Mechanics!!!

Jeff sparks · Oct 17, 2016

Got to watching the 2016 world snooker championship on utube yesterday and the day before... All of those guys have similar mechanics... They are perfectly aligned with their heads positioned over the cue stick at about the same height and they all have a dead stop at the back of their stroke...

As straight as they shoot, I thought I would try this... It's mind blowing... Now I'm trying to remember how I played just a few days ago...back when I could make a ball!!! Now I know why I never took a lesson before, all it seems to do is mess with my feeble little microscopic brain... I'm totally lost in space!!!

Just in time too, got the Super Seniors coming to town and was hoping to be razor sharp... Instead I'm a butter knife!!! Oh well, it's like old mamma said, "Playin and losin is the next best thing to playin and winnin!"

If I recover from these YIPS, I'm never going to take another lesson, I ain't smart enough!!!:frus:frus:frus.

JoeyM · Oct 17, 2016

I have incorporated some of the snooker mechanics in my game. Took awhile to get used to and if I don't concentrate, I fall right back into my old habits. I pot balls much better when using the new habits.

JoeyM

lll · Oct 17, 2016

jeff
the problem is your timing of trying to change your game right before a tournament that is important to you
if you were to do anything i would suggest to slow your backswing and forget for now anything about how hard you hit the ball and if your tip is up or down when you finish
but probably dont change anything and go play/practice now and in the tourney like the jeff who has come out of retirement
later you can decide to change things or not
,,,
,,
i also am in the process of changing my mechanics
i am missing balls because when i am down on the shot i am thinking too much about my mechanics and not letting my subconscious mind take over
great advice advocated by many teachers
is you do your thinking when you are standing back
lining up /deciding how to get shape etc
once you step forward to get down in your stance you stop thinking and just shoot...NO THINKING ZONE....

thinking when you are shooting is a recipe for failure

lll · Oct 17, 2016

when you are practicing its ok to think about your stroke because you are practicing and not as concerned about making the ball
also drills can be done where making the ball is easy or you dont even have to make a ball
the old up and down the able with the cue ball and have it come back to your tip
is a great indicator of the trueness of your stroke
while you are trying to get the muscle memory developed for your new technique
how many are willing to shoot it for a half an hour or more ??
similarly the perfect stop shot with no drift or spin on the cue ball
or have the cue ball follow the object ball into the pocket perfectly in line with no spin
i believe many of my misses were from unintentional spin and inadverdent unaccounted for squirt
thats why i am trying to improve my mechanics
jmho
icbw

jrhendy · Oct 17, 2016

I grew up playing three red ball snooker on tight 5 x 10's. Played it for years before I started playing nine ball/one pocket ect....

When I get tired I will slowly revert back to the old snooker stance, bringing my left leg around until it is almost straight across from my right. When I start missing hangers I look at my feet and that is usually the problem unless I am getting beat on and just dogging it.

Jeff sparks · Oct 17, 2016

lll said:
when you are practicing its ok to think about your stroke because you are practicing and not as concerned about making the ball
also drills can be done where making the ball is easy or you dont even have to make a ball
the old up and down the able with the cue ball and have it come back to your tip
is a great indicator of the trueness of your stroke
while you are trying to get the muscle memory developed for your new technique
how many are willing to shoot it for a half an hour or more ??
similarly the perfect stop shot with no drift or spin on the cue ball
or have the cue ball follow the onject ball into the pocket perfectly in line with no spin
i believe many of my misses were from unintentional spin and inadverdent unaccounted for squirt
thats why i am trying to improve my mechanics
jmho
icbw

This is exactly why I am not pocketing well again Larry, I'm not hitting the CB in the correct spot for the shot I'm shooting...it has to do with alignment, which I have adjusted and readjusted several times trying to incorporate the changes in my stroke which allow me to stay down on the shot!

That's where all this started, I just wanted to quit jumping up on shots...I felt if I could do that, the accuracy would increase and I'd be able to gain ground... Instead it's had an adverse effect on my game and I'm in a state of confusion right now... It's scary, how bad I'm hitting the balls right now..

:frus

Toss em out and make em... Simple shots with one single thought... Stay down!!!

I'll see how that works, it's how I started over about 1 1/2 years ago...

Jeff sparks · Oct 17, 2016

jrhendy said:
I grew up playing three red ball snooker on tight 5 x 10's. Played it for years before I started playing nine ball/one pocket ect....

When I get tired I will slowly revert back to the old snooker stance, bringing my left leg around until it is almost straight across from my right. When I start missing hangers I look at my feet and that is usually the problem unless I am getting beat on and just dogging it.

Lol my f---in feet now!!! Are you trying to drive me completely nuts!!!
:lol. What the hell, it can't get any worse..:lol I'll give it a try...thanks

jrhendy · Oct 17, 2016

Jeff sparks said:
Lol my f---in feet now!!! Are you trying to drive me completely nuts!!!
:lol. What the hell, it can't get any worse..:lol I'll give it a try...thanks

If you concentrate on how dirty your bridge hand gets, the position of your feet when you miss and whether you are breathing in or out when you deliver the shot (thanks to another member for that one), I will have a much better chance at repeating as champion.:lol:lol:lol:sorry

lll · Oct 17, 2016

jeff
to try and stay down and not jump up
you can try to watch the cue ball hit the object ball or better watch the object ball go into the pocket (or rail,,,

,,

) BEFORE YOU GET UP FROM THE SHOT
or
force yourself to say one one thousand ,,,two one thousand before you get up from the shot
assuming you will not be in the way of the cue ball or other object balls

Mkbtank · Oct 17, 2016

Mechanics!!!

I got a lesson from Karen Corr once. She taught me 3 or 4 great things which I tried to implement and immediately I couldn't make a ball!! I had to totally forget what she told me for a month or so and then I just tried to implement one change at a time. I did great there for a while. Also Jeff ... one thing I have learned through pain is to Never learn on the job. (I.E. while gambling). That has worked out better and worse because I am in action 98% of the time I'm playing so I never get to learn anything new lol. For a minute I was going to get a lesson in N.O. but I remembered the rule and cancelled it lol.

sappo · Oct 17, 2016

Hey Jeff, for what its worth I find myself jumping or 2 specific reasons. Either Im unsure of the shot Im about to attempt or Im using a "jab" stroke. My suggestion is to set up some comfortable shots and concentrate on making a good follow thru stroke. I find if Im following thru I don't jump as much. Keith

Billy Jackets · Oct 17, 2016

A man's gotta know his limitations!
Dirty Harry!
I'm the same way, if I learn 1 new thing, I forget 5 old skills, that used to work.
Might be that Pedro Principle thing.

LSJohn · Oct 17, 2016

Jeff sparks said:
Got to watching the 2016 world snooker championship on utube yesterday and the day before... All of those guys have similar mechanics... They are perfectly aligned with their heads positioned over the cue stick at about the same height and they all have a dead stop at the back of their stroke...

As straight as they shoot, I thought I would try this... It's mind blowing... Now I'm trying to remember how I played just a few days ago...back when I could make a ball!!! Now I know why I never took a lesson before, all it seems to do is mess with my feeble little microscopic brain... I'm totally lost in space!!!

Just in time too, got the Super Seniors coming to town and was hoping to be razor sharp... Instead I'm a butter knife!!! Oh well, it's like old mamma said, "Playin and losin is the next best thing to playin and winnin!"

If I recover from these YIPS, I'm never going to take another lesson, I ain't smart enough!!!:frus:frus:frus.

Yeah, yeah, we got the picture... you need weight from all of us.

GFY does NOT mean "Good For You."

LSJohn · Oct 17, 2016

Jeff sparks said:
I just wanted to quit jumping up on shots

Take it from me (you know my superior skill):

Go back to all of your old ways. Think NOTHING about mechanics, setup, grip, etc., even in practice, and especially nothing about raising up. One thought: See the CB hit the exact contact point on the OB. Focus on that contact point at least from the end of the backstroke to impact.

After you see it work for you, since we're pals, I let you have it for half price: $6000. :heh

Mkbtank · Oct 17, 2016

Mechanics!!!

Mark Wilson's book (play great pool) gets high marks for its descriptions of fundamentals. In it he said that the biggest reason that people jump up is the (non bridge) arm is too close to the body so the shooter "must" pop up and out of his own way. This can be fixed (I think he said) by turning your body a bit to give more clearance for that arm to come through. Not saying that's your issue, but it made sense for me when I read it. The whole book is great btw. (Still a shame I don't practice so I can't implement lol).

Tom Wirth · Oct 17, 2016

Hey Jeff, All you need is for some dead money to walk in and jump all over you in some Nine ball. An easy win can do wonders for a player's confidence. Forget all that mechanics BS and just focus on "this shot" then focus on "this shot" and again "this shot". This shot is all that matters. Forget about staying down. You will stay down if your confidence is there.

You shoot straighter than any of us who are offering you advice including me. You've just forgotten that truth for a moment.

Take Keith's advice, forget mechanics and for a while shoot nothing but shots you know you can't miss. Build your confidence little by little, stretching the shots longer as you confidence returns. Miss anything and bring the balls and the pockets in closer. Build your confidence back up again and stretch 'em out again a little at a time.

Your body knows more about pocketing balls than your mind does. Trust your body.

Good luck buddy,

Tom

Jeff sparks · Oct 17, 2016

Thanks fellas for all the suggestions and well wishes, and no matter what, it's a great game that I love playing... A bad day at the pool room is better than no day at the pool room...

one pocket guy · Oct 17, 2016

Sounds like you need to try Earls Body Weight System. Just hang the weights on and keep your body down:heh

cincy_kid · Oct 17, 2016

Jeff sparks said:
Thanks fellas for all the suggestions and well wishes, and no matter what, it's a great game that I love playing... A bad day at the pool room is better than no day at the pool room...

so true, so true

stevelomako · Oct 17, 2016

Jeff sparks said:
Lol my f---in feet now!!! Are you trying to drive me completely nuts!!!
:lol. What the hell, it can't get any worse..:lol I'll give it a try...thanks

Also another thing to remember is "never chalk up before you miscue".

Mechanics!!!

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Verified Member

Attachments

Verified Member

Verified Member