Hi there,
I'm 18 and Ive been shooting Air rifle, 10 meters since I was 11, I’m not a top competitor, but I’m doing alright, averaging a 9 average whilst training once a week. (And I only just bought a jacket + glove)
About half a year ago I started out with small bore shooting. As soon as I turned 18, i got myself a 37 year old Anschutz Match 54, I sanded down the stock and oiled it, making it look brand new.
I started off shooting in Prone 12m (a Dutch discipline), a very experienced shooter in our club helped me get my position, and a few weeks later I bought my first shooting jacket. Results soon started to pick up, and after training for 4 months, i shot my first 593, I repeated that a few times and a few weeks ago I shot my first 595, after only 6 months of training this position.
I train 3 times a week, and on Friday I first shoot 60 rounds of standing (air rifle) and immediately after that, I shoot 60 rounds of small-bore, prone.
Now here is my problem: When I used to do air rifle matches, I’d always score ~10-15 points more than my training average, which was pretty OK to me, apparently I’d focus better on matches. But now when I’m doing smallbore matches, I come nowhere near my training average, after shooting an average of 588 over the last couple of months, I managed to get only 572 on a match last night, and I have shot well below my average on other matches.
Somehow I feel I am putting too much pressure on myself now, as I know I am capable of shooting that well, I demand from myself that I will shoot that well at matches as well. Since I never had any problems with my air rifle matches, I never bothered looking into mental training, or doing anything else on forehand, as I never felt any pressure. But now I am feeling my own pressure and the tension, so I am really interested in looking into what I can do to make sure I actually hit my full potential at matches.
As you are all more experienced to shoot at a high level then me, are there any tips or advices or any guidance you could give me?
Match tension
Moderators: pilkguns, m1963, David Levene, Spencer, Richard H
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Philadelphia
- Posts: 170
- Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:52 pm
I will also be very interested in the more experienced shooters' thoughts on your question -- excellent question.
I do know that you're certainly not the only one to experience this. I surmise that what happens as we each advance to a certain level is that attaining the next level requires some change in technique or focus. As we embark on that next level, we are beginners again at it and have to master whatever that subtle change is to move forward.
So in my own limited experience, I find that sometimes you do need to go back in order to go forward -- do not get discouraged.
I do know that you're certainly not the only one to experience this. I surmise that what happens as we each advance to a certain level is that attaining the next level requires some change in technique or focus. As we embark on that next level, we are beginners again at it and have to master whatever that subtle change is to move forward.
So in my own limited experience, I find that sometimes you do need to go back in order to go forward -- do not get discouraged.
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WRC
Pressure? What pressure?! We don't need no stinkin' pressure! Just relax and shoot to shoot. Your body & mind will respond with your average score. In other words don't push yourself. Train during practice to pretend you are shooting a match, pretend during the match that it is just another practice with maybe more or different people. Time to start the mind games. CP
You need to remember that you're not alone.
Everyone feel pressure to some extent and sometimes it can come on for absolutely no reason at all.
The thing you need to remember is that pressure is something you place upon yourself. Most people go into competition trying to shoot better than they actually can which leads to all kinds of problems.
A lot of people also train differently to how they would shoot in competition, as such you need to ensure that you are replicating how you would shoot in competition in your training.
The notion of relax and shoot does not work for everyone because this premise is predicated on having a clear mind. In competition a lot of people get those niggling thoughts and fears of shooting a poor shot.
My advice for removing pressure in competitions is such
* Remind yourself that you are there for fun. This is your hobby and not matter what level you are at that should be first and foremost in your mind during preparation. You are there for fun.
* Don't try to clear your mind. The brain is not very good at thinking about nothing. Instead think about what you want to achieve for each shot. Repeat it over and over, kind of like a little mantra.
* Try to replicate your thought and shot process from competition exactly when you are training, it will get you used to it.
* Go back through your training results and remind yourself of exactly what you can do. This will help calm you down when your shooting well, because you know what you can do and it will stop you from expecting results you are not capable of.
Good luck
Everyone feel pressure to some extent and sometimes it can come on for absolutely no reason at all.
The thing you need to remember is that pressure is something you place upon yourself. Most people go into competition trying to shoot better than they actually can which leads to all kinds of problems.
A lot of people also train differently to how they would shoot in competition, as such you need to ensure that you are replicating how you would shoot in competition in your training.
The notion of relax and shoot does not work for everyone because this premise is predicated on having a clear mind. In competition a lot of people get those niggling thoughts and fears of shooting a poor shot.
My advice for removing pressure in competitions is such
* Remind yourself that you are there for fun. This is your hobby and not matter what level you are at that should be first and foremost in your mind during preparation. You are there for fun.
* Don't try to clear your mind. The brain is not very good at thinking about nothing. Instead think about what you want to achieve for each shot. Repeat it over and over, kind of like a little mantra.
* Try to replicate your thought and shot process from competition exactly when you are training, it will get you used to it.
* Go back through your training results and remind yourself of exactly what you can do. This will help calm you down when your shooting well, because you know what you can do and it will stop you from expecting results you are not capable of.
Good luck
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2650 Plus
Match pressure
Match pressure does not exist unless you allow it to play out during your performance. How to prevent it from interfering with your shooting ? First do mentral drills that reinforce your shooting sequence as Last man has indicated, learn what your heart beat and breathing rythem is when you are not stressed. When you feel any change in these physical indicators, Think pleasant thoughts, for example think of birds flying , or place yourself in another oplace until your physical indicators return to their normal state,then review your best performances. Confidence will return and then review the shot sequence that gave you the best results. Next and last, shoot a ten,and another ten . Stop the negetave thoughts by replacing them with positive thoughts only. Even a thought that tens are hard to shoot is negative so stop and replace even that with confident positive attitudes. Good Shooting Bill Horton Shoot tens
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David Levene
- Posts: 5617
- Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:49 pm
- Location: Ruislip, UK
That's a very personal thing. I always found that I needed a bit of tension to shoot my best.JamesH wrote:Learn to stay relaxed - thats the key for me.
I fully agree with this. Also, if you can, find a training partner of similar ability. Do not necessarily train together all of the time but, maybe once or twice a week get together for training. If you are both competitive people, and you need to be if you want to win at higher levels, you will soon find that you are competing during that training.JamesH wrote:Also train to 'match-harden' yourself.
Do some relaxed training, them simulate pressure on yourself, make a small bet with a fellow shooter, whoever loses does a forfeit.
And go to as many matches as possible.
As David says, a little bit of tension is normally good, too much though and performance rapidly drops off.
To my way of thinking there's two 'approaches' - one you try and develope your ability to relax to the same state as in training.
The second is to train to ignore the fact it's a match. Shoot exactly as you train, concentrate only on the shot in the gun and forget everything else. If you can fully do that then it will relax you or reduce your level of anxiety.
The problem generally happens when you underperform early, then extrapolate that across the match and predict a lousy outcome and you carry on spiralling downwards. By the time you've shot say 40 shots, you usually relax again thinking you've bummed out already and the final 20 shots are back where you should be.
So the trick is to catch yourself early and refocus just on good, technical shot execution for all subsequent shots.
Like everything, it takes time and practice to get it right, but keep at it and it will all come good.
Rob.
To my way of thinking there's two 'approaches' - one you try and develope your ability to relax to the same state as in training.
The second is to train to ignore the fact it's a match. Shoot exactly as you train, concentrate only on the shot in the gun and forget everything else. If you can fully do that then it will relax you or reduce your level of anxiety.
The problem generally happens when you underperform early, then extrapolate that across the match and predict a lousy outcome and you carry on spiralling downwards. By the time you've shot say 40 shots, you usually relax again thinking you've bummed out already and the final 20 shots are back where you should be.
So the trick is to catch yourself early and refocus just on good, technical shot execution for all subsequent shots.
Like everything, it takes time and practice to get it right, but keep at it and it will all come good.
Rob.
Thanks everyone for the advices! Some pretty helpfull things around.
I do not want myself to shoot any better than I actually can, I just want to shoot as well as I can, nothing more, nothing less.
Making bets with fellow shooters: all the shooters I normally train with, shoot 10-20 points less than me, so I can imagine they are far from interested in making bets with me :P
I am looking around for the book in Mental Training in Shooting, its supposed to offer support on this subject, can anyone confirm this?
Concentrating on the fun of shooting: thats a hard one, because the fun I have in shooting comes from shooting well, not the shooting itself. The results make it worth it, and thats where I lay the pressure on myself I think. I think I may be shooting for the wrong reason, im shooting for results while i should be shooting to shoot, and from that come results. (can you still follow me? :P)
I do not want myself to shoot any better than I actually can, I just want to shoot as well as I can, nothing more, nothing less.
Making bets with fellow shooters: all the shooters I normally train with, shoot 10-20 points less than me, so I can imagine they are far from interested in making bets with me :P
I am looking around for the book in Mental Training in Shooting, its supposed to offer support on this subject, can anyone confirm this?
Concentrating on the fun of shooting: thats a hard one, because the fun I have in shooting comes from shooting well, not the shooting itself. The results make it worth it, and thats where I lay the pressure on myself I think. I think I may be shooting for the wrong reason, im shooting for results while i should be shooting to shoot, and from that come results. (can you still follow me? :P)
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David Levene
- Posts: 5617
- Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:49 pm
- Location: Ruislip, UK
They might be if you gave them a 20 point start.M3taal wrote:Making bets with fellow shooters: all the shooters I normally train with, shoot 10-20 points less than me, so I can imagine they are far from interested in making bets with me :P
There doesn't have to be any forfeit or cash changing hands. Providing everyone is agreeable, "I'm going to beat you by 20 points" and just shoot for the honour.
I treat match scores and training scores completely separately, in fact in training I usually don't even score the targets - whats the point?
Your only achievement is a match score, worrying about whether you'll equal or better your training score is just wasted time and additional pressure you don't need.
For me I get over-tense, so I work on that and try to shoot the best match I can on the day.
Your only achievement is a match score, worrying about whether you'll equal or better your training score is just wasted time and additional pressure you don't need.
For me I get over-tense, so I work on that and try to shoot the best match I can on the day.
Well I do feel training-scores show what you are technically capable of.JamesH wrote:I treat match scores and training scores completely separately, in fact in training I usually don't even score the targets - whats the point?
Your only achievement is a match score, worrying about whether you'll equal or better your training score is just wasted time and additional pressure you don't need.
For me I get over-tense, so I work on that and try to shoot the best match I can on the day.
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David Levene
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- Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:49 pm
- Location: Ruislip, UK
What I am suggesting is another category; call it a "training match" if you want.JamesH wrote:I treat match scores and training scores completely separately,
It probably isn't over a complete ISSF match course, and could be as short as a single shot.
The main purpose is to get you used to shooting when the adrenalin starts flowing. There are ways of reducing the adrenalin but, if the match is important enough, you cannot stop it totally. Hoping to overcome it by thinking pleasant thoughts just doesn't hack it.
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David Levene
- Posts: 5617
- Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:49 pm
- Location: Ruislip, UK
That's fine, but it gives no indication of how you will do in a match.M3taal wrote:Well I do feel training-scores show what you are technically capable of.
Technique training is obviously extremely important but, to win, it is far from being the whole story.
It really depends what you want to get out of your shooting. If you are happy "just" achieving a good technique on your home range than that's great, everyone does their own thing. If however you want to win matches of increasing importance then you also need to train to compete.
I have found that concentrating on the aspects/process of the shot can take the mind off the outcome/result, and thus reduce stress.
Stress is the negative space between your expectations and reality.
It does take some time to get the brain into the gear, so some training on what your thinking about on the shot will be required, and obviously there's going to be times when the stress overcomes your training resilience, but if there is a core strength in the principle, then this is much stronger.
People are often score orientated. If you become focused on shooting a good shot, this can take the pressure off by occupying the brain with what it's doing rather than the possible outcome of if and but etc.
I've had it myself, and it can be tough to deal with, but the best success i've found is to just accept match stress might be along for the ride. I've tangled myself up in a few methods of relaxation, and become even more stressed when they didn't work, and become fixated on that stress, the whole thing being a spiral. What pulled me out of that to a certain degree is to think that i can't do much about it, and just concentrate on the things I can do stuff about, like specifics of the shooting process... " i know i'm nervous, but I just want to get a good shot release here "...
You might have to accept that your match performance carries a deficit compared to your training performance... but genuinely accepting that as a realistic expectation could lower your stress.
A positive of stress is it can expose the weaker aspects of your game, which you can take note on and work out what might be leading to them and work on them so they're better for next time, but it does take some objectivity to get that approach working, and when you're stressed that can sometimes leave the building.
There is a recognised performance curve which peaks at a slightly uncomfortable point, too little arousal, and you don't concentrate on what needs to be done, and you perhaps don't feel 'sharp'... the correct amount of trepidation, and you're relaxed but focused in the zone, a little 'make sure this is right because otherwise...' attitude... too much and you slide into the 'crap it's all going wrong and i cant solve it' nosedive.
Stress is the negative space between your expectations and reality.
It does take some time to get the brain into the gear, so some training on what your thinking about on the shot will be required, and obviously there's going to be times when the stress overcomes your training resilience, but if there is a core strength in the principle, then this is much stronger.
People are often score orientated. If you become focused on shooting a good shot, this can take the pressure off by occupying the brain with what it's doing rather than the possible outcome of if and but etc.
I've had it myself, and it can be tough to deal with, but the best success i've found is to just accept match stress might be along for the ride. I've tangled myself up in a few methods of relaxation, and become even more stressed when they didn't work, and become fixated on that stress, the whole thing being a spiral. What pulled me out of that to a certain degree is to think that i can't do much about it, and just concentrate on the things I can do stuff about, like specifics of the shooting process... " i know i'm nervous, but I just want to get a good shot release here "...
You might have to accept that your match performance carries a deficit compared to your training performance... but genuinely accepting that as a realistic expectation could lower your stress.
A positive of stress is it can expose the weaker aspects of your game, which you can take note on and work out what might be leading to them and work on them so they're better for next time, but it does take some objectivity to get that approach working, and when you're stressed that can sometimes leave the building.
There is a recognised performance curve which peaks at a slightly uncomfortable point, too little arousal, and you don't concentrate on what needs to be done, and you perhaps don't feel 'sharp'... the correct amount of trepidation, and you're relaxed but focused in the zone, a little 'make sure this is right because otherwise...' attitude... too much and you slide into the 'crap it's all going wrong and i cant solve it' nosedive.
I was having the same problems!!!!!
Oncei stopped thinking of it as 0ne 60 shot match and rather 60 one shot matches I really feel that I was able to relax and enjoy my shooting!! My scores have reflected this! Enjoy shooting in all its forms. I have only been shooting prone for about 10 months, and I really find that if keeps me on my toes mentally. My main competition is myself!!!
Cheers
Scott
Oncei stopped thinking of it as 0ne 60 shot match and rather 60 one shot matches I really feel that I was able to relax and enjoy my shooting!! My scores have reflected this! Enjoy shooting in all its forms. I have only been shooting prone for about 10 months, and I really find that if keeps me on my toes mentally. My main competition is myself!!!
Cheers
Scott
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2650 Plus
Post Subject
Robf, Your description of how you dealt with stress was great. Some of my best scores were shot using very simular mental approaches. I must say that my very best scores were shot using the method I subscribed to in my earlier post. Remember that I described a method of acheiving a correct mental ballance that worked for me .[And might not apply to anyone else ] I looked for a method of mental control that helped me adjust my aroussel to that level where past experience told me that it would work for me and work best. Not arguing, Just indicating that we may be different causing each to rely on different methods. Good Shooting Bill Horton