Solo Practice how much is too much?

[dpdubai]

Spend as much time in solo practice as you enjoy. As some have said there's a bigger buzz as your learning the game but it's easy to stagnate.

[CueInAction]

In solo practise I used to play frames 'against' myself, playing in two different styles: one 'player' would play attacking, aggressive snooker; the other, defensive and conservative. I would keep score, as you would in a normal frame. On the whole I think the attacking alter-ego won more often, as you might expect. It's a good way of seeing where your strengths lie.

Haha I thought I was a little crazy as I tend to do this but have never heard of anyone else 'playing themselves'. I find it tends to concentrate my brain a little more as I start to think more tactically, trying to find a way to beat myself (hey, at least I'm always playing someone of the same ability!! ). I mainly do this as if I just place the balls up into standard practice positions I tend to lose concentration easily. I feel I need some form of competition to stimulate my brain so this works perfectly

[philip in china]

Solo practice is great. Any practice is better than no practice. The hours you spend at the table will improve your game.

[damienlch]

In solo practise I used to play frames 'against' myself, playing in two different styles: one 'player' would play attacking, aggressive snooker; the other, defensive and conservative. I would keep score, as you would in a normal frame. On the whole I think the attacking alter-ego won more often, as you might expect. It's a good way of seeing where your strengths lie.

I go one step further and play the referee too... but I can't multi-task well so I usually end up standing by the table the whole session, wiping the cue ball at intervals...

Only joking, of course. I used to play chess by myself but the "opposing player" always lost.

Anyway, back to topic. I think solo practice is similar to pleasing oneself; you can't be having too much of it as long as you find it enjoyable still.

[Chris Bedford]

Solo Practice how much is too much?

Sounds like your a bit of an expert playing with yourself I mean by yourself lol

[damienlch]

Sounds like your a bit of an expert playing with yourself I mean by yourself lol

Yup, and oh yeah, you betcha... years of experience...

[Gerry Armstrong]

You would be better doing more shorter sessions that 1 or 2 long sessions. 60-90 mins 5 times a week is better than 2x4 hour sessions. Same cost but more benefit as you've got your cue in your hand just about every day.

[alabadi]

can't find the time everyday, have to make a living, i am not at the stage where snooker can pay the bills

[Gerry Armstrong]

can't find the time everyday, have to make a living, i am not at the stage where snooker can pay the bills

Very few people ever get that far - even some MT pros

[vmax4steve]

Solo practise is fine but the best practise is to practise with a friend. Do not play a frame with said friend, instead play practise routines against each other, watch your friends action, tell him of any faults you can detect and get him to do the same for you.
In solo practise when you are playing badly you won't have a clue as to why as you can't watch yourself.
I practised solo for two hours yesterday and was terrible and have no idea why and with four twelve hour night shifts coming up this week I have to take that into friday nights league match. I am not going to be confident.

[NorthWestJunior]

You're playing too much solo practice when you are starting to get bored. I usually get bored of solo practice after 2 and a half hours. My problem is that none of my friends play snooker so I don't really have a practice partner which is kinda annoying at times. Thinking of joining a local team or league to get some competitive match play. There used to be plenty of good players to play in the club but it seems to be dying down now. Whenever I go in there is rarely more than 3/4 people in. Would love my own table but that will have to wait for a while yet.

[Terry Davidson]

My recommendation is around 50% of your total snooker time should be dedicated to solo practice. However, you should set targets and goals either number or time and also take a tea break every hour or so.

What I normally recommend is a player does the line-up for 10 attempts and keeps track mentally of his high line-up break. I tell my students to start out 'shooting the spots' for 10 attempts, increasing the power with each attempt until they are getting 4-1/2 to 5 lengths of the table and trying to keep the cueball within 1 ball width of the brown spot (provided the table is fairly level).

Then try 5 or 10 long blues as a 'stop shot', then 10 long blues attempting to follow the blue in with top spin. Never go over medium pace. After that do the line-up for 10 attempts, taking their time and also when on a red pick the next red to play position for. It's even better if the player misses a shot and then re-sets that shot until they get it perfect.

Lastly place the black on spot and try and make as many in a row until you miss. Then do the same with the pink and blue. Again keep a mental track of the number of blacks, pinks and blues made just to be aware of your progress.

And lastly, rack the balls normally and smash the pack from the rear using 1 or 2 cushions and just go for everything, never play safe and that normally finishes the practice.

For safety play practice set a red between the black and pink spots and the cueball anywhere in the 'D', with the baulk colours and the blue on spot and then try and cannon the green, brown and yellow off 2 cushions but always replace the red in the same spot and use the same spot for the cueball. It's a bad shot if you cannon the blue. Don't worry where the red goes initially as you may pot it the odd time

Terry

[Chris Bedford]

Solo Practice how much is too much?

Top tips Terry very similar to what I do. Another is to place a red between the pink and black spot and just play red black all the time and practice clearing the colours down to the black then place all colours back on spots then pot black and get on yellow and start again. White up and down the spots is very important like you say but build with power slowly.