Reminds me of a golf preshot routine. Starts with analyzing the shot, aiming, aligning your stance then sling away and this routine repetition gives confidence. Great lesson.
Douglas. Sorry Douglas but maybe its time to invest in some snooker glasses. Look up Chris Cheshire on SnookerSpexs.com. Chris is a qualified optician and a very good snooker player, he will know exactly what a snooker player needs.
Hi, Barry, thanks for all these videos. I have learnt most of Snooker through your videos and practice. I request you to make a video on how to proceed for safety play in different situations.
Is a pleasure meeting you. I write to you from Peru and here we admire the snooker a lot, personally I admire him a lot for his noble work of teaching when you are a true source of learning and his videos a source of knowledge. A hug Barry
Keeping the cue parallel to the table is the best advice I ever received, it improved my game 100 %, I'm not tall but I still bend both legs to keep me low because I had a tendency of shooting down on my shots without realizing it. Obviously it still has to be incorporated with the rest of your instructional points, great videos Barry.
My Dear Mr Stark, Consider this little message as my token of appreciation for the tremendous effort you are putting in dispensing with snooker education to all the enthusiasts around the world. I have been watching and following a few other coaches through their channels and other online services, and I wouldn't want to name them, however I have found that you are, in my humble opinion, unmatched to any of them. Your expression and the manner of making one understand the detail of the aspect of technique you are discussing is simply remarkable. Hats off sire ... ! Keep up with the good work you are doing and keep on enabling snooker enthusiasts like me :) My most profound regards, Sidd.
Q.M.Sidd. Wow! What can I say, thank you very much for the comments, they are appreciated very much. I am glad you like the channel and hopefully have learned something along the way.
I cannot emphasise how important the stance is. I recently fixed a major issue in my stance and it improved my potting 10 fold! According to my coach I cue better than 90% of the players at our club, Even those that have been playing for decades (probably because I spent a year emulating and copying Ronnie). But because my stance was wrong I would miss balls and spend time looking at my cue action thinking that was the problem....No no no, Not in my case. Very well done again Mr Stark as always. Overall my issue was, I was placing my Right foot INSIDE the shot. So on the left side of Barry's North facing tape line.
Dear Barry, I would like to say thank you so much for your videos, particularly stance, grip and side spin adjustments. I'm a pool player that sometimes manage to runout, but consistency is my problem. After found out your vlog tutorials, it helps me alot to improve to the next level, what a game changer!! Wish I could come and meet you in person to say "thank you". Warm regards from Indonesia, Markus.
Repetition, correct Barry. Muscle memory. Like any sport starting from a static position. Very down to earth videos repeating the mantra. Repetition. Thankyou Sir.
Im old school like you sir, misspent youth right through to early twenty's ,family early, now nearly seventy and started again. Absolutely love the game , and lucky I played with one of NZ,s best at college in NZ. And the geometry video jogged my memory. Brilliant. Keep up the good work
Thanks for these videos! I noted a small detail that you did not mention. Before you step with the right foot on the line you stand behind the shot. What is the body alignment relative to the line of shot in this position? Is the right foot still on the line? Is the body weight on the right foot, so that one can bring the head and eyes on the line too. In the video I see that you basically stand to the left of the line, such that the right foot is all the time on the line.
Vyacheslav. The modern way of approaching a shot is to stand centrally behind the line of the shot before moving the right foot onto the line. A good way to remember this is to have the belt buckle on the line while viewing the shot before moving across, to ensure this movement is minimal it is best to have the feet close together initially with your weight evenly distributed.
Hi Barry I always thought that keeping the right leg locked was essential so as a taller player myself i found this more difficult and dropped my cue down to compensate instead of bending the knees. Ill have to give this a go! Thanks a lot for all your amazing coaching videos I have learned a lot watching. You are a blessing!
Rhys. Keeping the right leg straight and locked is an aid to keeping still but certainly not essential. Lots of players bend their rear leg but still stay still, it is more important to get the cue and body in an orthodox position which can be awkward for tall players.
Satyajeetsinh. I cannot really demonstrate the various grips because players do similar things slightly differently according to their anatomical makeup. For me to try to demonstrate Mark Allen's grip or Joe Swail's grip would appear very awkward. What I can say is that most players in today's game concentrate on the front of the grip, but some others concentrate on the back of the hand. I will also say that if a player has a problem in his game one of the things I will be looking at is his grip.
It is the eyesight that puts the cue straight on the line and not the legs. Very nice advice. Barry, my own game improved significantly when i started bending my both legs before playing the shot. It provides me with some confidence and the shot looks much easier. I find myself right behind the cue ball and it becomes easy to judge where i want to strike on the object ball. But having said that there are other top pro players like Neil Robertson and Judd Trump particularly, these guys don't bother bending their legs. They adopt another technique which i also observed in another talented player Late Paul Hunter. Paul Hunter would make his one leg dead straight while leaving the other leg totally relaxed. It seemed like he put all of his weight on that one leg. For him, the main leg was right leg. Same is the case with Neil Robertson. He puts all of his weight on left leg and makes it straight like a lamppost. Initially, i tried to copy these guys but soon it turned to me that the technique was not working for me. Then i watched a pool player on UA-cam who was a tall guy and would bend both of his legs right before playing the shot. It helped me a lot. I thinks cue action, stance, bridge and straight cueing is personal to everybody and we should develop our own. I still gets confused about my stance on times. Sometimes, i place my leg right on the line but fails to pot. Sometimes, i deliberately place my leg slightly outward than where it should have been, but it works like a charm. WHY does it happen? Should i continue playing like that or stick to the rules. please advice. and sorry for that much long question.
Multi. I have to disagree slightly with your thought that some top players put most of their weight on the braced leg, yes there is some weight on it but they have the weight going very slightly forward onto the table, this in turn puts slightly more weight onto the front leg, I emphasise slightly. I believe that the cue should be placed on the line of aim and the stance built around that, however, once that position is achieved and a comfortable stance adopted if you look down you should see that the cue is more or less directly above the braced leg. Because this game is about repetition it makes sense to keep repeating this position with the feet, now if you want or need to bend both legs that is fine providing you stay still. Good luck.
PARAGON. I assume you are talking about a right handed player, if so there is very little for the left shoulder to do. Just get your stance right and the position of your bridge hand, get low on the shot and the left shoulder will take care of itself.
Ashley. I have always thought that perhaps too much emphasis is placed upon the stance, that is of course its actual position not its stability which of course is vital.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT SIR IT'S BEEN SO HELPFUL FOR ME TO LEARN THE BASIC OF SNOOKER I USE TO WATCH ALL OF YOUR VIDEOS.. THANKS A MILLION.. :)
Hi Barry. My name is zunaid from South Africa. I am so glad I found your videos. I have loved snooker my entire life. I remember right until the age of 20 the closest I could get to a snooker table was from peeping from the glass windows at clubs and was not allowed in because of apartheid laws. Now I am 45 yrs old and eventually managed to buy my very own union competition table. I am really learning a lot from your videos.(hope I am it too old to learn). I wish we had snooker coaches in S.A. unfortunately it's dying here in this country. My dad used to tell me that back in the day almost every building had one or more snooker tables in downtown Johannesburg. He said almost everyone played during lunch times and Friday afternoons till the sun came up on Saturdays. Wish those days would come back .( without the apartheid off course.) Thank you Sir once again and hope God grants you a long and healthy life.
Good video..Your videos are very helpful Barry. If im honest I do find where I put my feet is very important for me, maybe because im left eye dominant and right handed. I find if I stand squarely im not getting through straight like I do with a very sidewards on boxer stance. Further to that If I place my left foot far enough forward and brace my right leg my hips are out of the way of the shot and I dont cue across the shot. I dont like to stand like this because ive always wanted to look like steve davis who seemed squarer. But today using your advice on aligning to the baulk line and using this stance to achieve it I knocked in 5 straight shots after another and nearly followed in with the cueball. Sorry this is a long post Barry...hope it makes some sense!!
Steve. I have answered some of you questions below, if the boxer like stance gives you success then use it. Remember you are an individual and what suits you is right, we are all different. Some players find that the square stance causes the hips to get in the way and moving more towards the boxer stance alleviates this, if this is the case with you please carry on.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks for your replies Barry. Sorry to pester you with questions..im just in a mess with my game at present and wish I had seen your videos when I was younger. I am copying your cueing arm position at the moment as your elbow seems close to your body and this is really helping my potting...I think this actually straightens up my back arm into a more perpendicular position and possibly brings the cue online better. Thanks for your help
hi can make a video how to turn body, i think i am not turning much, but i used to turn my bent leg inside which would force the heap go left, not sure if this is good i play with bent bridge hand, do u think that affects the body turn too i couldnt find a video on youtube talking in details about body turn which is important my cue tip always goes to left when delivered tnx
Glad that u have a new video when i want to seek advice barry as you may remember me from alignment and cueing problem i would like to ask my shoulder is slightly wider than my hips im right handed does that means i need to stand slightly to the left in a way that im using my outstep of my foot to align the shot and to your cueing advice i already check both my left and right hand they seems to cue straight when i use this method : look at the cue ball at the end and sort of virtually follow the ball to the line of aim like ronnie say i tends to cue well if i play like the white is not there any advice is deeply appreciated
Daniel. As I have said in the video it is the eyes that place the cue on line, I should also have added that the brain interprets what the eyes are seeing. The stance is used to give stability and consistency, it will then help physically and mentally, place your cue on line and build your stance around it, once you have found what works for you then use the stance all the time. In respect of hitting the ball, don't hit at it, hit through it.
Thank you so much Barry for providing us the assistance and help we need. I am very very thankful to you for explaining "the stance" but in your videos about stance you only talk about 1 stance. I would be delighted to see if you can explain what your stance will be when you have cue ball in mid of the table or near the border / cushion of the table. or how to make your bridge with hand when you are planing the cut shot. Also if you can demonstrate with potting that would be awesome. I am sure all your viewers would love to see you potting with the same angle you are explaining. it will be like theory + practical at the same time. once again sir I do appreciate all your help in videos.
Came back to watch this again..very helpful. When you bend both legs barry do you have to make sure you brace them and are aware of them? Surely otherwise there will be movement.
Steve. It is always best to have one leg braced there is no doubt about that, however it is not essential and if you are particularly tall or very stiff it is always possible to bend both legs and keep perfectly still. There are several professionals that do this and have no problem in keeping still.
Good evening Mr Barry Stark . Do you use this glasses for play snooker. In my case I need to use glasses. What kind of glasses do you recommend ? Big hug. I live in the South of Brazil
Paulinho. In my opinion you need a single lens, it is very difficult to play in bi focal lenses. Have a look on the web site SnookerSpex.com. This is run By Chris Cheshire who is an optician but also a very good snooker player, he will advise you correctly.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you very much for your attention.. I play snooker in Brilhante Club and there are snooker players use to watch your snooker videos. See you who knows one day.
Something I've been pondering. The starting position is standing some distance away from the table with your body standing squarely to the shot such that your nose and belly button is directly in line with the line of aim. You're finishing position (for a right handed player) is that your right foot ends up on the line of aim and your nose is still pointing directly at the line of aim in the address position. So at some point between the two, your head has to move forward and drop towards the line of aim in a perfect straight line whilst your body has to somehow kink to the left to allow your right foot to land on the line of aim. What is the correct way of achieving consistency with the approach to the table?
Ayanda. There is no right or wrong method of getting the cue on line, each player (with the aid of his coach) finds his own way. However, place the cue on the baulk line( exactly) take up your stance and notice where your right foot is in relation to the cue ( right handed player) Your left foot should be about hip width apart from the right and slightly forward of it, get your self comfortable and that is about it.
Thanks Barry for sharing the professional level education..i completely agree with stability part as different players have different ways of keeping themselves stable during the shot. The thing/problem that i am struggling with is the "EYES". HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY EYES ARE IN THE LINE OF THE SHOT??? My eyes give wrong signals to my mind about me being in the line of the shot and I keep missing the shot with angles. (Assuming that i am cuing in a straight line 8/10). please help.
Yogesh. Please have a look at my video which describes how to use a pencil to determine where the cue should be in relation to the eye sight, I am confident that this will help. Test that you are aiming correcting by cueing along the baulk line, place two pieces of chalk on the cushion as I have done in the video with young Westley Cooper this will tell you an awful lot about your aim and your cue action. If your aim and cueing is accurate the next stage is to determine correct potting angles, this is where the ghost ball theory comes into its own, please have a look at my video which describes it in detail. Also I would also like to mention that hitting the cue ball in the middle is one of the most difficult things to do in the game and unintentional side could be your problem, please check this aspect of your game.
No problem Barry! Perhaps you could ask to guy who does your video work for you to put a message at the end of your vids encouraging people to check out all of the other videos on your channel, as you said - some of this has been covered before. On a side note - I recently saw a video Nick Barrow did on open bridge and loop bridge cueing from the cushions - i.e. when ball very close to cushion - Would love to see your take and explanation on it :)
Ironic that this is the first video that came up on my feed this morning, as I was practicing this very thing last night. Picked up some good pointers here so will be practicing an adjusted stance tonight.
Thank you very much for the information Barry, but there is still one thing that i am confused about. What should be our stance for cut shots. My stance on fairly straight looking shots is OK but when i make a stance for the cut shots, i tend to lose pockets by a fair margin. What might be the reason for that. Plus, can we have the same playing action and stance for snooker and pool games ??? THANKS
Multi. Last question first, a good snooker player will adapt very quickly to playing a good game of pool, this has been proved on many occasions by Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Gray, Karen Corr, Alison Fisher, Kelly Fisher Steve Davis, Tony Drago and no doubt many others. On the first question the stance is just the same, try to remember that it is the eyes and brain that put the cue on line not the stance, that is not to say that the stance can be ignored of course it can't but there is in my opinion too much emphasis placed upon it.
Hi Barry, in your opinion, how should one's weight be distributed in the square-on stance when the knees are bent, on the left leg or right leg? P.S. I see now why people usually keep the back leg straight. When you bend the right knee, it becomes very easy to pivot left or right at the knee, perhaps a little too easy. Whereas if you keep it straight, then the only pivot point is at the hips (or by adjusting an arm position)
Rajie. Keeping the back leg straight does help with stability but I like the weight to be going very slightly forward onto the left leg and table. I emphasise very slightly.
My first ever comment Barry: This video got rid of a lot of anxieties regarding my stance as I realised I played better when I moved my left foot forward (rightie here!) about the same dimensions you mention, instead of being parallel. I was worried about standing like american pool players (not to disparage their talents of course!). Anyway, my aim and the resulting shots got much better. Thank you and hope to contribute to your Patreon soon!
Hello Barry, my feet are firm, my front leg is heavier, my back leg is stretched and my body is falling forward, but I still feel instability in my torso ... as if I'm pulling to the right side. I'm right-handed.
vitor. Not sure I can help here but it does sound as if you are overdoing it a little. Yes the weight should be going forward a little but too much will add unwelcome tension. The back leg ideally should be straight but comfortable not stretched as you describe I also wonder how wide your stance is, try moving your left foot SLIGHTLY wider and having a more even distribution of your body weight. Good luck.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you very much, I will train as soon as possible after reaching the end of the rise of the corona virus. Thank you very much for your videos !!!
sir first of all thanks for your helping videos my problem is when I set angle it is perfect and when I take shot it is totally wrong rubbish please give me a tip for this dirty problem
Pyar. The simple truth is that most well coordinated people will aim correctly but when they play the shot they miss. This is particularly true on a straight shot and the reason is that they have not delivered the cue in the direction that they are aiming The margins of errors are so minimal at this game that even the slightest variation in your cueing will result in a miss. Of course you must point the cue in the right direction but you must also deliver it in that same direction and that is the hard part. My advise is to work on that cue action, have a look at my videos particularly the ones that show where and how to hold the cue, that is where it all starts, get it right and the game starts to get a little easier, get it wrong and the game is nigh impossible.
Lovely lesson as usual, but I have a question: You did talk about bending both legs for taller players, which I very much appreciate, but what about increasing the gap between the two feet? Are there any disadvantages to this?
The more you have your legs apart it seems, the more you have to twist your hips and stick your bum out to one side.. for me that is a bit uncomfortable Have you tried widening your stance?.. I just gave it a go and see how it works for you.. the aim of the stance is have a solid base and not move.
Tudor. Yes, I should have mentioned this and I apologise for the omission. Widening the stance will obviously reduce the height of a player. Providing the player is stable and comfortable there are no disadvantages to this.
Hi Barry, I am an amateur player from Sri Lanka. I learn a great deal from your videos and implement them also continue to practice until I get a good hang of it. However As a right handed player I have a huge amount of strain n pain on my right leg when I play for 3-4 hours.. is there something I’m missing or do you recommend any exercise before I start playin. Looking forward to hear back from you.
Mishriff. There are mainly two reasons for this, the first one is that you are possibly putting too much weight onto your right side and I would try to even it out slightly, also it may be beneficial to move your left foot forward a little and ensuring your body weight is leaning marginally forward onto your left foot and the table. The other reason could be that you have rather tight hamstrings, there are many exercise that can help here but a good one is to stand up, place your left leg across your right leg. Now keeping both legs as straight as possible bend down trying to reach the floor with your hands. You should feel a stretch at the back of your right knee, don't over do this just stay in the comfort zone but do it regularly.
There are so many aspects of lower body position which change the angle of the shot, it's very complicated. I.e. moving either foot left or right, moves the cue tip in the opposite direction. Bending slightly to the right or left at the knees or hips does the same thing. Or shifting your weight to the left or right foot. I'm trying to find a consistent position that doesn't require me to pivot while down on the shot.
Rajie. It is the eyes and brain that put the cue on line not the stance, place your cue on line then adopt your stance, from that you will start to realise your best position for the position of your feet and this position should then be adopted consistently as an aid to sighting but it should not dictate the line of the cue only assist it.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach I thought there must have been something wrong with my stance because my straight shot was working some days and not other days. But yesterday I realized a mistake I was making. It's weird, but it was to do with the vertical angle of my head (up and down rather than left and right). Sometimes my head was actually _too_ low, and this was causing me to look up instead of straight ahead, and this was distorting my perception of straight. I corrected it by lifting my head by 1cm.
Hamza. I have already made a video suggesting what a player might look for when choosing a cue. The make of the cue doesn't really matter, at the end of the day it is only a piece of wood. Having said that, it is an important piece of wood and good manufacturers have the knack of selecting good pieces of wood and the expertise to produce a good product. Selecting a cue is an individual thing, what suits one player does not necessarily suit another, if it feels right then it generally is right. Stephen Hendry's coach said that Stephen was the best player in the world using the worst cue in the world. At the moment I use a cue made by John Parris of London.
Good video barry. Im very confused with my line up at the moment barry....I stand behind the shot but when I come to try and drop my head down exactly on that line AND try and move my body out of the way I seem to mess up the straight line. Any tips would be very helpful here barry.
Steve. I don't quite see how you are achieving this. If you are right handed, place your right foot on the line of the shot and the left slightly more than hip width from the right, it should also be slightly in front of the right foot. Adopting this position should take the hip out of the way of the cueing action and allow the head to be placed directly over the cue with the body touching the cue. When the body is moved to the cue obviously some care must be taken not to move the cue off line, practise along these lines should remove any possible problems, good luck.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks barry....Youve certainly made it sound simple and I dont know why I am struggling...I stand directly behind the shot and feel i have too much movement to then get down into position and keep head online....but ill practise what you said...thankyou
Thanks for all your tips and videos. It really helps me out. I always wanted to know, how do professionals aim? I use the full, three quarter, half ball, quarter ball aiming method. I have some problems with it and I hope someone has some advcie for me. I try to explain how I actually aim. I have a picture in my mind how a full, half or three quarter ball shot looks like. So I try to imagine this picture for each shot, to figure out if its more a full, half or three quarter ball shot. For example I believe that its more a half ball then a three quarter ball, I start thinking how far I am away from a half ball shot and how far away I have to aim away from my designated half ball aiming point (I mean the edge of the object ball. its a fix point for me). Then I try to aim with my queue to the point were I think (or rather said guess) is the correct point to aim. The most of the time, I miss the shot. Even though its just for some centimeters away from the pocket. Maybe I am just to unexperienced. My highest break is only 18. So some practice will give me more confidence and more experience. Does anyone has some advice for me or an idea for an better or less guessing aiming method? Thanks for your help. I also hope that everyone can understand my bad englisch. Its not my mother tongue, but I tried my best. Thanks.
Yumiya. van bobble has answered the question for me by highlighting the videos I have made on the subject, please have a look, they should help with your problem.
Thanks for your fast reply. My problem is to find the correct line of aim (from the cue ball to the object ball). Not how to execute the aiming itself properly. I can aim to a certain spot, but will this lead me to pot the ball? My line of aim is slithly off to the lets call it correct line of aim which leads me to pot the boll and not to miss it as it happens so often to me.
@@ayandamthimkhulu1264 unfortuenly not. I wasnt really able to play snoojer the last years just here and there. But I hope I can play more and get better in the near future.
@@Nemesis8bit well to answer your previous question; when standing behind the cueball, there's always a straight path that it needs to take to contact the object ball in the right place to pott it. (you can think of this as the Cueball to the ghostball or the cue ball overlapping the objectball by a certain degree). We always stand behind the cueball and Visualize this line. by looking at it, in time we learn to judge roughly where the object ball will be hit and which direction it will take after being struck by the cb. (this is the second line barry is referring to... The trajectory of the objectball after being struck by the cueball ). With a bit of practice one can be able to determine both lines just by standing behind the cueball (you will be able to see the straight shot from the cueball to a certain area on the objectball that needs to be struck in order to send the object ball into the pocket). Missing shots isn't only a consequence of aiming wrong but can be due to various other reasons such as unintentional side spin, jumping up& stance related instability. so be sure to iron these out, practice cueing in a straight line & staying down on the shot and you will be good.
I'm only 5. 8" and have always bent both knees. For me it has just always felt the most natural and comfortable way to stand. Probably because I played years of pool before snooker and it worked well with the lower table height.
Great advice. i love your videos. i am a female American pool player who chooses to use a snooker stance on the 9 foot tables. is that okay? my 2nd question, can u give advice or do a video of how to slowly bend down into your stance. Im still confused on how far the cue should be away from your chest and hips. Also, can you give me some tips on recognizing 15, 30, and 45 degree angle shots and forming my stance into those shots please. i look forward to your response
Renae. I used to coach Karen Corr at snooker, she moved to America to try her hand a pool. Initially she had a square stance but I believe she has now moved her left foot slightly more forward to give her more stability on the power shots, particularly the break off. Karen will be the first to admit that she lacks the strength to break off effectively and moving her left foot slightly forward also allows her to keep her body weight forward on to the table better. Snooker players rest the body against the cue as an aid to accuracy but pool players tend not to do this, I think its fair to say they don't need the accuracy of a snooker player but perhaps they need a little more cue power. Keeping the cue away from the chest allows them to get through the ball more and generate the spins necessary. If you are going to play without the cue touching the body the distance between the two will ultimately be personal preference, I am not trying to evade the question but it would certainly be wrong of me to say the distance must be this or that. Place yourself on video and study it, if it looks right invariably it is right, as a guide try to keep your right leg (right handed player) almost vertical. I intend to cover aiming in a little more detail in video form as and when I can.
Thank you for responding. Great advice. Cant wait to get your advice and to watch your video on 15, 30, and 45 degree angles and steping into tbe shot on these cut angles. Also how to recognize the cut angles before getting down on the shot.
I can never thank you enough for your much appreciated help Mr Stark , I have been subscribed to your channel before it reached 500subs . I have become quite an accomplished player thanks to this especially that here in Morocco Snooker isn't as popular as it is in the UK . But I'm still a bit confused concerning the distance of the right foot from the table , is there any technique to determine that exactly so I can bend exactly the same at every shot ?
IIyass. Glad you like and have learned from the channel, well done. A good guide to determine the distance the right foot should be from the cue ball, not the table, take your normal stance with your bridge hand the correct distance from the cue ball. The right leg should now be vertical, if it is sloping backwards, your foot is too close, if it is leaning towards the table you are too far away. Get someone to take a picture of your stance from the side, I hope that helps.
Good job Berry! Finally, I've found then grey area in my game that is wrong stance as my cue remains far away from my chest. That is why my cue wobbles and grip tightens while playing long shots . How to keep it close to my body without bending too much and keeping chin on the cue?
Hamid. Any change you make will obviously feel a little uncomfortable initially and take time to adjust to. I get the impression that you have been playing away from the chest and with the chin off the cue for some considerable time. Getting into the position where the cue is on the chest and the chin is on the cue is quite a big change and will require time and patience from you. There is no easy quick fix, just work that can be annoying and frustrating to get your game to adjust to the new position. You may have adopted your old position because of a lack of flexibility in your back, neck or hamstrings, so this may be an area you could have a look at to make the new position a little easier and more comfortable. Good luck.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach you are right in toto,sir! But do you think chest has that amount of importance in controlling the cue? Can't I do it without it? As I have seen people playing especially in pool .it was my friend who dictated to me that your back arm isn't aligned..
Barry could you do a video on the weight balance in the stance I've searched youtube high and low for this I'm pretty sure I'm all wrong most of my weight is shifted forward onto the table via my bridge hand. I'm almost certain this isn't right and why i struggle to get any break 20+ and missing easy shots
fabtas. The weight should be slightly forward but should mostly be taken on the left leg (right handed player) I would say that expressed in percentages 60% left leg 40% right leg, this is one reason why the left leg is generally forward of the right leg. With the weight going forward this allows a modicum of forward learn onto the bridge hand but this should not be so much that it creates tension, only that it provides stability. Obviously this weight balance will be slightly different for every player because we all differ in stature and build and the way we play the game but the general principal is correct.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach well Barry I played last night after watching some of your videos altering my stance, grip and feathering I've never potted better and more consistently only problem I had was I was cueing to well so hitting the ball too hard especially for safety shots but I guess it's better to hit it too well than miss easy pots. Thanks so much
Barry I can't tell you how wonderfully helpful your videos are . I'm very appreciative that you put them together. I was curious if you've ever come across something I like to call the curtsy. I live in America where it's not uncommon, especially for women, to have their forward foot not only far in front but also across their rear foot. Using that line that you taped to the floor imagine your left foot in the top right corner and you're right foot in the bottom left. Now I know you said stance isn't essential , however how do you feel about this?
That seems to be the complete opposite of what Barry is getting at in the video, which is simply to have a stable base so you dont accidentally move forwards or side to side.. I just tried a stance with feet as you mentioned and there seems to be quite a lot of pressure where your legs cross, which is of course in the middle of your upper leg.. I didnt feel stable at all But if it works for you and you can consistently pot balls then go for it!
genepat. Wow! Never heard of that one, I can't believe a person can be solid and stable using this method of stance, but experience has taught me never to be surprised by anything you see at this game.
barry sir you are great i have learned from you alot just a question when i make my stance my shoulder does'nt come behind my head just like nigel bond is it okay or its a major flaw?
Akram. Trying to force your shoulder, arm or any other part of your anatomy into an unnatural position can and will cause you problems particularly by introducing tension. The only thing that matters is that you can cue in a straight line and can play all the shots, individual players do this in different ways, what suits one will not suit another. Obviously some of the basics have to be observed but it would certainly be boring if we all did the same thing. Trust your instinct and good luck.
This really helped a lot, especially the advice for tall players. You don't find these things on other channels. I just wanted to ask whether the cue touches the chest during the stroke or is it just the wrists that finish of at the chest?
Harsh. Don't get bogged down with this, some players trying to keep the cue on the chest create tension in their action, start with the cue resting against the chest, ensure you get something like six inches of follow through on most shots and cue straight. If you are not cueing straight then that is the time to look at how and where the hand and cue is finishing, it may be that the cue needs to remain in contact with the chest but please don't try to force it, let it be a natural process.
Do you prefer any particular brand of snooker tables? I only have played on a STAR table and the pockets were really tight and along rail shots were impossible.
Human. There is very little difference between the playing surfaces of the tables used in professional tournaments. The Star company happen to have the contract at the moment but that could change in the future. The pocket sizes and the cut of the pockets would be pretty much the same which ever brand of tables are used,. Since you ask I would choose the Riley table simply because I believe they are made more robustly but the playing characteristics would be very similar.
hi can you please help me fix this issue. im right hand player, and right eye dominant "watched your video how to find eye dominant". when im standing thing look online but as soon as i get down thing look offline and my alignment is wrong. eg: if i lineup with middle blue the cue butt is always touching the left middle pocket (im right hand player and i put cue on centre chin). and this is always where i end up. but my cue is almost in the middle of my body when i am down (something like nigel bond) so i think this is y i go offline when i am down, bcaz the cue arm is no longer over my right leg. how do i fix this ? i found 2 solution myself but i want to get your advice! 1: if i move the cue towards right chin then the cue butt is no longer offline, however the chest contact point changes too and it feels wiered. 2: i stand behind the shot and the line of aim would be in the middle of my body and i have to keep that line of aim in the middle of my body and put my right leg to the right of line and left leg to the left of line so when i am down the line is still in the middle of my body. and using this method also bring the cue online, and i dont even change the chest contact point, and i still cue on centre chin. but it feels akward that i have to becareful that the line is always in the middle of my body. its a lengthy to read buy i really need your advice. thank you so much please do reply me as i need your help
ART. Firstly it is important to remember that it is the eyes and the brain that put the cue on line, the stance can certainly act as an aid to get consistency on this though. Place the cue on the baulk line and put your chin on it, ( you will have to adopt something like a conventional stance to do this) at this stage the cue should be towards the right eye because you are right eye dominant. The exact position on your chin can be determined by looking along the cue and baulk line to see where you are aiming. Once this is determined take up your stance and take note of where your right foot is, ( there will be a part of it on the line of the shot )your left foot should be slightly wider than hip width and slightly in front of the right. Ease yourself down until the chest reaches the cue and that is pretty much a good position for you. Don't try to complicate it but do remember that any modification you make will feel strange initially, it takes a little time to adjust.
Another great video. Off topic but my grip hand always looks cocked forward on video. I'm a long time pool player and grip what I believe to be correctly and yet it always happens. Maybe not a big issue?
rick. If you can cue in a straight line and play all the shots the grip you use is correct for you. It appears from your explanation that you use very little wrist in your action and because of this you will be using the major muscles of the arm. As long as these muscles have been trained through sound and solid repetition there is no problem. Don't take this the wrong way, but pool players don't need the cueing accuracy that a snooker player needs but he does need cue power and it may be that your grip suits you to achieve that element.
Hello barry and thank you for all your videos. I have this huge problem where while my preparation and especially striking the cue ball my cue tends to do this weird pumping ( up and down ) movement. I've tried to watch grip, stance basic things right but i can't figure out whats the problem.
tutu. Problems like this are invariably down to a grip problem which in turn is not allowing you to keep the cue parallel to the table. Please have a look at my video on the grip, study it and try to copy it. The unfurling of the back fingers are particularly important to reduce the use of the major muscles of the arm. Also put yourself on video and study it with a discerning eye, this type of thing can answer a lot of questions, discuss the video with a friend you can trust. Good luck.
Hi Barry ,thanks for your great coaching video,awesome stuff.ummm I ve played snooker for over one year nd recently I just found that when I play the shot ,my forearm is not vertical to the ground.what I mean is observing from behind.i think it may do harm to my consistence,and relate to my stance.can you give me some advice Barry
Rafa. Don't worry too much about the arm being absolutely vertical, the only thing that matters is cueing straight and this is perfectly possible even though the forearm is not vertical. Concentrate on your grip, particularly the front of it, (please check out my grip video) I don't know how often you play but you say you have been playing for just over one year, that is not very long, whilst it is important to get the basics right please don't expect miracles, it takes time. Your overall position must be natural, to force an unnatural position can often do more harm than good.
Barry.thanks for your reply! Yea, concentrate on cueing straight,nice grip,being natural and comfortable rather than just worry about if my arm is being perfectly vertical.so useful advice cuz i do feel being distracted by these worries.appreciate !!
hi i have problem with my hip weight! i turn my hip alot and i feel like my weight is going abit to right side, i am right eye dominant, and right handed. should the right leg be straight and i sit on right hip? when i turn my hip, i feel like i am not sitting on right hip and my weight is abit to the right. but if i dont turn the hip, i feel like i am sitting abit on right hip. to be honest i think i turn too much my hip but not sure if its true. this is very important for me as my cue butt always goes offline to the left, and i feel like my weight is abit to the right this hip and body weight is messing with my alignment and aiming what is the best method? thank you please reply
I have a question, my snooker coach taught me a skill, when I practise potting the black and try to get the cue ball to the right position without toughing any cushion, there are too many spots you can hit with your cue tip on the center line of the cue ball, 1/3 of the tip size will make a difference on the line, so he taught me a way to make it easier, just in the very center of the cue ball imagine it's a clock, 3 oclock is 90 degree angle, 2 oclock is a stun run through etc, it will make your cueing very accurate, and putting just a little side on the cue ball won't make you miss the black, is this the correct way to pactise? becasue I see some headcam video like John Foster they don't put any side on the cue ball when they hit the black.
Mo. Different coaches teach in different ways, it would not be fair for me to criticise the work of another coach, it is for the player to judge the coaches work by his success or failure. What I will say is that different players can hit the ball in the same place but get a different result simply because of the way they hit and time the ball.
I have been playing snooker for almost 4 years . I love this sport very much . I do practice on the daily basis . But from the Day I picked up the Cue until now I cannot be able to make big breakes . The main reason is my Cue action . My stance is perfect . But when I play the shot my right hand hits the chest and my Cue goes off line and because of that I cannot play any Shot properly . I discussed the same problem with my friend and he told me that play away from the body . I dont know how to play away from the body . I want you to help me , anything (tips , practice) through which I can fix this problem . Thank you .
hammad. If you have enough room between the right hand and the chest, by the time the hand reaches the chest the ball has gone so there is no effect on the direction of the cue ball. However, it is still worth trying to eliminate any misdirection of the cue because the problem can be happening slightly sooner than you think during the cue action. I don't advocate playing away from the chest as your friend advises but it is a worthwhile practise to examine your action in this manner. Don't hit any ball but cue away from your chest on the baulk line, you should be able to keep the action straight but if you can't that is likely to be the source of your [problem.
Thank you for the reply . I have recorded myself from different angles and examine my technique closely . There is enough room between my right hand and the chest but I have a feeling that when I hit the cue ball my cue goes off the line and there is Unintentional left hand side after hitting . I can't manage to hit in the center of the cue ball. I did the same practice as you mentioned on the baulk line and I managed to keep my cue on the line (without hitting any ball) , but the problem comes while hitting . what do you suggest ?
Can you say anything about how the stance should change for left- or right-eye dominant player? For left-eye dominant, should the left leg be more forward and the body more sideways, and for right-eye, the stance more square to the table?
Poly. Certainly it makes some sense for a right handed/left eyed player to stand with the left leg further forward, in fact the great Joe Davis advocated just that. However, Ronnie O'Sullivan is left eyed and he prefers the squarer stance. Its not really a problem for a right handed/left eyed player to stand squarer to the table and most of the modern players do just that, so you see its all about preference and comfort and of course what works for the individual.
i cannot lineup shots ? when i am standing up and i put my right leg on line of aim , i always lineup object ball to the left of pocket, no matter how best i try. dont know somehow due to my right eye dominant while standing up i am already facing 1 oclock and that is why the object goes to left of pocket and my cue butt is always offline. the only way that sometimes it works is if i turn my right leg (right handed player) inwards but feels uncomfortable....i have been playing with this problem for 6 years now. cant fix it , any tip? tnx
147. A lot of players are adopting the sight right method where they stand centrally to view the shot,(as if the belt buckle is on the line of the shot) from there they move the stance so that the right foot moves onto the line of the shot, others move the right foot straight forward. It is different for lots of players, we are all made a little differently so what suits one player will not suit another. Try working on the baulk line to determine what suit you.
I Found bending both legs very useful ! i am tall like kyren wilson ! hope one day play like him ! very glad to see the one that coaches hi, teach me every thing !
barry i am unable to hit the cue ball correctly when its very close to the cushion ... i either miss cue or hit the object ball off my aim ... what can i do to correct this ..??
Unaiz. All players have difficulty with these shots, some more than others. Please have a look at my video which covers cueing off the cushion, this should help. You will always need to raise the butt of the cue a little and play a little bit less adventurously, and make sure you chalk your cue.
Jemzer. There are many reputable cue makers, its more about the budget you are working with and what part of the world you are from. CueCraft of England make nice cues to suit the pocket of most players, you can find them on the internet.
1. Since you don't know to screw, I would recommend not hitting the cue ball too low. 2. Don't give a jerky motion to the cue ball. While taking the shot don't stop your cue where the cue ball was. Instead, try pushing smoothly through the cue ball for 3 inches ahead of cue ball's original position. To do this I would imagine a spot 3 inches ahead and ensured that the tip reaches that point. 3. The cue should not be dipping down. Instead, keep it 'almost' parallel to the table. 4. Try feeling the spin generated. If you can't, then go for a softer tip.
Also, Stephen Lee, who is a master at screw shots, said that he tightens his grip more and more as he drives the cue through the cue ball when doing those shots
for me the ball jumps if I do this, when I tighten the grip, the cue tip moves up, when I leave the grip loose all the time I get much better screw shots
hi a question please? I have been playing with my right foot online for years and the butt of the cue is has always been offline (its to the left of line of aim) i am right handed. i have tried all square and boxing stance, and also changed my right foot position to all angles but nothing has fixed the alignment issue. ofcourse i bring my body to the cue but the cue always goes offline because if it does not then the shot will look offline. so it has always been the body position problem. today i tried something new: i tried to move my right foot to the right side of line of aim, i can clearly see that now my right foot is not even touching the line of aim. its just to the right side of line of aim. to clearify it i can see that my right foot is no longer below my grip hand, infact my grip hand looks somewhere above my right knee now, but everything looks perfect and for the first time ever the shot looks online and at the same time the alignment is perfect too. also i can see that, my right leg, it used to be straight with no bent knee but now my right knee is also not bent but i can see that my leg is no longer straight and it has an angle should i stick to what works for me? or my right foot must be under my grip hand? thank you so much
Relax. It is the eyes and the brain that put the cue on line not the stance. Having said that there is an advantage in standing the same way as much as you can. Please stick to what works for you, take note of where your feet are when you do this and it should add to the repetitive elements that are so important physically and mentally.
Wow , pool is such a painful experience if you are 1,95m tall like me. Finally i got my 62 inches cue which allows me to have a full back and forward swing. Its feels like a complete different art of sport. Now i can pot long blues and the cue ball which shows that my set up is correct. My knees arent bend though. Do you think there is always a benefit for tall player s to bend the knees?
Addicted. There is a need to get the cue low at the butt end of the cue. Tall players sometimes need to bend both their knees to achieve this. Don't worry if you do need to bend them but please try to concentrate on keeping still.
Barry. I saw your video with manpower team and you mentioned keeping the foot at 90 degrees I can only get close to that angle however I still felt stable and Ronnie mention locking and feeling the strain at the thigh area is that true?
Lim. I have always felt that there is too much emphasis on the stance. As long as you are stable and comfortable don't worry too much about it. Place your cue on line and build your stance around it, make sure that you conform to something like the basic stance as per my video (77 and others) then try to stand like that all the time.
Hi Barry, great video as always. I've recently discovered that my elbow sticks out while playing shots, kind of like Joe Swail, except outwards. I never really liked his cue action. I've tried lining it up with my eye and the cue but then too much tension builds up in my shoulder muscles. Could this be the reason I'm not consistent in my potting? If yes, how can I change this? Thank you.
Rohit. The elbow sticking out or in is not a problem as long as it is not excessive. The only thing that matters is that you cue straight. Ray Reardon was World Champion six times and his elbow also stuck out. Providing you have no restrictions in the shoulder joint and your position is natural just concentrate on straight cueing. What I suggest is to line up on the baulk line(without a ball) see if you can cue straight without using the chest against the cue. This will discipline the muscles in the correct manner, do this every time you get to a snooker table even to the point where your muscles ache a little, keep the cue action long and very slow, almost in slow motion, you will reap the benefits.
thank you for this video. i hav a quastion and i hope you answer me. when i rise my head up a little i can make better pot to long pot shots. why is that.?.
Luis. Without seeing you play it is very difficult to give a realistic answer. However, it is likely that with your chin down to cue level you are possibly causing some head movement when you lift your eyes to play the shot, please be careful in this area.
Sir your videos are precious....it tells every aspect of this wonderful game.....I request you to make a video which make the players like me to understand the concept of snookering the opponent....especially the concept of snookering....
papaooze. The standard length of a cue is about 58 inches, my own cue is 57 inches. The shoulder or chin length is used as a guide only. If you can adopt the correct position, by that I mean position the bridge hand in the correct place. Then position the grip hand in the correct place and have enough room between the cueing hand and the chest to establish a decent follow through as indicated on my videos. Then the cue is the right length for you.
Thanks barry..I guess my problem no one will be able to help me with..I get seriously nervous in matches and strangely especially if im in front? It ruins my game and makes me feel uncomfortable but dont know how to relieve it??
Steve. Everyone gets nervous in matches, the winner is the player who handles it best. Read up on visualisation skills, practise diaphragmatic breathing. Also practise breathing in to the count of five but out to the count of seven, get as much oxygen into the system as you can, it will help. Don't do this while actually playing a shot but counting 5 and 7 while breathing helps to get rid of spent gasses (carbon dioxide) and leaves room for the oxygen. It is a skill that's needs practise to feel comfortable with.
Hi Barry , is it mandatory to have square on stance for right eye dominant right handed player ? I'm right eye and right hand but I keep my left leg slightly fwd , by keeping both leg parallel I'm not getting enough room for cue action between my chest and cue arm ... Can you please advise ? Thanks in advance
Smijith. It is definitely not mandatory to have a square on stance and I hope I have not misled you with the video. If you are happy with your stance and can play the shots in comfort please carry on.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thanks Barry for the response. Can I ask you one more thing just to clarify. I just realized that I keep my cue exactly at the center even though I’m right dominant eye, is that ok to continue? , is that a problem for my inconsistency, Im an intermediate player , have made couple of 60+ breaks
can you suggest distance for standing point to shot, im 5 feet 8 inches high, i found it difficult my cue always toches my chest during feathers too much chin on it, makes scare on my cue short bridge hand distance. can you make video or suggest something for these problems
haider. Once you have determined the position of the bridge hand and the arm, then where you hold the cue its just a question of finding a stance that suits you as an individual. I do like to see a player lean very slightly forward allowing a little weight going forward onto the table. When all those considerations are in place the position of the stance in relation to the table and the shot to be played should be automatic, granted it takes a little practise to get this right but the position of the bridge and grip hand have a profound bearing on the stance position.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks, i have watched your videos again and trying to learn from it. changing a bit of my standing position making it a good cue action.
I'm a tall player (188cm) but still doesn't want to bend my both legs. What I get - my weight goes to the left hand and I feel much of tension. I wish tables would be placed higher.
Agassi. I'm afraid I can't help you on that one, there is a regulation height for a snooker table which is between 851mm to 876mm from the floor to the top of the cushion rail. Please try to find a stance that reduces that tension in your left hand, I believe that tension anywhere on the body is a bad thing for snooker.
Hi, Agassi. I faced a similar issue long time back, and because of shoulder pain I had to get away from Snooker for a month or so. Try with a bent left hand rather than a straight one(This will bring your body closer to the cue ball and pressure on hand should reduce). I hope this solves the issue. FYI I don't have that issue any more.
Hi Agassi this is Roy of Snooker Secrets, there is only one real answer to your question and that is if you are a right handed player is to stretch your right leg or should I say foot backwards, in doing this your left leg at the knee will bend more, this getting your body flatter to enable you to sight along your cue. Hoping this helps Roy.
I like your videos a lot, Barry. My highest break is 40+, but I play rather rarely, I tend to be somehow careless; I play pool and It's not that bad, I've managed to break and run a lot, it' just the pressure of winning, any advice :)
Todor. The pressure placed upon players from both games examines the technique of even the mentally strong players. My advice is to work on that pre-shot routine during practise and then take it to the match table. The mental and physical sides of the games go hand in hand, they cannot be separated, one will either compliment or destroy the other.
Hi Barry. I got a problem. I seem to twist the cue on my follow through on most shots. Is there a cure to this problem. I've been tearing my hair out trying to fix it. Thank you.
Hi barry , and thanks for your good videos , i want to ask you something please help me , in my snooker stance , i place my right foot slightly left of the shot line because when my right foot is on the line im not comfortable , dose it make problems for me? Its about 5-10 cm left of the shot line when i place my cue in the line of shot
Armin. Placing the cue on line is down to the eye sight and the brain not the stance. Having said that placing your feet in the same position all the time can help particularly psychologically. As long as your cue is on line and you are comfortable, the fact that your foot is left of the shot line should not present any problems.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach you are so good barry , thank you , thank you and thank you , please make more videos about cushion escapes , thank you sir ,
Hi, Barry, as the textbook says the dominant leg should be straight, but I discovered that when I play my knee is "locked", a bit like I'm trying to push my it towards the back, is that bad?
Collin. Sounds as if you are storing up trouble by locking the knee and creating tension Certainly the leg should be straight but not forcibly so and over time the repetitive nature of the sport may give you problems with that knee in the future. Try to ensure the body weight is a least 50-50 on both legs even favouring the front leg slightly so that the weight is going marginally forward onto the table.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thank you Barry for the reply, i had this question because I've seen some great players like Ronnie himself has a very slight bent on his right knee compares to me. there was a time when i was trying to do that it gave me more comfort on the shot and I achieved better results with that, also i wanted some advice from a professional like you, so thanks again for the answer,
Hi Barry, I am right-handed player, I am very confusing the balance? I knew I have to go slightly forward. But do I need to make the balance on the right or left? Or just stay in the centre and go slightly forward? Cheers!!!
Edwin. Not really as long as it is not excessively on one foot. Most players tend to have the weight fairly evenly distributed on their feet with the body weight easing slightly forward onto the table, while you do this please guard against any tension.
Sir when i hit the cue my grip hand hit with the chest. Bcz of hand hitting my chest unwanted side occur on the cue ball..please tell me what should i do to get rid of this issue?
rehman. If you have the right distance between your cueing hand and the chest by the time the hand reaches the chest the ball has gone and hitting the chest cannot therefore influence it. I am afraid the flaw you mention lies elsewhere.
used to put right hand side all the time, i am right hand player, and did alot with dominant eye, head position, chest position, no chin, no chest but nothing worked. so i changed my stance and i no longer put right hand side however the only stance that works is that i put the line of aim in the middle of my body, i mean my right leg shouldnt even be on line of aim. () | () like this pic, i put two legs and the line of aim in between my body. if this works to be online is it ok? i though maybe my cue is under my chest and if i put my right leg on line of aim it does not work for me while its how coaches told me in the past. correct me please ! thank you
Snooker. Sighting the shot from the centre of the body is fine but I don't see how you can cue from that position, surely you will have to move left to allow room for cueing. The right hand side may be coming from how you place the tip to the cue ball or how you are cueing, or both. However, what I will also say is that if you have found something that works for you do not worry about it and carry on.
hy barry sir ! i am hassan and i have a issue when i am start cueing my cue arm moves from left to right side and also my head during when i am cueing moves up and down plzzz plzzz make a video how we can make perfectly straight our cue arm and where the point on our chest that after delivering the cue stick , thank you very much hope you reply me soon
king. Every ones anatomy is slightly different and it is unusual for a players arm to start and fish in a perfect position. Concentrate on the fix points mentioned in my video, the bridge and the body. Please remember they are only fixed points if you don't move them. I know that is an obvious statement but it is amazing how many players move them without realising it. The head moving up and down is another problem and you must strive to stop this, may I suggest instead of the two fixed points I have just mentioned, add a third, the chin. I know of two former professionals who used to practise with a plaster on their chin and tried to keep the cue rubbing on it whilst they played the shot. This cured their bad habit of moving their head.
Aiyce. The cue should be low and as parallel to the table as possible, unless you are very tall this should be easily achieved without bending both legs. Some players have to bend because they are very tight in the hamstrings, too much incorrect exercise, (not enough stretching)
Reminds me of a golf preshot routine. Starts with analyzing the shot, aiming, aligning your stance then sling away and this routine repetition gives confidence. Great lesson.
That is because both are dead aim games.
it's a pleasure to see your videos over and over . Years of priceless experience at the tip of our finger is a gift of Barry Stalk which is admirable.
Reza. Glad you like and are learning from the videos.
As a new player who is quite tall, this has been very useful! Thanks Barry!
You Have Issues. Great, being tall has its advantages but can also create slight problems.
I'm glad you emphasised the importance of eyesight, I have difficulty seeing long pots.
Douglas. Sorry Douglas but maybe its time to invest in some snooker glasses. Look up Chris Cheshire on SnookerSpexs.com. Chris is a qualified optician and a very good snooker player, he will know exactly what a snooker player needs.
Excellent advice 🙏
Hi, Barry, thanks for all these videos. I have learnt most of Snooker through your videos and practice. I request you to make a video on how to proceed for safety play in different situations.
Is a pleasure meeting you. I write to you from Peru and here we admire the snooker a lot, personally I admire him a lot for his noble work of teaching when you are a true source of learning and his videos a source of knowledge. A hug Barry
Juan. Many thanks for your kind words, great that you like the videos and are learning from them.
Keeping the cue parallel to the table is the best advice I ever received, it improved my game 100 %, I'm not tall but I still bend both legs to keep me low because I had a tendency of shooting down on my shots without realizing it. Obviously it still has to be incorporated with the rest of your instructional points, great videos Barry.
JMK. Sorry for late reply, I have been on holiday. Shooting down on the shot can and does cause a lot of problems for some players.
Barry without a proper stance and cue action you will never play at a high level, I firmly believe this. Excellent lesson as always Sir.
Skeefoo. Well said, I agree wholeheartedly.
Stance and Cue action are the foundation from which all other skills come from. Thats my feeling anyway.
My Dear Mr Stark,
Consider this little message as my token of appreciation for the tremendous effort you are putting in dispensing with snooker education to all the enthusiasts around the world. I have been watching and following a few other coaches through their channels and other online services, and I wouldn't want to name them, however I have found that you are, in my humble opinion, unmatched to any of them.
Your expression and the manner of making one understand the detail of the aspect of technique you are discussing is simply remarkable. Hats off sire ... !
Keep up with the good work you are doing and keep on enabling snooker enthusiasts like me :)
My most profound regards,
Sidd.
Q.M.Sidd. Wow! What can I say, thank you very much for the comments, they are appreciated very much. I am glad you like the channel and hopefully have learned something along the way.
Kind words sidd👍🏿
I've watched this video a number of times Barry 😊and it is really helpful! Best wishes! Ian
Ian. Many thanks, glad you found the video helpful.
I cannot emphasise how important the stance is. I recently fixed a major issue in my stance and it improved my potting 10 fold! According to my coach I cue better than 90% of the players at our club, Even those that have been playing for decades (probably because I spent a year emulating and copying Ronnie). But because my stance was wrong I would miss balls and spend time looking at my cue action thinking that was the problem....No no no, Not in my case. Very well done again Mr Stark as always. Overall my issue was, I was placing my Right foot INSIDE the shot. So on the left side of Barry's North facing tape line.
really barry sir you are very great...i have learned many things from you....
Aasim. Glad to be of help.
He really is great, I have learn't a lot
I've been learning with him since before I started playing snooker, I watched all his videos before starting
Dear Barry,
I would like to say thank you so much for your videos, particularly stance, grip and side spin adjustments. I'm a pool player that sometimes manage to runout, but consistency is my problem. After found out your vlog tutorials, it helps me alot to improve to the next level, what a game changer!! Wish I could come and meet you in person to say "thank you". Warm regards from Indonesia, Markus.
Markus. Great that the videos are helping your game that is thanks enough, but who knows, keep buying a lottery ticket, we may share a table yet.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Will do Sir :) you are a gem for both Snooker & Pocket billiard world.
Repetition, correct Barry. Muscle memory. Like any sport starting from a static position. Very down to earth videos repeating the mantra. Repetition. Thankyou Sir.
Rees. My pleasure, glad you agree.
Im old school like you sir, misspent youth right through to early twenty's ,family early, now nearly seventy and started again. Absolutely love the game , and lucky I played with one of NZ,s best at college in NZ. And the geometry video jogged my memory. Brilliant. Keep up the good work
Thanks for these videos! I noted a small detail that you did not mention. Before you step with the right foot on the line you stand behind the shot. What is the body alignment relative to the line of shot in this position? Is the right foot still on the line? Is the body weight on the right foot, so that one can bring the head and eyes on the line too. In the video I see that you basically stand to the left of the line, such that the right foot is all the time on the line.
Vyacheslav. The modern way of approaching a shot is to stand centrally behind the line of the shot before moving the right foot onto the line. A good way to remember this is to have the belt buckle on the line while viewing the shot before moving across, to ensure this movement is minimal it is best to have the feet close together initially with your weight evenly distributed.
Sir u are simply great and i am learning a great deal from you keep making lovely videos like these hatsoff
Hadi. As long as I am able and the interest remains I will certainly try.
Hi Barry I always thought that keeping the right leg locked was essential so as a taller player myself i found this more difficult and dropped my cue down to compensate instead of bending the knees. Ill have to give this a go! Thanks a lot for all your amazing coaching videos I have learned a lot watching. You are a blessing!
Rhys. Keeping the right leg straight and locked is an aid to keeping still but certainly not essential. Lots of players bend their rear leg but still stay still, it is more important to get the cue and body in an orthodox position which can be awkward for tall players.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you Barry keep up the good work!
Hello sir I am really grateful of you and learned alot from you
Would you please cover various grips used in the game
Satyajeetsinh. I cannot really demonstrate the various grips because players do similar things slightly differently according to their anatomical makeup. For me to try to demonstrate Mark Allen's grip or Joe Swail's grip would appear very awkward. What I can say is that most players in today's game concentrate on the front of the grip, but some others concentrate on the back of the hand. I will also say that if a player has a problem in his game one of the things I will be looking at is his grip.
Amazing videos, presented in such an understandable and relatable way. Thanks
Dan. Glad you are learning from the videos.
It is the eyesight that puts the cue straight on the line and not the legs. Very nice advice. Barry, my own game improved significantly when i started bending my both legs before playing the shot. It provides me with some confidence and the shot looks much easier. I find myself right behind the cue ball and it becomes easy to judge where i want to strike on the object ball. But having said that there are other top pro players like Neil Robertson and Judd Trump particularly, these guys don't bother bending their legs. They adopt another technique which i also observed in another talented player Late Paul Hunter. Paul Hunter would make his one leg dead straight while leaving the other leg totally relaxed. It seemed like he put all of his weight on that one leg. For him, the main leg was right leg. Same is the case with Neil Robertson. He puts all of his weight on left leg and makes it straight like a lamppost. Initially, i tried to copy these guys but soon it turned to me that the technique was not working for me. Then i watched a pool player on UA-cam who was a tall guy and would bend both of his legs right before playing the shot. It helped me a lot. I thinks cue action, stance, bridge and straight cueing is personal to everybody and we should develop our own.
I still gets confused about my stance on times. Sometimes, i place my leg right on the line but fails to pot. Sometimes, i deliberately place my leg slightly outward than where it should have been, but it works like a charm. WHY does it happen? Should i continue playing like that or stick to the rules. please advice. and sorry for that much long question.
Multi. I have to disagree slightly with your thought that some top players put most of their weight on the braced leg, yes there is some weight on it but they have the weight going very slightly forward onto the table, this in turn puts slightly more weight onto the front leg, I emphasise slightly. I believe that the cue should be placed on the line of aim and the stance built around that, however, once that position is achieved and a comfortable stance adopted if you look down you should see that the cue is more or less directly above the braced leg. Because this game is about repetition it makes sense to keep repeating this position with the feet, now if you want or need to bend both legs that is fine providing you stay still. Good luck.
Love your videos. Such a great teacher
Glad you like them!
Fantastic video sir!
Could you tell me about the role of left shoulder in a stance for a perfect cue alignment.
PARAGON. I assume you are talking about a right handed player, if so there is very little for the left shoulder to do. Just get your stance right and the position of your bridge hand, get low on the shot and the left shoulder will take care of itself.
Great video Barry. You look like you've got good stability when you do that ricking back and forward motion
Ashley. I have always thought that perhaps too much emphasis is placed upon the stance, that is of course its actual position not its stability which of course is vital.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT SIR IT'S BEEN SO HELPFUL FOR ME TO LEARN THE BASIC OF SNOOKER I USE TO WATCH ALL OF YOUR VIDEOS.. THANKS A MILLION.. :)
zahid. Glad to be of help, many thanks.
Hi Barry. My name is zunaid from South Africa. I am so glad I found your videos. I have loved snooker my entire life. I remember right until the age of 20 the closest I could get to a snooker table was from peeping from the glass windows at clubs and was not allowed in because of apartheid laws. Now I am 45 yrs old and eventually managed to buy my very own union competition table. I am really learning a lot from your videos.(hope I am it too old to learn). I wish we had snooker coaches in S.A. unfortunately it's dying here in this country. My dad used to tell me that back in the day almost every building had one or more snooker tables in downtown Johannesburg. He said almost everyone played during lunch times and Friday afternoons till the sun came up on Saturdays.
Wish those days would come back .( without the apartheid off course.) Thank you Sir once again and hope God grants you a long and healthy life.
Zunaid. Thank you for the well wishes, I am glad you are learning from the channel. Good luck.
mr stark i love the way you coach its easy to under stant thank i will try some of this myself keep it up
swag. Many thanks, glad you like the videos.
thanks coach.i keep doing more break nowdays.i found useful tips everytime i watch your video.
I like your point of view and your common sense .
Good video..Your videos are very helpful Barry. If im honest I do find where I put my feet is very important for me, maybe because im left eye dominant and right handed. I find if I stand squarely im not getting through straight like I do with a very sidewards on boxer stance.
Further to that If I place my left foot far enough forward and brace my right leg my hips are out of the way of the shot and I dont cue across the shot. I dont like to stand like this because ive always wanted to look like steve davis who seemed squarer. But today using your advice on aligning to the baulk line and using this stance to achieve it I knocked in 5 straight shots after another and nearly followed in with the cueball.
Sorry this is a long post Barry...hope it makes some sense!!
Steve. I have answered some of you questions below, if the boxer like stance gives you success then use it. Remember you are an individual and what suits you is right, we are all different. Some players find that the square stance causes the hips to get in the way and moving more towards the boxer stance alleviates this, if this is the case with you please carry on.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks for your replies Barry. Sorry to pester you with questions..im just in a mess with my game at present and wish I had seen your videos when I was younger. I am copying your cueing arm position at the moment as your elbow seems close to your body and this is really helping my potting...I think this actually straightens up my back arm into a more perpendicular position and possibly brings the cue online better.
Thanks for your help
hi can make a video how to turn body, i think i am not turning much, but i used to turn my bent leg inside which would force the heap go left, not sure if this is good
i play with bent bridge hand, do u think that affects the body turn too
i couldnt find a video on youtube talking in details about body turn which is important
my cue tip always goes to left when delivered
tnx
@gupp. Please see below.
Glad that u have a new video when i want to seek advice barry as you may remember me from alignment and cueing problem i would like to ask my shoulder is slightly wider than my hips im right handed does that means i need to stand slightly to the left in a way that im using my outstep of my foot to align the shot and to your cueing advice i already check both my left and right hand they seems to cue straight when i use this method : look at the cue ball at the end and sort of virtually follow the ball to the line of aim like ronnie say i tends to cue well if i play like the white is not there any advice is deeply appreciated
Daniel. As I have said in the video it is the eyes that place the cue on line, I should also have added that the brain interprets what the eyes are seeing. The stance is used to give stability and consistency, it will then help physically and mentally, place your cue on line and build your stance around it, once you have found what works for you then use the stance all the time. In respect of hitting the ball, don't hit at it, hit through it.
Thank you so much Barry for providing us the assistance and help we need.
I am very very thankful to you for explaining "the stance" but in your videos about stance you only talk about 1 stance. I would be delighted to see if you can explain what your stance will be when you have cue ball in mid of the table or near the border / cushion of the table. or how to make your bridge with hand when you are planing the cut shot. Also if you can demonstrate with potting that would be awesome. I am sure all your viewers would love to see you potting with the same angle you are explaining. it will be like theory + practical at the same time.
once again sir I do appreciate all your help in videos.
In the world of nuclear bombs and raging insanity , people like you Make the world a better place . Barry you are awesome
The Forbiddenenv. And its people like you that encourage me to keep trying. Thanks.
Came back to watch this again..very helpful. When you bend both legs barry do you have to make sure you brace them and are aware of them? Surely otherwise there will be movement.
Steve. It is always best to have one leg braced there is no doubt about that, however it is not essential and if you are particularly tall or very stiff it is always possible to bend both legs and keep perfectly still. There are several professionals that do this and have no problem in keeping still.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks barry
fantastic video, thank you. i'm an american who plays pool but these videos are extremely helpful.
I wish I would have seen this about 6 months ago!
Good evening Mr Barry Stark . Do you use this glasses for play snooker. In my case I need to use glasses. What kind of glasses do you recommend ? Big hug. I live in the South of Brazil
Paulinho. In my opinion you need a single lens, it is very difficult to play in bi focal lenses. Have a look on the web site SnookerSpex.com. This is run By Chris Cheshire who is an optician but also a very good snooker player, he will advise you correctly.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you very much for your attention.. I play snooker in Brilhante Club and there are snooker players use to watch your snooker videos. See you who knows one day.
Something I've been pondering.
The starting position is standing some distance away from the table with your body standing squarely to the shot such that your nose and belly button is directly in line with the line of aim.
You're finishing position (for a right handed player) is that your right foot ends up on the line of aim and your nose is still pointing directly at the line of aim in the address position.
So at some point between the two, your head has to move forward and drop towards the line of aim in a perfect straight line whilst your body has to somehow kink to the left to allow your right foot to land on the line of aim.
What is the correct way of achieving consistency with the approach to the table?
Ayanda. There is no right or wrong method of getting the cue on line, each player (with the aid of his coach) finds his own way. However, place the cue on the baulk line( exactly) take up your stance and notice where your right foot is in relation to the cue ( right handed player) Your left foot should be about hip width apart from the right and slightly forward of it, get your self comfortable and that is about it.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks coach, i appreciate the insights👍🏾 Have a lovely festive season.
Thanks Barry for sharing the professional level education..i completely agree with stability part as different players have different ways of keeping themselves stable during the shot. The thing/problem that i am struggling with is the "EYES". HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY EYES ARE IN THE LINE OF THE SHOT??? My eyes give wrong signals to my mind about me being in the line of the shot and I keep missing the shot with angles. (Assuming that i am cuing in a straight line 8/10). please help.
Yogesh. Please have a look at my video which describes how to use a pencil to determine where the cue should be in relation to the eye sight, I am confident that this will help. Test that you are aiming correcting by cueing along the baulk line, place two pieces of chalk on the cushion as I have done in the video with young Westley Cooper this will tell you an awful lot about your aim and your cue action. If your aim and cueing is accurate the next stage is to determine correct potting angles, this is where the ghost ball theory comes into its own, please have a look at my video which describes it in detail. Also I would also like to mention that hitting the cue ball in the middle is one of the most difficult things to do in the game and unintentional side could be your problem, please check this aspect of your game.
van bobble, thank you for your efforts providing links to my other videos. Much appreciated.
No problem Barry! Perhaps you could ask to guy who does your video work for you to put a message at the end of your vids encouraging people to check out all of the other videos on your channel, as you said - some of this has been covered before.
On a side note - I recently saw a video Nick Barrow did on open bridge and loop bridge cueing from the cushions - i.e. when ball very close to cushion - Would love to see your take and explanation on it :)
Well thanks a lot again Barry for your reply and guidance.
Thank you Van for the link.. So nice of you
Ironic that this is the first video that came up on my feed this morning, as I was practicing this very thing last night. Picked up some good pointers here so will be practicing an adjusted stance tonight.
Mark. I hope the video helps.
Thank you very much for the information Barry, but there is still one thing that i am confused about. What should be our stance for cut shots. My stance on fairly straight looking shots is OK but when i make a stance for the cut shots, i tend to lose pockets by a fair margin. What might be the reason for that. Plus, can we have the same playing action and stance for snooker and pool games ??? THANKS
Multi. Last question first, a good snooker player will adapt very quickly to playing a good game of pool, this has been proved on many occasions by Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Gray, Karen Corr, Alison Fisher, Kelly Fisher Steve Davis, Tony Drago and no doubt many others. On the first question the stance is just the same, try to remember that it is the eyes and brain that put the cue on line not the stance, that is not to say that the stance can be ignored of course it can't but there is in my opinion too much emphasis placed upon it.
Hi Barry, in your opinion, how should one's weight be distributed in the square-on stance when the knees are bent, on the left leg or right leg?
P.S. I see now why people usually keep the back leg straight. When you bend the right knee, it becomes very easy to pivot left or right at the knee, perhaps a little too easy. Whereas if you keep it straight, then the only pivot point is at the hips (or by adjusting an arm position)
Rajie. Keeping the back leg straight does help with stability but I like the weight to be going very slightly forward onto the left leg and table. I emphasise very slightly.
My first ever comment Barry: This video got rid of a lot of anxieties regarding my stance as I realised I played better when I moved my left foot forward (rightie here!) about the same dimensions you mention, instead of being parallel. I was worried about standing like american pool players (not to disparage their talents of course!). Anyway, my aim and the resulting shots got much better. Thank you and hope to contribute to your Patreon soon!
Chris. Glad the video has helped to sort a few things out for you, lets hope you move to the next level now, good luck.
Hello Barry, my feet are firm, my front leg is heavier, my back leg is stretched and my body is falling forward, but I still feel instability in my torso ... as if I'm pulling to the right side.
I'm right-handed.
vitor. Not sure I can help here but it does sound as if you are overdoing it a little. Yes the weight should be going forward a little but too much will add unwelcome tension. The back leg ideally should be straight but comfortable not stretched as you describe I also wonder how wide your stance is, try moving your left foot SLIGHTLY wider and having a more even distribution of your body weight. Good luck.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you very much, I will train as soon as possible after reaching the end of the rise of the corona virus.
Thank you very much for your videos !!!
sir first of all thanks for your helping videos my problem is when I set angle it is perfect
and when I take shot it is totally wrong rubbish please give me a tip for this dirty problem
Pyar. The simple truth is that most well coordinated people will aim correctly but when they play the shot they miss. This is particularly true on a straight shot and the reason is that they have not delivered the cue in the direction that they are aiming
The margins of errors are so minimal at this game that even the slightest variation in your cueing will result in a miss. Of course you must point the cue in the right direction but you must also deliver it in that same direction and that is the hard part. My advise is to work on that cue action, have a look at my videos particularly the ones that show where and how to hold the cue, that is where it all starts, get it right and the game starts to get a little easier, get it wrong and the game is nigh impossible.
Lovely lesson as usual, but I have a question:
You did talk about bending both legs for taller players, which I very much appreciate, but what about increasing the gap between the two feet? Are there any disadvantages to this?
The more you have your legs apart it seems, the more you have to twist your hips and stick your bum out to one side.. for me that is a bit uncomfortable
Have you tried widening your stance?.. I just gave it a go and see how it works for you.. the aim of the stance is have a solid base and not move.
Tudor. Yes, I should have mentioned this and I apologise for the omission. Widening the stance will obviously reduce the height of a player. Providing the player is stable and comfortable there are no disadvantages to this.
Barry. Many thanks, I really appreciate it.
Hi Barry, I am an amateur player from Sri Lanka. I learn a great deal from your videos and implement them also continue to practice until I get a good hang of it. However As a right handed player I have a huge amount of strain n pain on my right leg when I play for 3-4 hours.. is there something I’m missing or do you recommend any exercise before I start playin. Looking forward to hear back from you.
Mishriff. There are mainly two reasons for this, the first one is that you are possibly putting too much weight onto your right side and I would try to even it out slightly, also it may be beneficial to move your left foot forward a little and ensuring your body weight is leaning marginally forward onto your left foot and the table. The other reason could be that you have rather tight hamstrings, there are many exercise that can help here but a good one is to stand up, place your left leg across your right leg. Now keeping both legs as straight as possible bend down trying to reach the floor with your hands. You should feel a stretch at the back of your right knee, don't over do this just stay in the comfort zone but do it regularly.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thanks a lot Barry, let me practice what you say.. hope you have fun on your holidays.. waiting to learn much more..
There are so many aspects of lower body position which change the angle of the shot, it's very complicated. I.e. moving either foot left or right, moves the cue tip in the opposite direction. Bending slightly to the right or left at the knees or hips does the same thing. Or shifting your weight to the left or right foot. I'm trying to find a consistent position that doesn't require me to pivot while down on the shot.
Rajie. It is the eyes and brain that put the cue on line not the stance, place your cue on line then adopt your stance, from that you will start to realise your best position for the position of your feet and this position should then be adopted consistently as an aid to sighting but it should not dictate the line of the cue only assist it.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach I thought there must have been something wrong with my stance because my straight shot was working some days and not other days. But yesterday I realized a mistake I was making. It's weird, but it was to do with the vertical angle of my head (up and down rather than left and right). Sometimes my head was actually _too_ low, and this was causing me to look up instead of straight ahead, and this was distorting my perception of straight. I corrected it by lifting my head by 1cm.
What is the best exercise for potting a straight ball
Dear Sir,
please Make A Video For Choosing A Right Cue For The Respective Level Of The Individual
And Which Cues Do You Prefer
And Which One You Use?
Hamza. I have already made a video suggesting what a player might look for when choosing a cue. The make of the cue doesn't really matter, at the end of the day it is only a piece of wood. Having said that, it is an important piece of wood and good manufacturers have the knack of selecting good pieces of wood and the expertise to produce a good product. Selecting a cue is an individual thing, what suits one player does not necessarily suit another, if it feels right then it generally is right. Stephen Hendry's coach said that Stephen was the best player in the world using the worst cue in the world. At the moment I use a cue made by John Parris of London.
Good video barry. Im very confused with my line up at the moment barry....I stand behind the shot but when I come to try and drop my head down exactly on that line AND try and move my body out of the way I seem to mess up the straight line. Any tips would be very helpful here barry.
Steve. I don't quite see how you are achieving this. If you are right handed, place your right foot on the line of the shot and the left slightly more than hip width from the right, it should also be slightly in front of the right foot. Adopting this position should take the hip out of the way of the cueing action and allow the head to be placed directly over the cue with the body touching the cue. When the body is moved to the cue obviously some care must be taken not to move the cue off line, practise along these lines should remove any possible problems, good luck.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks barry....Youve certainly made it sound simple and I dont know why I am struggling...I stand directly behind the shot and feel i have too much movement to then get down into position and keep head online....but ill practise what you said...thankyou
Thanks for all your tips and videos. It really helps me out.
I always wanted to know, how do professionals aim?
I use the full, three quarter, half ball, quarter ball aiming method.
I have some problems with it and I hope someone has some advcie for me.
I try to explain how I actually aim.
I have a picture in my mind how a full, half or three quarter ball shot looks like. So I try to imagine this picture for each shot, to figure out if its more a full, half or three quarter ball shot.
For example I believe that its more a half ball then a three quarter ball, I start thinking how far I am away from a half ball shot and how far away I have to aim away from my designated half ball aiming point (I mean the edge of the object ball. its a fix point for me).
Then I try to aim with my queue to the point were I think (or rather said guess) is the correct point to aim.
The most of the time, I miss the shot. Even though its just for some centimeters away from the pocket.
Maybe I am just to unexperienced. My highest break is only 18. So some practice will give me more confidence and more experience.
Does anyone has some advice for me or an idea for an better or less guessing aiming method?
Thanks for your help.
I also hope that everyone can understand my bad englisch. Its not my mother tongue, but I tried my best. Thanks.
Yumiya. van bobble has answered the question for me by highlighting the videos I have made on the subject, please have a look, they should help with your problem.
Thanks for your fast reply.
My problem is to find the correct line of aim (from the cue ball to the object ball). Not how to execute the aiming itself properly. I can aim to a certain spot, but will this lead me to pot the ball?
My line of aim is slithly off to the lets call it correct line of aim which leads me to pot the boll and not to miss it as it happens so often to me.
@@Nemesis8bit have you figured this out yet so far?
@@ayandamthimkhulu1264 unfortuenly not. I wasnt really able to play snoojer the last years just here and there. But I hope I can play more and get better in the near future.
@@Nemesis8bit well to answer your previous question; when standing behind the cueball, there's always a straight path that it needs to take to contact the object ball in the right place to pott it. (you can think of this as the Cueball to the ghostball or the cue ball overlapping the objectball by a certain degree). We always stand behind the cueball and Visualize this line. by looking at it, in time we learn to judge roughly where the object ball will be hit and which direction it will take after being struck by the cb. (this is the second line barry is referring to... The trajectory of the objectball after being struck by the cueball ). With a bit of practice one can be able to determine both lines just by standing behind the cueball (you will be able to see the straight shot from the cueball to a certain area on the objectball that needs to be struck in order to send the object ball into the pocket). Missing shots isn't only a consequence of aiming wrong but can be due to various other reasons such as unintentional side spin, jumping up& stance related instability. so be sure to iron these out, practice cueing in a straight line & staying down on the shot and you will be good.
Огромный респект деду, лучшее пояснение деталей стойки
I'm only 5. 8" and have always bent both knees. For me it has just always felt the most natural and comfortable way to stand. Probably because I played years of pool before snooker and it worked well with the lower table height.
Great advice. i love your videos. i am a female American pool player who chooses to use a snooker stance on the 9 foot tables. is that okay? my 2nd question, can u give advice or do a video of how to slowly bend down into your stance. Im still confused on how far the cue should be away from your chest and hips. Also, can you give me some tips on recognizing 15, 30, and 45 degree angle shots and forming my stance into those shots please. i look forward to your response
Renae. I used to coach Karen Corr at snooker, she moved to America to try her hand a pool. Initially she had a square stance but I believe she has now moved her left foot slightly more forward to give her more stability on the power shots, particularly the break off. Karen will be the first to admit that she lacks the strength to break off effectively and moving her left foot slightly forward also allows her to keep her body weight forward on to the table better. Snooker players rest the body against the cue as an aid to accuracy but pool players tend not to do this, I think its fair to say they don't need the accuracy of a snooker player but perhaps they need a little more cue power. Keeping the cue away from the chest allows them to get through the ball more and generate the spins necessary. If you are going to play without the cue touching the body the distance between the two will ultimately be personal preference, I am not trying to evade the question but it would certainly be wrong of me to say the distance must be this or that. Place yourself on video and study it, if it looks right invariably it is right, as a guide try to keep your right leg (right handed player) almost vertical. I intend to cover aiming in a little more detail in video form as and when I can.
Thank you for responding. Great advice. Cant wait to get your advice and to watch your video on 15, 30, and 45 degree angles and steping into tbe shot on these cut angles. Also how to recognize the cut angles before getting down on the shot.
I can never thank you enough for your much appreciated help Mr Stark , I have been subscribed to your channel before it reached 500subs . I have become quite an accomplished player thanks to this especially that here in Morocco Snooker isn't as popular as it is in the UK . But I'm still a bit confused concerning the distance of the right foot from the table , is there any technique to determine that exactly so I can bend exactly the same at every shot ?
IIyass. Glad you like and have learned from the channel, well done. A good guide to determine the distance the right foot should be from the cue ball, not the table, take your normal stance with your bridge hand the correct distance from the cue ball. The right leg should now be vertical, if it is sloping backwards, your foot is too close, if it is leaning towards the table you are too far away. Get someone to take a picture of your stance from the side, I hope that helps.
Thank you so much for answering my question Mr Stark
Good job Berry!
Finally, I've found then grey area in my game that is wrong stance as my cue remains far away from my chest. That is why my cue wobbles and grip tightens while playing long shots . How to keep it close to my body without bending too much and keeping chin on the cue?
Hamid. Any change you make will obviously feel a little uncomfortable initially and take time to adjust to. I get the impression that you have been playing away from the chest and with the chin off the cue for some considerable time. Getting into the position where the cue is on the chest and the chin is on the cue is quite a big change and will require time and patience from you. There is no easy quick fix, just work that can be annoying and frustrating to get your game to adjust to the new position. You may have adopted your old position because of a lack of flexibility in your back, neck or hamstrings, so this may be an area you could have a look at to make the new position a little easier and more comfortable. Good luck.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach you are right in toto,sir!
But do you think chest has that amount of importance in controlling the cue?
Can't I do it without it?
As I have seen people playing especially in pool .it was my friend who dictated to me that your back arm isn't aligned..
Barry could you do a video on the weight balance in the stance I've searched youtube high and low for this I'm pretty sure I'm all wrong most of my weight is shifted forward onto the table via my bridge hand. I'm almost certain this isn't right and why i struggle to get any break 20+ and missing easy shots
fabtas. The weight should be slightly forward but should mostly be taken on the left leg (right handed player) I would say that expressed in percentages 60% left leg 40% right leg, this is one reason why the left leg is generally forward of the right leg. With the weight going forward this allows a modicum of forward learn onto the bridge hand but this should not be so much that it creates tension, only that it provides stability. Obviously this weight balance will be slightly different for every player because we all differ in stature and build and the way we play the game but the general principal is correct.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach well Barry I played last night after watching some of your videos altering my stance, grip and feathering I've never potted better and more consistently only problem I had was I was cueing to well so hitting the ball too hard especially for safety shots but I guess it's better to hit it too well than miss easy pots. Thanks so much
Hopefully this will help me play better. Thanks barry
Barry I can't tell you how wonderfully helpful your videos are . I'm very appreciative that you put them together. I was curious if you've ever come across something I like to call the curtsy. I live in America where it's not uncommon, especially for women, to have their forward foot not only far in front but also across their rear foot. Using that line that you taped to the floor imagine your left foot in the top right corner and you're right foot in the bottom left. Now I know you said stance isn't essential , however how do you feel about this?
That seems to be the complete opposite of what Barry is getting at in the video, which is simply to have a stable base so you dont accidentally move forwards or side to side..
I just tried a stance with feet as you mentioned and there seems to be quite a lot of pressure where your legs cross, which is of course in the middle of your upper leg.. I didnt feel stable at all
But if it works for you and you can consistently pot balls then go for it!
genepat. Wow! Never heard of that one, I can't believe a person can be solid and stable using this method of stance, but experience has taught me never to be surprised by anything you see at this game.
barry sir you are great i have learned from you alot just a question when i make my stance my shoulder does'nt come behind my head just like nigel bond is it okay or its a major flaw?
Akram. Trying to force your shoulder, arm or any other part of your anatomy into an unnatural position can and will cause you problems particularly by introducing tension. The only thing that matters is that you can cue in a straight line and can play all the shots, individual players do this in different ways, what suits one will not suit another. Obviously some of the basics have to be observed but it would certainly be boring if we all did the same thing. Trust your instinct and good luck.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thanks alot sir
This really helped a lot, especially the advice for tall players. You don't find these things on other channels.
I just wanted to ask whether the cue touches the chest during the stroke or is it just the wrists that finish of at the chest?
Harsh. Don't get bogged down with this, some players trying to keep the cue on the chest create tension in their action, start with the cue resting against the chest, ensure you get something like six inches of follow through on most shots and cue straight. If you are not cueing straight then that is the time to look at how and where the hand and cue is finishing, it may be that the cue needs to remain in contact with the chest but please don't try to force it, let it be a natural process.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you so much Barry!!
I will definitely try to get that cue as straight as possible 😁
Do you prefer any particular brand of snooker tables? I only have played on a STAR table and the pockets were really tight and along rail shots were impossible.
Human. There is very little difference between the playing surfaces of the tables used in professional tournaments. The Star company happen to have the contract at the moment but that could change in the future. The pocket sizes and the cut of the pockets would be pretty much the same which ever brand of tables are used,. Since you ask I would choose the Riley table simply because I believe they are made more robustly but the playing characteristics would be very similar.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you for the information. My knowledge on snooker tables are very limited. Now I know better.
hi
can you please help me fix this issue.
im right hand player, and right eye dominant "watched your video how to find eye dominant".
when im standing thing look online but as soon as i get down thing look offline and my alignment is wrong. eg: if i lineup with middle blue the cue butt is always touching the left middle pocket (im right hand player and i put cue on centre chin). and this is always where i end up.
but my cue is almost in the middle of my body when i am down (something like nigel bond) so i think this is y i go offline when i am down, bcaz the cue arm is no longer over my right leg. how do i fix this ?
i found 2 solution myself but i want to get your advice!
1: if i move the cue towards right chin then the cue butt is no longer offline, however the chest contact point changes too and it feels wiered.
2: i stand behind the shot and the line of aim would be in the middle of my body and i have to keep that line of aim in the middle of my body and put my right leg to the right of line and left leg to the left of line so when i am down the line is still in the middle of my body. and using this method also bring the cue online, and i dont even change the chest contact point, and i still cue on centre chin. but it feels akward that i have to becareful that the line is always in the middle of my body.
its a lengthy to read buy i really need your advice. thank you so much
please do reply me as i need your help
thank you
ART. Firstly it is important to remember that it is the eyes and the brain that put the cue on line, the stance can certainly act as an aid to get consistency on this though. Place the cue on the baulk line and put your chin on it, ( you will have to adopt something like a conventional stance to do this) at this stage the cue should be towards the right eye because you are right eye dominant. The exact position on your chin can be determined by looking along the cue and baulk line to see where you are aiming. Once this is determined take up your stance and take note of where your right foot is, ( there will be a part of it on the line of the shot )your left foot should be slightly wider than hip width and slightly in front of the right. Ease yourself down until the chest reaches the cue and that is pretty much a good position for you. Don't try to complicate it but do remember that any modification you make will feel strange initially, it takes a little time to adjust.
Another great video. Off topic but my grip hand always looks cocked forward on video. I'm a long time pool player and grip what I believe to be correctly and yet it always happens. Maybe not a big issue?
rick. If you can cue in a straight line and play all the shots the grip you use is correct for you. It appears from your explanation that you use very little wrist in your action and because of this you will be using the major muscles of the arm. As long as these muscles have been trained through sound and solid repetition there is no problem. Don't take this the wrong way, but pool players don't need the cueing accuracy that a snooker player needs but he does need cue power and it may be that your grip suits you to achieve that element.
Hello barry and thank you for all your videos. I have this huge problem where while my preparation and especially striking the cue ball my cue tends to do this weird pumping ( up and down ) movement. I've tried to watch grip, stance basic things right but i can't figure out whats the problem.
tutu. Problems like this are invariably down to a grip problem which in turn is not allowing you to keep the cue parallel to the table. Please have a look at my video on the grip, study it and try to copy it. The unfurling of the back fingers are particularly important to reduce the use of the major muscles of the arm. Also put yourself on video and study it with a discerning eye, this type of thing can answer a lot of questions, discuss the video with a friend you can trust. Good luck.
Thank you so much for your answer Barry!
Happy new 🎊 year Barry
Same to you!
Hi Barry ,thanks for your great coaching video,awesome stuff.ummm I ve played snooker for over one year nd recently I just found that when I play the shot ,my forearm is not vertical to the ground.what I mean is observing from behind.i think it may do harm to my consistence,and relate to my stance.can you give me some advice Barry
Rafa. Don't worry too much about the arm being absolutely vertical, the only thing that matters is cueing straight and this is perfectly possible even though the forearm is not vertical. Concentrate on your grip, particularly the front of it, (please check out my grip video) I don't know how often you play but you say you have been playing for just over one year, that is not very long, whilst it is important to get the basics right please don't expect miracles, it takes time. Your overall position must be natural, to force an unnatural position can often do more harm than good.
Barry.thanks for your reply! Yea, concentrate on cueing straight,nice grip,being natural and comfortable rather than just worry about if my arm is being perfectly vertical.so useful advice cuz i do feel being distracted by these worries.appreciate !!
hi
i have problem with my hip weight!
i turn my hip alot and i feel like my weight is going abit to right side, i am right eye dominant, and right handed.
should the right leg be straight and i sit on right hip?
when i turn my hip, i feel like i am not sitting on right hip and my weight is abit to the right.
but if i dont turn the hip, i feel like i am sitting abit on right hip.
to be honest i think i turn too much my hip but not sure if its true.
this is very important for me as my cue butt always goes offline to the left, and i feel like my weight is abit to the right
this hip and body weight is messing with my alignment and aiming
what is the best method?
thank you please reply
I have a question, my snooker coach taught me a skill, when I practise potting the black and try to get the cue ball to the right position without toughing any cushion, there are too many spots you can hit with your cue tip on the center line of the cue ball, 1/3 of the tip size will make a difference on the line, so he taught me a way to make it easier, just in the very center of the cue ball imagine it's a clock, 3 oclock is 90 degree angle, 2 oclock is a stun run through etc, it will make your cueing very accurate, and putting just a little side on the cue ball won't make you miss the black, is this the correct way to pactise? becasue I see some headcam video like John Foster they don't put any side on the cue ball when they hit the black.
Mo. Different coaches teach in different ways, it would not be fair for me to criticise the work of another coach, it is for the player to judge the coaches work by his success or failure. What I will say is that different players can hit the ball in the same place but get a different result simply because of the way they hit and time the ball.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach I think I understood you mean, thank you very much Sir!
I have been playing snooker for almost 4 years . I love this sport very much . I do practice on the daily basis . But from the Day I picked up the Cue until now I cannot be able to make big breakes . The main reason is my Cue action . My stance is perfect . But when I play the shot my right hand hits the chest and my Cue goes off line and because of that I cannot play any Shot properly . I discussed the same problem with my friend and he told me that play away from the body . I dont know how to play away from the body . I want you to help me , anything (tips , practice) through which I can fix this problem .
Thank you .
hammad. If you have enough room between the right hand and the chest, by the time the hand reaches the chest the ball has gone so there is no effect on the direction of the cue ball. However, it is still worth trying to eliminate any misdirection of the cue because the problem can be happening slightly sooner than you think during the cue action. I don't advocate playing away from the chest as your friend advises but it is a worthwhile practise to examine your action in this manner. Don't hit any ball but cue away from your chest on the baulk line, you should be able to keep the action straight but if you can't that is likely to be the source of your [problem.
Thank you for the reply . I have recorded myself from different angles and examine my technique closely . There is enough room between my right hand and the chest but I have a feeling that when I hit the cue ball my cue goes off the line and there is Unintentional left hand side after hitting . I can't manage to hit in the center of the cue ball.
I did the same practice as you mentioned on the baulk line and I managed to keep my cue on the line (without hitting any ball) , but the problem comes while hitting . what do you suggest ?
Can you say anything about how the stance should change for left- or right-eye dominant player? For left-eye dominant, should the left leg be more forward and the body more sideways, and for right-eye, the stance more square to the table?
Poly. Certainly it makes some sense for a right handed/left eyed player to stand with the left leg further forward, in fact the great Joe Davis advocated just that. However, Ronnie O'Sullivan is left eyed and he prefers the squarer stance. Its not really a problem for a right handed/left eyed player to stand squarer to the table and most of the modern players do just that, so you see its all about preference and comfort and of course what works for the individual.
i cannot lineup shots ? when i am standing up and i put my right leg on line of aim , i always lineup object ball to the left of pocket, no matter how best i try. dont know somehow due to my right eye dominant while standing up i am already facing 1 oclock and that is why the object goes to left of pocket and my cue butt is always offline.
the only way that sometimes it works is if i turn my right leg (right handed player) inwards but feels uncomfortable....i have been playing with this problem for 6 years now. cant fix it , any tip? tnx
147. A lot of players are adopting the sight right method where they stand centrally to view the shot,(as if the belt buckle is on the line of the shot) from there they move the stance so that the right foot moves onto the line of the shot, others move the right foot straight forward. It is different for lots of players, we are all made a little differently so what suits one player will not suit another. Try working on the baulk line to determine what suit you.
I Found bending both legs very useful ! i am tall like kyren wilson ! hope one day play like him ! very glad to see the one that coaches hi, teach me every thing !
aidin. Bending both legs is not in the coaching manual but it is necessary for some very tall players. It is not a problem as long as you stay still.
barry i am unable to hit the cue ball correctly when its very close to the cushion ... i either miss cue or hit the object ball off my aim ... what can i do to correct this ..??
Unaiz. All players have difficulty with these shots, some more than others. Please have a look at my video which covers cueing off the cushion, this should help. You will always need to raise the butt of the cue a little and play a little bit less adventurously, and make sure you chalk your cue.
Great vid can someone tell me where to purchase a cue i can't seem to find anywhere
Jemzer. There are many reputable cue makers, its more about the budget you are working with and what part of the world you are from. CueCraft of England make nice cues to suit the pocket of most players, you can find them on the internet.
Boot sale
John parris
i can't screw the ball... it simply jumps off the object ball... pls help
1. Since you don't know to screw, I would recommend not hitting the cue ball too low.
2. Don't give a jerky motion to the cue ball. While taking the shot don't stop your cue where the cue ball was. Instead, try pushing smoothly through the cue ball for 3 inches ahead of cue ball's original position. To do this I would imagine a spot 3 inches ahead and ensured that the tip reaches that point.
3. The cue should not be dipping down. Instead, keep it 'almost' parallel to the table.
4. Try feeling the spin generated. If you can't, then go for a softer tip.
Atulya Anand And don't forget to chalk up your cue
Shanu. I have no need to answer this question, Atula has done it for me. Good luck.
Also, Stephen Lee, who is a master at screw shots, said that he tightens his grip more and more as he drives the cue through the cue ball when doing those shots
for me the ball jumps if I do this, when I tighten the grip, the cue tip moves up, when I leave the grip loose all the time I get much better screw shots
hi a question please?
I have been playing with my right foot online for years and the butt of the cue is has always been offline (its to the left of line of aim) i am right handed.
i have tried all square and boxing stance, and also changed my right foot position to all angles but nothing has fixed the alignment issue.
ofcourse i bring my body to the cue but the cue always goes offline because if it does not then the shot will look offline. so it has always been the body position problem.
today i tried something new:
i tried to move my right foot to the right side of line of aim, i can clearly see that now my right foot is not even touching the line of aim. its just to the right side of line of aim. to clearify it i can see that my right foot is no longer below my grip hand, infact my grip hand looks somewhere above my right knee now, but everything looks perfect and for the first time ever the shot looks online and at the same time the alignment is perfect too.
also i can see that, my right leg, it used to be straight with no bent knee but now my right knee is also not bent but i can see that my leg is no longer straight and it has an angle
should i stick to what works for me? or my right foot must be under my grip hand?
thank you so much
Relax. It is the eyes and the brain that put the cue on line not the stance. Having said that there is an advantage in standing the same way as much as you can. Please stick to what works for you, take note of where your feet are when you do this and it should add to the repetitive elements that are so important physically and mentally.
Wow , pool is such a painful experience if you are 1,95m tall like me.
Finally i got my 62 inches cue which allows me to have a full back and forward swing.
Its feels like a complete different art of sport.
Now i can pot long blues and the cue ball which shows that my set up is correct.
My knees arent bend though.
Do you think there is always a benefit for tall player s to bend the knees?
Addicted. There is a need to get the cue low at the butt end of the cue. Tall players sometimes need to bend both their knees to achieve this. Don't worry if you do need to bend them but please try to concentrate on keeping still.
Another great video Barry top coach 👏
Damien. Glad you like the videos.
Barry. I saw your video with manpower team and you mentioned keeping the foot at 90 degrees I can only get close to that angle however I still felt stable and Ronnie mention locking and feeling the strain at the thigh area is that true?
Lim. I have always felt that there is too much emphasis on the stance. As long as you are stable and comfortable don't worry too much about it. Place your cue on line and build your stance around it, make sure that you conform to something like the basic stance as per my video (77 and others) then try to stand like that all the time.
Hi Barry, great video as always. I've recently discovered that my elbow sticks out while playing shots, kind of like Joe Swail, except outwards. I never really liked his cue action. I've tried lining it up with my eye and the cue but then too much tension builds up in my shoulder muscles. Could this be the reason I'm not consistent in my potting? If yes, how can I change this? Thank you.
Rohit. The elbow sticking out or in is not a problem as long as it is not excessive. The only thing that matters is that you cue straight. Ray Reardon was World Champion six times and his elbow also stuck out. Providing you have no restrictions in the shoulder joint and your position is natural just concentrate on straight cueing. What I suggest is to line up on the baulk line(without a ball) see if you can cue straight without using the chest against the cue. This will discipline the muscles in the correct manner, do this every time you get to a snooker table even to the point where your muscles ache a little, keep the cue action long and very slow, almost in slow motion, you will reap the benefits.
I'll definitely give this a try. Thank you very much for your prompt reply. You've been a great help.
thank you for this video.
i hav a quastion and i hope you answer me.
when i rise my head up a little i can make better pot to long pot shots.
why is that.?.
Luis. Without seeing you play it is very difficult to give a realistic answer. However, it is likely that with your chin down to cue level you are possibly causing some head movement when you lift your eyes to play the shot, please be careful in this area.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach
thank you coach i will record some shots on a video to see my movement.
thanks for reply.
Sir your videos are precious....it tells every aspect of this wonderful game.....I request you to make a video which make the players like me to understand the concept of snookering the opponent....especially the concept of snookering....
Hi Barry, I am confusing about the good cue length, shoulder length or chin length, Please advise which one is correct.... Thanks, Paiboon
papaooze. The standard length of a cue is about 58 inches, my own cue is 57 inches. The shoulder or chin length is used as a guide only. If you can adopt the correct position, by that I mean position the bridge hand in the correct place. Then position the grip hand in the correct place and have enough room between the cueing hand and the chest to establish a decent follow through as indicated on my videos. Then the cue is the right length for you.
Thanks barry..I guess my problem no one will be able to help me with..I get seriously nervous in matches and strangely especially if im in front? It ruins my game and makes me feel uncomfortable but dont know how to relieve it??
Steve. Everyone gets nervous in matches, the winner is the player who handles it best. Read up on visualisation skills, practise diaphragmatic breathing. Also practise breathing in to the count of five but out to the count of seven, get as much oxygen into the system as you can, it will help. Don't do this while actually playing a shot but counting 5 and 7 while breathing helps to get rid of spent gasses (carbon dioxide) and leaves room for the oxygen. It is a skill that's needs practise to feel comfortable with.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thanks for that Barry..I will definately try it!!
Thanks Barry, Good advice,
Glad you enjoyed it
Hi Barry , is it mandatory to have square on stance for right eye dominant right handed player ? I'm right eye and right hand but I keep my left leg slightly fwd , by keeping both leg parallel I'm not getting enough room for cue action between my chest and cue arm ... Can you please advise ? Thanks in advance
Smijith. It is definitely not mandatory to have a square on stance and I hope I have not misled you with the video. If you are happy with your stance and can play the shots in comfort please carry on.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thanks Barry for the response. Can I ask you one more thing just to clarify. I just realized that I keep my cue exactly at the center even though I’m right dominant eye, is that ok to continue? , is that a problem for my inconsistency, Im an intermediate player , have made couple of 60+ breaks
can you suggest distance for standing point to shot, im 5 feet 8 inches high, i found it difficult
my cue always toches my chest during feathers
too much chin on it, makes scare on my cue
short bridge hand distance.
can you make video or suggest something for these problems
haider. Once you have determined the position of the bridge hand and the arm, then where you hold the cue its just a question of finding a stance that suits you as an individual. I do like to see a player lean very slightly forward allowing a little weight going forward onto the table. When all those considerations are in place the position of the stance in relation to the table and the shot to be played should be automatic, granted it takes a little practise to get this right but the position of the bridge and grip hand have a profound bearing on the stance position.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks, i have watched your videos again and trying to learn from it. changing a bit of my standing position making it a good cue action.
I'm a tall player (188cm) but still doesn't want to bend my both legs. What I get - my weight goes to the left hand and I feel much of tension. I wish tables would be placed higher.
Agassi. I'm afraid I can't help you on that one, there is a regulation height for a snooker table which is between 851mm to 876mm from the floor to the top of the cushion rail. Please try to find a stance that reduces that tension in your left hand, I believe that tension anywhere on the body is a bad thing for snooker.
Hi, Agassi. I faced a similar issue long time back, and because of shoulder pain I had to get away from Snooker for a month or so. Try with a bent left hand rather than a straight one(This will bring your body closer to the cue ball and pressure on hand should reduce). I hope this solves the issue. FYI I don't have that issue any more.
Hi Agassi this is Roy of Snooker Secrets, there is only one real answer to your question and that is if you are a right handed player is to stretch your right leg or should I say foot backwards, in doing this your left leg at the knee will bend more, this getting your body flatter to enable you to sight along your cue. Hoping this helps Roy.
appreciate your attention, Ron. Will try this.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach
I like your videos a lot, Barry. My highest break is 40+, but I play rather rarely, I tend to be somehow careless; I play pool and It's not that bad, I've managed to break and run a lot, it' just the pressure of winning, any advice :)
Todor. The pressure placed upon players from both games examines the technique of even the mentally strong players. My advice is to work on that pre-shot routine during practise and then take it to the match table. The mental and physical sides of the games go hand in hand, they cannot be separated, one will either compliment or destroy the other.
Hi Barry. I got a problem. I seem to twist the cue on my follow through on most shots. Is there a cure to this problem. I've been tearing my hair out trying to fix it. Thank you.
Hi barry , and thanks for your good videos , i want to ask you something please help me , in my snooker stance , i place my right foot slightly left of the shot line because when my right foot is on the line im not comfortable , dose it make problems for me? Its about 5-10 cm left of the shot line when i place my cue in the line of shot
Armin. Placing the cue on line is down to the eye sight and the brain not the stance. Having said that placing your feet in the same position all the time can help particularly psychologically. As long as your cue is on line and you are comfortable, the fact that your foot is left of the shot line should not present any problems.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach you are so good barry , thank you , thank you and thank you , please make more videos about cushion escapes , thank you sir ,
Hi, Barry, as the textbook says the dominant leg should be straight, but I discovered that when I play my knee is "locked", a bit like I'm trying to push my it towards the back, is that bad?
Collin. Sounds as if you are storing up trouble by locking the knee and creating tension Certainly the leg should be straight but not forcibly so and over time the repetitive nature of the sport may give you problems with that knee in the future. Try to ensure the body weight is a least 50-50 on both legs even favouring the front leg slightly so that the weight is going marginally forward onto the table.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thank you Barry for the reply, i had this question because I've seen some great players like Ronnie himself has a very slight bent on his right knee compares to me. there was a time when i was trying to do that it gave me more comfort on the shot and I achieved better results with that, also i wanted some advice from a professional like you, so thanks again for the answer,
Hi Barry,
I am right-handed player, I am very confusing the balance? I knew I have to go slightly forward. But do I need to make the balance on the right or left? Or just stay in the centre and go slightly forward?
Cheers!!!
Ken. Stay in the centre and go slightly forward, it's not a good idea to put strain on one side of the body.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach
Ok! Thank you so much Barry!!!
Hi Barry, I would like to ask you an advice on stance. For the stance, does it matter whether the weight is on left foot or right foot?
Edwin. Not really as long as it is not excessively on one foot. Most players tend to have the weight fairly evenly distributed on their feet with the body weight easing slightly forward onto the table, while you do this please guard against any tension.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thank you Barry. Very helpful advice
Sir when i hit the cue my grip hand hit with the chest. Bcz of hand hitting my chest unwanted side occur on the cue ball..please tell me what should i do to get rid of this issue?
rehman. If you have the right distance between your cueing hand and the chest by the time the hand reaches the chest the ball has gone and hitting the chest cannot therefore influence it. I am afraid the flaw you mention lies elsewhere.
Should the weight of body on right leg or the left one,once we get down on the shot ? (For a right handed player)
Umer. The weight generally should be evenly distributed on the legs, if there is any slight disparity I would favour it being onto the left leg.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thanku Sir
used to put right hand side all the time, i am right hand player, and did alot with dominant eye, head position, chest position, no chin, no chest but nothing worked. so i changed my stance and i no longer put right hand side however the only stance that works is that i put the line of aim in the middle of my body, i mean my right leg shouldnt even be on line of aim. () | () like this pic, i put two legs and the line of aim in between my body.
if this works to be online is it ok? i though maybe my cue is under my chest and if i put my right leg on line of aim it does not work for me while its how coaches told me in the past. correct me please !
thank you
Snooker. Sighting the shot from the centre of the body is fine but I don't see how you can cue from that position, surely you will have to move left to allow room for cueing. The right hand side may be coming from how you place the tip to the cue ball or how you are cueing, or both. However, what I will also say is that if you have found something that works for you do not worry about it and carry on.
hy barry sir ! i am hassan and i have a issue when i am start cueing my cue arm moves from left to right side and also my head during when i am cueing moves up and down plzzz plzzz make a video how we can make perfectly straight our cue arm and where the point on our chest that after delivering the cue stick , thank you very much hope you reply me soon
king. Every ones anatomy is slightly different and it is unusual for a players arm to start and fish in a perfect position. Concentrate on the fix points mentioned in my video, the bridge and the body. Please remember they are only fixed points if you don't move them. I know that is an obvious statement but it is amazing how many players move them without realising it. The head moving up and down is another problem and you must strive to stop this, may I suggest instead of the two fixed points I have just mentioned, add a third, the chin. I know of two former professionals who used to practise with a plaster on their chin and tried to keep the cue rubbing on it whilst they played the shot. This cured their bad habit of moving their head.
How do I know if I should bend or not? How low on the table should I be??
Aiyce. The cue should be low and as parallel to the table as possible, unless you are very tall this should be easily achieved without bending both legs. Some players have to bend because they are very tight in the hamstrings, too much incorrect exercise, (not enough stretching)