I am a beginner that needs help! What is your best tips to good performance in competition? I am mostly interested in the mental aspects because I think that the biggest "barrier" is there for me.
I have learned all the basics about the match conditions and to attain a basic score level of 560 in AP. In training my performance is often good, and steady, (always 570+ and some good days around 580+) But I want to go to the next step, and shoot that good in competition too.
Thanks in advance for any tips, that will help me through the "mental barrier" ;-)
Mental approach in competition?
Moderators: pilkguns, m1963, David Levene, Spencer, Richard H
Forum rules
If you wish to make a donation to this forum's operation , it would be greatly appreciated.
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/targettalk?yours=true
If you wish to make a donation to this forum's operation , it would be greatly appreciated.
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/targettalk?yours=true
The mental approach is quite a detailed question. For me the single most important aspect is to prepare yourself mentally such that you are able to reproduce in competitions what you do in training.
To answer your questions you need to work out what problems you have. So for example do you perform at a lower level in comps than training ? If so by how much and how often ? I believe you need to be able to get yourself into a mental state such that you are not anxious of the competition but that you are mildly excited by it. So the level of stress or anxiety is a key factor.
To acheive that you need to compete often - practice makes the experience more familiar and therefore less stressful. If you always feel anxious and under perform at competitions then you probably need to re-think how you treat training v how you treat comps. Remember to keep your mind on the process not the outcome, take each shot as an individual match and then move on to the next shot, don't add up scores or think of your performance level.
So let us know what actually happens in your competitions and what sort of scores you typically shoot,
Rob.
To answer your questions you need to work out what problems you have. So for example do you perform at a lower level in comps than training ? If so by how much and how often ? I believe you need to be able to get yourself into a mental state such that you are not anxious of the competition but that you are mildly excited by it. So the level of stress or anxiety is a key factor.
To acheive that you need to compete often - practice makes the experience more familiar and therefore less stressful. If you always feel anxious and under perform at competitions then you probably need to re-think how you treat training v how you treat comps. Remember to keep your mind on the process not the outcome, take each shot as an individual match and then move on to the next shot, don't add up scores or think of your performance level.
So let us know what actually happens in your competitions and what sort of scores you typically shoot,
Rob.
Your mental state during a match starts long before the first shot. Use visualization and self talk to build confidence and "pre-experience" the match. That way, when the match starts, you have already been there and it is no big deal. Your visualization must be realistic. It should not be the way you shoot at your practice range. In the visualization experience the increased excitement, but still deliver good shots with confidence.
Don't think about the score.
Don't think about the score.
Don't think about the score.
Any thoughts about what score you want to shoot, or how you will feel if you do or don't shoot it are no help. As soon an unproductive thought comes into your head, let it go out of your head. Focus on a few positive statements.
Shoot each shot individually. Go through the shot process, call the shot, then let it go. You have better things to think about than how past shots went. Relax and let it happen. If you can't look confirm your call without looking at the scoring rings don't even look at the target. Add up the score when it's all over.
Best of luck,
Steve T
Don't think about the score.
Don't think about the score.
Don't think about the score.
Any thoughts about what score you want to shoot, or how you will feel if you do or don't shoot it are no help. As soon an unproductive thought comes into your head, let it go out of your head. Focus on a few positive statements.
Shoot each shot individually. Go through the shot process, call the shot, then let it go. You have better things to think about than how past shots went. Relax and let it happen. If you can't look confirm your call without looking at the scoring rings don't even look at the target. Add up the score when it's all over.
Best of luck,
Steve T
-
Guest
-
Guest
Good ideas Steve, I am already working on those aspects, and have been for some time.
I have learned that I can shoot good in training, but now I need to be confident and learn that I can shoot good under pressure too. I have done fairly good in several competitions and finals, and won some, but not often enough to feel confident every time.
Your idea about visualization and competition was good. I have tried to watch the movie with my best and calm performance in training. But I think your idea to watch the "new" movie when I am excited, higher pulse rate etc. and shoot good shots in a big competition, is better and more realistic! I like the tension in the air in a competition, the only thing I dont like now, is that I dont have managed often enough, to cope with the stress in a productive way.
I have learned that I can shoot good in training, but now I need to be confident and learn that I can shoot good under pressure too. I have done fairly good in several competitions and finals, and won some, but not often enough to feel confident every time.
Your idea about visualization and competition was good. I have tried to watch the movie with my best and calm performance in training. But I think your idea to watch the "new" movie when I am excited, higher pulse rate etc. and shoot good shots in a big competition, is better and more realistic! I like the tension in the air in a competition, the only thing I dont like now, is that I dont have managed often enough, to cope with the stress in a productive way.
Another thing that may help is to break down what causes the tension ? All you are doing is shooting a series of shots (60 individual competitions). That is exactly what you do in training so make sure that you reinforce to yourself that can and do shoot well. The only factor that increases the stress is you - sure the environment is different but it's your interaction with that environment that induces the stress. As Steve mentions visualize the competition in your mind to make the scene less alien and more familiar (to your subconscious) additionally try and compete as much as you can to again make competitions less daunting.
Rob.
Rob.
As Rob said, you need to find where the "pressure" is comming from. Most likely it is self imposed. Pressure=anxiety=fear, but fear of what?I have learned that I can shoot good in training, but now I need to be confident and learn that I can shoot good under pressure too.
Two quotes we use with our juniors are:
“Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.” Yoda, Star Wars III
“Winning means being unafraid to lose.” Fran Tarkington, Vikings Quarterback, NFL Hall of Fame
Also, sometimes our fear is that we aren't living up to who we want to be, so consider:
“If you’re not good enough for yourself without the medal, you’ll never be good enough for yourself with it.” John Candy in “Cool Runnings”
The more I study shooting, the more I think I should have majored in psychology in college.
Good luck.
Pat
-
Guest
Thanks a lot for your answers. I have heard several of those before, but it was really good to repeat them. And I think that I have to repeat some of them for myself! :-)
I do not "fear" the others or the competition. The pressure comes from my own expectations and high goals. I think that I have to lower the pressure, and work towards next little short term goal instead of looking at my long term goals.
I believe that I have been afraid to lose against "myself" and this is clearly negative. I also believe that I have to enjoy the little good things along the path to excellence and great victorys, much more. I am so eager to shoot high scores and beat the best shooters, so I feel that a score of 560 is a big disappointment. I know a lot of beginners and experienced shooters that dont reach 560 in training or competition. From today, I will try to enjoy every good shot, good series and good placings even in small competitions. Every little step forward is a step forward and means progress!
Before I have won competitions, and did new personal best in some of them and was so focused at the big goals and big scores, that I did not even feel happy. I am a beginner and often forget that. I think that I have to remind myself that its not a failure to be beaten by shooters that have been competing for 15-30 years...:-) And to focus more on the good things like my series of 97, 98, 99 points that I almost shoot every training session. Yesterday I dont now how many good tens I shot, it was a lot...I was training on triggercontrol and it worked out good. I did not count any series or total score. But I rememer that I shot 83 shots and three of them was eights, I have focused and remembered the negative things...
I do not "fear" the others or the competition. The pressure comes from my own expectations and high goals. I think that I have to lower the pressure, and work towards next little short term goal instead of looking at my long term goals.
I believe that I have been afraid to lose against "myself" and this is clearly negative. I also believe that I have to enjoy the little good things along the path to excellence and great victorys, much more. I am so eager to shoot high scores and beat the best shooters, so I feel that a score of 560 is a big disappointment. I know a lot of beginners and experienced shooters that dont reach 560 in training or competition. From today, I will try to enjoy every good shot, good series and good placings even in small competitions. Every little step forward is a step forward and means progress!
Before I have won competitions, and did new personal best in some of them and was so focused at the big goals and big scores, that I did not even feel happy. I am a beginner and often forget that. I think that I have to remind myself that its not a failure to be beaten by shooters that have been competing for 15-30 years...:-) And to focus more on the good things like my series of 97, 98, 99 points that I almost shoot every training session. Yesterday I dont now how many good tens I shot, it was a lot...I was training on triggercontrol and it worked out good. I did not count any series or total score. But I rememer that I shot 83 shots and three of them was eights, I have focused and remembered the negative things...
-
Ed Hall
Have you tried a "Happy Place" yet?
Something else to try, which I don't seem to see mentioned much, is to build yourself a "Happy Place." If you do well at your home range in practice, but lose a little ground at all the other venues, you might find benefit from mentally building a setting that you can take with you to all the other venues.
Typically, the home practice sessions will take on a familiar "air" with everything always the same. No two matches will ever be the same. Almost every aspect will be different, except the target and you. If you build a "Happy Place" to set your target and you into, you can train there and then carry it with you to all the other venues.
Your own personal happy place can be of any design. It could be a quiet meadow or a mountain stream. It should be a place that induces calm and it might be helpful if it's a real place where you have been or often go, like a vacation spot. The main point is to place your target and yourself into the setting and then add the things you want. The setting should grow in detail as you progress, adding in as many senses as you can. As mentioned, it can be any place you do (or would) find relaxing. It doesn't have to be a quiet place either. You may find for yourself that you like a back room at a boiler plant that has just the right drone of sound in the background, or you might enjoy a mountain stream where the water falls over rocks. Your happy place should involve sounds. It might even be a bonus if you can meld the background sounds of a match into the familiar sounds of your happy place.
Once you have constructed your happy place mentally, you use that as a setting for all your training and then all your matches. What you are doing is bringing your old familiar, relaxing setting, with you to all the other venues and, in effect, you should therefore bring all your performance as well.
An example of building a happy place (let's use the mountain stream for the example) would be like this:
First, mentally "see" that part that is always there - the target and you. Next, think about standing on the shore line of a small mountain stream. Add in all the surroundings you'd like. After all, this is your setting. Try to bring as many senses into this as you can. You don't have to do this all at once. In fact, it is better to start out very basic and add little "discoveries" at different sessions. This will help keep the setting interesting.
You might start with just the feeling of the flat spot of hard ground under your feet and the sound of the rushing water falling over the rocks. As you build your setting further, you can perhaps "discover" the scent of apple blossoms or the slight taste of a warm breeze carrying the tiniest message of mint from nearby as you take in a breath.
Once you have your happy place started, you can take it with you to all the places you shoot. Use it in your training environment and then carry it to your matches. The more you use it, the easier it will be to bring it along, and the more familiar all the venues will become. In this way, you can have the same setting for all your shooting and lessen the impact of changes in places and matches.
Take Care,
Ed Hall
http://www.airforceshooting.org/
http://www.starreloaders.com/edhall/
Typically, the home practice sessions will take on a familiar "air" with everything always the same. No two matches will ever be the same. Almost every aspect will be different, except the target and you. If you build a "Happy Place" to set your target and you into, you can train there and then carry it with you to all the other venues.
Your own personal happy place can be of any design. It could be a quiet meadow or a mountain stream. It should be a place that induces calm and it might be helpful if it's a real place where you have been or often go, like a vacation spot. The main point is to place your target and yourself into the setting and then add the things you want. The setting should grow in detail as you progress, adding in as many senses as you can. As mentioned, it can be any place you do (or would) find relaxing. It doesn't have to be a quiet place either. You may find for yourself that you like a back room at a boiler plant that has just the right drone of sound in the background, or you might enjoy a mountain stream where the water falls over rocks. Your happy place should involve sounds. It might even be a bonus if you can meld the background sounds of a match into the familiar sounds of your happy place.
Once you have constructed your happy place mentally, you use that as a setting for all your training and then all your matches. What you are doing is bringing your old familiar, relaxing setting, with you to all the other venues and, in effect, you should therefore bring all your performance as well.
An example of building a happy place (let's use the mountain stream for the example) would be like this:
First, mentally "see" that part that is always there - the target and you. Next, think about standing on the shore line of a small mountain stream. Add in all the surroundings you'd like. After all, this is your setting. Try to bring as many senses into this as you can. You don't have to do this all at once. In fact, it is better to start out very basic and add little "discoveries" at different sessions. This will help keep the setting interesting.
You might start with just the feeling of the flat spot of hard ground under your feet and the sound of the rushing water falling over the rocks. As you build your setting further, you can perhaps "discover" the scent of apple blossoms or the slight taste of a warm breeze carrying the tiniest message of mint from nearby as you take in a breath.
Once you have your happy place started, you can take it with you to all the places you shoot. Use it in your training environment and then carry it to your matches. The more you use it, the easier it will be to bring it along, and the more familiar all the venues will become. In this way, you can have the same setting for all your shooting and lessen the impact of changes in places and matches.
Take Care,
Ed Hall
http://www.airforceshooting.org/
http://www.starreloaders.com/edhall/