Query for Experienced Competitive Shooters.

[amarinder]

I have been practising for around 16 months and have recently qualified for nationals in 10M air pistol (Men). The query is that when I practise, I am conscious of the specific element I am working upon like trigger release,or Stability, or grip or Lift,etc. But whenever I do a Match, I am not able to maintain the consciousness that I am able to maintain in Practise. In Match it is my subconscious mind that is doing all the shooting. Even a glimpse of proper SIGHT ALIGNMENT in Aiming Areas leads me to press the Trigger.And thus my performance drops.
How to deal with this issue.

[gn303]

So you have discovered the knack of competition target shooting!
I'll quote Lanny Bassham: Train as if you were shooting a match. In match, shoot as if you were training.
It is all in the mind.
Enjoy your shooting.
Guy

[rmca]

You are more anxious in a match than in training. We all have gone through that! (and some still do!)
The answer is in adding more stress to your training plus experience gained from participating in more matches.

The difference is just in your head... All the rest is the same (targets, gun, distance, pellets, range, you, etc.)
As gn303 quoted "Train as if you were shooting a match. In match, shoot as if you were training."

Hope this helps

[ScottSimmonds]

I'm not "experienced" but I do know what has hurt me in the few matches I have been in...

Dont always train in ideal circumstances. Change the light. Put on different shoes. Use tinted glasses.

I train in the comfort of my den and on a very quiet range.

Competitions are not perfect. I have a recording of random crowd noises I play. I turn an annoying talk show on the radio. Build distractions into your training. Put a pebble in your shoe. Put a distraction in your way and learn to ignore it. (A full bladder is very good at this - try to ignore that!)

Part of competition is the unknown. Add that to at least part of your training.

Part of mental strength is learning to adapt. Make the uncomfortable comfortable. Avoid even ground.

[deadeyedick]

Practise technique consciously, and compete in sub conscious mode.

[dronning]

Practise technique consciously, and compete in sub conscious mode.

This is very good advice, I suggest reading Lanny Basshams books on mental management.


Target shooting is a 95% mental sport.

When someone first starts out all shots are via the conscious mind. Unfortunately the conscious mind has limits, one being you can only concentrate on one thing at a time while the subconscious can handle literally millions.

The subconscious needs to be trained, this is where developing a shot process and solid fundamentals comes into play - trigger control being the most important. This is why dry firing helps new shooter progress faster than any other training.

With solid fundamentals you repeat the process enough (1,000's of times) so you subconscious takes over. When the shot breaks the only thing you should be focused on is the front sight.

It's like tying your shoe, I've done it so long I would have to actually tie it to explain how to do it, but when I learned there was a "process" I would follow.

Below is an abbreviated version of my AP shot process:
I use "indicators" that let me know the shot will be an X. At first it was a conscious effort to "watch" the indicators now I don't even see them but I automatically abort the shot if something is off.

Some of my indicators include:
Where the grip bites my palm and the web between thumb and forefinger
I touch the trigger guard to check my position
Where the trigger contacts my trigger finger
Eyes looking and focused down range
As I raise the pistol vertical through the black I align the front sights and bring it back down to the target
I see the aiming black come into the sight picture from the 6'oclock position
The front sight settles near the bottom of the aiming black
My trigger squeeze drives the sight to the bottom of the black and as a sliver of white appears

Recoil, wait for sights to settle back into target (follow through)
Reload, repeat.
All of these are minor check points that let me know it is another X.

Any failed indicator will cause a reset.
Example: The black coming into view from another position say 5 oclock
Finger touches the trigger guard in a different place - needs regrip.

- Dave