Fighting your natural instinct??

[Belloz22]

After reading through a few posts on this forum, it got me thinking about my game....... let me explain

When i first started playing snooker, i used to be quite a quick player, would be very instinctive, and feather a couple of times - however i regulary found that playing this way caused me to lapse in concentration alot - i would regularly miss easy balls, but on the long run, i was more confident with my potting, and would regularly pot difficult balls - but where i was playing quick, i would often lose concentration.

After getting fustrated with my concentration lapses, i started to slow my game down, i would assess the table longer, be very systematic with my set up, stay down on my shot longer, even feather slower and more times. I found my consistency went up, i concentrated better.......... but it never felt natural to me, it gave me back pains coz i was down so long, and it didnt feel natural for me - however it achieved results (to some extent). The other problem was, i was less consistent on harder shots - because i believe i started over assessing everything.

I bared with this style of playing for months, in the hope that it would become natural, however it still hasnt - even though im more consistent it doesnt feel right for me.

My question is, should you fight your natural instincts??? My instinct is to be a quick player, be spontaneous....... however, if i play this way i lapse in concentration. So should i carry on with the more consistent slower play, which doesnt feel right for me..... or play with a style that feels natural for me?????? However, if i stick with my natural style..... how do i overcome the concentration lapses without taking longer on the shot??

[dcrackers147]

i was exactly the same, and after working hard with my coach and on the practice table i have now found the perfect balance. It goes like this if you make sure you walk into ever shot and do the basics right like keep your head still. The amount of time you are on a shot is irrelevant, by playing slightly slower will make you quicker as you will miss less balls win frames in fewer visits etc even ronnie flowing is textbook in the sense he walks into the shots and takes time to asess the table when it is needed try to do everything right at a comfortable pace for you this will become instinctive through practice

[Belloz22]

thats good, ive just come back from my practice session in the club..... i tried to just play naturally - and i played brilliantly, but i still lapsed with my concentration..... taking for granted im gong to pot the shot - however if i can get the basics correct, while playing naturally, i think it will help immensely

now acually applying my practice brilliance into a game situation is a different story haha

[cazmac1]

I have the same sort of problem. I feel my natural game is fast but I know I will not have much success if I play like this. I was playing down the club the other day and getting beat 6-0. I was trying to play a control slowish game but not too slow. Then I said to myself sod this I’m just going to get down and play. Bang in went an 81 break in a matter of minuets, I only broke down when I got to the last 3 reds missing with the rest.

I don't think that playing fast is what made me make such a good break. I think it is more to do with, when slowing the game down you introduce errors in to your stance sighting etc that you are unaware of. The trick is to play your natural game but at a slower pace. Try moving around the table at a quick pace. Get down on the shot without thinking too much, don't say I’ll put this leg here and push out my arm there. But try and take more time sighting when down on the shot. This has worked for me in the past and after an absence from the game of 20 years I have to go through the same process again. But I am getting there. hopes this helps.

[vmax4steve]

I too am a very fast player, I can make Drago look slow, and when I'm on song it's quite frightening how easy the game comes to me, but my concentration is patchy at best, maybe five minutes out of an hour, and absolute zero at others. I have made two total clearences in practice, both made in super fast time, while the rest of the sessions were bloody awful, hardly able to string three balls together.
I can't force myself to concentrate, it only happens when I'm not thinking about the game, I somehow just feel what I'm seeing and let it happen.
Dart pro Raymond van Barneveld has been quoted as saying that he only plays at his best when his mind is empty, when he reaches that state of zen, where there are no outside thoughts other than what is needed.
If I was seventeen again I would study Buddhism or yoga meditation techniques to attain that level of concentration at will, but at my age it's far too late.
Don't tamper with your natural game, strengthen your mind.

[jonplayer]

Ha, I don't want to jump on this band waggon too, but that could have been me writing this post, I feel exactly the same. I feel like I lack some od the flare and long pots now I have slowed down and really looked at the technical side of the game. But I'm alot harder to beat now, is a tough descision to make.

[cazmac1]

Love this post, I'm the same, can't be bothered with all that slow play. I have a great practise partner he is very fast and rattled off a 90, 93, and a 64 today and lot more small fish in between. I'm not as consistant as him but can knock them in. when I'm in full flow any one watching might say "hay he's tasty". then try watching the next four frames and nothing. I not going to change as when I slow down I don't seem to do any thing at all. So if it works keep doing it and remember, is just a game and should be enjoyed

[snookerfan91]

Try and kill two birds with a stone :

Be fast but don't lack concentration.

Can't say much more! !

[cantpotforshíte]

I too have a similar problem .. I can knock a 60/70 break in within 3 minutes without seemingly trying, then miss the easiest balls in the next few frames. I think that part of the problem may be that it feels so easy when you're playing well, you concentrate less and less and bad habits start re-appearing everywhere. It's what I call my runaway train thing. I just play quicker and quicker when I'm playing well and eventually hit a brick wall.
I think that there are however, solutions.
At his peak, Steve Davis, in the first frame of all his matches, used to prepare for the shot, and cue, deliberately and slowly, checking everything was right. After his cueing action was grooved for the session, he'd speed up and play at his own pace for the remainder of the session. This seems to me to be the best way of doing it.
Another tip (one that works for me personally) is, if you do take longer over a shot, do the extra bit of concentration BEFORE you get down. Then play the shot as your usual fluent pace. ie. Take longer between the shots, not longer on them.
Good luck

[snookerfan91]

I too have a similar problem .. I can knock a 60/70 break in within 3 minutes without seemingly trying, then miss the easiest balls in the next few frames. I think that part of the problem may be that it feels so easy when you're playing well, you concentrate less and less and bad habits start re-appearing everywhere. It's what I call my runaway train thing. I just play quicker and quicker when I'm playing well and eventually hit a brick wall.
I think that there are however, solutions.
At his peak, Steve Davis, in the first frame of all his matches, used to prepare for the shot, and cue, deliberately and slowly, checking everything was right. After his cueing action was grooved for the session, he'd speed up and play at his own pace for the remainder of the session. This seems to me to be the best way of doing it.
Another tip (one that works for me personally) is, if you do take longer over a shot, do the extra bit of concentration BEFORE you get down. Then play the shot as your usual fluent pace. ie. Take longer between the shots, not longer on them.
Good luck

Correct on that one for sure.

[vmax4steve]

Love this post, I'm the same, can't be bothered with all that slow play. I have a great practise partner he is very fast and rattled off a 90, 93, and a 64 today and lot more small fish in between. I'm not as consistant as him but can knock them in. when I'm in full flow any one watching might say "hay he's tasty". then try watching the next four frames and nothing. I not going to change as when I slow down I don't seem to do any thing at all. So if it works keep doing it and remember, is just a game and should be enjoyed

I also have a fast practise partner who is a better player than me, but when I hit the groove and start outplaying him he starts to tuck me up and run away to baulk as he knows this will break my fragile concentration. I also find that slow referees make me lose the groove as well, can't stand it when I'm ready to pot the next red and the dozy git is still spotting the colour.

[cazmac1]

You sure it's not the same bloke