How to stop stagnation?

[Verbal]

I have hit that stage where I have started to shoot scores over 500 in standard and centrefire, but I am worried that I am going to start stangnating soon, as I have covered all the basic training material, and have nothing new to incorparate into my training routine.

At this stage, how would I modify my training regime so that I could keep progressing? And how would I pinpoint the flaws in my shooting and correct them?

Many thanks.

[Ed Hall]

All personal opinion here, but stagnation is brought on mainly by being happy with where you are, or at least comfortable with it. If you're OK shooting around 510 you'll probably make that your comfort zone and do whatever the minimum is that will keep you comfortable.

OTOH, if you really want to reach higher bad enough, you'll seek out the information needed to get there. That doesn't guarantee success, but it is necessary.

As you do progress, many of the things you've covered in your previous studies will take on new meanings and reviewing them can bring certain aspects into a better focus. Although the art of shooting seems simple in respect to one only needing to operate the trigger while aligning the sights, there is such a vast set of levels involved in the search for true consistency that the search can be quite an adventure.

As to the identifying of errors to correct, I am a voice that says, "Don't spend your time that way." It is true that error-correction is a tried and proven method of finding the way, but I believe it to be a longer way than if you study your success and build on it. This does not mean it is easier for everyone, but I think it can be both easier and shorter if you make it your primary focus. Instead of searching for things you do wrong so you can then look for solutions, try finding those things that bring you success and more consistently duplicating them.

I don't remember learning to walk, but I think we all learned how by studying the things that worked, rather than by sitting on our backsides trying to figure out what we did wrong.:-)

All feedback always welcome...

Take Care,
Ed Hall
http://www.airforceshooting.org/
http://www.starreloaders.com/edhall/

[David Levene]

It is obviously extremely difficult to be specific from the other side of the world but I would guess that you would benefit from having a training/competition partner of similar (or slightly higher) ability and scores.

It would be crazy to get you shooting against someone hitting 570+ in Standard or 580+ in CF, you would soon get disheartened. Training and competing (training competitively) with someone of similar ability would normally bring improvement to both people.

It's not just the fact that you are being pushed to beat someone else, it also helps that your shooting is now important to someone else.

[RobStubbs]

I am confused as to why you think you will reach a point of stagnation. You are expecting something bad to happen but why ?

There are plateaus - see one of the other threads but these are all temporary blips. The attitude to stagnation is one of your own making and in your own mind. There is no logical reason why you should dry up at say 500 (or 510, 530 etc). As Ed says you may (will) have to work harder the higher you want to go but hey if you aspire to shoot 560 (or whatever) then keep persevering. One thing is for certain if you convince yourself stagnation is only a short way away, it surely will be. Your destiny is in your hands (mind) so keep postive at all times and seek to keep improving.

Rob.

[Verbal]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the excellent replys. I think that to a large degree you may be right, and that I am just phsycing myself out a little. Also the suggestion to build repeatable consistancy, based on what I know works seems locical to focus on the positive attributes of my shooting, rather than the negative. So I guess I will keep reading, trying things, and recording my results as usuall, to coax a continous improvement from in my scores.

Thanks again guys.

[Richard H]

I have hit that stage where I have started to shoot scores over 500 in standard and centrefire, but I am worried that I am going to start stangnating soon, as I have covered all the basic training material, and have nothing new to incorparate into my training routine.

At this stage, how would I modify my training regime so that I could keep progressing? And how would I pinpoint the flaws in my shooting and correct them?

Many thanks.

If you are shooting 500, you don't have the basics or the fundementals down. So you have lots of work to do. What makes you think that you have covered the basics? Just because you know what the basics are doesn't mean you follow them on each and every shoot. Another area to work on is the meta side of the game, with the above post as an example I think you probably have lots of work to do there.

As you shoot better it gets harder and harder to make improvements and the results of these improvements become smaller and smaller (law of dimimishing returns). This is where the mental side comes to play.

Where are you shooting 500 in matches or in practice, if it's in practice go shot more matches.

Its up to you yoou have to decide were you want to be and decide how much effort to put into it. IMHO getting to 500 is the easy part now going up from there is where the fun really starts.

[cdf]

As you improve / develop your rate of climb becomes less steep and appears less dramatic . It is however a never ending process , without a finite ceiling .

Chris

[Richard H]

Actually there is a ceiling 600/600 when you do that you can complain about stagnation but until you get there you have work to do.

[cdf]

You could also try FP or AP , it will be a while before 600's will become a big concern . Then you can try to duplicate the feat with a couple of espressos in you . I think what you are calling stagnation is in fact your comfort zone , which is always subject to change .

Chris