Stuck at 545

[dronning]

Air Pistol LP10e.
I seem to be stuck at 545-550, I was progressing nicely and now I seem to have plateaued. I have shot a couple of scores over 560 so I know I can do it. I am very consistent and rarely shoot below a 540. My current goal is to bring all shots INSIDE the 9 ring, I figured the better score will follow. Maybe I have the wrong goal?

Any ideas on how to break through, different holds, change stance, different goal/mental game, take a break?

Thanks
Dave

[David Levene]

I would suggest using a process goal rather than a score goal.

As an example try for 80% of trigger releases without disturbing the sights. Once you do that, increase it to 85% etc.

You need to be honest with yourself.

[Brian Lafferty]

Air Pistol LP10e.
I seem to be stuck at 545-550, I was progressing nicely and now I seem to have plateaued. I have shot a couple of scores over 560 so I know I can do it. I am very consistent and rarely shoot below a 540. My current goal is to bring all shots INSIDE the 9 ring, I figured the better score will follow. Maybe I have the wrong goal?

Any ideas on how to break through, different holds, change stance, different goal/mental game, take a break?

Thanks
Dave

Shoot your best shot and don't give yourself 9 ring pressure. It's the total score that matters and there are plenty of top shooters in cup finals who occasionally shoot 8s and still medal. Just my 2 cents.

[rmca]

Stop putting the focus on score and shift it to your performance.

And by that I mean:
- Sight alignment. Don't take anything else than a perfect sight picture.
- Trigger release. Smooth, gentle, and without disturbing the sight picture.
- Follow thru. You should be able to call ALL your shots BEFORE you pull the target. Front sight movement (or lack of it) will tell you here the shot has landed on the target.
- Learn to call off bad shots before they break. That will save you a lot of points. Remember that you don't have to shot every time you raise the gun.
- Enjoy. You have to like shooting to be able to progress. It also helps to put some pressure off.

There is no magic recipe... it takes time and a willing to "do better". Put your focus on technique and the scores will take care of themselves.

Hope this helps

[DFWdude]

Just my opinion, but above 555, AP shifts from a mechanical game to a mental game. You've put in your "practice-practice-practice" and built the necessary "muscle memory" technique. 20,000 rounds a year, etc.

I was plateaued at this point myself (I imagine all of us have been, right?).

The next step for me was the mental shift, something I learned at the Master Pistol Camp at the OTC...

Don't think of a match being 60 shots, or a five shot string, or so many needed 9-rings, etc. Instead, think of it as sixty, one-shot matches. Work on each shot with care, patience and determination, as if the next shot were your last... all that mattered. Once done, put it out of your mind and concentrate on your next, one-shot match.

This is what helped me move beyond my plateau, shooting Master Class scores with more regularity.

[David M]

Play the mental game, try shooting games.
TENS PAY... your score is the number of tens you can shoot in a row. If you shoot less than a ten you start again from zero.
ie. 10,10,10,10,9 darn 4 start again.....
It makes you forget strings or series or scoring the match. It gives you something to think about and a goal.
If you really want to put some pressure on shoot a 7, is pack up and go home.
At the end of 60 shots you can add up the match and see how you went.

Also I will shoot a lot on blank targets, this forces you back to basics and takes away the scoring pressure.