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  • How do you prepare for morning matches?

    Good evening! My first post here so I will introduce myself, 30 year old player, currently using a Ton Praram one piece etc etc

    I have been playing in a series of very small events, some snooker, some pool, I find that their is a noticeable difference in my level of play in a morning match compared to an evening match, with my evening matches yielding far better results.

    Some of my matches have been 9.30 am starts, I find that my cueing isn't quite as good, and my shot selection could be better and it almost feels like my brain doesn't work in the mornings, end up making silly mistakes I wouldn't make in an evening match. I have tried getting up really early, so when 9.30 comes round I have been up 3-4 hours already, didn't notice much if any difference, I even did a crossword another time to get my brain moving before the match, again didn't feel any better.

    If any of you have any tips for me, it would be greatly appreciated

    PDH

  • #2
    I never, ever play as well in the afternoon as I do in the evening. With me it's probably because I don't have a pint in the afternoon but when i'm playing in the evenings I always do. Probably not much help unless you fancy a drink in the morning!
    #jeSuisByrom

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    • #3
      Originally Posted by PDH View Post
      Good evening! My first post here so I will introduce myself, 30 year old player, currently using a Ton Praram one piece etc etc

      I have been playing in a series of very small events, some snooker, some pool, I find that their is a noticeable difference in my level of play in a morning match compared to an evening match, with my evening matches yielding far better results.

      Some of my matches have been 9.30 am starts, I find that my cueing isn't quite as good, and my shot selection could be better and it almost feels like my brain doesn't work in the mornings, end up making silly mistakes I wouldn't make in an evening match. I have tried getting up really early, so when 9.30 comes round I have been up 3-4 hours already, didn't notice much if any difference, I even did a crossword another time to get my brain moving before the match, again didn't feel any better.

      If any of you have any tips for me, it would be greatly appreciated

      PDH
      Double shot Americano and read the Forum! Can't fail. ; )
      ⚪ 🔴🟡🟢🟤🔵💗⚫🕳️😎

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      • #4
        Originally Posted by PDH View Post
        Good evening! My first post here so I will introduce myself, 30 year old player, currently using a Ton Praram one piece etc etc

        I have been playing in a series of very small events, some snooker, some pool, I find that their is a noticeable difference in my level of play in a morning match compared to an evening match, with my evening matches yielding far better results.

        Some of my matches have been 9.30 am starts, I find that my cueing isn't quite as good, and my shot selection could be better and it almost feels like my brain doesn't work in the mornings, end up making silly mistakes I wouldn't make in an evening match. I have tried getting up really early, so when 9.30 comes round I have been up 3-4 hours already, didn't notice much if any difference, I even did a crossword another time to get my brain moving before the match, again didn't feel any better.

        If any of you have any tips for me, it would be greatly appreciated

        PDH
        Go to bed early AND SLEEP...
        Wake up early and prepared.
        ---
        Discipline will become your friend :snooker:
        "I got injected with the passion for snooker" - SQ_FLYER
        National Snooker Expo
        25-27 October 2019
        http://nationalsnookerexpo.com

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally Posted by the lone wolf View Post
          Originally Posted by PDH View Post
          Good evening! My first post here so I will introduce myself, 30 year old player, currently using a Ton Praram one piece etc etc

          I have been playing in a series of very small events, some snooker, some pool, I find that their is a noticeable difference in my level of play in a morning match compared to an evening match, with my evening matches yielding far better results.

          Some of my matches have been 9.30 am starts, I find that my cueing isn't quite as good, and my shot selection could be better and it almost feels like my brain doesn't work in the mornings, end up making silly mistakes I wouldn't make in an evening match. I have tried getting up really early, so when 9.30 comes round I have been up 3-4 hours already, didn't notice much if any difference, I even did a crossword another time to get my brain moving before the match, again didn't feel any better.

          If any of you have any tips for me, it would be greatly appreciated

          PDH
          Go to bed early AND SLEEP...
          Wake up early and prepared.
          ---
          Discipline will become your friend :snooker:
          Fully and completely endorse this approach to young eager talent! If Jimmy white had done this he would have had at least 4 world titles.

          Still love the numpty though.
          ⚪ 🔴🟡🟢🟤🔵💗⚫🕳️😎

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          • #6
            The club I practise at opens at 7.30am every day so I often get there at opening time to do solo practise whilst it's quiet, I used to think what's the point as I had similar problems focusing but I've just come back off holiday in the US and bought some tablets called Brain Awake whilst over there, they've made a huge difference! Had a look on Amazon and they're on there too. HTH.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally Posted by Cue crafty View Post
              Fully and completely endorse this approach to young eager talent! If Jimmy white had done this he would have had at least 4 world titles.

              Still love the numpty though.
              Yep! Jimmy was my favourite player growing up and was heart broken every time he lost a WC final.
              Like you wrote, if he had more discipline both Davis and Hendry would have fewer WC titles...
              "I got injected with the passion for snooker" - SQ_FLYER
              National Snooker Expo
              25-27 October 2019
              http://nationalsnookerexpo.com

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              • #8
                Originally Posted by the lone wolf View Post
                Yep! Jimmy was my favourite player growing up and was heart broken every time he lost a WC final.
                Like you wrote, if he had more discipline both Davis and Hendry would have fewer WC titles...
                I still vividly remember the pain Wolf, I got to the stage where I just couldn't watch. I never watched his last attemp till months later on recorded because I'm not good with disaster movies. : ( (gut wrench)

                I had that stupid feeling, maybe if I don't watch he will win! ( Like its my fault for wanting it too much!! )
                Last edited by Cue crafty; 17 November 2017, 09:15 PM.
                ⚪ 🔴🟡🟢🟤🔵💗⚫🕳️😎

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                • #9
                  Yep,,, I remember all too well the pain. He just took on too many long ones when he was under it ,,, and behind in frames. Of course attacking was his game but sometimes you could see his shot selection for a good few given key moments was wrong.

                  Very sad still he never won at least one WC .
                  JP Majestic
                  3/4
                  57"
                  17oz
                  9.5mm Elk

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                  • #10
                    Originally Posted by throtts View Post
                    Yep,,, I remember all too well the pain. He just took on too many long ones when he was under it ,,, and behind in frames. Of course attacking was his game but sometimes you could see his shot selection for a good few given key moments was wrong.

                    Very sad still he never won at least one WC .
                    Yep, he's a better man than me in respect of not letting it ruin him as a person. But I guess that's his make up as a human and would he have been so magic to watch if he had more discipline? Probably not.

                    For some strange reason I now feel the need to honour this post with video magic! Enjoy the raw wind blow!
                    https://youtu.be/Pjn3dYlLNHQ
                    ⚪ 🔴🟡🟢🟤🔵💗⚫🕳️😎

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                    • #11
                      Originally Posted by the lone wolf View Post
                      Go to bed early AND SLEEP...
                      Wake up early and prepared.
                      ---
                      Discipline will become your friend :snooker:
                      Easier said than done sometimes. I wish I could just go to sleep because I want/need to be asleep.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally Posted by jonny66 View Post
                        Easier said than done sometimes. I wish I could just go to sleep because I want/need to be asleep.
                        And me!!!

                        I've got to be at a tournament tomorrow at 9:15am. Tight star table. I already know it's gonna be fun lol

                        Absolutely impossible to do something as hard as snooker to a very good standard at 9am in the morning.

                        Steve Davis said in commentary that none of the players like the 10am playing time when they're playing at the crucible.
                        WPBSA Level 2 - 1st4Sport Coach
                        Available for personalised one-to-one coaching sessions
                        --------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Contact: steve@bartonsnooker.co.uk
                        Website: www.bartonsnooker.co.uk

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                        • #13
                          Originally Posted by PDH View Post
                          Good evening! My first post here so I will introduce myself, 30 year old player, currently using a Ton Praram one piece etc etc

                          I have been playing in a series of very small events, some snooker, some pool, I find that their is a noticeable difference in my level of play in a morning match compared to an evening match, with my evening matches yielding far better results.

                          Some of my matches have been 9.30 am starts, I find that my cueing isn't quite as good, and my shot selection could be better and it almost feels like my brain doesn't work in the mornings, end up making silly mistakes I wouldn't make in an evening match. I have tried getting up really early, so when 9.30 comes round I have been up 3-4 hours already, didn't notice much if any difference, I even did a crossword another time to get my brain moving before the match, again didn't feel any better.

                          If any of you have any tips for me, it would be greatly appreciated

                          PDH
                          Ok I speak as coach from another sport and not snooker but here are my suggestions. You're 30 years old so the chances are you have a job. If that job is day shift hours then you are probably used to getting up early, so that is a help. If your night shift then it will be harder as you'd effectively have to 'stay up late' to play at 0930. If you are unemployed then you have no reason to sleep in given that you have match to play So the point is it has to be about habit, and how much you 'want' to win. if you want to win, and are prepared to make sacrifices, and if tournaments are early then you need to prepare for that. So early to bed , early to rise. But I accept of course that family - kids, for example, can get n the way and that is just something you have to work around. Don't look at your phone or tv after 9.30 at night. Don't like that ? Well it comes down to how much you want it. All Im saying is that Ive had an athlete I'm coached this year who told me they couldn't sleep properly, no matter who tired they were and that this was going on for years - I told them to cut the tv and phone after 9.30 and now they sleep fully 8 hours.Nutrition helps - Im not saying the food you choose improves your snooker, but the likes of cutting out alcohol and being fully hydrated (at least 2.5 litres of water a day) will increase performance. If your job allows, take the day before the tournament off work. go and do some practice routines but nothing too intense. the day off helps relax. I used to find it helped me significantly if I had a national trial on a Saturday. If I took the Friday off I performed much better. The other thing is you need to work out, and we are all different, how many waking hours you need before you can perform at your best on the table. I would need at least four hours to get up, shower, have breakfast and get some cueing practice in before I could compete on a table at 0930. That's 0530 to get up. that's hard for most folk, but earlier to bed to compensate. Sound boring? Well it comes back how much you want to win - and win doesn't necessarily meaning getting through all rounds to win a trophy. It's about who much you want to improve. You can't win tis you improve. The more you improve the more chance you have of winning.

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                          • #14
                            My take on this is that if you're not a morning person, chances are you won't be playing your best snooker game at that time of the day.
                            I probably wouldn't want to produce my best in the morning anyway. Tournaments can get very long, better save your best for the last.

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                            • #15
                              I am not a morning person by any means. I worked afternoons and evenings for a long time and now that I work from home a lot, I maintain a late start schedule.

                              That said, although I understand that it may be difficult to think as sharply in the morning, technique shouldn’t change. My advice would be to not worry about the start and don’t fixate on the idea that you can’t play well in the morning.

                              As already stated go to bed early and wake up with plenty of time to prepare. Get to the club early if you can and have a short (15 min) warm up session to get situated.

                              I totally understand not liking morning matches and I’ve been there myself. On more than one occasion I’ve had to drive 2.5 hours to play in a 10am match in an event where we weren’t allowed to warm up. I just kinda accepted it and focused on choosing the correct shot.

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