Looking for tips to calm down.

Status
Not open for further replies.
F

fpgt72

member
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
Messages
2,452
I just started shooting in different competitions and am having a problem....during sight in and such I do just fine, but when the match starts I just get a bad case of the nerves.....kinda like when you had to give that first speach in JR. high school.

Any tips to steady your nerves....I can actually see the rifle or pistol shaking....my hands shake.

I have always had this problem, and it actually gets worse the better I am doing.....I get thinking....I am doing good now...better not mess up.

thanks.
 
Experience. Shoot 100 matches and you'll realize you're treating it more as a job than as something to get worked up about. Your body chemistry won't react to the stress and excitement that way any more.

Which is great for your scores, but kind of sad, too, in a way. :)

I can attest that an even better way is to get involved in RUNNING/helping put on matches. By the time you step to the line after all the work and hassle and sweat, etc. of planning, set up, and registration, you'll find you don't hardly care if you shoot or not! :eek: But that's a more advanced skill! I don't recommend that one for new shooters. They tend not to come back! :D

Seriously, though, experience is the best temperer of the nerves. Like the first time you (...thinking of something THR-appropriate here...:eek:) uh, drove a car. Too much excitement and a tinge of fear. Probably made a few dumb mistakes. Now, you get where you're going without even noticing the act of driving, but you're a lot better at it even though your brain isn't amped up any more.
 
Make your goal the process of shooting well, rather than simply making good shots, or winning the match, or beating so-and-so, or not coming in last, etc. These don't help you with the process of shooting well; they're not only unnecessary distractions on match day, they're also largely out of your control, and help make you more nervous.

Run a mental routine in your head to keep the negative thoughts & nerves at bay.

Plan & visualize your winning performance.

Deep centering breath before shooting to reduce heart rate. A full 6-second inhale, hold 2 seconds, 7-second exhale.

Have faith. You can only shoot as well as you're capable, so don't cave into pressure and push beyond your ability.

Here are a pair of great books on the subject:

http://www.amazon.com/With-Winning-...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332958309&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Tou...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332958329&sr=1-1
 
ditto, shoot more more matches.

If you find your agitation getting worse with good performances, stop looking at your target once you know your zero is good. Usually looking at the target after the second shot is a waste of time, and does nothing but give your little demons an opportunity to chime in.
 
like everyone else has said, the best thing is experience shooting matches....

before i head to the line, i like to listen to music, relax, and try to get in the "zone"......its usually at this point ill start getting into my breathing rhythm.


before i line up my sights, ill take a big breath in through my nose and hold it for 3-4 seconds, and then let it out through my mouth.........and repeat that usually 3 or so times before i take a shot....i find it helps to fully oxygenate the body(especially helpful for the eyes), and releases tension
 
Shot Process

Make it about what you are doing, not where you are doing it.

In Bullseye I write out all the steps that I need to do to get off the shot. This is the shot process. The list included everything that I needed to do. Grip, look up, look down, breathe in, out, raise arm, begin to lower, breathe , etc etc.

Now the list has less on it but all those original details of the shot process remains. That list is taped on my gun box.

Make it about the process of taking that perfect shot.

Also as mentioned, participate in as many matches as you can.
 
new breathing thread

I am going to start a thread on breathing control routines.
 
i repeat the course of fire over and over and over in my head before i do it. i think through each of the steps over and over
 
Thanks for the tips....I have already cut out the caffeine that day, and cut down my sugar intake as well....pretty hard as I am a pop junkie.

I have just started all of this and am quickly getting hooked, our outdoor season has not really started yet, so it is all pistol and 22 matches, high power will come later. The 22 has drop targets so you know how everyone is doing. Last week during practice I got 18 out of 20....during the match 2 out of 20. Other people on the line can see me shake....the entire body from what I am told. It is strange as years ago I raced sports cars and never had a problem like this in a race....so pressure or whatever I don't think is it. But it was me in a car against other cars not other people...that is at least how I saw it....and I think that is the problem.

I am still having fun....too old to care who wins or looses....I just enjoy the doing it...I just wish I could relax.

Thanks again for all the help....I do plan on helping out with some matches that I don't plan on shooting...cast bullet and such...perhaps just being around it more will calm me down.
 
Yep, shoot more matches. Read With Winning in Mind by Lanny Bashem.
 
Just think. That shaking and nerves just makes this a more realistic training for the real thing if you ever have to use your firearm to defend yourself. Not saying it's the same, but closer than shooting at paper targets solo.

What I have personally found is that I'm nervous at the beginning of a match, but as soon as I start shooting, it goes away.
 
Yup. You just need more matches under your belt. It'll go away quickly enough.


MrBorland said:
Make your goal the process of shooting well, rather than simply making good shots, or winning the match, or beating so-and-so, or not coming in last, etc.
Click to expand...

There's a whole lot of truth in that statement. If your goal is the process of the shot - and not it's score - you free your mind from the "pressure to make a good shot" and focus it on the techniques that result in a good shot.


Give it time. It'll go away.

Hell, when I shoot IDPA I drink coffee in between the stages and sometimes even shoot them with my pipe hanging out of my mouth. Eventually you'll reach a place where you don't get worked up about it anymore.

Right now it's all new, and like the driving analogy, you're all jittery.
 
Ask your doctor if beta blockers are right for you

Take a class on meditation. Make your shooting a form of meditation.

Or- Tell your doctor you have stage fright and ask if he can prescribe a low dose beta blocker for you to take prior to a performance. These drugs lower BP, keep the heart from racing, and reduce essential tremor. Many public speakers and performing artists use these drugs…

And even shooters:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2875053

Cheating? Probably. But most of the overweight, over 50 guys you see at the matches are probably already taking these drugs and you’re competing against them.

Disclaimer: I do not take performance enhancing drugs nor do I endorse them. My cynical nature simply wanted to point out that they are out there even in the sport of shooting. Note the mocking subject line evocative of all those drug ads we see on TV. I still think meditation is a pretty darn good idea.
 
Last edited:
Or- Tell your doctor you have stage fright and ask if he can prescribe a low dose beta blocker for you to take prior to a performance. These drugs lower BP, keep the heart from racing, and reduce essential tremor. Many public speakers and performing artists use these drugs…
Click to expand...

im sorry, this is probably some of the worst advice ive ever seen given.

not only is taking unnecessary medication so you can get a "leg-up" in a shooting competition foolish and irresponsible medically....

it also diminishes the quality and integrity of the sport......


if you cant compete on a level playing field, why do it at all?
 
I agree.


You should not be taking drugs just to help in a match. That's a reckless statement.


It's just match jitters. They'll decrease as you shoot more matches.
 
Yup. Stay off the drugs. This is a sport, not a business.

Back to the OP...the advice to compete more is good. Bassham's book is excellent, though targeted at a higher-level competitor than you may be at this time.

Above all, it is essential to focus on making the perfect shot. Obsess about it - to the point where that obsession drives out all other thoughts. It will take work, but it pays off in good scores.

And if you are in a precision event, learn to put the gun down. I shoot in the North-South Skirmish Association. And am quite good with the percussion revolver. One time at our National Championship, I shot a good 25 yard target. Quite good. Started to shoot my 50 yard target, got off a couple of good shots...and the shakes hit. So badly I had to sit before I fell over, my knees were knocking so bad. So I sat down, calmed down, stood back up - and hammered home a score that won me the National Championship by a massive margin. Best aggregate I ever shot.
 
And even shooters:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2875053
Click to expand...

I expected the paper to show beta blockers clearly improve shooting in nearly all shooters. Not so. Their data show some improved a little, some didn't, and nearly an equal number actually got worse. A pair of "poor shooters" showed the most improvement, and inclusion of those 2 data points was just enough to push the net result to a (barely) statistically positive effect.

And the data was only collected through 2 matches, so they didn't establish normal match-to-match variability of any one shooter. IOW, if a shooter does better or worse in the 2nd match, how do you know whether it was the beta blocker, or just their normal variability?
 
I used to be really jittery at IDPA matches, they're the only competitions I'm in, and three things helped calm me down.

One was helping to set up and clean up. Getting to know some of the folks before and after a match helped take the edge off during it after a few times.

Going several times helped with excessive nervousness. I see some nervousness as being good for focus.

Last, I focused only on accuracy and not on time. For me, it allowed some measure of relaxation.
 
Just Shoot

Competing in a match environment will, in time bring your skill with a rifle or pistol to a whole new level. A level
that you probably thought you would never reach. But the point is to have fun. Please take the time to enjoy
the match and the people that are shooting next to you. They are the real reason you are there.
Good scores will come later.
Steve
 
When I first started High Power, I would be nervous thinking about the offhand stage. Like clockwork, I would have to hit the can. Then once I got to firing, my knees would knock and one day I noticed I could hear the buzz form the rifle shaking through the hearing protection. Once through the offhand stage, I looked forward to the rest of the match. If the match was shot backwards, meaning prone slow fire first at 600 yards, I did not have a nerve problem even with offhand.

I dry fired the heck out of offhand at home and became a good offhand shooter. Once I started hitting a couple of tens in a row at a match, I would relax and enjoy the rest of the offhand. Then after a good number of matches, I just enjoyed the match. Oh I liked shooting a good score but I enjoyed my time with like thinking people.

Keep shooting and one of these days you’ll calm down.
 
For the most part I do better on match days that at practice, I believe it to just consentraiting harder on match day. I follow a few simple rules for myself anyway which may not include everything I do.

First rule is I do not care what someone else is shooting during the match or do not let others know how I am doing if they ask, let someone else worry about it I do not care as the scores are posted at the end of the match.

Be prepared as there is nothing as bad as looking for something and trying to rush and spend your time right before or during prep period on something other that your prep. Do you ever notice those couple of guys every match still trying to find something or set up while YOU are trying to relax with everything in place preparing for you shots. I would rather be watching the mirage and building a good npa that looking for something.

practice, practice and practice each position before you attend matches. Every year I will not shoot a match untill I spend time going over the basics of each position until I know when doing a match the positions should come easy.

Remember the match is a long day so try and make everyshot the best one you can.
Never EVER GIVE UP.

Make the slow fire stages your favorite and look foward to them and make them your strong points.

Prepare for things to happen and never ever give them a thought other than to continue to just do your best. Noise around you? someone cross firing on your target? Delays when you are on the line plus many more. just take it calmly and get ready for the next shot as its no big deal.



And the most important one is there is never a jinx or monkey on your back as you can only control what you can control and doing the above things should help you prepare to have fun and remember its not work you are there for fun or why would we do it.
 
<chuckles> Okay, as you come up to the stage to shoot it, ask yourself this question: "What can I do to put myself closer to winning the 100 grand and the Ferrari"...Oh, wait. It's a local match and they aren't awarding 100 grand and a Ferrari to the winner? Well, screw it, I'm having FUN!

In short, it doesn't matter how you perform. If you blow it the practical impact on your life is? Zero. If you shoot the stage like Rob Latham on speed and as accurately as Robocop with cardboard seeking bullets? Zero. It just doesn't matter, why get worked up?

Another dirty little secret? It feels like 60 people are watching you intently as you shoot. The truth is that they are having conversation, making time with a cute girl, getting a drink, wiping sweat off their foreheads, and they'll look if you have an ND or blow the gun up. They're waiting their turn to shoot. If you're new, they know you aren't going to win the stage and they don't really care how you shoot. Some will be rooting for you to do well, some will be hoping you blow it, but no GMs will be watching you to see your technique and learn from it. RE-LAX.

<g>
Dan
 
I agree with the getting involved helping put on matches. Seems the more involved I got with my club the more relaxed I felt and the better I shot. This year I'm running 17 CMP and NRA matches out of our club. I do all the pre-match leg work. I have a older gentleman run the line and then when it comes time to shoot I step up and shoot "my" match. Shooting 20-30 matches a year for the last 4 years helps too. First year I was like a prostitute in church. Now I am just shooting with my "friends" and there is just "enough" pressure there to take me into the zone but I don't put so much on myself that I get shook. Just keep at it....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

F
  • Locked
High Power shoot...problems
Replies
8
Views
1K
fpgt72
F
P
  • Locked
New to USPSA production class, tips please.
Replies
7
Views
2K
1SOW
1
S
  • Locked
How will a marred tip affect short range accuracy.
Replies
5
Views
965
Hk Dan
H
Grayrock
  • Locked
CAS equipment questions
Replies
7
Views
919
griz
G
F
  • Locked
Funny story from earlier tonight
Replies
9
Views
813
Japle
Japle
Back
Top