TargetTalk

I've shot in several air pistol comps over the last few years and I have always suffered with nerves. My first few cards are terrible but then settle down and start shooting well but by then is too late. I know a lot shooters have this problem but have any of you got any little tips of how to relax before a match ( ie mental training).

One of the best things to do is to practice comps and enter as many as you can. With experience you will overcome the nerves, or at least bring them down to a manageable level. One of the other factors is to train your mind not to do anything different in a competition. So for example focus on exactly the same aspects as you do when training and don't let your mind wander.

I have to admit that mental performance is one of favourite aspecs of shooting (or rather overcoming mental problems). I have a couple of books but one that I personally believe is a must is 'With Winning in Mind' by Lanny Bassham. I try and read bits of it a couple of times a week and since it's a small book you can read it through in a few hours.

Rob.

Quickbrick,

Ron gave you some very good advice and I'm sure there is more on the way.

I would like to comment on one thing you said:

"' . . . by then it's too late"

Until shot #60 is headed down range, mathematically it is NEVER too late in a match to improve your final score.

So a bad start, a bad ending or a bad mid match series is no reason to think that the time to accomplish something has passed. I've won several matches where I have shot poorly at some point only to find that I out shot the competitor in second place by only a couple of points. Heck, you can pick up a couple of points in just one shot. I'll bet you know exactly which shot I mean too - its the one that would have been an eight but was a ten because you maintained your poise and confidence throughout the ENTIRE match. It's not easy staying focused for 60 shots and that is part of the skill needed to perform well.

Instead of thinking of a match as comprising 60 shots - try thinking that each shot is a match - completely and utterly independent of any prior or subsequent shots.

Put your maximum effort into each and every single shot and you will be amazed at how well you will do. (Maybe because the other guys thought it was too late :-).)

RM (a frequent poster here) told me a story recently about a shooter who had a relatively disastrous first string and ended up shooting an almost perfect match afterwards. This shooter either held or still holds the world record!

(RM - feel free to chime in here with the specific facts)



Tens and X's to ya

F. Paul

Sure thing Paul.

This was at the World Cup in Atlanta, 2002.
I watched a Chinese shooter, Wang I think, shoot a 590. Pretty impressive to say the least. He dropped 10 points over the whole course, but 5 of them were in the first string of 10. Yep, them 5 more over the rest of the match.
Needles to say, he had the whole place on pins and needles. When he finished, the crowd gave him quite a cheer (he was the last shooter to finish).

Like Paul said, shoot 60 one shot matches, then add them up.

R.M.

Biofeedback using a heart-rate monitor is an option which was suggested to me by a pistol coach when I asked him about this problem.
I purchased an inexpensive heart rate monitor off an auction site. It has a heart rate detector which goes around my chest (quite comfortable) and a receiver (in the form of a digital watch). You can also get finger tip monitors, but naturally these will tie up one of your hands.
You can very quickly work out which breathing and mind techniques work to bring down your heart rate when you have some feedback. Sometimes when training, I set myself a pulse limit and only take a shot once I get my pulse at or below that limit. This also helps me slow down between shots when AP shooting as I often find myself shooting too quickly when I get stressed.
Once you have learnt what works for you, you can employ the same techniques in a match situation to help bring down your stress levels. I'm not sure if ISSF rules have anything to say on whether heart-rate monitors can actually be worn during a match. I haven't, but I would be interested to hear if anyone has tested the rules on this.

Match Nerves

Shoot 60 1-shot matches is great advice. In practice, what that means is pretty broad:

1) Make every shot a loved and wanted shot. PUT THE GUN DOWN! Don't accept junk.
2) The previous shot- and the shot after this one- DON't EXIST. If you are keeping track of your shots in any way- KNOCK IT OFF!
3) When you shoot a ten, roll around in it. Replay it in your mind. Look at it several times.
4) When you shoot a non-ten, "Elvis did it." Get over it IMMEDIATELY. It never happened. Pick the gun up and visualize a perfect ten- then shoot a perfect ten.
5) MANAGE EVERY SHOT. Have a shot plan- develop/tweak/fine tune your shot plan- then use it.
6) MANAGE THE MATCH. Establish criteria ahead of time for when to continue shooting, when to take a break, how to re-establish your rythm after a break, etc.

I'm sure others will chime in with more pithy verbiage . . .

Steve Swartz

Steve Swartz wrote:1) Make every shot a loved and wanted shot. PUT THE GUN DOWN! Don't accept junk.

And every time you abort a shot congratulate yourself for leaving a 10 in the barrel.

Steve you remind me of a very good statement told me once. "Do not accet a bad shot." I have a hard time putting down my pistol in proctice or a match. I normally may do it 5-10 times. I was at nationals a few years back and was told this. That afternoon and evening I spent some time thinking about this and talking to some other people. The next day shooting Free pistol I shot a a string of 3 95's in a row. Ended up with a PR.

It works. A friend of mine and past national team member suggested to practice putting down the pistol. The part I had a hard time with was when I put down my pistol I had a hard time getting the 2nd try off. I would get nervous about putting down the pistol and sometimes I would accept a poor shot and move on to the next shot.

In the finals you have to be able to realize a bad shot set up and put your arm down and start over with out getting worked up over it.

Hope it helps.