TargetTalk

Has anyone come up with a good way to train at home with artificial distractions? I have been shooting matches for a long time, but sometimes find that some things distract me at a match, like people moving into or off of a position while I'm shooting. Does anyone have any ideas for setting up some distractions when I'm shooting in my home range alone?

A TV either Side of you might work best, if you also leave the sound on you will get the noise distraction too

Our club range is in the basement and the Scouts meet on the floor above us. They "move pianos" (actually, just tables) every time we shoot. I started using ear protection to cut down on the noise from the Scouts and that helped with shooting. I now use the ear protection all the time while shooting -- even at home.

As far as visual distractions -- I don't find them as disturbing. If you do lose concentration it is best to start the sequence again.

Regarding sound -- playing a tape of shooting during a match would simulate the situation better than TV (although it is that last shot when everyone else is done and it is quiet that I have more trouble with).

Best,

Joe

Busy club nights are generally more distracting to me. So that, a radio or TV. An alarm clock - whatever you fancy to upset your train of thought.

Rob.

I find that the side eyeglass blinders help to tune out the movements at the firing line. However, if one can train themselves to shut all the distractions out with the mind alone it is better. You know, mind over matter.

Distractions are only distractions when you are not used to them. At my shooting club in Haarlem (The Netherlands) I train my pupils on a shooting stand next to where instruction is given to novice shooters and where many people are walking around, moving etc. I often stand on hearing distance of my shooters and start talking, making noise, telling jokes to others and make all kinds of noise, so my shooters get used to the 'distractions'.
You have to know a little about how the subcontious works. Most people try to ignore the distractions, trying to 'push'the out of their mind/thoughts. This way you are doing just the opposite! By putting all your energy on ignoring them, you are instead focussing more on them resulting in a loss of concentration on your shooting technique!
A shooter must learn TO ACCEPT the distractions as something that belonges ther, just like when you are reading a good book and forget all about the things that are goining on around you! At that moment your subcontious accepts the things as 'normal' things and so forgets about them, no longer seeing them as 'distractions.
As a shooter you must do exactly the same thing. ACCEPT 'THE DISTRACTIONS AS THINGS THAT ARE A NATURAL PART OF SHOOTING. that way you will forget all about them, putting all your concentration and focus back on your shooting technique.
During a match and between shots I look around me often. That way I can see the 'distractions' coming and I can prepare and accept them (people moving around behind me, people starting talking etc.) In advance I can make them mentally part of my surrounding and give them a place in my mind. Just like the sound of the shots of the other shooters. I know in advance the sounds are there, I accept them as something that belongs there, and so they do not come as a surprise and distract me.

Good luck,
Albert
(The Netherlands)

I agree with Albert ... shooters must learn to live with the distractions. Usually then, in a match, there are fewer and they shoot better.

We practice in an unheated/uncooled building. Basically a large tin shed that is our county fair building. In the summer it is over 90 ... now, in the winter it can easily below freezing.

In the summer we have a LARGE swamp cooler we turn on, and in the winter we have two 85,000 BTU propane heaters we turn on. This is basically very LOUD white noise generators for the shooters. I sometimes have to shut these down when I give detailed instructions ... not so loud that they cannot hear range commands, but I do have to speak loudly.

They wear earplugs and learn to live with it ... they are amazed at how quite a real match is!

When I attended the coach conference this fall, Dave Johnson also suggested a "tunes" system to play music ... some that the shooters like, and some that they hate ... both extremes tend to try and draw their concentration away from the shot. He also suggested that you play both at the same time .... very irritating..... Haven't tried that one yet ... ;-)

I really appreciate the tips and insight regarding distractions. After pondering the problem, I suppose that the visual distractions affect me the most. I suppose that I could wear blinders, but I suspect that I would be tortured by not knowing what was going on next to me. I'll really have to come up with a training regime to increase mental toughness on the line. When I'm really focused (not often lately) nothing seems to matter.

As a matter of fact I know of a national soccert team (UK) that went to the stadium where they were going to play for the European Championship. The day before the match they held a training session with the stadium speakers playing the sounds of 'hostile' supporters - just to get used to it.
A worldfamous tennisplayer (female) goes to the empty tenniscourt before the match, walks round and there visualises the spectators, umpire and other 'distractions'.
I shoot my matches with blinders but often train without them. I get used to the movements - and suddenly appearing or disappearing shadows - around me.

Albert
(The Netherlands)

Misny wrote:I suppose that I could wear blinders, but I suspect that I would be tortured by not knowing what was going on next to me. I'll really have to come up with a training regime to increase mental toughness on the line. When I'm really focused (not often lately) nothing seems to matter.

The simple answer is you are letting things distract you. You are obviously not focussed on your own tasks if you are watching people along side you. Stop looking at them, remember it will only negatively affect your scores. Perhaps a blinder is a good idea to force you to concentrate on your shooting and nothing else. Like anything it gets easier with practice.

Rob.

. . . just don't get too accustomed to side blinders if your discipline doesn't allow them in international competition . . .

I had a sports psych give me a set of movies to play on the laptop. Among them it included some a topless gymnast who carried out her skill on the parallel bars. Imagine that! I ended up collecting all sorts of crazy movies to put in the sequence.

Verbal "noise" can be well simulated by "Talk back Radio". Especially the meathead ones that REALLy get up your nostril. The ones that you can't stand the better!

I also read of a US archer (famous story apparently) who trained with a guy who played a piece of music he could not stand. He realise it was affecting him so he played the damn thing everytime he trained so that when the guy turned up he could ignore it. He moved onto other things like training within metres beside the main railway line.

He won gold.

Ross mason wrote:I had a sports psych give me a set of movies to play on the laptop. Among them it included some a topless gymnast who carried out her skill on the parallel bars. Imagine that!

Oof! I'd rather not. Unless she was really small on top, that must have hurt like crazy!

Then again, maybe you had the wrong pronoun and it was just a topless guy. Women use the uneven bars, not the parallel bars.

It may be time to acquire a portable DVD player and set it up next to me on the shooting bench while I train. Maybe I can find a cheap one on e-bay.

We do a few things to our juniors, which include talking, joking and deliberately dropping noisy chairs during training sessions.

One thing that wasn't mentioned (and plays a dual role) is to change your training environment. Get out to different clubs to train and/or compete. Lighting, layout, sound AND people on the line are different and affords the opportunity to challenge yourself. This helps you learn how to adjust to new environments and control distractions, plus builds competitive experience.

If you can't go to a different range, go to your own range, but play outside of your comfort zone.
- Play a radio with talk or music that you absolutely hate or absolutely love (not background music which blends into the landscape.)
- Use an MP3 player with earbuds under your earmuffs. (Only affects you, not the other shooters, who may have different training goals.)
- Change from your favorite position to one less favourable.
- Go on nights when your best friends aren't around. Better yet, go on a night when that certain range member who gets on your nerves IS there.
- Shoot precision beside the fellow firing the .45-70 single action revolver (that was my challenge two weeks ago.)
- If your shooting bays have individual lighting, either switch them on or off, whatever you usually don't do. Switch wattage, if allowable.
- Bring a battery operated fan and have it blow in your face.
- Have your significant other shoot beside you and mutter (this will cut through all the regular distractions and move to the front of your awareness.)

Just some thoughts and recommendations.
Patrick

Misny wrote:It may be time to acquire a portable DVD player and set it up next to me on the shooting bench while I train. Maybe I can find a cheap one on e-bay.

The portable DVD player I >>MIGHT<< be able to justify to my wife .... but the "distraction DVDs" .... hmmmmm ... that won't fly!


My kids shoot mostly sporter ... many of them are 11-14 year old males ... Imagine their faces when a local JROTC team came in and the gals stripped down to their "Under-Armor" to get into their shooting gear ... almost had to get a mop to wipe the drool off the floor.....

How about 2 people standing a foot away on both sides, moving around, looking over your shoulder, blocking the light every now and then, talking at you like a drilling sergeant etc.?

I have a used portable DVD player on the way. Less than $60 on e-bay. I might have to forego the topless gymnast DVD for now and go with something more hum-drum.

My family was adopted by a kitten about a year ago. Whenever I start to shoot the cat jumps up on the shooting bench and works hard at getting in my way. He studies me closely and once I have found my position he lays down in the spot where I want to rest the pistol forcing me to move and reaquire my position. As I achieve my correct grip he licks my hand. If I hold too long he gets up and sniffs at the pistol. When he was small he would jump up on my shoulder and as I raised my pistol he would walk out on my arm. Thankfully, he is just too big to try that anymore.

I could chase him off but I realised he really did irritate and distract me. I found myself blaming any mistake I made on the cat. I'm now getting to the point that I can tune him out so I guess he is turning out to be a good training aid.

I'll be glad to rent him out by the day or week.

Doug in Virginia

I got the portable DVD player hooked up and trained with it for the first time yesterday shooting air pistol. I'm right handed, so I set it up on my left side and at eye level. My practice 60 shot score was only 4 points below the best practice score that I posted last month. I will have to give it a while before I make a determination as to whether or not it helps my match scores.