Training Exercises
Loosen Your Snooker Arm
The snooker line up exercise is probably the most common training exercise used by professionals to loosen up and practice the basics.
This version of the snooker line up exercise is useful to all standards of snooker players as it helps the person loosen their arm with only reds to pot. If you are struggling with confidence as a beginner then this is a good exercise to start with.
With all the balls in ideal positions all you have to do is pot them and that’s where the fun starts.
If you are not used to getting breaks in normal play then this will help you to loosen your snooker arm and practice just pottingĀ reds and keeping the white ball off the cushion; just concentrate on keeping a loose arm and relaxing.
We are all at different levels of the game so as always, set yourself realistic targets to improve and understand patterns when the exercise breaks down.
Setting the exercise up
Loosen Your Snooker Arm:
- Place all 15 reds up the middle of the table as in the picture above.
- Choose a starting red (I normally choose the one at the bottom.
There are various positions used for the reds in the line i.e. 1 or 3 reds below the black spot etc. Just decide on one set-up and stay with it so you can measure your own progress in each session.
Initial exercise suggestions
Loosen Your Snooker Arm:
- Choose which red you want to start with (advanced players start with the first red)
- Either pot each red in turn from the bottom upward or:
- Pot each red in a random sequence
- If you miss at any point, it is normal to set the balls up and start again as a punishment to help you focus or:
- Keep potting even if you miss to release any pressure you may be feeling
- Record your score to gauge your improvement in practice sessions
Other points to consider
Loosen Your Snooker Arm:
Some coaches suggest imagining two lines splitting the table into thirds. each line would run the length of the table between the line of the balls and the rail; these lines are where the object ball should finish on each shot so you ensure you can always get your bridge on the playing surface. Obviously you don’t want the cue ball to finish on the rail or two close to the object balls so considering this will certainly help.
When you get really good at this exercise, try and start with the bottom red and work your way up in order which helps you to focus your position a little more.
This exercise should justĀ develop flow and help you relax by potting a few balls. How you decide to play it is up to you, just try and ensure you build this or a similar exercise into your practice sessions!