TargetTalk

How many people take a break from pistol shooting?
How do you find you shoot after the break?

Had a 6 week break where I didn't touch a pistol and have shot PB's the first time I have shot a couple of matches since.
I do very little training and would only class myself as an average club level shooter.

Shooting has a lot to do with a balance of muscle for stamina as well as muscle memory.

I'm sure there's a point where experience will maintain a certain level of shooting performance. In fact, if you haven't built up specific shooting muscle and trained much memory, there could be a benefit to taking a break and coming back. Probably because muscles are being used just enough to break them down slightly, but not enough to build more. Taking a 6-week break allows that muscle to repair and regain strength.

I've had the privilege to speak with several elite shooters and those talks are all consistent. If you're shooting at an elite level and take significant time off, you're going to be 'starting over'.

I'm sure the term 'starting over' is relative. I don't know what that definition might be.

Oz

My college team has found the same thing happening over Christmas break. I always shot matches over the break but my teammates didn't, and would shoot just as well if not better after the break. I still make sure to take a few weeks off once or twice a year to prevent burnout.

My shooting breaks depend mostly on the local law and its future changes... as for the comeback it may not even be possible...

Have fun while you can!

I am not usually one for breaks. Even when I get back from big compeitions I am usually right back in it with in a week (so I suppose I do get a bit of a break). However in October I went to India for youth commonwealth games. Since than I had only shot prone once or twice as my focus was on air rifle. About a week ago I shot though to get back into things and shot a pb. Neet how that works.

Those army shooters who have not yet reached the elite level { Assignment to the USAMU ]and after selection to shoot in the National Matches.are released back to their units until the next spring when the cycle starts over again. Scores are substancially lower until the all army championshipa are held at the last of May. Top grade competition guns are issued after the new team is selected and an intense training cycle begins in preperation for the next nationals. The elite shooters are held at Ft Benning year round and concentrate on preparing for the International competition. There is very little time lost for training by the very best as theirs is as I have said a year round program. I personally found that as short as a lay off as three weeks not only caused my hold to detereiate. but also required refurbishing my trigger control. This was a critical time for me as this was when I tried to remove any bad habits picked up and refine my shooting techniques. Good Shooting Bill Horton

Me personally, I take a 2 month off-season each year, normally during the months of November and December. I shoot a very busy tournament schedule between February and October (normally 11 - 14 tournaments) so for me the break is not only nice, but necessary for me to rest, reflect on the past year, and prep for the upcoming year. During off-season I will hit the gym pretty hard and get myself ready physically for the upcoming season but no shooting. As an example fo this past year, when I returned to competition in February, I shot a personal high in air rifle so the rest seems to work. Just my $0.02.

Paul

I have to ease off, maybe even stop for a while. I have developed a tendinitis in my shooting shoulder.

Shooting the same scores or even higher after a break. My father took a year off when he was shooting because his farm was burnt in a fire and apon returning in his first couple of matches he shot 582 in competition. I watched one of our national team members shoot air at the Aus cup a couple of weeks ago and it was the first time he has picked up a gun since november and he shot 577 in 55 mins. The same person set an Oceanianen record of 586 when he hadnt shot for quiet a long time and had only done a couple of training sessions

I find over-training doesn't help my scores, and a break is a good thing.

Although regular training is essential for your shooting development, it does not always involve shooting. There are other regimes such as fitness training etc. I have also found that after a break of a few weeks from shooting, my scores on the first training session are above average but they tend to fall back after a while.

I wonder if the old saying 'too much familiarity breeds contempt' especially if you are shooting several long sessions nearly every other day. Perhaps breaks are a good thing, but i don't know for sure.
Peeps

peepsight wrote:I have also found that after a break of a few weeks from shooting, my scores on the first training session are above average but they tend to fall back after a while.

I wonder if the old saying 'too much familiarity breeds contempt'

Nice to hear I'm not the only one who has found this.
I put it down to more mental application (thinking about what I am doing)(shot sequence) which eliminates more of the mistakes that seem to happen when I have been shooting regularly and fall into automatic mode.
I guess the mental aspect of not expecing a score plays a part as well. I have been told as soon as you stop careing about the score you shoot scores tend to increase.

220

My coach from years ago told me that if you are on the range 24/7 shooting perhaps over a 1000 shots a week [air rifle], some bad habits can creep in with out you noticing. Self recognition of these habits are essential and rectification is called for at the time they are recognised. The trouble is that some times only the coach or a more experienced shooter can spot them for you.

Its only my opinion, but i do think you can shoot/train too often, but this obviously varies from one shooter to the next.

I shoot training shots 3 times a week with at least 2 days between each session. I do this for 3 weeks then have a week off some times longer, it works for me but i do understand that it may not work for some body else.

Peeps.

peepsight wrote:. . . .I shoot training shots 3 times a week with at least 2 days between each session. I do this for 3 weeks . . . .
Peeps.

So that's how Europeans shoot better than Americans, you have more days in your weeks to train!

They are metric days, shorter but more of them. If you guys would stop fighting the NWO you could have them too.

Hey Richard,
My mistake, but i meant to say i trainded on the range with a break of a couple of days between each session. For example, i shoot Monday, Thursday and Sunday. Come on, North America including Canada have some world class shooters.

Peeps

Just joking.

I have had to take 2 prolonged breaks so far the first lasting 1 year and the second more than 18 months.
The first time took around 2 months to get back my prior level. As for the 2nd i'll have to get back when im recovered.

My personal feeling is that a break should be another part of training and should be part of your annual training plan. I would recommend a longish break for high level shooters, but then come back in from scratch; start at the begining going through the same sort of processes as a newbie. Look at stance, grip, breathing, trigger control etc and tie them all back together. The idea is to try and weed out the bad habits and relearn the good ones. As long as you don't expect your scores to be where they were before the break then you'll be fine. After rebuilding the process, the scores should go back up (and above) where you stopped.

Rob.