Terry's Technique Video

[chrissmall147]

Hi terry

I still cant get in to see your video for some reason ive been trying loads of different things and I also have a guy from china to look at and cant get in to his videos either so im pretty peeved at the moment. Anyway can you please try this and see how you get on. Try the boxer stance with the heel on the line of aim or even slightly outside the line of aim. When you get down to your stance twist your left knee to the right so as your hips turn slightly. You should feel that you are leaning into the shot instead of away from the shot and are rock solid. Try and relax on the shot as from the video of you and nic there was a bit of grimacing going on which can cause movement in the body.this will also cause movement in the shoulder area and you dont want this to happen. I believe in straight lines at this game so work hard on getting that elbow straight and getting it in line with the shot and this will help the delivery. A slight roll of the shoulder normally corrects this. Lastly I cant help thinking that you grip too tight before impact which can cause slight movement outwards so try and stay as loose as you can until you have struck the cue ball and tighten up nearer the chest if possible. This is definitely the last thing terry. Last resort try this. When finding the line of aim just concentrate on central body position and forget about the feet. Let them go where you feel comfortable and natural without thinking about it. I think this could help your delivery as you are central to the shot and bang on line. This is what I had to do later in my career and my foot was a mile outside the line of aim but as long as I was centre body to the line of aim I was cueing straight and didnt care where my feet where. Then I won the lg cup playing the best snooker of my life. You can only try things out terry and see how you get on. Hope some of this helps mate. Good luck.

Cheers Chris small

[j6uk]

Again this is unusual. Is there a reason or this is the way you were coached?

j6uk:
(I know when I'm really concentrating the tips of the fingers waggle but the fat pad of the fingers stay locked to the table).

Thanks,
Terry

[itsnoteasy]

j6uk:

I just checked the video and I might have spotted something but I'm not sure that's what you are talking about. Can you answer the following 2 questions please:

1. Where is this bridge movement taking place, before feathering, during feathering, during backswing or during delivery; and,
2. Exactly what is moving that 1/2"? Is it the 'V' of the bridge, the base of the thumb, the back of the palm or the tips of the fingers? (I know when I'm really concentrating the tips of the fingers waggle but the fat pad of the fingers stay locked to the table).

Thanks,
Terry

It's your thumb that moves by the looks of it Terry, I can't tell if its before or after strike, but I wouldn't want it doing this at any time, tell you what though I bet if we forensically looked at all our cue actions like we are with yours there would be problems to be found, were you struggling before you posted? or playing alright?

[humperdingle]

Your fingers are moving up and oddly side to side so, there was a bit of a jig going on.
Yes check the v in relation to the baulk cush on impact.

Your welcom

Must admit i've never seen a bridge hand quite so 'mobile'. Some pros you see doing the little finger flick, but not like Terry's.

[j6uk]

Your fingers are moving up and oddly side to side so, there was a bit of a jig going on.
Yes check the v in relation to the baulk cush on impact.

Your welcom

j6uk:

I just checked the video and I might have spotted something but I'm not sure that's what you are talking about. Can you answer the following 2 questions please:

1. Where is this bridge movement taking place, before feathering, during feathering, during backswing or during delivery; and,
2. Exactly what is moving that 1/2"? Is it the 'V' of the bridge, the base of the thumb, the back of the palm or the tips of the fingers? (I know when I'm really concentrating the tips of the fingers waggle but the fat pad of the fingers stay locked to the table).

Thanks,
Terry

[Terry Davidson]

j6uk:

I just checked the video and I might have spotted something but I'm not sure that's what you are talking about. Can you answer the following 2 questions please:

1. Where is this bridge movement taking place, before feathering, during feathering, during backswing or during delivery; and,
2. Exactly what is moving that 1/2"? Is it the 'V' of the bridge, the base of the thumb, the back of the palm or the tips of the fingers? (I know when I'm really concentrating the tips of the fingers waggle but the fat pad of the fingers stay locked to the table).

Thanks,
Terry

[j6uk]

Yeah I can see that.
Okay, well, to get back to the video. To not see your bridge as a serious flaw I can comment no more. But I will leave it at this: Look at it again, (If this for medical reasons excuse me) but apart from playing the piano when your hand hits the table your bridge was lifting by half an inch or so on impacting the white.
I am not saying that's the only thing wrong, obviously not but because you didn't accept your dodgy bridge to be a flaw, I couldn't move on..

Anyway, I look forwards to seeing you in action again on a cross or a lineup to see how you really play enjoy

j6uk:

You are 'teaching your grandmother to suck eggs here'. I KNOW how important a solid bridge is and doubt if I need a reminder. I have a very solid bridge and that is not the reason my body is moving right and also my grip hand is moving to the right.

Besides, my master coach training was a total of 12 days (in 2 separate sessions) with Nic Barrow and in addition another 5 days with Wayne and Terry Griffiths along with B&SCC coach training years ago now with Jack Karnhem. I am not a 'two day wonder'.

Your assessment that all my problems are due to an unstable bridge I believe is not correct as I have purposely gripped the cloth hard over the past 6 days just to check and see if you could possibly be right, but I've proven to myself that my bridge is not the root cause of my technique flaws which are something that's built up over the past 4 or 5 years since I returned to playing.

Terry


Terry

[Terry Davidson]

j6uk:

You are 'teaching your grandmother to suck eggs here'. I KNOW how important a solid bridge is and doubt if I need a reminder. I have a very solid bridge and that is not the reason my body is moving right and also my grip hand is moving to the right.

Besides, my master coach training was a total of 12 days (in 2 separate sessions) with Nic Barrow and in addition another 5 days with Wayne and Terry Griffiths along with B&SCC coach training years ago now with Jack Karnhem. I am not a 'two day wonder'.

Your assessment that all my problems are due to an unstable bridge I believe is not correct as I have purposely gripped the cloth hard over the past 6 days just to check and see if you could possibly be right, but I've proven to myself that my bridge is not the root cause of my technique flaws which are something that's built up over the past 4 or 5 years since I returned to playing.

Terry


Terry

[j6uk]

I looked for that video for you because I thought it really underlined the importance of the bridge. I'm not titling myself as a coach, looking for work or looking for thanks as such 'though it would be nice, but what did you make of it?
Regardless, titles, tshirts and thousands of pouds spent on two day courses to be 'qualified' and I agree not ever person who can play a bit can communicate their knowledge. Don't you think its more beneficial and wouldn't you like to be helped yourself by a someone with experience, that's been a decent player, who can spot and resolve problems and articulates well?

j6uk:

I believe the coaching training I received was very good and helped me to understand snooker a lot better. The problem is I don't think anyone can coach themselves effectively. In addition I think it's much better to get some formal instruction to become a coach and good players should not be just going around touting themselves as a coach.

For one thing, they need to learn how to impart their knowledge effectively and there is no guarantee every good player can do this effectively either.

Terry

[Terry Davidson]

j6uk:

I believe the coaching training I received was very good and helped me to understand snooker a lot better. The problem is I don't think anyone can coach themselves effectively. In addition I think it's much better to get some formal instruction to become a coach and good players should not be just going around touting themselves as a coach.

For one thing, they need to learn how to impart their knowledge effectively and there is no guarantee every good player can do this effectively either.

Terry

[choice]

Terry, I.M.H.O. I think your stance needs to be 2inches further to the left.(left leg wider)

It looks like an alignment issue Terry.
I think your stance isn't wide enough, left foot needs to be wider and further forward to bring the body around to get the elbow more behind the line of aim. This will bring your stance to one where the chest isn't in the way of the follow through at all and the left eye will drop naturally over the line of aim without you having to turn your head.

Also what were you looking at when doing this exercise ?
It looks like you are looking at the cue ball when getting down into your stance but focussing on a target at the moment of the strike.
You yourself state that looking at the object ball (target) when getting down into the stance is the right way to go but you don't seem to be doing it yourself.

:snooker::snooker::snooker::snooker::snooker:

[Byrom]

It looks like an alignment issue Terry.
I think your stance isn't wide enough, left foot needs to be wider and further forward to bring the body around to get the elbow more behind the line of aim. This will bring your stance to one where the chest isn't in the way of the follow through at all and the left eye will drop naturally over the line of aim without you having to turn your head.

Also what were you looking at when doing this exercise ?
It looks like you are looking at the cue ball when getting down into your stance but focussing on a target at the moment of the strike.
You yourself state that looking at the object ball (target) when getting down into the stance is the right way to go but you don't seem to be doing it yourself.

This is very good advice me thinks

[j6uk]

I wouldn't worry to much tel, you can only play this game and really passover info that's within your true understanding of it. Anyone can be a Master Coach and you 'may just be' far too concerned with these titles on a piece of paper that you got from these courses you went on.
I really am fond of most the interactive members on tsf and, IMO you should just take what you have, remember were you came from and develop you game from here..

The Bridge is so important: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcIaDGBkZHs

As a Master Coach I do feel a little embarrassed about all this as I think I should able to at least deliver the cue straight under all powers and I will be working on just that over the next month or two...just delivering the cue consistently straight. Once I get that I will see how it's working under match conditions and whether there is any improvement as I didn't make it into the top 10 on last year's ranking list.

Terry

[vmax4steve]

it's a very fine line we tred to cue correctly, you can't be too relaxed that everything's wobbly, but just a tiny bit to much tension and the shoulder can come in, it has to be a positive but relaxed stroke, and it has to be a stroke(even at full pace)and not a hit I think this helps to get you that natural follow through, VMax is on about , instead of drive the hand to the chest , I say let the cue do the work.
Terry have you tried J6s matchbox test, I am so sad I do it all the time at home, I cue through a swan vesta box without hitting the sides, it's not the same as hitting a ball but I think it ingrains the muscle memory into your cue action.

For myself I open and close the fingers of the grip hand to coincide with the forwards and backwards movement of the cue. Open the fingers on the backstroke and close them on the forward stroke. It feels like the fingers of the hand are moving the cue, I don't feel my arm moving at all and I believe it's this that stops me bringing my shoulder into the stroke.
The hand closes completely about a balls width after contact with the cue ball and then the momentum of the stroke decides the amount of follow through. Also I have a very loose grip when playing low power shots but the grip firms up when playing with more power although the mechanics of the stroke remain the same. My elbow doesn't drop at all on the follow through, shoulder doesn't come into the stroke, the arm moving only from the elbow joint.
When I do the matchbox test I never touch the sides of the box, even with extreme power, so I know I have a perfectly straight cue action, but I fall down in real play simply by taking my eyes off the object ball which then takes the cue arm and the cue to wherever I happen to be looking.
It is my only real flaw, but a vital one that stops me making regular high breaks, and it's simply down to such a narrow window in my timing, ie: getting the eyes focussed on the contact point of the object ball at the exact moment of the strike while playing at speed.
It's that split second when you are looking up at the object ball, focussing your vision and actually see the contact point and then strike. Too soon and I miss as I'm not actually seeing the contact point, delay and my eyes have moved elsewhere and I miss.

At the moment I'm experimenting with working out a number count in my mind as I focus to try to determine just how long it takes for me to see the contact point and it seems to be a count of "one thousand two" and then strike when in close, and "one thousand two thousand three" and then strike when at distance.
BTW,
if anyone else wants to try this the backswing is on the count of two when in close, for that is the moment I see the contact point, and on three when at distance, and the focussing and counting is being done on the front pause. I also count in my mind "thousand" as I play the stroke and I also have no feathers prior to the stroke.
My league form over the summer has been quite good using this method so for now I'm going to stick with it and see if my form continues or gets better.

[humperdingle]

A small tube of 1/2" pipe mounted on some Blu-tac or putty might replicate the slight angle of a cue?