any tips or quotes appreciated.
Thanks
k

[calebk]

It's likely you were concentrating just a bit too much on shots. I try to play my shot relatively quickly as taking a longer time will result in overanalysis and most likely missing the shot. I only take time to map out the table and to plan ahead. Keep practicing shots as you will naturally start to know just where and how to hit the ball, it'll be ingrained in your memory if you play the shot often enough. You can improve in weeks but try measuring your success in months. You'll see a bigger difference then.

[bongo]

So yesterday after reading about aiming, I went to play a few games to improve my aim. Unfortunately instead of improving, when I concentrated on my shots they got worse instantly.

You bought a good book, Precision Pool.

Your problem is a classic, you were concentrating on aiming and not as much on other parts and they got slightly worse. Your form should come back so don't worry.

bongo

[jimbyjoe]

ok cool thanks guys.....

[C-J]

ok cool thanks guys.....

concentrate on smooth and straight cueing instead of sightning.pot some straight pots and take it from there.better miss a shot having felt that you where cueing straight then pot one whilst adjusting your aim during final delivery.make long and smooth preliminary's.:snooker:

[jimbyjoe]

hi guys
OK last night went to the pub to do some practice. tried to set up some slight angle shots, but it generally got worse from there. i tried the ghost ball method but it failed. then i tried just guessing, but that was worse.
with a few balls left, i tried something - whether or not it's "correct" is a different story but it seemed to work. it is probably similar to the ghost ball:
i set the black (8 ball) up for an angled shot. i then went behind the black and located the point on the ball where i would hit it if i was going to pot it by itself - if that makes sense. I put a chalk mark on it, and then returned to the cue ball.
i imagined a line from the end of my cue to the spot on the ball and took a shot - nothing but pocket - straight in! that happened a few times.
so i'll try it again tonight. any thoughts?
k

[bongo]

Well, there is only so much help that one can give over the computer. We can tell you the 'theory', for example, how to get down into the shot properly. But from there, the next difficult thing is to actaully being able to perform the techniques and shots.

I would advise getting the book Aiming, Sighting and Potting from www.thesnookergym.com, there is a lot of information in that book that would benefit you a lot.

Or get help from an experienced and qualified snooker coach, not the 'bloke from the club', but a real knowledgeable coach/player, that will really help.

[jimbyjoe]

hi bongo
OK i just got back from the pub where I put my plan into action, which was finding the spot on the object ball where it would be struck straight into the pocket, putting some chalk on that spot, and then shooting towards that. in most cases it worked with fairly good accuracy. on some of the sharper it didn't, but the majority of the time it did.
I am slowly going through "Precision Pool" and did see snooker gym and will check it out tonight. thanks for your help!
k

[checkSide]

Well, there is only so much help that one can give over the computer. We can tell you the 'theory', for example, how to get down into the shot properly. But from there, the next difficult thing is to actaully being able to perform the techniques and shots.

I would advise getting the book Aiming, Sighting and Potting from www.thesnookergym.com, there is a lot of information in that book that would benefit you a lot.

Or get help from an experienced and qualified snooker coach, not the 'bloke from the club', but a real knowledgeable coach/player, that will really help.

Hey Bongo.
Is it possible to buy the snooker gym books individually??
I can only seem to find a link to buy all of them for £80 on the website.