TargetTalk

I've searched the internet much about how to make a yearly plan on my traing and how to plan individual training sessions. I haven't found anything useful regarding this.

So the questions that I have is:

How should I periodize my training over the year?

How should the training sessions be planned, different things to train on different times through the year?

How should the thoughts be around competitions? Should I try to do my best score every time or should I train some specific task? How many competitions should I attend to?

There's a fair bit out there on tht net. I recall targetshooting.ca has some, as does Aus pistol (it's essentially the same irrespective of shooting discipline).

But in essence most people split the year into 4 quarters, roughly equal in size. If you target a single major competions in the year then you build everything up to that. Those quarters would be;

Rest / preparation / early competiton / competition

The idea is to build up the right skills at the right time to optimise competition performance in the competition phase. So do the building work in training hard so as to be able to compete easier.

To know what areas you need to work on you need to analyse your strengths and weaknesses and set yourself goals. From that you can start to build up a detailed training plan.

Unfortunately it's very difficult to do it effectively without a good coach.

Rob.

I don't know if I'm trying to overdo it like I use to do with everything but I don't find enough information so that I feel that my plan is right and optimal.

I understand that the year should be divided in different parts but what should I do during these different parts?

In RobStubbs example of dividing the year into four equal parts. Rest what does that consist of? Resting totally from shooting for three months doesn't seem so good to somebody like me that's fairly new to this. I can understand someone who is amongst the best in the world and need some time of to recharge but they already have perfect technique etc.

Preparation, what should I do in this part?

What differs early competition from the competition part?

I've noticed that if I compete to much in comparison to the amount of training I do then I loose my form. Maybe because I have the wrong approach to competitions or it's something else. So therefore I will compete less and try to do more training and see what that gives me.

I have shot 52 competitions up to know this year and will do three more this year. This is to much for the amount of training that I can do. One to three competitions per month on average is better I think.

When getting ready for competition should I shoot matches when training? Some say do and some say never shoot for score.

Do you own "Air Rifle Shooting"? If so, take the self-evaluation questionnaire on page 6 (1 ed, 2006). Take your goal and do the same test again, but picture in your head what's required to reach it. The difference between the two is what you need to become better at and a start for the training plan.

Generally speaking, rest time is used towards some maintenance training (this time doesn't have to be a full quarter in case you don't want it to be) and more physical training. Up your strength here and then more maintenance training during the other quarters. At the beginning of a season (or off-season), more focus goes towards the core of a position (position building, balance, relaxation etc). Later, training incorporates trigger training, approach, breathing, hold, aim, follow-through etc, which all requires the position to work for best possible outcome. The last step includes putting it all together and making the process solid and smooth. Competitions play a roll in this by letting you know how it all works when it matters. Preferably, everything should be in order by the time the important competition arrives. Then you evaluate both the plan and yourself and re-start the process.

You mentioned an "optimal plan". You won't be able to make one the first time around (or maybe even ever), but that's besides the point. An optimal plan isn't something that is set in stone. You change during the year, evolve faster in some aspects and slower in other, gets a new job or part of a car accident, and the plan has to accommodate this. Very few plans look exactly the same during planning and, a year later, during evaluation. So, make a plan, follow it but change it when necessary. After the time is up, evaluate everything; were you as good as hoped at that important competition, why or why not?, were planned time frames for different parts of training as they should, etc. Correct what needs correcting and make a new one. You'll become better over time, exactly the same as for shooting.

Btw, if you do shoot training matches, never ever count them as "real" scores. It's training and not the same as the real thing. They can be used for setting procedures, complicating a competition (add a difficulty that has to be mastered and you have seen it before it happens for real), getting used to shooting higher scores, etc. Just don't emphasize scores any more than an actual competition. Maybe not even keeping track of scores?

No, I don't own that book. I have Ways of the rifle but in that book the information about this subject is very limited.

I have a loose plan for 2013 and that plan will have as you say core training to april and then I start towards competition training because I have a competition in end of april that I will take as a sort of test competition to see how my form responds to training.
My main competition that I'm aiming on is in the middle of july so after the competition in april I will have more knowledge about how I responds to training and will apply that to the time leading to the important competition.

Then I will have a sort of maintenance training to september when I plan to take some time of completely from shooting for say 2-4 weeks. I will then start core training again.

In training you train the bits that make up the shot process as separates and then reassemble for match preparation. So for example triggering. Typically you decrease the separates training as the match and competition phase approaches and switch to training for the 60-shot match. You should also cut the training right back just before the match - I try not to shoot for a week beforehand so body and mind are fresh. Most people target one or two major competitions and then fit in other competitions in. That may be 6, 8, 10 or whatever a year. A competition a week though is way too many - you can't train properly if you compete that much as you lose too much training time, one a month is much better.

Rob.

Shoot a lot of matches! One a week is fine...just make most of them training matches, or working matches. You learn a lot more in a match setting than you do at "home" You cant be "up" for a match a week, but shoot them if they are available and remove shooting matches from out of what you do at "home"
Every athlete I can think of competes at least once a week..not in a world championships tho.

redschietti wrote:Shoot a lot of matches! One a week is fine...just make most of them training matches, or working matches. You learn a lot more in a match setting than you do at "home" You cant be "up" for a match a week, but shoot them if they are available and remove shooting matches from out of what you do at "home"
Every athlete I can think of competes at least once a week..not in a world championships tho.

Okay, describe how I should think, example of what to train at a match that I only go to for training.

For me it feels wrong to go to a competition and not give it all. If I give it all and it goes bad then my self confidence suffers.

It's pretty expensive with traveling and match fees so I think I will cut it down to 1-3 matches a month. Nothing says that I can't shoot small competitions in training just to train to be able to withstand pressure etc.

redschietti wrote:Shoot a lot of matches! One a week is fine...just make most of them training matches, or working matches. You learn a lot more in a match setting than you do at "home" You cant be "up" for a match a week, but shoot them if they are available and remove shooting matches from out of what you do at "home"
Every athlete I can think of competes at least once a week..not in a world championships tho.

You cannot train properly by shooting matches no matter how much you try. You can't for example dry fire 100 shots in a match or concentrate properly on the drills. Also why waste all that money and travelling time when you don't need to ?
I also know no athletes never mind shooters that compete at high level that compete every week. Without wishing to sound patronising, if you think competing weekly is good training, then you don't really understand the concepts behind training.

Rob.

this is a deep question but i will share my simple approach. First my match schedule; a monthly club match, 2 state championships. One regional, and USANC at Ft. Benning. I have in 2012 accumulated the money for fees and ammo, both 10x for the "big matches" and practice grade for everyday for 2013. I have learned to plan a year in advance. My equipment is in good order ( 2 rifles) but my jacket is worn and i need new lenses for my glasses. I mention this as resource planning is key to reduce stress. I can practice most everyday outdoors. I don't expect to shoot a 1598 prone in a 1600 match unless i am cleaning my targets daily. So my plan is to pursue wind days, lousy lighting, rain, poor concentration, a scavenger list of different practice conditions over the next 3 months leading to the regional i mentioned, this keeps it fun. My weight and pulse are good but I don't feel flexible enough so my physical training is shifting from 5m per day to more isotonic. I don't worry about any given day but rather look back at trends. The match score is end result of the practice leading up to the match. Its all over when one gets out of the car. Train to expect events to happen. At the 08 Olympic trials my right hand couldn't pull a trigger without extreme effort and pain, 4 hr hand surgery 2 days later. This had no affect on my focus or enjoyment. I could shoot a match every weekend but that challenges keeping the rest of life in balance. My observation , the top shooters I most admire have their lives in balance. So while i might be very serious in my carefully chosen goals my training is a patient balance of life, resources, and fun.

IVX8,
Do I understand it correctly that you shoot 14 competitions per year? How do you think about the monthly competitions? Do you want to shoot top scores or do you use them for training some specific skill?

I had two competitions this weekend that has been and on the first that was airrifle 40 shots standing on the ISSF target my goal was to use my shot routine on every single shot and only take shots that was feeling perfect for me. That went really good, I had some issues in the beginning could have been some nerves but in the last 25 shots I did get good hits and I had a great feeling the whole time.

The other competition was the one I've trained for as a test to see how I should do to be in my best form for a competition. It was prone 20 shot in the first round and then 15 in the final on the 50m ISSF target I arrived early to be able to take it easy and relax, that ended in me repairing the megalink equipment and was able to start changing to my shooting clothes only 10 minutes before I should start. I managed the first round pretty good, I got some weird shots but managed 195-10x. After that the fire alarm went on and it was some time for the fire department, police to check this thing.

Then on to the finals it started good in the sighter shots, it continued good in the first 3-4 record shots and then it started to go into the nine ring and even eight ring. Then the last five shots we shoot with commands between and reading the scores, the first was a center ten, the other was a nine and the third was an eight with bad pressure values from the microphones in the megalink. I reported that to the range officer and we continued. The fourth shot didn't come up on the monitor just in the computer and the range officer said it was a nine. The last shot I got a ten.

It was the worst final I have ever shot, it started out pretty good but the position didn't feel ok after a while and that really got me nervous. Then the technical issues with the scoring made things even worse.

I'm satisfied with the first round but extremely unsatisfied with the final. When I later got home I got into position and it felt weird at home too, I thought I will check it tomorrow because I was a little down from the competition. Later that evening one thing came to my mind, the sling. I had attached the sling keeper in a different place than I should, I attached it like I used to have it and not the way I've came up with in training in the last month.

It probably was because I only got ten minutes for getting my stuff ready to shoot because the repairs on the megalink I was forced to do.

The self confidence takes a real beating from this sort of competitions that is completely unorganised and involves the shooters.

Is it just my concentration that needs training or is it just to much for almost everyone?

NFL football players play once a week, pro baseball and basketball players play more than that.

Johan brings up several things that can only happen and be learned in matches. The more you shoot the more experience in this you get. The only way to really learn a match routine is by shooting a match. Shoot them in public and the pressure is greater, the facilities different, range officer different. All good experience. You can shoot practice matches at home, but I dont like them. Just a couple before important matches to make sure everything is in order. The rest of the time at home shot for a reason...whatever that might be, lot of things to work on.

Bring 100% to every match and every practice. You used this match to work on focusing on your shot routine...exactly the right thing to do!!

just my opinions, and way of doing things, no disrespect to other ways

"You can't for example dry fire 100 shots in a match or concentrate properly on the drills. "


I wouldnt do drills at a match..do those at home...train for matches at matches...train to shoot at home