Have completely lost my form -- wat do?

[shredder]

I have a problem.

Been playing for around a year now, and obviously the first few months was really uphill. However, as time went I started getting better and better. I had a coach teach me the correct stance and shot, and I took the time to look through tons of snooker tutorials on Youtube.

I thought I was getting the hang of it. And while not being at Ronnie level, my best match break is 26.

But then something happened. The past 2 months or so, I've been unable to pot anything. If I get 8, I pat myself on the back. it's that bad. Not sure what happened, but I've completely lost confidence in my game.

Used to do long pots too, but those are now also completely gone.

Whatever I do, I just can't get "it" back. It's weird though, because I now have alot more hours at the table under my belt, so if anything I should've improved.

So I guess my question is, WAT DO? What's going on here, and how do I move past this hole that I'm in game wise? Also, I don't think it's nerves. I'm not really nervous, I just feel completely devoid of confidence.
meh

Okay guys, all ears. Cheers

[jim evans]

It will come back mate,ime same close season been playing well now seasons started struggling ,confidence is the key

[itsnoteasy]

Get online ,stay online, stay still, eyes locked, pause, stroke the white, stay still, don't know if I mentioned it but stay still

[DeanH]

this can happen, especially if you hae been looking at and studying from multiple sources and now, unconsciously perhaps, every time you go to the table you have a jumble of information going through your head - "am I standing right, is the back leg under the butt?, is my grip too tight?, am I online? oh damn it I moved!...."
This all adds up to missing and not enjoying yourself.
Try to get back to enjoying the game, go do some solo time, scatter the balls on the table and just pot away, any ball from anywhere, make is easy on yourself, no targets, no scores, just pot and enjoy, this is not practise time, just pot, forget about stance and all the rest.
Then when your body and mind has settled back into the flow of the game and you are relaxed and stricking the cue ball well. Then hopefully your game will return.
When pool team mates "loss their game" I say to them go back to basics, be comfortable on the shot, be still on the shot, but just pot loads of balls! It will come back.
Good luck

[shredder]

Thanks for the reply Dean, some good points!
I was actually thinking about just doing some more solo play, especially after reading the recent line up thread.
Because I think you're right: I do find myself thinking about all the things I "have to keep in mind" when aiming, which I don't think is helping me very much.

One question tho: explain being "online".

[DeanH]

not the internet
"on the line of the shot" - i.e the line that the cue ball will travel and that you are aiming down that line and delivering the cue along that line.

[shredder]

lol, no I figured as much thanks

[matt926_uk]

Try changing your tip, the tip is the most important part and a bad one can ruin your game, you've got nothing to lose. get it done properly though.

[Byrom]

http://www.getintogolf.org/

or keep going - small steps fella - small steps. To get good at snooker you must first become good at dealing with the frustration and complete and utter devastation and that snap the cue over your knee kind of feeling.

It goes away after a while you find and it makes the good times more satisfying actually.

What does not break you makes you stronger and as in life and in learning snooker you will unfortunately also learn about dealing with disappointment.

But as Confucius said:

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

So get back on the table practice - set yourself some targets - play better players and keep going.

[alabadi]

Try changing your tip, the tip is the most important part and a bad one can ruin your game, you've got nothing to lose. get it done properly though.

i concur with this, i went through a patch of three to four weeks playing like i had never picked up a cue before , i had just changed my tip as the last one was worn. i wasn't happy with the new one but kept playing with it hoping it would bed in, after a couple of weeks i changed it again, and the same issue i didn't cut it right for what i usually like but played with it for a week.

i was missing all over the place could pot three balls together, so replaced that one last Tuesday, now all of a sudden i am playing as before much better, won my last 2 league matches and my practice is better. just ask (Jim Evans)

i believe that its crucial you are comfortable with the tip, i tried many tip manufacturers until i settled on the ones i use, but as Matt said it needs to be done properly. if not you lose confidence and this plays on your mind in a game when u should be concentrating on other things

[shredder]

Some good replies chaps, thanks. I'll take it all into consideration

[Terry Davidson]

shredder:

My advice would be to revert right back to basics and then start building right from the pre-shot routine (standing, aiming, getting down straight) right through the grip, sighting, feathering and timing on the backswing and delivery. A BIG BUT though, only work on ONE thing at a time for a session or two.

I know this is boring but sometimes to re-capture form it must be done. In addition I would change your tip as has been recommended.

Barring that, get back to your coach and he might be able to spot what bad habit has creeped back into your technique or set-up.

Terry

[rovnos]

Shredder,
i think your suffering with the same problem as me. Y ou have so many different thoughts about stance, timing, etc,etc that the only thing you don't think about is actually potting the ball ! Forget everything you have been thinking about and watch this vid that i have put a link too below. Part you should pay particular attention too is about twelve minutes in. I realised i was left eye dominent and by cueing slightly to the left of my chin the potts started flying in ! The sighting part of this vid coupled with the stance on the second vid i've put a link too has transformed my game after about a year of trying everything and actually getting worse !
Try them ! Get that left foot parallel to the line of the shot ( if your right handed).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aor1dnndksU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP4RvZJMPd8

[shredder]

shredder:

My advice would be to revert right back to basics and then start building right from the pre-shot routine (standing, aiming, getting down straight) right through the grip, sighting, feathering and timing on the backswing and delivery. A BIG BUT though, only work on ONE thing at a time for a session or two.

I know this is boring but sometimes to re-capture form it must be done. In addition I would change your tip as has been recommended.

Barring that, get back to your coach and he might be able to spot what bad habit has creeped back into your technique or set-up.

Terry

Thanks Terry, will definitely give that a try. I've actually been trying to go back to basics the past couple of times at the table, but not enough I guess. Also, might have to do one thing at a time, as it all kinda just flies around up in my head. So many things to remember

Shredder,
i think your suffering with the same problem as me. Y ou have so many different thoughts about stance, timing, etc,etc that the only thing you don't think about is actually potting the ball ! Forget everything you have been thinking about and watch this vid that i have put a link too below. Part you should pay particular attention too is about twelve minutes in. I realised i was left eye dominent and by cueing slightly to the left of my chin the potts started flying in ! The sighting part of this vid coupled with the stance on the second vid i've put a link too has transformed my game after about a year of trying everything and actually getting worse !
Try them ! Get that left foot parallel to the line of the shot ( if your right handed).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aor1dnndksU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP4RvZJMPd8

Thanks rovnos, that's some great videos there. Thought I'd been through most of them, but these two really breaks down the process. Next time, I'll have to see which eye is my dominant one. I always thought it was the right (right handed) and also seemed like right eyed when I performed the "eye/pointing test" that my coach showed me at first, but now I'm not so sure. Will have to test that.

[Terry Davidson]

shredder:

There was a long and quite involved string on here regarding dominant eye theory and one of the conclusions was that a player might not have to sight out of the dominant eye as long as his vision is good enough in the other eye he can then use that as his sighting eye. I am right-handed and right eye dominant but my vision is better in my left eye and I use that for sighting and there are a fair few right-handed pros who do the same.

There was a study done in the States on baseball players and the right-handed batters will normally use their left eye to sight the ball coming in. There were also stats in there which said 70% of right-handed males are right eye dominant.

So my recommendation would be to use whichever eye you have the best vision from or else whichever one you feel the most comfortable with. Normally the cue doesn't have to be right under the eye (unless you're almost blind in the other) but rather just a small amount towards the sighting eye.

Terry