104. Coaching Session - Part 3

[@theallseeingmaster]

You are one of those teachers whose classes I hate to miss.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

theallseeingmaster. Glad you like the videos, I hope they have helped your own game along.

[@theallseeingmaster]

Learning, mostly mechanics, from you has been why I have gotten so much better this passed year; I even use a bit of side when I play 8 Ball with my friends, lately. Because of you, I have become a desirable playing partner: Thanks!

[@Ian-ub4cn]

only just found these sessions, enjoying them enourmously. Thank you Barry and thanks to Selina for being brave enough to let us see your mistakes and progress. Glad to hear you are ruffling a few feathers!!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Ian. Great that you enjoy the videos, feathers are there to be ruffled.

[@kwilson5832]

I particularly like these videos, as instead of Barry just being on his own and providing advice, we actually get to see what Selina is doing wrong, and Barry's advice to correct it. There have been several shots throughout the videos with Selina where she has made similar mistakes to me, so to hear Barry's advice is fantastic. I also really like the way that Barry dresses for the videos - it really shows the respect that he has for the subject he is teaching. Many thanks to both Barry and Selina.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

K. Many thanks, glad you like the videos.

[@goto-sr1nx]

I'm a pool player but love these videos to help improve my overall playing technique and consistency. Great advice Barry!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

goto. Glad the videos help.

[@robertconnell5302]

She's getting there Barry, I could see her being a decent player in time.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Robert. Yes, she is trying very hard but unfortunately her practise time is limited for various reasons.

[@albertrynkowski3599]

Celina is a such a wonderful student. Thank you for listening to the tips from a master, Celina! Hope your game progressed! Blessings!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

I hope so too!

[@XandEnglish]

Love this Barry. Great teaching 👍 it's helping me a lot!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Great to hear!

[@oldtimer5111]

Best video on the fundamentals I have seen.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Old timer. Thanks for that, I do try.

[@monkeybreeksjov9574]

Your tip when cueing, one two three pause shoot is fantastic. I use it all the time on every shot and my cueing has improved so much.

[@JayKTS]

The video’s of this man are pure gold ;) A few years ago i studied one of your cueing vids .. its just great !!.. thanks a lot 😎👊🏻

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Jay. My pleasure, glad you like them.

[@madhusudhann1599]

You are indeed a great teacher Barry. May god bless you with many more years.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Many thanks!

[@Superutubeking]

Fantastic coaching this is really good advice to gain consistency

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Super. Its just like golf, get the swing right and the game becomes a little easier, at snooker the game becomes a little easier also if you get the cue action right.

[@dwhitexrp]

On all threes of these videos, I absolutely appreciate the camera man and the angles he provides for us! I feel like I’m in the room! I’m an American pool player in Ohio but get so much training from Snooker instruction I want play pool using snooker techniques! Love it!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

David. I appreciate the work that Phil my camera man does, he is an expert at his craft.

[@ankitgadhvi]

Thank you Mr. Stark for these amazing coaching sessions.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Ankit. Pleased the videos are helping, good luck.

[@IRISHJAY247]

thanks for the tips Barry brillaint stuff. God bless

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

IRISH. Many thanks for the well wishes.

[@dayamitrasaraswati4162]

Hi Barry, I've written to you before to say I am a woman who has been coached for a few months now in snooker. I always look to see if I can find something similar to what my coach has taught me that evening. I usually find the exact same lesson with you, Barry. It means I can really study and take in what my coach is teaching me and remember it. Recently I played in a club against club tournament (with my husband, who also plays) and won two of the three games I played - yay!! I played off scratch too! I love seeing the surprise on the men's faces when the penny drops that I can actually play (and play for position too)! It's even better when I'm wearing a skirt, ha!!! WOMEN LOVE SNOOKER TOO!!! I can ruffle some feathers too! Dayamitra

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Dayamitra. For far too long the game has been mostly dominated by males. Its great that more women are playing the game, its even better when they are competing and occasionally beating the men, I hope you and your coach keep up the good work, well done.

[@dayamitrasaraswati4162]

Hi Barry, Thank you for your lovely reply! My coach is also a great believer in encouraging women to play snooker. In fact he's also a referee all over NSW. I owe all I have learned to him and to you for the helping me! I love the follow up with Selina. I hope to be even more of a contender in the future as well. I love the game!

[@johnnybravo9087]

Thanks to Selena for doing this, excellent player

[@shaneholmes6977]

A follow up of her progresion would be great

[@markonikolic1386]

That relation between the hands will help me a lot. I am an american pool player and now i know why i couldnt play a good position when i move my bridge hand from my base position. Thank you very much!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Marko. Glad the video is helping your understanding.

[@gururaj3102]

You are a legend sir. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

My pleasure!

[@monkeybreeksjov9574]

Was in Nottingham last week; stayed in the Jurys Inn next to railway station = great hotel. Could not see a snooker club though.

[@jk_46]

Good job Selina,go ruffle some more feathers!! Great coaching Barry!! Awesome channel

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Jarrod. Selina is really trying, unfortunately her work and the need to earn a living thwarts her progress a little. Glad you like the channel.

[@jk_46]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach that's a shame, in the end I guess if she's having fun that's the most important part. Thanks for all the videos, really enjoy watching them!!!

[@MEECHIO]

Another excellent video Barry. Selena's game really has improved from the first video you did with her. Well done Sir..

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

MEECHIO. I am afraid I don't see her often enough and because of her work and the limited time she has for practise she really has made good progress, there is long way to go though.

[@manuelromero7618]

Thanks again Barry! For sharing all your knowledge... thank to your advice i stay more often in the vertical Line of the cue ball and use side « only when it is needed ». You are à great teacher and a master of the game. Respect!!!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Manuel. Thanks for that, some players use side to hide a flaw in their cueing without them realising that the flaw is even there. Predominantly using centre ball striking can help a player to expose these flaws and give the opportunity to put them right.

[@M4BoarBiker]

Barry I watch a lot of your video lessons and although I tend not to comment I just want to say how brilliant I think you are. I'm not a great player, if I get a break of more than 20 I think I'm Ronnie O'Sulivan, haha. Your video's are of great interest and I try to practice and hopefully improve. Thanks for sharing the knowledge. Good luck to Selina too....

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

The M4. From Selina and myself, thank you very much.

[@easer777]

Thanks Barry, for giving Billards these very comprehensive and in-depth tutorials.... And Selina, I hope that You will stick with Barry, it is probably not easy to "be on tv" making all sorts of repeated mistakes, with billards it is really like it is with life, it is all about building good habits, and bad habits can be really hard to get rid of.... I have learned a lot about the basics from just these three videos, I knew most of it already, but have never managed to actually translate it into reality, but I actually think that there is a chance that I get there this time.... Have struggled with stance (< will take a small step rearwards and lean in onto the table), I knew it were about keeping the upper half of the arm steady and relax the muscles. so that the lower arm/cue work as a pendulum (< will relax a little in my hand, so that thát can actually happen). and the bridge-hand will need a little inwards twist, and the cue will have to be allowed to travel a little more, also before the shot....;- ) In other words, thanks to You Both, but particularly You Barry....

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Bjarke. Our pleasure, many thanks.

[@noumalhassni9311]

In one of your vedios you said that many of us don't have access to a coach even though we want to learn, that's exactly the case am facing, thanks to you sir, am improving little by little but really consistently. Cheers.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Noumal. In some parts of the world it is a shame that more coaches are not available, it is great though that the channel is helping a little. Many thanks.

[@shivashankarshetty8452]

Hi sir I was searching for a coach in KZbin and did not find any couch like you for a beginner like me thank you very much it's very much helpfull 😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Shivashankar. My pleasure, glad you like the videos, I also hope that the videos help your game to progress.

[@ernoeskeli1139]

She's getting there. It's obvious that concentrating so hard on making a new habit natural for you will make your potting and positional game worse for a while. But once Selena gets used to these proper techniques her game's going to raise to another level. Changing something in your technique will always be very uncomfortable in the beginning but the ultimate prize is worth it.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Erno. So very true. Players do what they do because it feels comfortable, when they change something, however small, it feels uncomfortable until they get used to it.

[@brendankaipa]

Love this I think I am learning from this

[@zeekrfc83]

Barry your a top coach you only have to look at young kyren were he has come now hes always in later stages of big tournaments or winning if i stayed near you i would deffo love a few lessons but scotland is a fair travel away anyway love watching your videos great help and advice :)

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

scotlad. I am sure there are plenty of good coaches in Scotland, there are certainly some very good players from there.

[@TheProf62]

Another great video, fantastic coaching session. :) I don't know about other people, but a video I'd be interested in seeing is one more about you as a player. Where you think you're strong, weak, what you'd like to change about your action/style, your favourite shots, least favourite shots and such. Might be a bit esoteric, but I'd find it interesting. It might also help a good amateur to self-evaluate.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Andrew. Don't think a video about myself as a snooker player would be very interesting but I played as a child on a table top bought for myself and my brother one Christmas, I also played a little as a teenager but not reaching any great standard. I didn't play again for several years as other sports, marriage, work and raising a family took priority. I didn't start to take the game seriously until well into my forties when I completely rebuilt my game. I suppose it was trying to master the problems that I encountered during that period that gave me the knowledge and desire to coach. Due to age I have developed a slight tremor in my cue action which is more pronounced on some days but I still knock the odd century in so I am reasonably happy. If I was starting again I would certainly have took lessons at an early age, all sports go through periods of development and then passed down through coaching. To try and learn the sport on your own nullifies all that development and makes learning hard work.

[@gaganjain5191]

Awesome tips for beginners Barry, I have been playing snooker in bits and pieces for about 20 years now and find it difficult to get the changes into my game but when ever I do it, it works wonders thanks a ton, btw I am 52 now

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

gagan. There is no doubt that as we get older it is difficult to change old habits that have become ingrained over the years and as I have often said we humans like to do what we are comfortable with. Getting out of our comfort zone is something we just don't want to do, sometimes we just have to accept that what we are doing is not quite good enough and work on those changes. Good luck.

[@gaganjain5191]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach yes so true Barry, but I want to improve, in my younger years I was making breaks of 40 and plus daily, it so happened that we started a new factory, that took about 6 years of my time and never played a single game, after that it's just not to often that I get a chance to spend a couple of hours a week on a good snooker table

[@henrykabwata3087]

Great video, how to manage the cue ball control thanks Barry.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

henry. Certainly cue ball control is the real art of the game, we all need to work at this.

[@JORGEZIDANE1]

More videos with Selina please Barry!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Jorge. Selina is busy earning a living at the moment and not playing as much but we hope to get together soon.

[@georgedagosdagopoulos7587]

Good afternoon Mr Stark, this is another wonderful video!!!! I'm sure that Selina some day will become an excellent snooker player, all because of you. You are the greatest snooker coach, Thank you for your videos. Greetings from Greece!!!!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

George. Thanks for that. I have given Selina what I consider to be a good grounding, I need to keep an eye on her as often as time permits and then it is up to her, the amount of talent she has and the amount of time she can devote to the game, remembering of course that like everyone else she has to earn a living.

[@georgedagosdagopoulos7587]

That is definitely true, but all I wanna say is that, you are the best snooker coach she could have ever have, Mr Stark. She is so lucky. Thank you for your reply Sir and my greetings to Kyren and Selina too!!!!!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

George. Many thanks, I will pass on your greetings to Kyren and Selina.

[@georgedagosdagopoulos7587]

Thank you Sir for everything!!!!

[@everythingbobbywolfe]

Would love to see how she progressed. I'm also fairly certain we have the same cue.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Damn. Unfortunately Selina has a lot of commitments in terms of earning a living and I believe she has also started courting so understandably I am afraid snooker has taken a back seat a little for the time being.

[@rohaniyatkiduniya6729]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach sir what is the WhatsApp number off ur student salina can u give me pls?

[@fanofmrbean6294]

Nice she tries her very best to be a professional and I hope one day she becomes a coach just like you and your videos are great and they even help me sometimes and please can you reply back and your such a wonderful coach you don't take things fast you do it step by step thank you very much

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

fan. Thanks for the comments, I believe when coaching that although I may have an overall picture of what I want a student to do I introduce it piece by piece. If I load to much information all at the same time it is hard for the student to digest and ultimately they become confused.

[@hishamhardy007]

Hey barry! There’s a problem that I’m constantly suffering with and I want you to do a video on it. I lack in self belief and suffer from pressure for example if there’s a easy clearance on and that’s all I need to clinch the frame I would get so much under pressure that I miss the easiest of pots that result in total lack in self belief! It’s like I have the potting skill but I can’t get it when I need it the most. Teach us how increase our mental strength! Regards Sir!

[@alexandpool]

Late answer Qazi, but since barry hasn't answered, I will give you a tip that helpt my game ALOT, and that is simply pre-shot rutine and timing. If you do exactly the same steps for evry shot(easy shot or difficult shot), you will gain self belief and more control I promise you. It will even help you breathe better. I do this one: chalk, aim from above, walking into the shot line, two warm up stroke, pause and shoot with smoth followthrough. Use same speed for the fiale stroke as for the warm up stroke. Good luck

[@bravetart86]

All about trusting your technique. You master your technique then all you need to do is trust your technique and concentrate on that and take it one shot at a time rather than putting pressure on yourself. Keep it as simple as possible

[@DM-kv9kj]

3 years late to this one but you never know... Basically just practise a lot. Practice to improve, not just to pot a few balls or play a game. Do it so often that when these chances come up in actual games, you don't think about how embarrassing it'll be if you miss, your whole focus remains on picking your shots, sighting them up carefully and executing your well practiced technique. If you do happen to miss, just accept it and focus on what might help you not to miss those shots again. Anyone can miss sometimes, even the best in the world, because they lose concentration. Your problem with pressure causing you to miss is purely because your mind is occupied with abstract worrying about things that haven't happened yet. What could happen etc. None of that thinking is of any benefit or value whatsoever, it's just noise, so get used to just ignoring it and giving all your attention to the actual practicalities of what you need to do to pot the balls and get position. You can also use a little bit of that tension caused by other people watching to help you focus even more carefully on getting your technique and aiming right.

[@ryanmiller9999]

Love these videos... I always take away some great tips!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Ryan. I hope the tips are improving your game. good luck.

[@martinmennel152]

Hey Barry, i never played snooker in my life but i look and love the Game on tv. A few weeks ago i started to look at your videos and i have to say with your advice i want to play right now, sad that the next table is one hour away from me. Sorry for my english and nice greetings from germany

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Martin. I have always been a little surprised how popular snooker is when the pros play in Germany, the venue is always full yet I am told that there are not that many clubs or indeed many people actually playing. I hope in some small way the videos contribute to a rise in the number of people playing.

[@JR-ty8gh]

Fantastic advice thanks Barry nobody teaches as well as you online

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

J R. Thanks for that.

[@Riktenstein]

Wow - she improved fast. I need some coaching.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Rik. Selina has a long way to go but unfortunately her work and running a home interferes with her practise.

[@Riktenstein]

I know that problem all too well.@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach

[@zanebeasley6246]

Good lesson for all to see and here thank you.

[@Knightlore10]

Think she could become a good player with dedication. Working on her cueing will be massive. Good she doesn’t hold the cue too far back. I would not ask her to focus on keeping the cue level but imagine maintaining the cues slope angle without the cue rising and lowering through the cue action. This will help prevent the elbow dropping as she takes the cue back but she can drop the elbow when delivering the cue to get through the ball. Pity she doesn’t live nearer to me. :-)

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Knightlore. We all have our coaching methods, Selina is struggling to unfurl the fingers of her grip as I would like, visualising the cue parallel to the table helps her to rectify this.

[@pammy5260]

Thats a gorgeous cue she has, which one is it? Nice wood veneer.

[@TheLordWalter]

Would love to play vs Selina. However, i'd probably loose.

[@valeriomiressi7946]

Great video... Hi professor I started to play this fabulous game around 5 months ago,I always play with the same partner but I always end up loosing every game and even though is quite frustrating I won’t give up.I am trying to follow all your precious advice but I really can’t at the moment move the cue in the way that you show to Celina in the video( when you count 1 2 3 and play the shot) because I found it very hard and awkward do you have any advice for me to get used to a fluid and good cue action that could improve my game?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Valerio. The 1-2-3 action that I am encouraging Selina to do is purely to give her something to focus on. She had a very short back swing and I wanted her to lengthen it mainly to groove her muscles in such a way that the cue moves back and forward in a straight line, it is easier to keep a longer cue action straight than a short one but it is harder to learn initially. Beginners are frightened of length but it is essential to learn. Don't get overly concerned with the 1-2-3 routine but do try to master a longer cue action, you can practise this away from a snooker table on any surface a similar height to a snooker table, in fact this would probably be beneficial because you will not get distracted by hitting balls, just concentrating on cueing. good luck.

[@hosamtayyeb6001]

I like the way you teach you are veryyyyyy polite

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Hosam. Many thanks, glad you think so.

[@Misteryowl]

Great stuff. Got to admit - I did laugh at 14:04, because I've seen players at my local club do that!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Roger. I am afraid its a common fault especially as players get older and lose a little flexibility.

[@Misteryowl]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach I understand. Love your videos, Barry.

[@tp_1479]

You can also use your feathers to see of youre cueing straight

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Thijs. The feathers are a very important part of your pre-shot routine and they can certainly help in determining that you are cueing straight. However, they don't always tell the full story and although your feathers may be straight and true it is important to check your cueing on the follow through as well.

[@tp_1479]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach i agree.

[@johngunning2123]

I have really enjoyed this video. I have watched the first and the second so ..liked and subscribed! I love snooker and have picked up on some of the points made in the first two videos. I am guilty of striking the cue ball way too hard.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

John. Great that you like the videos and have subscribed to the channel, I hope that you continue to enjoy and gain from their content. All the best.

[@RhysTucker2603]

Hi Barry, I am 6 foot 5 and was using a 58" cue and thought it was a bit short to use a long backswing so i have purchased a 60" cue from cue-craft. I understand everyone is different but does this sound about right, i thought you were the man to ask as Kyren is a tall lad so knew you'd have experience with it. Many thanks👍

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Rhys. 58 inches is the average length of a cue but at your height I would really go along with your view that it is on the short side. I am 5ft 8 inches and my cue is 57.5 inches long so for someone as tall as you I would recommend a cue a lot longer and 60 inches seems about right.

[@RhysTucker2603]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach brilliant, thank you very much for your speedy reply, I will use my new cue with confidence when it arrives now Barry. You've given so much back to the world of snooker and i thank you on behalf of all of us 👍

[@raphaelbalverde8559]

Hi Barry! Thank you for all the knowledge you've shared. I've been watching some of your videos for over a year now when I started playing snooker. I finished the line up drill a couple of times a few months ago. Since then, every time i need to put (plain)screw back on the cueball when cutting a ball that I intentionally aim to undercut the shot, knowing I will still make the shot. Is it because of the backspin that makes it cut more or just a flaw in my aiming?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Raphael. There are some schools of thought on this but to my mind the only spin that will affect the cut shots is side spin. Don't forget that the contact will be minimal and as a result any other spin will have little or no effect.

[@kaiz8597]

Woww she’s improved quite a bit!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Kai. It takes time but she is trying hard with the limited time she can devote to the game.

[@kaiz8597]

I'm sure she is. She also has a magnificent coach to guide her along the way, combine that with her hard work & dedication to the game and I'm sure she will be a very good snooker player one day. All the best!

[@roytaylor414]

Thank you for the reply Barry have enjoyed watching your posts have picked up a lot from watching you.thanks again

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Roy. My pleasure, I do my best with replies.

[@SatanicXray6665]

Inspiring ways to teach a girl how to play snooker really well great details of showing up holding a snooker cue I knew how to use a snooker cue really well with my autism spectrum disorder ADHD and Learning difficulties because snooker is the most hard game pending on the cue ball directly closer to each different balls I really understand snooker really well with potting the colour balls

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Skullymalone. Glad you liked the video, good luck with your own game.

[@alexhubanov1526]

I would like to see what a coaching session with a pretty good player, who isn't a professional looks like. A player whose technique you wouldn't change. Someone like the young top amateurs, who go to european championships and such. Would be great if you'd tell us how you would teach them, what you'd talk about, etc. Thank you for the great videos. :)

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Alex. Glad that you like the videos. I am sure that you appreciate it is very difficult to have a blueprint that would suit every player, they all have different strengths and weaknesses. At the level you are talking about you have to get to know the player over a period of time. It also pays to watch the player in practise and in matches, talk about shot selection and mental attitudes etc.

[@gazman1001]

Barry, Your a great coach.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

gazman. Many thanks, glad you like the videos.

[@QalinaCom]

thank you, great tips! have you also been advising Selina on hair styling? She's got a fringe now ;)

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Qalina. My pleasure, glad you like the video, Selina is from a different generation to me and is certainly her own person, I would be the last person to advise her on hair styles.

[@Tommy-oh9mg]

Good Coach then Good Result

[@PianoLad]

Hi Barry, really informative video, thanks! I was practicing for about 2 hours earlier on and my head and neck starting aching and it was quite annoying. Not entirely sure why, wondering if you have an idea as to why this is happening? Also, I was practicing my cue-action earlier on and noticed that the marker I had used as to where to position my bridge hand was still facing upwards in the same orientation. When watching professionals I noticed that while they cue in a straight line, the cue actually twists as it is going forward, implying that if they used a marker it wouldn't be facing up after the shot. So i tried implementing this and I noticed I was a lot more successful at potting, however only when watching the cue the whole time I played the shot (not looking up at object ball whatsoever). Do you know how I can break this habit and focus on the object ball while playing the shot while maintaining a straight cue-action? Thanks, and sorry for the really long comment!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

The PianoLad. On the subject of the aching neck , you have to remember that getting down to play snooker effectively can induce a little strain in this area, it really is a slightly unusual position. May I suggest that you treat it like any exercise, thoroughly warm the area up, take frequent rest periods and warm down effectively ensuring that you gently stretch the muscles around the neck area. On the subject of cue rotation, it is important to note that SLIGHT cue rotation is not detrimental to the shot, in fact straining to achieve no rotation at all is probably more detrimental because it implies too full a grip, too much use of the major muscles of the arm and limited cue power. Have a look at my video which discusses when to look at the object ball during the cue action, their are four methods and the only way to find which one is right for you is to try them.

[@PianoLad]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you very much, this is really helpful!

[@timhall9740]

This coaching from beginner level is a really good format. Selena asks the same questions( and probably makes the same mistakes) as all of us mere beginners. Can I ask if this will be a long term program, perhaps to the student reaching club player standard? After a year it would be interesting to look back on that kind of improvement.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Tim. Selina has a full time job, her practise and her progress comes second to earning a living, but she will give it her best shot I am sure.

[@beverlysummers3231]

Barry your video are so helpful and please can you help me i am 6' 3 do i need a longer cue than standard ?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Beverly. At your height it is generally the case that a player does need a longer cue, have a look at my video on where to hold the cue, where to place your bridge hand and whether you play with a bent bridge arm. These factors can influence your follow through, they can also help you to determine how long you cue should be, be careful though, don't go too long, 58 inches is about standard and an extra inch can make a big difference.

[@Indian-kk1jb]

Excellent ❤

[@gaganjain5191]

Still plan to improve breaks but I am sure if I had your coaching way back then I would have been much better

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

gagan. Asking questions of yourself is sometimes the answer, instead of just shrugging your shoulders when you play a poor shot try to come up with the answer, sometimes we need a little help to do that but an enquiring mind is also a massive advantage when you ask that lovely question. WHY.

[@gaganjain5191]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thanks Barry

[@JR-ty8gh]

Does widening the gap very slightly matter if you’re feathering? You can see what the end of the queues doing I think you’d make the tiny adjustment naturally, no?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

J R. I assume you are talking about the distance the tip is away from the cue ball. Being closer does help the player to hit exactly where he intends to hit. Being too far away can also reduce the follow through by reducing the distance between the grip and the body before the cue ball is actually struck.

[@JR-ty8gh]

Barry Stark Snooker Coach sorry no I meant the gap between the two hands. You adjust her slightly a lot to move the rear hand up when the bridge hand has to get closer to the cue ball

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

J R. Sorry for the mix up and the late reply. It is nearly always a good idea to keep the two hands the same distance apart. If you need to move the bridge hand then move the grip hand a similar amount, this keeps the relationship between the two hands fairly constant.

[@everythingbobbywolfe]

Barry, I'm curious. I believe I have the same cue as Selina. Did you happen to play some shots with it? Do you have any opinion on its quality maybe in comparison to your cues? Thank you!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Real. I have not played any shots with Selina's cue, it would be too short for me, but it seems a nice piece of wood but the main thing is that she is happy with it.

[@wayne.1]

Great video Barry, it's nice to see folks like you're self helping out people with the game. Just a question as well do you do 1-1 tuitions as I'm 18 and would like to up my game thanks

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Wayne. I'm sorry but due to family and other commitments I cannot commit myself to individual coaching at the moment.

[@simonwatson4499]

What a lovely man

[@monkeybreeksjov9574]

23.00 = I cue into a soft drinks bottle or milk bottoe to keep cue on level plane

[@rahulyadbole9221]

Hi sir, selina has improved but i just noted that the way she was holding the cue initialy in this video was quite different it was little angled and then when she took the stance then she hold the cue in a different way..n also the cue was touching her shoulder while playing the shot and she was moving her whole hand( above the elbow)and also she was using the muscels while playing the shot she was not hitting with the elbow, was that right?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Rahul. I have determined that this method suits Selina better than dropping the elbow at this stage. I want her to have enough room between her body and the grip hand so that she can get enough follow through without losing control, hence the reason she holds the cue where she does.

[@bottlecap57]

Hi Barry, one question I've always wanted to ask your opinion on. I've been pulling my grip hand (unintentionally) in towards my side for years instead of pushing straight through. I've tried to correct it myself but just can't come up with the answer. I can still play to a decent level but just wondered what your thoughts may be on this problem. Thanks.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

The Snookerist. You certainly do play to a good standard despite your problem. May I suggest you cue along the baulk line without hitting a ball and without the cue touching your chest. Cue long and in ultra slow motion, this may highlight the problem and give you food for thought. Let me know how you get on.

[@bottlecap57]

Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thankyou

[@bottlecap57]

Barry Stark Snooker Coach Hello Barry, I've been trying your suggestion along with a few other things but just can't sort it out to a level I'm happy with. Still twisting my wrist on delivery (something I may have always done) but I can now keep my chin on the cue much better with practice. That has helped but I still struggle to cue straight enough for whatever reason. Even when just hitting the cue ball up and down the spots I'm surprised how far out I am at times ( mostly accidental left hand side ). I could certainly blame bad eye sight on missed pots but not on the cue ball over the spots routine. If I hadn't played so well for so long I wouldn't let it bother me. Anyway, back to the drawing board. Cheers

[@easer777]

Are Your hand relaxed....?

[@bottlecap57]

@@easer777 Yes, possibly too much.

[@anasstihouna7915]

Mr Barry, Firsty thank you very much for this Great coaching, While i'm playing a shot I feel that my cue isn't stable and deviates slightly left and right (in height too) I mean I can't keep it straight wich influences the trajectory of the cueball and barely I succed a long pot. is that because of my stance?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Anass. Whilst it cannot be ignored there is often too much emphasis placed upon the stance. If your cue deviates left and right and up and down it is more likely to be that you have not grooved the cue action yet. Try to keep the cue parallel with the table, examine your cueing on the baulk line with a long and fluent cue action. Don't be frightened to use a long cue action while doing this practise, it will make sure that the muscles are working correctly. Put yourself on video, it can often tell you things that you have missed or that you think you are doing but in actual fact are not. Also please have a look at my video on the grip, this is essential, there is only one thing that has got hold of the cue and it must be right, not every one grips it the same but it is nearly always one area that needs some attention.

[@anasstihouna7915]

Thank you very much Mr Barry for your help, you are the best coach, I will follow your instructions step by step.

[@garydobbs2085]

So informative thank you barry

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Gary. Glad you like the videos.

[@garydobbs2085]

Barry Stark Snooker Coach love them Barry and what you've done with kyren is simply amazing I really like the way he plays. I'm in my 50s now and was a county player many years back with a few century breaks. And I've just started to play again and your videos are so helpful and helps me remember all the things I've forgotten over the years. Keep up the good work Barry. 😀

[@leile5942]

the marker you put on the back cute, does it have the length with the marker in the front cue marker ?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Lei. These marks are individual to each player, they depend on the physical build of each. e.g. Kyren Wilson is well over six feet tall while I am only 5'8in. the length of his arms are so much longer than mine so the marks on the cue would be totally different.

[@roytaylor414]

Hi Barry. How do you work out were to put the marks on the cue for your grip and bridge many thanks in advance

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Roy. Place a mark on the cue approximately ten to eleven inches from the tip end of the cue, place another mark six inches away from the first toward the butt end of the cue. Place your bridge hand on the table with the first mark on the cue on the point where the thumb meets the forefinger, now grip the cue and play an imaginary shot bringing your grip hand firmly to the chest, the second mark should replace the first mark, any adjustment is made by moving the grip hand either forward or backwards. This will invariably mean that the cueing arm from elbow to hand will be about vertical. Remember this is only for shots where you can adopt standard cueing position. I have also done a video that explains this in detail, please have a look.

[@Worldbfree4you]

If you wear glasses and when you go down to shoot, you see OVER your glassed...What do you do to shoot looking thru your glasses???

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Freddie. You will never play good snooker in ordinary spectacles, I am afraid you will have to invest in either contact lenses or proper snooker glasses. If you choose the latter may I suggest you contact Chris Cheshire of SnookerSpex.com. Chris is a qualified optician specialising in snooker glasses, he is also a very good snooker player and knows exactly what snooker players require.

[@unaizshehzad3167]

Hi Barry What would be the aiming technique to pot a ball that is very close to the cue ball... And what part of the cue ball does hit first when the object ball is too close to it..??? Does the middle part of the cue ball hit first or the side of which the object ball is ...???

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Unaiz. The aiming technique is exactly the same irrespective of whether the balls are close together or far apart. It is sometimes very difficult to judge this though when the balls are close and the tendency is to hit the ball thick. You can satisfy your curiosity on the second question by laying two round, flat objects, (two small plates will suffice) side by side. Imagine one is the cue ball and the other the object ball, also imagine you are cutting the object ball to the side and you will soon see that it is towards the side of the cue ball that makes contact.

[@unaizshehzad3167]

Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you so much .. love your videos They r very informative

[@1988Carlsberg]

You really are a wonderful teacher Barry. If I am to contact you for coaching how is this done? I would love to improve at the game from my current standard.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

1988. I am sorry but presently the area that I live is in covid lockdown and since I am of the age that places me in the vulnerable category I am not coaching at the moment.

[@1988Carlsberg]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Absolutely understand Barry. I just hope that this awful time passes soon. I have been watching your videos for a while now, hopefully the time comes that I can have a proper personal coach soon.

[@vengomel1]

Barry i would love to just have an hour with yourself, i think i could pick so much up and really push my game to the next level. I would be forever indebted to you. Is there any chance? Im from the midlands, thanks!!!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Veng. It is obviously possible but not at the moment as I am recovering from a recent operation, I am also being very careful about the covid restrictions because I am of an age that places me on the vulnerable list.

[@vengomel1]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Hi Barry, totally understandable. If it is possible I would love the opportunity for you to just observe me for a hour or so and give me some tips and pointers, I have played for over 15 years on and off only last year I have taken it seriously and tried to improve my game with coaching and practice. Would love you to just give me your opinion if I’ve got something or not, I feel like I can pull shots out of nowhere sometimes but struggle with consistency, so hopefully my practice will help bring consistency. Can I contact you when all the craziness blows over? Hopefully next year. All the best

[@damienreynolds2076]

brilliant barry tks..

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

damien. My pleasure.

[@syedkamilaliagha4152]

May you live long!

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

fire. Thank you very much, hopefully you as well.

[@alaparslan8914]

I am amateur player i have lost many tournaments crucial matches due to massive pressure and thus cannot holds my never and eventually lost the match Barry i want from you to please make video on how to hold the nerves for mental stability in game thanks.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Alap. Struggling to make videos at the moment for a variety of reasons, but I will try.

[@chrissnowmusic]

Hi Barry, I’ve almost watched all of your videos but can you give some advice on how to choose a pool cue, in particular what the right height and weight is for a player? I’ve heard that weight is personal preference but how do you determine the right height? Thank you, I hope you continue to upload videos.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Chris. I am afraid I don't play pool only snooker, there are a lot of people better qualified than me to offer advice on the ideal pool cue.

[@chrissnowmusic]

Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you for replying. Are snooker cues different? I would still be interested in knowing how to choose a snooker cue. I notice in your videos that the cue height is about up to your chin.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Chris. The standard length of a snooker cue is 58 inches and that suits most people. The weight tends to vary between 17 and 19 ounces and the tip also varies between 9 and 11 mm. The shaft is generally made from Ash or Maple with an Ebony butt.

[@chrissnowmusic]

Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you for the clarification Barry, it’s greatly appreciated, looking forward to the next video 🙂

[@Jack-jf2gz]

I have a John Parris 8.5mm 18oz 58 inch pool cue and a GCUE 9.5mm 18oz 58inch for snooker and I get on well in both disciplines with each, 8.5mm is a good tip size for pool, if you are a top player a 7mm would be better.

[@Arman-km2mn]

Hello again Mr stark.Im 22 and I have been playing snooker for almost 8 or 9 months . Due to lack of a good coach I couldnt start learning technologically . Then I met your videos . I a bit tall Im 6'3" and I have problem with my stance I my self can feel the tension in my cuing and unwanted side on cue ball. I would be happy If you give me some tips. Btw I think Im still a rookie after 8 months playing. Because Im a teacher and I dont get much time to practice every day

[@Jack-jf2gz]

Bend both your knees if you feel you are too tall to do the normal stance

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

arman. Jack, below has given you good advice regarding the stance. As a teacher I am sure you will understand that things need to be broken down into the elements involved then practised a lot. Your work obviously interferes with this but practising the right things will shorten the learning process. It starts with the stance but don't forget where and how to hold the cue, please see my videos on this.

[@thegamingbear9764]

first but i have got so much better since i have watched ur vids i got my 7th 147 yesterday im trying to be a pro hope i do

[@bethanybellwarts]

u wot mate

[@thegamingbear9764]

i got my 7th 147

[@jacobbirch6080]

Im sure that is a lie

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

The gaming bear. That is fantastic, good luck with your ambition of becoming a pro, getting on tour, difficult though it may be, it is not as difficult as staying on tour, so get as much experience as you can. Good luck.

[@paulhunter2586]

Please don't lie! If you have made 7 147's you should be at a very high level and have very good understanding of the basics. Why do you still watch his videos and leave a comment to brag?

[@moustachemike7128]

she learned to dress more relaxed ...which helps in self confidence...

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Moustache. I believe Judd Trump is putting a similar case to World Snooker.

[@moustachemike7128]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach I see what ya mean,,Judd has a vary interesting way with a cue...And it works for him...Has amazing action from the ball in play ..thank you for what you do and sending others too see his style of play...

[@AdroitRoger]

Selena is good..she practiced well

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Roger. She works hard but family life and earning a living tends to get in the way. (unfortunately its the same for most of us.)

[@karammaayah2907]

How much will it cost me to train you.

[@mouradzahid8640]

Mr Barry how can I know where to put marks on my cue for bridge and grip like you did

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

mourad. You have obviously not looked at all my videos, please look at videos from one to ten, these points are covered on them.

[@umarshah8911]

Please and please make a video explaining technique deeply. I personally think every one would get help from it including me as technique is most important part of Game

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Shah. Most of my videos are about technique, I am such a big believer in that improving the cue action is the way for most players to improve their game. Please really study my videos, they cover this in every detail.

[@jonnyhall3052]

barry, at the club i struggle with unwanted side and i have been told to shorten cueing up length as cueing up like in this video makes it harder to hit the centre ball. what do you suggest

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Jonny. You can be too long and also too short. Obviously striking the cue ball where you intend to is easier with a short action but there is more to it than that and you can apply side as you get through the ball even though you have hit it exactly in the middle. If you are a beginner ( 20 or 30 Breaks) I would encourage you to groove the action with a longer swing, you can always shorten it slightly later. A short action tends to be a stab and on power shorts requires muscle to do the work rather than the cue, this in turn causes cueing errors.

[@jonnyhall3052]

@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thanks barry at the club tonnight, i guess its just finding the sweet spot for me

[@IAmIProDaniel]

Barry where can I come and have lessons with you

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

IAm. At the moment due to many personal reasons I am not available for any more individual coaching.

[@andrewsmith2591]

Hi Barry, Do you coach any other professionals or who have you coached in the past?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Andrew. I have to be diplomatic, some players are offended if it is disclosed so I better keep that information to myself.

[@nukiepoo]

Pure class

[@npdoughty1988]

I would love just a few-hour session with you, rather in demand, I would imagine. Where are you based Barry? I'd like to think I could iron out a few issues rather quickly, given I've played on and off for a number of years, but then I suppose the other way of looking at that would be that any bad habits I do have could be quite hard to let go off this far in. Either way, I would love to be assessed and find out.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

np. I am afraid that I am struggling to find a suitable venue for private coaching at this moment in time.

[@dogstar167]

barry im just looking for some advice, last season i had one century and about 3 dozen 90 plus breaks. Today i went in to the club and could not string 4 pots together missed 3 blacks of its spot and im close to just quitting the game just fed up completely. I know everybody has a bad day but i felt like i couldn't play the game at all.

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

dogstar. I always find that its a good time to return to basics in situations like this, the first step is to put yourself on video from all angles. You are obviously a good player and should have an idea of what to look for, get on the baulk line, are you cueing across the ball, playing with unintentional side, do you have a sound pre-shot routine. Has your cue action shortened making you stab at the ball etc. All these points need looking at, checking and correcting, players don't go from near century breaks to rubbish without a reason, use your and experience and knowledge to find it. Good luck.

[@dogstar167]

thanks barry i think a video from all angles is a great idea i will try that, i did play up and down the spots and cue ball is straight except when i play what would be a screw shot and the cue ball is returning with a little left side. I got my mate to look and he said my cue arm is throwing a little out to the right and thus putting a little left hand side on but its only happening on a deep screw shot?

[@dodthemod5678]

Hi Barry just curious to what cues Selina and yourself are using in this video thanks

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

DOD. My cue is a John Parris cue, Selina's was made and then modified for her by CueCraft.

[@dodthemod5678]

Thanks what cue would you reckoned for a beginner i play more english pool than snooker and have a budget of around £250-300 to buy a cue without a case as i already own a case for a one piece and also 3/4th cue thanks

[@vinays70]

hi barry, i want to ask about timing of the shot, is pause compulsary for the final delivery of the shot,if yew then for how many seconds of pause is necessary?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

Vikey. When delivering the cue a lot of mistakes are made during the transition of taking the cue back and sending it forward, a slight pause helps to keep this under control. Other points include the pause being used to allow time to focus properly on the shot before you deliver the cue. In respect of the length of time of the pause this depends on the individual and what he/she is comfortable with, too long can create other problems staying still or allowing the mind to wander, whilst too short obviously means why bother at all. All the top players have a slight pause but as you get older this tends to increase in terms of time allowing the eyes to focus properly not only on the line of the shot but also as they switch from cue ball to object ball.

[@vinays70]

thanks a lot barry, well my pause for the final delivery is about 1.5 to 2.5 seconds,i dont know its right or wrong

[@potogoldmv4052]

Been playing for a few months and i feel like my technique is really good since i have practiced it a lot on my pool table . Do you think i also need coaching sir?

[@BarryStarkSnookerCoach]

PotOGold. One of the mistakes I made in my early attempts to play snooker was that I tried to use my natural ability at ball skills to play the game. If you try to learn the game on your own you are negating all the years of development and evolution that the game has gone through. Everyone needs a little help along the way sometimes so my advice is to seek out a coach who is well trusted and you are prepared to listen to, at the very least it will be someone you can talk to about your game and the possible problems you may encounter on your journey of progress.