Posted by Mike Keyes on October 09, 2000 at 19:55:48:
In Reply to: I think I get it...mental shooting.....could it be???? posted by Roland Cannon on October 09, 2000 at 19:09:05:
: Yet another interview where a world class shooter says nothing more about mental shooting than "Nothing much" Maybe...these folks are very talented. Michael Jordans in their own basketball court of sorts. Either that, or the mental shooting is a load. It must be one or the other, right???
Even Michael Jordan has a bad day but somehow he still wins.
Back in the pre-mental training days, records were set that still stand (the BE 2700 aggregate, for example) and the shooters could not tell you what they did to shoot the shot or deal with match pressure. The reason is that they had immense talent and good technical training.
In 1983 I helped test a few national champions on a biofeedback machine. I went in with the idea that i would teach theme relaxation methods, but they all bottomed out the machine and then had a contest to see who could bring it to zero the fastest. There was no need to teach relaxation.
At the same period of time the first EEG studies were done with elite shooters showing preponderance of right brain (in some cases all right brain) alpha wave formation. Alpha waves are a sign of relaxation and are present in meditative and other altered states of relaxation.
Highly talented and well trained shooters tend to shoot a lot of tens whether they are aware of specific mental techniques or not. At this level the shots are automatic, the trick is dealing with the pressure of the match and trying for a one thought shot (trigger control or sight alignment) or the no thought shot.
Shooter should try to shoot their average and should beat those whose average is below thiers. In the case of air pistol at the highest level, it depends on who has the best day.
Remember, even Michael Jordan had bad days. But Michael Jordan, besides being immensly talented, trained very hard. Tiger Woods does the same thing and tries to lower his average to the point that his average beats everyone else.
Posted by Roland Cannon on October 09, 2000 at 21:28:37:
Based on what you say and using myself as an example......In your opinion, an average athlete such as myself would get more improvement in shooting with mental training, or physical? Probably not a fair question, but one I am dying to ask. I have had some football experience but nothing training wise in a feel sport like shooting. No major health problems that would stand in my way of becoming a good shooter. Thanks!!!
Posted by Mike Keyes on October 09, 2000 at 22:02:11:
In order to shoot at the highest levels, you have to have superior technique and fitness. The mental training you need should start at the beginning with the basics: relaxation, visualization, self-talk, Imagery, and planning skills. As you develop your technique and begin to shoot matches, match strategy, dealing with match pressure, and ultra fine tuning develops. In the beginning, technique and fitness (both general and specific) are more important, but you hve to learn the basics of mental training to be able to build on it later on.
At the elite level (check out the interviews with the shotgun shooters on the Pilkington site) everything is mental as the fitness and technique become automatic.
So the answer is it depends on where you are on the novice, intermediate, master, elite spectrum. If you don't have good technique, your mental training will not do much good as you will be re-inforcing bad skills.
In order to do this, you have to practice, practice, practice. The difference as you improve is what you practice.
Posted by mako on October 14, 2000 at 02:14:17:
I was looking at some of the photos of the top three free pistol shooters at this years ISSF World Cup match in Munich. I'm happy to say that they all look pretty stocky, double chins and all (Wang, Kokorev, and Kiriakov). They look like they have about the same level of physical fitness as myself.
Big Smiles :-)
Posted by Mike Keyes on October 14, 2000 at 12:31:52:
If you ever saw me, you'd recognize the body type. In pistol shooting the ideal body type is a squatty bodied individual with a stocky build (i.e. 5'4" 150 lb) who has the ability relax and is able to see clearly at 3 feet.
The fitness I am talking about is endurance type fitness. A study was done in the 80's that correlated leg strength with force table stability. The more you could leg press, the more stable you were. This might be a function of lower center of gravity (muscle is water heavy) but you also have to consider that strength plays a part in the ability to remain stable.
Unlike rifle shooters who can place bone on bone, pistol shooters are dependent on muscle power to stabilize their position and have to have good endurance in shoulders, forearms, back and legs. One trick is to learn to relax all the muscles not being used so they don't interfere with the process of stability.
Each opposing (usually flexor) muscle subtracts from the strength of the muscle you need to use.
So fitness is relative, but essential. Each match is 40 to 60 shots with a 50% chance of recycles and position and hold change quite a bit during the match due to fatigue. If you can decrease the number of times that your have to change your position, you will be more consistent.
Posted by Patrick on October 09, 2000 at 23:39:50:
As a newbie to this sport I have seen my scores much higher than the other people doing the probabtion with me and keep getting numerous digs by the instructors to go and shoot competition. Even though I have only shot six times I can consistently get my groups inside a 9-ring (taking into account the shots made in error). What I can say is that my abilities are in my mind directly related to the amount of mental focus I dedicate in training for every probationary shoot. During the week I look up the internet for up-to-date interviews and refined techniques as well as using my TV remote control on a target each time the ads come on. It mightn't be the most physically demanding training routine but I do know that better shots come with more training. I was interested to read the Russian guy Mikhail Nestruev saying that he only trains twice a week. Maybe for him that works, maybe for young shooters like Annemarie 4 hours a day is right....who knows. Everyone is born with a talent of some sort (whether it is realised at a young age or later in life). However, everyone is not born with a positive attitude and this is where I put most of my mental work into. If you don't have a positive attitude as soon as you head up to the line you are going to waste your first few strings until you get in that "zone". I'm no Olympic champion, nor do I claim to be the next Nestruev, but just like bodybuilding I think all parts should be trained, not just the ones that you are good at.
Posted by Mike Keyes on October 10, 2000 at 06:42:44:
Patrick said:
"Even though I have only shot six times I can consistently get my groups inside a 9-ring (taking into account the shots made in error)"
It's the "shots made in error" that define the limits of talent. Target shooting is a game of consistentcy and consistentcy is acheived by good technique first, fitness second, and then mental technique after the other two are in place. The fact that you might have a nine=ring hold is great, but match pressure will expand the number of errors until you hve a seven ring average. And shooting your average determines score.
Practicing all three legs of the triad (technique, fitness, mental toughness) brings your average up. Then you learn to deal with match pressure to keep shoting it when in a match.
Shooters who rely on their level of talent to win will do so in small matches but will not be consistent in bigger matches. Our very good BE shooters managed to demonstrate that in the 70's when shooting in the Olympics and World Championships while the rifle shooters took every trophy available.
The upshot is that talent level is the starting point but can also be the end point if you don't work on the triad.
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