Natural ability

[j6uk]

Obviously but I'm just making a point about why this might not seem natural to new players. Focusing on the cueball is probably a habit that carries over from other sports and needs to be unlearned. Chris Henry seems to be saying that even some of the very best haven't been entirely successful in doing this.

is he? ive never heard it

[Ramon]

is he? ive never heard it

this is What C Henry said on the facebook : ( about ROS and S Hendry ).:

The man on the left is regarded as the best and most talented snooker player in history. The man on the right is regarded as the best match player and most successful in history.
They are both Cue Ball players ! According to 99% of coaching manuals and 99% of coaches, they are implementing a method that is incorrect as it is widely accepted that a player MUST focus on the Object Ball at the moment the cue tip contacts the Cue Ball ! I believe it is about time that a more appropriate and flexible approach in this area of coaching be considered.
What are your thoughts on this ?

This is the link : https://www.facebook.com/henrystons?fref=nf

You should look at the record of him on 05-Jun-2014
You can'nt miss it because you see a picture of him with ROS (on the left) and S Hendry (on the right).

I hope this helps.

[j6uk]

he says 'they are both cue ball players! but he does not say that both ronnie and stephen look at the cue ball at the moment the tip contacts the white..

[Ramon]

Well, in this case is a big relief for me. because I did'nt agree with him and I thought he was crazy. Many thanks for the clarification.

[cyberheater]

Okay. I've found a youtube vid.

Look at the 2:00 minute mark for Higgins and 3:30 for O'Sullivan. You can clearly see that they are looking at the white at the point of strike.
Unbelievable.

[cyberheater]

he says 'they are both cue ball players! but he does not say that both ronnie and stephen look at the cue ball at the moment the tip contacts the white..

The inference is clear that they are looking at the white when they strike the cue ball.

[cyberheater]

And another one. Hendry. Look around the 21:50 mark. At the point of strike his eyes flick from the cue ball to the object ball.

[itsnoteasy]

I agree with you on the Higgins one, but Hendry is looking at the ob, on that pink, it's him tracking the pink into the pocket you are thinking is him switching , but that's after the shot.
On the Higgins shot look at the shot right after it, Ronnie doesn't appear to look at the cue ball at all, at the very most it's the quickest of flicks, but it's nearly all ob, what does all of that mean, I haven't got a clue to be honest, it will take someone better than me to unscramble that.
On a slight aside, I noticed Higgins didn't seem to have his eye movements and his cue movement in any sort of rhythm or sync, they seemed totally random.

[j6uk]

yes but you notice he's not actually saying so. and if that's what cris henry thinks he sees in his experiments he's talking tom tit..
but i do agree with him when he says to open up the coaching curriculum

The inference is clear that they are looking at the white when they strike the cue ball.

[cyberheater]

I take back my conclusion on Ronnie. He definitely looks at the OB when he strikes the white.

[itsnoteasy]

And another one. Hendry. Look around the 21:50 mark. At the point of strike his eyes flick from the cue ball to the object ball.

I have watched Hendrys first break and he looks at the ob on every shot, easiest noticed, blue in the middle around 2.55 and attempted plant around 6.55 but you can reasonably tell on the shots he is face on. I don't know why it's being said he looks at the cue ball, I can't see it.
Blue on nine mins, clear as a bell ob.

[Giggity1984]

I noticed Higgins didn't seem to have his eye movements and his cue movement in any sort of rhythm or sync, they seemed totally random.

Don't start lol Some ppl on here will start correlating eye movements with cue movement with eyebrow movements!!!!


In all serious though, I've always found Higgins' rhythm to be a little unnatural.

[Giggity1984]

And another one. Hendry. Look around the 21:50 mark. At the point of strike his eyes flick from the cue ball to the object ball.

That Brown at 22:45 is epic!!!!!!!!

[vmax4steve]

I posted this observation after the world final that Ronnie was looking at the cue ball on his safety shots and switching late to the object ball on his pots. He was not at his very best because of this I believe.

That spot of Higgins looking at the cue ball on a safety shot could very well be synonymous with safety shots where the primary concern is getting the cue ball safe, that you are concentrating too much on the cue ball as it's that ball that you are wanting to place in a certain position. The fact is that safeties don't have to be so accurate as pots as both cue ball and object ball can both be a foot away from ideal position and still be safe so looking at the cue ball on the strike won't matter too much.

With pots though it's a different story.

[tedisbill]

The fact is that safeties don't have to be so accurate as pots as both cue ball and object ball can both be a foot away from ideal position and still be safe so looking at the cue ball on the strike won't matter too much.

With pots though it's a different story.

Couldn't agree more.