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Which is more important, score or your technique?

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 4:28 pm
by PETE S
Steve has raised the issue concerning focusing on behaviors versus concern for the resulting score. I was wondering what thoughts people had about this topic.

Re: Which is more important, score or your technique?

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 5:15 pm
by David Levene
PETE S wrote:Steve has raised the issue concerning focusing on behaviors versus concern for the resulting score. I was wondering what thoughts people had about this topic.
During training (including training matches) technique is more imortant, that is what training is all about.

During competition then the score is more important, that is what competition is all about.

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 1:07 pm
by Steve Swartz
Well, I for one would vote "Evaluating your behaviors and then NOT checking your shot!"

O.K. safety first and all that but ya know what I mean . . .

Also- David- I agree totally- and that's why you should *never* check your holes in paper during a match (after sighting in). In training you may get some useful information from holes in paper; in a match, only harmful information.

Yes, I know, I'm being argumentative again. Sorry.

Steve Swartz

Re: Which is more important, score or your technique?

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 2:23 pm
by Pat McCoy
PETE S wrote:Steve has raised the issue concerning focusing on behaviors versus concern for the resulting score. I was wondering what thoughts people had about this topic.
You must focus on behaviors (one only, front sight and let trigger action become subconscious) during the shot, but if you are competing there will always be a temptation to be concerned with the score. During the sighting shots this is apporpriate, and the basis for "calling the shot" so you can be sure of proper sight adjustment. During the competition try to ignore the result of the shot (some of our higher level shooters turn the spotting scope ot eletronic monitor away from themselves) and trust in your training.

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 3:48 pm
by David Levene
Steve Swartz wrote:Also- David- I agree totally- and that's why you should *never* check your holes in paper during a match (after sighting in). In training you may get some useful information from holes in paper; in a match, only harmful information.
Steve, I agree with you in principle BUT everyone is different.

When I was competing, not only would I scope each shot I would also write them all down (after each series). I found that to be the only way I could forget about them and get on with the next one.

If I didn't scope then I would be thinking "did that shot stick in the 10 or did it slide into the 9". If I didn't write them down then I would be continually trying to remember what the earlier series scores were and trying to add them up.

As I said, everyone is different.

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:37 pm
by Bob Fleming
When actually firing a shot, score is an irrelevant distraction. There is a time to focus on scores and a time to ignore the score and make THIS shot. Performance anxiety is mostly based on score. Match jitters, trigger jerking and “choking” in general will be eliminated or at least greatly reduced if you need only fire one shot at a time. Do not think in terms of ten or a nine when you look in the scope, think of if it is where you called the shot. Just my opinion.