TargetTalk

The most common pitfalls in ISSF Pistol shooting competition strategy....
Is any of them are known?

Guet 57 wrote:The most common pitfalls in ISSF Pistol shooting competition strategy....
Is any of them are known?

Mental preparation. Once you can shoot tens repeatedily the only thing that limits it is your mental game this includes knowing when something physically is not right with the shot delivery.

Richard is correct...figuring out an error and correcting it is vital.

During a Police fun match I was shooting consistently to the right, grouping in the 9 (and sometimes 8) ring. I had been shooting a lot of hardball .45 and simply forgot to change finger location on the trigger for the .22.

After making the change the next five targets (500 points) dropped only one point ( two timed fire sequence, 5 shots in 20 second and 3 rapid fire sequence, 5 shots in 10 seconds).

As one improves, little things make such a difference!!

I would also add getting familiar with your sight adjustments. If you group consistently one way then move the sights. If you 'correct' a fault then move them back again, but never be afraid to move them.

Mental preparation and training is however the most important element once you have the technical aspects pretty much covered. The higher your level, the more important the mental game becomes.

Rob.

Excluding mental and technique there is one common pitfall I see in so many clubs, though not at top level matches; Food and Drink

Caffeine is the big one. you cant have a beer so you have a coffee or a coke. The last thing you need is extra stimulation. Personally I try to leave off the stuff for at least 4 hours before hand. Thankfully I have never had an 8am match, but Rob has. Rob what did you do for that one ?

Sugar is the second, a sugar rush before and is not a good thing and is likely to leave you tired half way through.

Drink during the match. Have some water or a proper ( ie not sugar laden) sport during available. A few sips every so often helps with relaxation also. ( don't drink too much you don't want to have to leave the range every 5 min for a ...) I wont go in to the technical stuff it affect you eyesight if you don't have enough liquids.

Meals before hand should not be heavy and time to digest is necessary. it also helps with the effect of nerves on your stomach if it is not totally empty.

JY

Diet does make a difference that being said I wouldn't suddenly change it either. If you regularly have a coffee then you stop having a coffee the withdrawl will probably be worst than if you had the coffee. So make dietary changes slowly over time to minimize any neagtive effect. Smoking is also not good for shooting, apart from all the other negative effects of smoking it can really damage the eyes.

I would steer clear of sports drink for shooting as they really aren't required for the type of activity, most (not all) are sugar laden and high in calories. I would save the sports drinks for when you are doing aerobic conditioning over 45 minutes.

Sports drinks are useful if you find your self dehydrated they can replenish fluids and electrolytes that are lost during sickness. which shooters can sometimes find themsleves in while traveling.

Julian,
I try and have breakfast a couple of hours before I shoot so that means an early rise for an 8am comp ! I agree with Richard about not changing routine. I will still have a cup of coffee in the morning, or a cup or two of tea.

As for sports drinks, they are OK for shooting but only if heavily diluted. You don't want a sugar rush but the fluid intake is helpful along with a small amount of salts and sugar are fine. It apparently also prevents you popping to the toilet every half hour like I sometimes seem to end up doing when I drink just water.

Rob.

Richard H wrote:Diet does make a difference that being said I wouldn't suddenly change it either. .

I am defiantly not not advocating any sudden changes at all. But if you feel you have the choice and "waking" up is not an issue then the safer bet is to stay clear.

On the subject of sport drinks this is a "Read The Label Job". No we don't need all that extra sudden energy bur as Rob says liquid and minerals are helpful. One brand over hear, not mentioning any names, has two versions with a vertualy same sounding name - the first for letters are the same and so is the label deign /colors However get to the label and one version has 260 calories per liter made up from sugars & carb's and the other has 16 per liter with 0 sugars and 0 carbs and a whole list of minerals etc. It is the second of these, and other of this type that I would that I would advocate.

JY



JY