Posted by Rob W. on October 13, 2000 at 09:13:30:
All,
I was shooting a 40 shot match at home last night, and all was going well. After the first 20 shots, I scored the B40/4 target I was shooting, and was at 174 halfway. My PB is a 349, and I typically (note: typically after an entire two weeks of shooting air pistols!) improve as I go along. I was looking forward to perhaps shooting a new PB as I set up a target to finish the match. This was very gratifying, as I have slowly but surely solved mechanical and environmental problems, and have seen the results in my shooting.
What followed has really opened my eyes to the mental challenges that 'match pressure' can create. I lost one shot in the 7 ring, and got upset at myself. Before you know it, I had mixed in a 6, a 5, and scored 5 shot targets of 35 (a personal low!) and 38. I finished the second half of my 'match' with a 154 for the last 4 targets, a total match score of 328 (also a new personal low, 'besting' the 331 I posted in my first shot at the "High Noon").
Fast forward to this morning, I read the following on "Nygord's Notes"
"The fight or flight reflex sets into motion a whole set of predictable mental conditions including anxiety, poor concentration, and automatic thoughts of possible failure. These intrusive and negative thoughts interfere with good performance. The final result can be a negative feedback loop in which the shooter has a few bad shots, develops anxiety and then has more bad shots as a result. This can continue until performance totally degrades. But - learning the basics of mental training such as relaxation, visualization and imagery can overcome these negative aspects."
One day too late ;->
Rob W.
Posted by Roy Nagel on October 14, 2000 at 00:17:54:
Over the years, I've seen two kinds of shooters -- those who force precise shots and good scores by sheer conscious willpower (concentration on technique, etc.) and those who seem to be totally at ease, placing shot after shot into the middle (note I don't say "10 ring" because that's judgmental) with no apparent inner struggle.
The subconscious is the key. Think of a center fielder at a baseball game, seeing a fly ball headed for the bleachers . . . he runs, leaps into the air and gloves it before it clears the fence. Can he consciously calculate ball speed, angle and drop, his running speed and the microsecond and angle needed to leap and catch twe ball? No.
So why, when we know enough to practice trigger release to the point that it becomes a conditioned reflex (translation: directed by the subconscious) do we think we can CONSCIOUSLY try to be better shooters and achieve top scores?
We need to "let go" and allow our subconscious to direct and release the shot. It CAN be done . . but only when we've CONSCIOUSLY trained for clean stance, grip, consistency of arm raise, sight alignment and trigger press. Then . . and only then .. can you "let go", enjoy the people around you and let your well-trained and subconsciously focused body perform as it should to place your shots in tight, centered groups.
Suggested reading: The Inner Game of Tennis, Psychocybernetics (a book on self-image psychology by Malcolm Martz) and . . believe this . . Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Good shooting!
Posted by jhillTX on October 13, 2000 at 13:38:40:
Howdy,
Here is what I do. When ever I am shooting I never shoot for "score". I only briefly glance at the targets to get an idea of sight correction not to see if that great shot was a 10. I only add up my score on the targets at the end of the match. I never know I am on PB pace or PW pace. All that is flowing through my mind is the shot.
It works well for me, but that is just me. Try it a couple times to see if it helps, if not move on and try some other technique.
peace
josh
Posted by Charles Cammack on October 13, 2000 at 11:25:26:
I also have read and try to apply mental discipline while shooting my pistol at 10 meters. I can almost guarantee you that if I shoot 4 -10's and a 9 (I have NEVER shot a perfect 5 shot group of 10's) that I will follow it with a couple of shots in the 'white'. This has to be caused by my anxiety of thinking that I'm on the road to shooting a PB. I also have to constantly fight my impulse to 'pull the shot down' by dropping my arm as the shot is released. As a rank novice, I have found that concentrating on holding 'on target' through the complete shot process has helped me improve my scores.
Posted by Rob W. on October 13, 2000 at 11:34:10:
Charles,
You hit the nail right on the head - as soon as I started thinking 'this could be a PB score' I went to pieces. I didn't get it together until I really concentrated on my follow through, but it was too late ...
Rob W.
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