TargetTalk

Here is where I am at:

I have been shooting...
3P Smallbore: 2-1/2 years
Air Rifle: Standing 1 year; 3P for 3 months.
I am a Female Junior Precision shooter in the United States.
*For simplicity I am using whole number scores, leaving decimals out of a majority of this. ( I use paper targets w/ returns)

Rifle:
Feinwerkbau P70 Junior .177 (4.5mm)

I am looking for any suggestions for a push that could raise me to my goal of shooting in the 590's (60 shots) & 390's (40 shots) consistently by the end of the season. I am interested finding new exercises that focus on a single part of a shot plan or action that I could try.

My club supports and provides for me and I have an amazing coach, who has taken many of previous and current team member to the Olympic Training Center for many years; and plans to for the years to come.

I have improved drastically in the last year and I am currently shooting in the upper 560's to low 570's per 60 Shot match. I have become very comfortable shooting up to (2) 60 shot matches during one day.I also notice when I shoot a 40 shot match, my scores unfortunately average roughly 360, which tends to varying between 10-15 points. I do not like these scores because I know I am capable of shooting mid 380's to the 390's. I know the shorter match length messes with me in the sense that when I finish a 40 shot match I feel like I am not complete. I see this as a result of being so accustomed to shooting 60 shot matches

I do keep a shooter's log that I update very time I practice or compete. My shot plan is good but, I would love to see examples of other's shot plans so that can have a better understanding of how complete mine is now compared to what it should be. Please write if you have any sort of activity that could help me focus on a specific motion/ action or help with mental preparation. Looking to discover new ideas that my coach and I have not already discussed. I do have plans to continue shooting for a very long time, definitely into college or the military; I am not sure which path to take. Any advise about taking either path would be incredibly helpful and greatly appreciated!

I simply cannot see myself living happily as I age with out playing with rifles. :)

Sisterzee,

Great to see you want to improve, and are in shooting for a lifetime.

Be sure to talk to your coach about soliciting help on the bulletin board, and discuss any suggestions with your coach. He/she may have ideas for you not yet put into action, which would agree or conflict with ideas you get here.

If you have an individual shot plan, use it. You'll adapt your own as you grow in the sport. I'm making assumptions (could be a big mistake), but it sounds like you are doing more practicing (shooting for score, and matches) than training (working on one or two shooting processes). If so, try to get away from shooting a number of shots in practice that can easily be converted to a score. Forget the score except for each individual shot (use "one shot matches"), and even go so far as to shoot a few shots, then break position and come back to shoot more shots (without sighters).

Question, how much practicing do you do? How much is mental training? Are you doing physical cross training (aerobic)?

There is just so much to discuss that it is tough to do online.

Good luck.

As Pat says if you have a coach then talk to them. You won't acheive a goal of shooting 590 just because you state you want to. You mention you want to train the separate bits of a shot plan so make you you do that in training and not just shoot lead down range. Quality training can be shooting minimal actual shots and shooting 2 x 60 matches is frankly pointless most of the time.

So with your coach I assume you've analysed your shooting, and have identified strengths and weaknesses; technical, mental and physical 'fitness'. If for xample your follow through is poor then train it specifically to improve it. I get my shooters to do 10-20 shot drills where they record their follow through (for example) after each individual shot - good or bad and use this to form part of their training plan.

Your shooters log should be structured such that you have an objective for every shoot, be it training or competition. At the end evaluate it, what went well, what needs working on, and make a note as to what you will work on in the next session.

With your coach you may be able to plan ahead for say the next couple of months, looking forwards to your next important competition.

Don't forget though the mental side of things. If you underperform at a competition compared to training then something is mentally holding you back. In my experience it's normally nerves/anxiety related which results in people falling back on old habits, that are inevitably bad, rather than trusting in what they've trained.

Rob.

I watched while young women "cleaned" the course while at the 3X Air
at the OTC in Colorado Springs.

Run with the big dogs and shoot the match. I know they call it something different now, but the folks are the same.

Take the hot shooter of your choice out for a few beers at the Phantom Canyou brew pub down the street and pick their brains. Lots better info than from some internet turkeys.

Have you looked into going to a CMP Summer Camp? It's definitely worth it and you get high quality training from some of the nation's top collegiate athletes and former Olympic coaches.

Invite anything and everything into your training. Train with music/tv and no ear plugs on; this allows constant distraction and will force you to adapt. Then when it's match time and you have ear plugs and peace and quiet, it's a walk in the park.

Like the other two gentlemen stated, do short shot training. If you're shooting on paper targets, then shoot only the four corners alternatively; this will force you to change your natural point of aim (in other words, no two shots should be fired without moving).

Play games; there is a shooting version of bowling. On paper targets, shoot some sighters to get set, then you start. Shoot the top left target, if it's a 10, you got a strike and move on. If you shoot a 9, you have to shoot the target again, a 10 is a spare, another 9 is an "open". You can download a paper copy of how to score bowling and do that in shooting. It's really fun with multiple shooters and your coach or a parent keeping score.

When you train, focus on different things; Day 1. focus on breathing and relaxation patterns for 60 shots - Day 2. focus on pulling the trigger the instant you see a "10" in your sights (biggest difficulty of all shooters) - Day 3. consistent location of hands and cheek on the rifle - Day 4. and so on.... ignore score and focus on a certain mechanic.

Not all shooters do everything the same. Personally, shooting two 60 shot matches is not a waste of time IF you are focusing on the right things. You do not ever want to just throw lead down range. But lets say you are focusing on each and every shot like it is its own match (which you should do anyways). If you work on the exact same set up and exact same shot routine for every shot. The BEST thing to do is to stay on the line, without moving and shoot until you cannot stand any longer. That is ONLY if you are maintaining the focus and work on that specific mechanic. What this does is builds your focus, it hones it, and most importantly, it builds your endurance which you need in shooting.

And yes, find another great shooter and train with them. You will feed off of their ability to shoot and it will make you better.

We will be posting videos on rules, NCAA guidelines for shooters, tips, tricks, and other chatter on our CMP video blog. Suggest you follow the CMP South Range and main page on facebook as well as the twitter feed @CMPSouthRange. Lots of cool stuff coming up starting in January.

-Mike