TargetTalk

To All (not James in particular):

You have already heard the thing I wished I had known in the beginning.

I wasted way too much time on trying to figure out what specific technique elements needed fine tuning . . .

. . . when the answer was right there in the front of the USAMU manual all along . . . and repeated by all the top shooters over and over again . . .

If I had've done "then" what I am finally doing "now" it wouldn't have taken me so long to get from "then" to "now."

What's so subtle about aligning the front sight, accepting your settle, and applying perfect pressure?

I only get into the subconscious gobbledegook when someone specifically wants to know WHY the above works.

Frankly, you don't need to know WHY it works as long as you are able to TRUST that it does work.

Me, I have to know WHY.

Steve Swartz

James, here is a quick blurb on what worked for me. I started shooting just over 1 year ago and went from D grade to A grade in 3 months (I have plateaued a few points below master grade ever since - very frustrating!!!).

I worked on my hold 5 times a week. I did this at home using holding exercises and dry firing. I had a 7-8 ring hold when I started and I knew I had to get to at least a 9 ring hold to lessen the impact of any wild shots in competition (a jerk or other mistake in a 9-ring hold would still be a 7 or 8).

I would focus on only 2 things in competition, sights and trigger (more trigger than sights). The most important thing that worked for me in those early competitions was trigger control. learning to pull the trigger back in a smooth and consistent motion every time without disturbing the sights.

Developing a shot plan will assist with the above in competition also, you need to do the same thing for every shot.

Hope this helps.

How do I make my release subconsious?

An Ed Hall opinion:

Become a conscious observer.

Visualize what you want to achieve and then turn the process over to your subconscious to "learn" all the intricacies of shooting. Instead of teaching your subconscious to mimic your conscious activity, turn it loose to learn how to perform on its own.

Of course, you will have to start somewhere. Start with writing out your goals and then visualizing them. This lets your subconscious know what you want. Review these often, and rewrite if necessary. In fact, make sure you have a goal for every outing whether it is training, practice or a match. Next, learn how to start the shot and then move to being a pure observer in that process. Let your subconscious test out different things without the fear of failure or loss of average interfering with the process. You will have shots in various places in the beginning, but as long as your subconscious knows where you are trying to go, it will focus on those things that produce what you're looking for. If you can trust your subconscious and can let go of conscious control through confidence, you can move your shot process into the subconscious just like we have done with so many day-to-day activities like walking, talking, writing, driving, etc.

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

Ed Hall - you are brilliant as always.

I've never read a better description of "subconscious" shot evolution than those three paragraphs.

Sometimes I think you're unaware of the incredible contribution you make to the shooting sports. Thank you sincerely from all of us.