Ahh, the joy when your mental game comes together...

[Brian M]

I'm still feeling good from Saturday, where I successfully got my mental game on task and in the moment.

A little back-story to set my "mood" upon walking into the range. It'd been nearly 3 months since the previous PTO where I decided to take a mini-break from shooting for 2 of those months (was in Hawaii on vacation for 2 weeks of that time). For this last month prior, I was struggling with my training, shooting poorly (much, Much below my average). On the drive down, my wife and I got into a little argument and when I stepped out of the car I dropped my e-reader on its edge (assuming I'd broken it). To top it all off, my wife managed to nail the one button that's guaranteed to irritate me ("oh, just calm down" when I'm already on edge ~ sets me off like nothing else). So, I'm walking into the building pissed off, depressed about the training I'd been doing and just generally ready to skip the match and go home. Not exactly the ideal frame of mind to be in for a match.

Now, here's what I did about it. Instead of just resigning myself to feeling that way (which I've done in the past, it's the low-mark on my USAS scores by 7 points), I started thinking back on all the training I've been fortunate enough to receive over the years. I started with just trying to calm myself by going to my "special place" mentally. Of course, I hadn't bothered to really have one of those deeply ingrained in memory, so I thought of several things/scenes/activities that I enjoy doing. Anything that made me calm and/or happy when I was doing/witnessing them. Since, I'd just been to Hawaii 4 weeks earlier, I used thoughts of the sunsets, that night the moon was closer to the Earth than in the past 40 years, etc... Then I thought about motorcycling, etc... Eventually I was able to get my mind off the issues from earlier in the day. By that point, we were into the 10min prep period so I stood up and arranged my equipment and tossed in a few dry-fire shots. Then I sat back down again and thought about why I was there. It's not for another score in my USAS record, it's not to impress anyone, it's solely because I Enjoy shooting air pistol, and I enjoy competing (the emotional feeling of the 'match pressure'). That helped me forget about the training and focus on the present because it didn't Matter how I shot in training, I shoot in competitions because I like the feeling. I've always liked the feeling, even when there was no chance I'd win anything.

By now, the match had started, so I started in on my sighters. I think a shotgun would have presented a cleaner target (my USAS percentage is .916, or a 550 in competition, to give an overview of my ability). At that point, it was back to the basics. I thought about each step of my shot process as I was performing that step for the next 7~10 shots and my group tightened. I gradually decreased my mental ques (eliminating breathing first, physical act of raising the pistol, follow-through, etc...) until I was left with sights and trigger. Between shots, I'd remind myself that I enjoyed shooting competitions, and that I always shot well in competitions. My first for-record shot was a loose 10.

By the time I finished the match, I was in an honestly good mood. I felt like I'd shot well, and I was enjoying myself. I knew I had several strings of 10's (95 and 94 10-shot strings, not sure of the overlap into the strings on either side) and later I had learned that I'd shot my 2nd best competition score. Heck, that was likely my 2nd best 60-shot string ever.

Mental training Works. I know some people don't put much effort into the Mental aspect of shooting, but there's no way I would have shot the score I did (above my average) if I hadn't changed my mental state. I've already proven (in Nov 2010) that if I'm just not feeling it, I shoot well below my average. And that day in Nov, I wasn't unhappy or angry in the slightest, just a little tired and wanting to go home.


Anyway, just posting this because I want to gloat a little, but mostly I want others to recognize that they can do simple things to improve their mental position during matches. You have to recognize when you Need it (in the same way you recognize when you put the pistol down/abort the shot to regroup and try again), but it's a simple process that works. It might even work better when you Don't start out in such a foul mood, perhaps I would have cleaned my best score. :) Guess I'll have to try that next time.

Brian

[2650 Plus]

Congratulations Bryan, Controling the mental processes seems to be a very efective method of controling the shooting progress, at least I worked for me . Let me sugest you take a look at what Russ is posting. He does't seem to be discussing how shoot but rather how to win. Or at least how th rationalize your training with a view toward winning instead of just shooting a score. Good Shooting Bill Horton