Pause at the back

[NonStarter]

Has anyone successfully introduced a 'pause at the back into their games'? If so, how has your game improved?

[tomwalker147]

I'm not sure when or how it happened but I've introduced one in the last year and my game is better than ever.
My break building has vastly improved in the last few months and I think the pause helping me to focus & keep a consistent shot time has helped this in a big way.

That said, I know some real good players who don't do this so don't force it unless you're going to be putting the hours in to cement it as muscle memory.

[Danger Steve]

Has anyone successfully introduced a 'pause at the back into their games'? If so, how has your game improved?

Hi mate! Hope you had a good Christmas and New a year!

I have tried to slow myself down with my feathers and have a longer pause… I now have around 3 or 4 more deliberate feathers (I don’t count, this is a guesstimate), then a long pause at the cue ball, a slow pull back, slight pause on the backswing, then a gradual acceleration and strike through the cue ball. I’ve noticed I have a longer pause on my backswing with power shots or long pots followed by a more exaggerated acceleration. This happened after watching the likes of Tom Walker & Stuart Watson at work on my table.

I think it has helped me improve, I now feel like I have quite a solid and reliable cue action and if you combine that with trying to really focus on the pre-shot routine I think you will also notice an improvement! I remember from our game together that you had a long bridge and the cue butt was quite high. If you can somehow get yourself lower on the shot this will keep your cue more parallel with the table. I use to have quite a long bridge and noticed almost immediate difference in my game after shortening this up by an inch or so. Probably a more significant difference than the pause!?

My downfall at the minute is putting myself under way too much pressure and trying to deal with being watched while I play. Once I can overcome this Gremlin I’m sure I’ll start to bring more of my practice game to the match table! That said I did clear up in a final frame last week to make a 54 while playing on table 1 at Stratford Snooker Club’s ‘6red social night’, and there was around 8 or 9 people watching! Once the break reached 20ish and I could see the balls where nicely spread I started to physically shake, Mark Selby stylee! This continued pretty much up to the last pink. I actually don’t know how I managed it really, but afterwards I did get a small round of applause and I felt really great! Maybe this could be a breakthrough moment? I’ll see on Thursday when I go back for the next 6 red comp.

[tomwalker147]

My downfall at the minute is putting myself under way too much pressure and trying to deal with being watched while I play. Once I can overcome this Gremlin I’m sure I’ll start to bring more of my practice game to the match table! That said I did clear up in a final frame last week to make a 54 while playing on table 1 at Stratford Snooker Club’s ‘6red social night’, and there was around 8 or 9 people watching! Once the break reached 20ish and I could see the balls where nicely spread I started to physically shake, Mark Selby stylee! This continued pretty much up to the last pink. I actually don’t know how I managed it really, but afterwards I did get a small round of applause and I felt really great! Maybe this could be a breakthrough moment? I’ll see on Thursday when I go back for the next 6 red comp.

It gets to us all at times mate, I was shaking like a leaf last thursday night, we were playing top of the league and we're very much battling it out for the title, I was 26 behind with 2 reds left and cleared for the frame, not felt pressure like it in a long time but the confidence I'll take from it is huge.
Clearing with 54 under pressure just demonstrates how much your games come on, it can only be a good thing for your game. I consider handling pressure moments to have their own muscle memory as such.
We'll have a proper practice on Friday and see where our games are at

[NonStarter]

Sounds like you're making great strides Steve! And Christmas was great thanks buddy. I treated myself to a online training course - hence this post. I can't say much about it - the network is very secretive about what detail is let out - but let's just say it's not all sighting and alignment!

Thanks Tom. I've been trying to add a pause in and for some reason I tend to destroy the shot! Before this I've been playing very well. The reason for adding the pause it the coaching course but it seems to be throwing me big time at the moment. Is this normal? I'm hoping so - as I really want to stick with it because what I've seen of the course so far is brilliant and not just a board to see things right. (You following yet?!)

[tomwalker147]

Just a thought NonStarter, I also have a brief pause at the front of the final feather (hope this makes sense) on this front pause it feels like time kind of stands still and I get a sense of composure before the final backswing - mentally this also reaffirms that on the final backswing i've got everything on the right line.
Hope this thread is helping you to see things correctly

[NonStarter]

Just a thought NonStarter, I also have a brief pause at the front of the final feather (hope this makes sense) on this front pause it feels like time kind of stands still and I get a sense of composure before the final backswing - mentally this also reaffirms that on the final backswing i've got everything on the right line.
Hope this thread is helping you to see things correctly

That's pretty much how I used to set up. Pause at the front before the final back swing. A slower back swing and into the shot without any real pause. I'll have to try to pause at both ends and see how that feels for me

[tomwalker147]

That's pretty much how I used to set up. Pause at the front before the final back swing. A slower back swing and into the shot without any real pause. I'll have to try to pause at both ends and see how that feels for me

I know you're having coaching with people much more qualified than me but feel free to drop me a message with any videos etc if you'd like any input. I'm not brilliant by a long stretch but in terms of understanding technique I have as good a handle on it as the majority of coaches.

[NonStarter]

I know you're having coaching with people much more qualified than me but feel free to drop me a message with any videos etc if you'd like any input. I'm not brilliant by a long stretch but in terms of understanding technique I have as good a handle on it as the majority of coaches.

Thanks Tom. That's incredibly kind and I'll try to take you up on that. It's a shame you guys are so far from me (Bradford). We could have a few good venues between us

[Starsky]

Interesting reading all your thoughts on cue action technique.
I’ve been down this( long) road myself since coming back.
Do you find it’s difficult to stop thinking about technique when playing matches after practicing it solo ?.
It became a major issue for me as I got caught up in the ‘paralysis by analysis’ for way too long . I’m trying now just to let my natural game come through which I had previously .
Id be interested to know how you deal with overthinking things when making technical changes.

[tomwalker147]

Thanks Tom. That's incredibly kind and I'll try to take you up on that. It's a shame you guys are so far from me (Bradford). We could have a few good venues between us

I travel for work (in sales for my sins) next time i'm around Bradford i'll give you a shout. You're actually not too far away for a meet in the middle session too mate, i still think we should be looking to get a few of us together for a day.

[tomwalker147]

Interesting reading all your thoughts on cue action technique.
Id be interested to know how you deal with overthinking things when making technical changes.

It's really difficult to answer this mate, it's been a long time since I did any solo practice. I've neglected solo play but keep playing good standard opponents in practice so my games been really sharp without thinking too much about my technique. I still have 'swing thoughts' as they say in golf, for me these are step into the shot and keep my head still. I'd suggest maybe thinking about something really simple like this instead and hopefully that will remove the more complicated technical thoughts/worries you're experiencing?

[Starsky]

It's really difficult to answer this mate, it's been a long time since I did any solo practice. I've neglected solo play but keep playing good standard opponents in practice so my games been really sharp without thinking too much about my technique. I still have 'swing thoughts' as they say in golf, for me these are step into the shot and keep my head still. I'd suggest maybe thinking about something really simple like this instead and hopefully that will remove the more complicated technical thoughts/worries you're experiencing?

Thanks for your reply Tom.
Maybe practicing too much solo is part of the problem as I guess this gives you lots of time to overthink things. I know I play better when I just get down and hit the ball without too much thought. That’s what I’m trying to do at the moment both in practice and playing matches.
It’s those damn pesky voices in my head ….. I could just be going mad though

Glad your back playing again Tom and contributing to the forum 👍

[tomwalker147]

Thanks for your reply Tom.
Maybe practicing too much solo is part of the problem as I guess this gives you lots of time to overthink things. I know I play better when I just get down and hit the ball without too much thought. That’s what I’m trying to do at the moment both in practice and playing matches.
It’s those damn pesky voices in my head ….. I could just be going mad though

it's a challenge mate, I have certain voices for specific shots or angles. Talking to ourselves is healthy right?

[Starsky]

it's a challenge mate, I have certain voices for specific shots or angles. Talking to ourselves is healthy right?

Talking to ourselves is alright …. It’s when others start talking to us in our heads that’s a problem