Training shot rythm (Air Rifle)

[Nick_Burman]

Hi all,


Any ideas on how to train shot rythm? Of lately I've been doing a drill which consists on delivering one shot per minute, with 30 seconds for preparation and 30 seconds for execution and no call-off of shot untill it is delivered. However I've noticed that after a bit my shot delivery quality has declined somewhat.

Any good ideas?


Cheers NB

[Soupy44]

Sounds to me like you're trying to force a rhythm on yourself. Instead you need to find your own rhythm. Just shoot and don't think about it and you'll naturally fall into it. Then record what you thought your rhythm to be and try that next time. If it feels good, keep doing it, if not, shoot some more without thinking about it and record that.

[Nick_Burman]

Sounds to me like you're trying to force a rhythm on yourself. Instead you need to find your own rhythm. Just shoot and don't think about it and you'll naturally fall into it. Then record what you thought your rhythm to be and try that next time. If it feels good, keep doing it, if not, shoot some more without thinking about it and record that.

Thanks for the help. However I have an issue where if I leave my rythm to itself it tends to vary too much, with reflections on the results. Last match I've noticed that if I kept to this routine of roughly one shot per minute, scores came out OK; if I slowed down scores descended accordingly (I bet it boiled down to not giving oneselve's time to wander off in extraneous thoughts). I also am a slow starter, it takes at least a couple of strings to get into stride, I would like to improve that.


Cheers NB

[Pat McCoy]

I'll agree with Soupy, to let your body find it's own rhythm. If you will use a pre-shot routine that does not include time to reflect on the prior shot, but keeps ypu going into the next shot (staying in the NOW) you may find it helpful. Also, it sounds as if you are not making best use of the ten minute prep period. If you know it takes a little bit to get settled, you should be doing that and dry firing for the ten minutes, in order to settle down.

If first shots are a problem you can try training with a multiplier for different shots (eg 7x on 1st; 3x on 2nd; 1x on 3 thru 7; 3x or 4x on 8 thru 10). Can help you focus more on the earlier and later shots IN TRAINING. This is just to get over the first shot-itis. Then go back to one shot matches in training and competition.

hope this helps.

[2650 Plus]

Keep a shot log. Dont be concerned about unsuccesful efforts. Log in your best effortd. Include shot value and estimate the rythem of delivery time. Do this for at least two weeks if you are firing every day and longer if your training schedule is less intence. Study the results carefully, until you can identify the most productive rythem. Now you can begin to modify your shot delivery plan to match what you have learned. I'v used this technique for both pistol and rifle with good results and feel that I can recomend it Good Shooting Bill Horton

[Soupy44]

We would all love to get a rhythm going in a match and keep it going for all 60 shots, but in reality, it just won't happen. You'll never have perfect rhythm over an extended period of time. It sounds like your troubles are in concentration or recovery from a not so perfect shot.

[2650 Plus]

Soupie My approach was to make every effort to establish my most productive rythem and any time I fired a shot that deviated from thia " best rythem " I took measures to reestablisy my rythem prior to my next shot. Tha greatest danger to good control for me was getting careful and slowing down. Remember the admonition by the long time top international shooter that went like this. " shoot the first ten you see " When on the top of my game I was very good at doing exactly that. Good Shooting Bill Horton

[Soupy44]

The worry I see with putting a time value on your rhythm is that you run the risk of putting unnecessary pressure on yourself. Take 60 shots air in 105min. You happen to need a little extra time sighting in that day, and your first 10 shots you take a little longer than usual. Now you're calculating how much you need to shorten your rhythm.

I have anyways taught that shot rhythm happens. Like everything else in shooting, you make as much as possible happen in the subconscious. You can work with people who you feel need to change their rhythm in general terms of faster and slower (with the more common suggestion being slower). But as soon as you put numbers to it, you add to the conscious thought processes. At most, I would record how long the total course of fire take.

In my personal shooting experience, my air rifle 60 shot PR was shot in less than 45 minutes. I just got into a great rhythm on a good day. My number 2 score took about 75min and included more stops, starts, and reflection periods.

Variables change from day to day despite our best effort to control them. Therefore you have to leave, for lack of a better term, a margin for error for what side of the bed you got out of that day.

[RobStubbs]

I agree with soupy, shot rhythm should not be something you think about or artificially set an arbitrary value to. You do want consistency but it must be driven by feelings and not by a stopwatch. Aim for smoothness and consistency and the rhythm will naturally follow. Perhaps try and work out and train things like consistency of breathing pattern between shots, and how many breaths once reloaded. That way you'll build the rhythm from within. Do some training with your coach to measure all the elements of your shot cycle and write them down, then rehearse that pattern in training.

It's almost certainly not the variable rhythm itself that causes shot deterioration, but the inconsistency of approach.

Rob.

[2650 Plus]

I suspect we are talking about two different things. Shots fired for a complete match, And the rythem for firing one shot and giving yourself the best chance for a successful delivery. I believe uniformaty in thought,preparation, and execution provides the shooter with the best chance. The shooter should take the time before each shot to mentally review the most productive shot sequence , build his/ her position correctly ,and commit to the shot with complete confidence that the shot will be a good one. The shot should then be delivered according to plan and in the rythem that best suits the shooter. Should the rythem change during the match, the shooter should take a time out regroup and commit to the delivery of the next shot exactly the same way as all the other best shots were fired. Uniformaty seems to be the champions secret. Good Shooting Bill Horton