TargetTalk

First off I want to say I've been shooting 3-p air rifle for a year now on a high school team. I'm happy I've progressed to the point I'm at now as a sophomore.

The problem is my scores recently have been a little funky. I shot in the 570's for several weeks in both practice matches and in real matches, then 3 weeks ago my scores dropped into the 565 range, mainly because of a stint of bad kneeling. I've since fixed the kneeling, but still struggle to get my scores in the 570's. I shot a 571 today in practice, but I still wasn't happy, as my stand was 10, 10, 9, 9, 8, 10, 9, 7 ........ and my prone wasn't so hot.

Read here for the short version

I've decided that my problem is mental for the most part, and I still ask myself "why the heck did I just take that shot". My struggle is mostly on stand where I take bad shots resulting in a 7 and an 8 or two on a target that scores a 90 to 93. How do you shooters learn to know when to set the gun down? I think I could shoot in the high 570's to low 580's if I was just more selective.
I have talked over my problem with my coaches but still can't fix it. I just have trouble "Accepting nothing but perfection." It seems that pressure can get the best of me, and I just don't know why.



Thanks in advance,
Houston

I am in a similar boat as you (high school student in a bit of a slump)

My scores were around the lower 560's and fairly consistant - i.e I would shoot a 560, then a 561, then a 558, etc. But lately my scores have been lower, just in the higher 540's and not very consitant either.

I have been busy lately so haven't been shooting as much so I think that is the main reason my scores have been lower (only shooting about 4 hours a week right now as opposed to about 10 hours most weeks). The more I practice the better I get - bottom line.

But some tips to you would be:

Don't keep track of your scores. Keep track of performance and how you feel you were doing. Your scores will reflect a good performance

Keep thoughts positive. If you do make a bad shot just keep in mind that everybody makes a bad shot - ignore it and go out and perform like you nomrally do - shooting 10's. If you make goods shots analyse what you did right so you can do it again.

Jordan

The single hardest thing to learn is when to tell yourself NOT to take the shot. Yes, a lot of it is mental, but believe me, there are still a lot of mechanics left to bump those scores up, much of which comes with practice.

Very minor changes in standing alone took me from 1120's to 1160's/1170's in a few months time. Keeping those similar mechanics, I was able to pick my rifle up for the first time in 4 years and pluck off a 580.

Mental perfection keeps you at the top of your game. Perfecting the mechanics is what dictates just what the top of your game is.

It's all in the mind...
I had a match today and I couldn't consentrate a bit...I had in mind if I could reach my previous score(or pass it)The result was catastrophic.With the first 9's I stress influensed my mind and shaking appeared.I couldn't relax or cool my self.
Have you got any preference or any way to consentrate on the game?

I agree that 85% - 90% of this sport is mental once you have learned good mechanics. I had a similar problem at a USA Shooting PTO last month. I was shooting the standard 60-shot standing course of fire. I thought I was mentally ready for the match and for the most part I was. I ran through the first 55 shots with 9's and 10's and feeling good abut my performance. On the 56th shot I had a temporary mental lapse and shot a 6. I can't remember the last time I shot a 6 so it bothered me a great deal. What I "should have done" at that point is set the rifle down and take about a 5-minute break to re-compose myself and get the mental picture of a 6 out of my head. Had I done that, I would have shot a personal best and raised my USA Shooting air rifle classification from B to A. Instead, I tried to fight through it and reeled of four 8's in a row which cost me my personal best as well as upgrading my classification. The bootom line here is that if you shoot a shot that is completely uncharacteristic of your known abilities (and these will happen) you need to mentally find a way to erase that image before going on. That may simply be a quick moment to forget the shot or it may take a bit longer but whatever you do, do not try and fight through it like I tried because the probability of producing another questionable shot increases. Hope that helps! Good shooting!

I think thats the hardest thing for a shooter to learn is when to put down the gun. You learn over time after you mess up a few shots and you know it was your fault. A lot of times when you take that shot and its bad and you say why did you take it is because you are holding the gun for to long and are just trying to get the shot off. I tell people if that shot dose not go off in 8 seconds give or take, put the gun down. I also tell people if you have any doubt put it down. And always think positive. And i recommend getting a book called WITH WINNING IN MIND BY LANNY BASSHAM. I found it to be helpful.

The best one liner I ever heard was about Lanny Basham. He was asked if he had ever shot a nine. His response was ' Perhaps, but I refuse to remember it." Remember the good shots, Nothing else matters. Good Shooting Bill Hotron

I am always amazed when I hear talk about shooting being 70,80,or 90% mental. I fully agree with those statements but the amazing part is when asked what percent of their training is mental. Most shooters MAYBE train 10% mental during a training session. We talk about it being mental but concentrate on the physical side. If more shooters would incorporate mental training into their schedule on a regular basis, I am sure that their scores would improve at a more rapid rate. Even simple written goal setting is mental training.
Jim Holtman

For the above post that is why i suggest reading that book. It helps you to learn about all that goal setting and training your mind.

laxratnd,
My post was not aimed at you. I have read and encourage others to read that book. My point was that many shooters read the book and they are inspired by it, but that is as far as it goes. The next time they go to the range they do the same old routine. They get all their equipment out and shoot, then pack up and go home. To train mentally, you have to use the techniques in that book, not just read it. I know that mental training is not the most exciting thing to do, but it will make a difference. The shooters that I coach have to be reminded regularly to do their mental stuff. It is not something that you can force someone to do. They have to have an inner drive to want to do it. Once they have made it a habit, it is not so much of a chore.
Think and feel center
Jim Holtman

Jim, I know you did not aim at me. I was just merely saying that, that book is a good way to do what you are talking about. Sorry for the misunderstanding, i should of worded it differently. Your points were spot on in what i beleive to be very true.

stephen

Houston .... I'm making an assumption in that you are now training on AR 5-10 type targets ..... you can modify the drill a bit if you are not

I have some shooters right now as we are coming up on trials, JO Quals and JOs .... a busy time of year, and I do not want them concentrating on scores ... I want them confident and perhaps correcting small things in their positions.

Here is a drill we are using for the positions .... concentrating on only one per training session ... this is deliberately contrived to make them not think of their scores

1) Pick a position .... right now we are concentrating on kneeling as we have been working on standing the past few months

2) Hang a 10 bull target, get into position, and get your gun sighted in

3) On each bull do the following: (you are shooting in the 560's so this is safe for you)

A) Fire a group of three, but fire it with eyes closed ..... i.e get your sights on the bull, adjust NPA, close your eyes, relax, open and adjust NPA, close your eyes, relax, squeeze until fired (with eyes closed).

B) DO NOT check your scope until you have all three fired for a group

C) Look at the group and see if you can see a pattern in the group & adjust your NPA

D) Now, fire a 4th shot on the bull as you normally would (eyes open)

Do this for all ten bulls on the target .... vary it by getting out of position to relax at 5 and get back and build it up again & continue .... then do it every three. If you have time get down to every two

At your current skill level you should be tearing a hole that you won't be able to keep track of your score, and will be just concentrating on your building your position and the mechanics of your shot plan.

Only one exercise of many you can probably think up .... an even simpler one is to sight in and then just turn the scope away and fire.

Keep going & good luck .... the 570's is a mental barrier as you know .... once you crack it up to the 580's just keep on chuggin'

Your Shooting plan should include a very precice mental rehersal just prior to intering into the shot squence. Some have said that you then just deliver the shot on target without thinking any more about it. I do not agree, and ask why one would not use his/her mind to control the shot process. If you have a clear mental program that coinsides with the rythm of the shot delivery plan it is fairly easy to identify when you are beyond the paramiters in which you have control of the shot, and abort when this point is reached. A shooter who does not think during the shot cannot identify the critical signals that should indicate that it is time to stop the trigger finger and lower the pistol to the shooting bench. Yes, It takes real effort to control your mind in this fashion and at least as much effort as all the other elements of your training. Fortunatly you do not have to be on a range to practice the mental program, Just keep it totally positive and try to keep the mental thought pattern working at the same rythm as your best shots are delivered. Good Shooting Bill Horton

Yeah dude, i do the exact same thing every week! I'll have a good target, then towards the end i will fire a round and be instantly angry with my self for doing it. Just slow down. Put the gun down as soon as you feel tired. Do drills by just bringing the gun up, get a good sight picture, and put it down. Its all about disiplne.

I think I fixed it. I shot a few 569's in practice and matches (which I was relatively happy with). The past 2 matches I shot a 572 and a 571. I believe most of it was not settling for shots on stand. My 196 (97/99) and 194 kneels don't hurt either! I have one more match this year until summer so I see if I can pull out a 575+


Thanks,
HB

On a post above me it was mentioned that after a bad shot , the shooter should slow down. Yes, to regroup, reistablish your mental balance and prepare properly for the next shot, But [ just in case anyone misunderstood]you should not slow down your rythm in firing the next shot. There in lies disaster as there is a rythm that works best for each of us and deviating from best to extra careful just dosen't work. My 2 cents worth. Good Shooting Bill Horton