Mental Control vs. Very Common Problem

[Russ]

This is very common problem.
“You have better mental control than me. If I looked through the scope it would have been all over....
I shot a 99 once though....”

It is not mental control. You need mental control during the match. What you need is to score 97-99 with the execution of the fundamentals. You definitely have a few elements missing in your performance and you are replacing them with one issue such as “mental control.” By the way, if you are capable to score 99 once, you can score 570 at a regular basis. You need to learn what is missing in your current performance and fill up this missing part. At the same time, your confidence will go up.

It is a very common issue if once in while, you score a high score of 99 or 97. Mentally, you graded yourself as an advanced shooter and you start looking for knowledge which will reinforce "your advanced level capability".
Mental control is definitely a vital part of advanced level performance.
At the same time, advanced level expectations cannot go below 570 in score performance!
I can repeat it one more time. If you are not capable to score 570 at a regular basis, you must seek help to evaluate your current level of performance and fix not one, but two or three elements in your fundamentals.
This is what I do in my two day class. I am very confident in this subject and if you believe in yourself and are looking for the real advanced level of performance, you have to schedule a one to one clinic with someone who is knowledgeable to help you.

[antispar]

Russ, since you mentioned but never actually shared, could you in fact give an advice for shooter who e.g. recently shoot stated threshold score of 99 in one series, or 98, 96, 98, string at one training. The rest of results linger in 92-93 area. Beside usual mistakes in technical executions, like lost of focus from the front sights or poor trigger that need ironing out, what would be your suggestion for mental steadiness and control. Could you share what can be done to improve capacity to stay focused, at least some generic advices that can be applied to anyone?

[Russ]

Antispar, let me explain to you how it works. If you are capable to achieve a score level during a regular practice such as 98, 96, and 98, but if your score drops to 92 or 93; it is shows that you have a problem in your Strategy. When I will discuss all your performance with the presence of your targets, I can show you exactly what went wrong. During the match, it can happen that we have one string lower than others, but repeating the same pattern is not psychology; it is ignorance.

My advice on how to stay focused, no problem. Take Bikram yoga: 60 days challenge. You will have all your questions of the mental capacity answered. I have done it twice in the past and I’m doing it now. I’m in my third 60 day journey. We can talk later after your first accomplishment: 90 minutes of focusing and concentrating every day in the next 60 days. It is a great challenge! After this program, everything will be less complex for you.
Check my posts at "Detroit Bikram" the Facebook.com

[Greg Derr]

Antispar; why are you keeping score in training? Don't you find it counterproductive to kep score given that it provides a false sense of performance expectation for match results? Given that training does not provide the mental pressures that you might get in an actual match?

[antispar]

I keep the score because I want to measure what I'm capable for. And it is nice to see that you have the skill (partially) if not the capacity to deliver it at a competition, when it drops for 10 points in average.

[Russ]

Bruce lee - Empty your mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAVjh45i ... re=related
Bruce Lee - Wisdom and Philosophy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XRLn5cB ... re=related

A Very Rare Video of Bruce Lee Telling You What Is Kung Fu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiXJ_ITo ... re=related

[Patrick Haynes]

Antispar; why are you keeping score in training? Don't you find it counterproductive to kep score given that it provides a false sense of performance expectation for match results? Given that training does not provide the mental pressures that you might get in an actual match?

Hi Greg.

I'd like to disagree with you about keeping score. First off, I don't think or want to suggest that athletes should be outcome obsessed when they're training or competing. Wishing/worrying/celebrating an outcome doesn't keep you focused on performance. But, there is value in recording scores in practice.

As some have mentioned, it gives them an appraisal of their technical skill (one of several different measures); but, with the highest correlation to competition ranking. I can get a scatt length on my AP hold, but, it won't give me an idea of my technical ability when considering national level competitions. We need unambiguous feedback to help gauge performance and set benchmarks.

Second, and more importantly, you need to prepare yourself for shooting a 98-100 in a match. If you have never known yourself to be able to do this, when the event arises, then you haven't developed the coping skills to respond appropriately. I shoot Sport Pistol and have shot 100 in precision (rare occurence) in practice. The pressure was incredibly high and I learned a lot from the experience. That knowledge can be and has been applied in a match.

I've discussed this issue of match pressure being greater than training pressure. I have one bit of advice for the athletes. It is only that way because the athlete makes it that way. If you are truly engaged in challenging yourself to perform, and responding to that challenge by delivering everything that you've got, then it doesn't matter where you are shooting. The pressure, entirely focused in the moment, is identical. If you make it different, it is because you are becoming outcome oiented. Draw back into yourself and perform there. This way, training is identical to matches, your first ten is identical to your 15th ten in a row.

The thing that we all have to remember is that as intelligent beings, we assign meaning to the moment. An event occurs and it, by itself, is neutral. We decide whether it it good, bad, frustrating, elating, distracting, etc. We decide and respond accordingly. Looking in your scope isn't bad when you are confirming placement and staying on top of your technique. Chasing the scope to see your "10" is not a good plan. Same thing, but the meaning or intent, internally generated, is different.

In training and in competition, we assign meaning and choose our own adventure. We make the moment.

Patrick

[Greg Derr]

Patrick: good post.

In reality there is a wide gap between theory and practice. As for being outcome obssesed, that is true, that is the point after all. We want to win in some fashion don't we? Either a personal goal or competitive goal.

The pressure we may feel in training has minimal effect of prepairing for pressure of enbow to elbow competition, I think this is one reason that many countries only train in groups, the level of comfort one has training by themself is I think counter productive to actual competition, compound that with a false sense of performance expectation and that could be a recipe for failure.

We try to approach shoot with intelligence that is true, but the shot result first stimulates an emotional response, this is what causes issues in matches.

If a shooter goes into a match with a certain level of performance expectation, let's say 98% and starts off with a 94% result in the first series. What is the probable influence of this result? And the prospects of influence on the following series?

Many succesful shooters make a point of "disassociating themselves from score" In an effort to avoid undo influences from one series over another.

For the developing shooter I would advocate this: Train alone yes, Practice alone never. Avoid score based performance evaluation and focus on group evaluation as a gage to performance.

[Spencer]

...In reality there is a wide gap between theory and practice...

A wise old professor once told me 'when practice and theory disagree, one (or both) of them is wrong'.

[Russ]

Actually, Patrick and Greg are equally correct. First of all, they are describing two methods to achieve one of the practice objectives. A competitive athlete should be capable to perform an asking score and to get to this level, he must distance himself from the game of numbers.
Good posts!

[redschietti]

Seems to me that in training you need to shoot for score sometimes and not pay any attention to score at other times! It depends on what the GOAL for the session is.

[jackh]

The goal is to "perform" optimally is it not? Scores and groups are the results of optimum performance. Although there is a measure of reasonably good equipment and a good match of ammo to the equipment.

[Russ]

Seems to me that in training you need to shoot for score sometimes and not pay any attention to score at other times! It depends on what the GOAL for the session is.

Yes it is correct.
Moreover, we have to diversify two methods. Patrick is talking about level of performance between 98 and 100, and Greg is talking about the average level of performance.

[Patrick Haynes]

Thanks, Greg. :-)

There is a wide gap, but that doesn't mean that we can't apply the theory in practice. I think that is a problem within our sport. We don't avail ourselves to readily available resources within the sport sciences.

There is some great research, specific to shooting, about introducing stressors into training. Those stressors helped the experimental group develop and practice coping strategies. The control group had it easy, without pressure in practice. Then, the participants were put into a stressful competition. The control group tanked (no coping strategies), and the experimental group, while experiencing pressure (self-reported and evident via HR monitors) maintained their training levels of performance. I think that there is ample evidence to support the you can train people to handle competition stress, without sending people to a series of expense matches. (I am not discounting matches, but you can train more often than you can compete, and you can modify the training environment to train the aspects desired.)

And yes, you need to work both sides of the fence. Didn't Half-Lama Chang (?) in Lost Horizon (I read it about 25 years ago, so I hope that memory serves me correctly) explain that we should do everything in moderation.

I'm a big believer in deliberate practice (as per Ericsson) for effect. You need to work on technique, so solitary training is good. You need to practice implementing technique shoulder to shoulder, so train in a group. You need to learn how to perform in a "foreign" range, so you train at different clubs and setups. I was talking with 3-P rifle shooters, who complained that they hated the transitions to and from different positions. I asked if they ever trained that skill and they said "no". Well, maybe they should...

While there is nothing like competing at the Olympics (or whatever your personal BIG match will be), I think that you can lessen the gap between how training and competition feels. Ramp up the stress or anxiety in training. Develop coping straegies (disassociation or neutrality or whatever works for you.) Work on your groups, as well as your scores: just not at the same time. Build technique at the beginning of your season, then start incorporating match stressors, to simulate the performance environment as you move into the competition phase. Neutrally look at what you've done and use it as feedback. Respond accordingly. Get ready to compete.

That being said, I have a seminar to deliver tomorrow and I better get some sleep.

Take care.
Patrick