The Mental part of shooting

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peteinct

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Hi everybody, I'm looking for some help with the mental parts of competition. I started shoooting plates last year and have found that as the pressure gets more intense I shoot worse. It isn't only me. In the round where I was eliminated I shot 14 rounds and the winner shot 15 but there were only 5 plates! choke choke.

Does anybody have any ideas to share? I also would like some help on how to stay in the "groove". If I am on track I do ok but if not bad things happen.

pete
 
I can't say what will work for you but here's what helped me....

Dry practice, lots of it, an hour a day every single day. I set dessert plates up against the bar in my kitchen and send them to oblivion (in my mind) over and over again.
Memorizing how the trigger on your gun behaves is a lot easier without the BOOM. Cheaper too.

Front Sight/Trigger/Front Sight/Front Sight/Trigger over and over and over. :D

The point is get all this programmed into the ol' data processor at home so when you get to the match all you have to do is relax and shoot.
It took me nearly 6 months to settle down at the line but I was determined and now I'm having a lot more fun. :cool:

Don't worry about your score, it's a distraction.
 
The mental game is what makes you a very good shooter or just another person who has good days when everything goes right.
This last Sunday I shot in a EIC (leg ) match.
Now I was strugling in off hand and even shot a 7. Settled down and cleaned the last 4 for a ok 93 for a score. Now my rapid sitting has been giving me fits all weekend and I blew 9 points in it. Now I knew I was way behind alot of folks but I also know I will take every stage and every shot and try to make it the best that I can. It was a strong switching wind for 300 rapid and the other relay had some good scores and even a clean. but now the wind was up. I put on the correct wind for what I thought and held hard as I knew even if I was off 1/4 minute it was going to be a good score. I was the only one centered up on my relay.
Back at 600 as it started to rain and then clear up kinda. The wind was bad with clouds drifting in and out. I just watched myself and only got caught on one switch and ended up with the high score back at 600.
Now it takes calm nerves and the never quit attitude and the MENTAL toughness to not just go threw the motions. Even on the last shot I took like almost 3 minutes between shot 19 and shot 20.
Where the mental part came in on the last shot was the wind just died off so should I take 1 1/2 minutes off the rifle or something in between. I just waited it out and saw a condition I knew and took 1/2 minute off of the rifle and hit a pin wheel X to finish the match.
Now by doing that and never ever giving up and taking a tough mental stand I took the Silver medal. that makes it 3 EIC matches in a row that I medaled at. and all of them would of been easy to give up.

Practice will make you a better shot as the more you get tuned into something the better you will be. The mental part will carry you in any condition or situation. You already know how to shoot but when you are on the line for a big match it is the mental part that will carry you to the end.

On a calm day the difference between X's and 10's and anything else is the mental toughness. I shot a 485 out of 500 a few weeks ago for example in a match. When I got done I knew I had made a mental mistake on 15 out of 50 shots. Thats close to one mental mistake in every 3 shots. that is not good.

did I stew over it. NO!!!! but I know to get better I will have to get my mental game in order. i knew after each of those 9's that I let a shot go that I should not of.
Another thing do not EVER let anybody else get in your head during a match.
I know what a perfect shot looks like and if you practice taking iffy shots you will take those in a match also.
I do better in matches than practice because of that and it cost me on match days.
Next time you go practice Try this. You may not take very many shots but make every perfect. The more you do that you will get used to only taking very good shots. I know in my subconscious what the perfect shot looks like and that is all I have practiced. Now on match day when my subconscious sees the perfect shot it is gone out of the rifle. When I have a conscious thought process it should only be in the building of the position before the subconscious part of your mind takes over. Now I will teach someone like in rapid fire the basics. And I will only go over it with a experienced shooter.
then I will reverse the norm and make them take slow deliberate shots making sure every one has that perfect NPA and then slowly build their speed back up to where it should be. The ideal put to them is this. IF you take your time to get the right position every shot will come easy and faster.
 
Well to steal a line from a Kung-fu movie. You must be one with your weapon. Sounds silly but its completly true. Your weapon and the rounds within should be nothing more than an extension of your body. Relax. Breath slow. And then guide the round to the target. The mental part is the hardest part of shooting.
 
One of the appealing aspects that I find in shooting is the "clear your mind" that you must do in order to be good. Very Zen.
Yes, your ability to relax and be comfortable while shooting is important. That means confidence in your equipment, and your reflexes.
 
Lanny Bassham's With Winning in Mind seems to be the book everybody uses to get a handle on the mental aspects of shooting. I haven't read all of it yet, but it does cover the pressure aspects of competition and techniques you can use to keep a bad shot from blowing your performance.
 
You're right. There is a mental aspect to shooting. If your regular life is causing you grief, you won't shoot well in competition or in practice. However, if that doesn't apply, then you need to think in terms of shooting against yourself and not the other guy. Concentrate on sight picture, breathing and trigger control. Concentrate on hitting your targets and forget the other guy.
Lots of practice on plates by yourself helps a bunch too. A buddy of mine shot 2500 rounds a week practicing to get himself ready for Second Chance, long ago. He placed well enough to bring a gun prize back AND he beat Jerry Miculek in a man on man. He won $500US in 1989. Miculek is a class act too. Lost and offered his hand with no hesitation.
 
Mental Competition

Yup, when the heat rises, the blood starts pumping and the brain starts failing.

I got into Club level Bullseye earlier this year and figured out real fast that you can practice shooting, you can practice reloading, but you can't practice competition. The pressure of being on the line (in any shooting sport) raises the bar, and how you react will mean the difference between getting a good score and a bad one.

I've seen top-notch shooters (who I knew I couldn't beat) fall apart after a failure. I've seen rank amateurs beat pros (guys who shoot for money) because they didn't know that they were supposed to lose.

I've spent a lot of time on http://brianenos.com/ reading about the mental aspects of the shooting sports. I even got his book.

I must say, over all, I've stepped up my game quite a bit since I started earlier this year. I currently hold top position in my discipline at the club and I plan on adding other disciplines to that next year.

The old adage has some truth to it: "it's not the arrow, 'tis the Indian..."

Shoot well,

-LeadPumper
 
+1 Lanny Bassham's With Winning in Mind, the guys that are beating you have read it.
 
Well to steal a line from a Kung-fu movie. You must be one with your weapon. Sounds silly but its completly true. Your weapon and the rounds within should be nothing more than an extension of your body. Relax. Breath slow. And then guide the round to the target. The mental part is the hardest part of shooting.
Click to expand...

Yes, Grasshopper, this is the way to true enlightenment. I was taught to shoot by a Marine Force Recon Sniper, after his trip the "the land of bad things" (Vietnam). He taught me breath control, concentration and all the necessary "pieces". I've had people (on this board) laugh at me when I say "it's all in the breathing." But thats a significant piece of it, and goes along with all the other things.

I was taught to focus completely on the target...The gun is an extension of yourself...Visualize the bullet hitting the target...when everything is "right" the sights will align themselves to the target.

I'ts very obvious from my groups when I'm having a "bad" day, meaning outside factors have encroached upon my concentration. When I'm "in the zone", the groups are way better...better than they have a right to be, considering the guns I shoot most often.
 
Shooting is 90% Mental and 10% Physical - Fred Misseldine.

Misseldine may be a new name to some younger shooters. Misseldine was a Champion Shotgunner as was Bob Brister, Rudy Etchen and others. J. Michael Plaxco is another name a bit "younger" to some as well perhaps.

It is said nothing new is invented. It is said one has to learn the correct basic fundamentals, and all one does is continue to do the correct basic fundamentals smoother, faster , better and build on them.

Get the 10% Physical portion figured out for YOU. This includes guns, gun fit, shell pouches, holsters, mag carriers, ammo loadings ...etc. Once found for YOU- put it down and quit messing with it.

That 90% Mental game cannot afford being reduced any at all by bleeding off a percent or more to the 10% Physical game.

Choke Changers at Sporting clays, a new loading at IDPA/ IPSC that has not been tested, different platform at 3 gun...all these are and and there are many other examples of "bleeding off" .

Once the Physical is figured out for YOU - get exact multiples.

That is why that other shooter with worn bluing on guns, frayed leather gear, and such is beating the pants off you.

Repetition becomes faith - faith becomes habit.

Be extremely careful of the shooter with:

- a Shotgun with no beads, worn bluing, and the gun has to be tied into remnants of a gun case.

-worn bluing again on a K frame revolver at Bulls-Eye

-Gov't model of 1911 with USGI / Colt 7 rds mags and it used to have some bluing on it...

These folks' game is 95% Mental and 5% physical.

Concentration is Mentally Keyed up - Physically Relaxed - Misseldine
 
thanks

Thanks for the replies and keep 'em coming. I've tried to simplify and be come more consistant with my guns. I used to shoot whatever struck my fancy that day it could be that it was the only one that was dirty and I wouldn't have to clean another one. But now I just use 1 gun my 75b all the time. I practice with it 90% of the time. It will work for me if I do my part. I just bought a second one in stainless so my primary and back up are the same.

I like the dry fire at plates idea. We can't use the plate rack at my range because the idots would destroy it so I'm looking for alternatives. If I can get repetitions in it will be harder to lose my focus.

I shot awful in rifle but decent in pistol. The best part of the day and the biggest mental boost was when a competitor had extraction problems with his 75 I loaned him my spare. He won a trophy! I may not have gotten a trophy but my gun did.
pete
 
Shooting is 90% Mental and 10% Physical - Fred Misseldine.
Click to expand...
Not 91% mental and 9% physical? Or 87% mental and 13% physical?

No. Shooting is 100% mental and 100% physical. Both your mental game and your physical game have to be in order if you want to suceed.

The key to the physical side of the game is persistent, quality practice. The right equipment helps, sometimes a lot - anyone who says otherwise is a liar or a flake.

The mental game is both simpler and more complicated. Lots of parts to the mental game. Keep both your gear and your schedule organized so that you don't have to scramble around at the last minute before a match. Keep your attitude positive and focused, but stay relaxed and aware. Visualization skills. The list is literally never-ending. The payoff is that it makes you both a better shooter and a better person.

To that end, get two books and read them with pad and pencil in hand.
Lanny Basham's With Winning in Mind and Saul Kirsch's Thinking Practical Shooting.

- Chris
 
When I give any classes I will at the end of the day ask questions of the students. One of the questions I ask is what percentage do you think is physical and what percentage do you think is mental.
The newer shooters come in no more than 60% mental to 40% physical with many at 50-50 or below. The experienced shooters I work with it is much higher on the mental.
The United States Army Marksmanship Unit taught me that back when I got started again. I was told that over 20 years ago when I was competing in this game and it still holds today.
As a few Olympic shooters have also told me the same thing is this.
when you are learning you think alot about position and shot execution and many other things. As you get more comfy with what you are doing the act of doing something is still physical but you just do it and do not have to really think about it.
Look at it this way that if you got up and went out and started your car and drove around the block what have you done?
you knew to stand up and walk to the door and walk out to the car and then reach in your pocket and take your keys out. You did all that without really having to think, Move the left leg and now the right leg and so forth. You just did it.
your subconscious did it. It was still a physical action but you did not have to think about doing much except the to get to the end of what you started out to do.
by practicing what ever you do enough you will get the motions down so that you can put your thoughts into the mental aspect of the shot execution.

Just to show you what I mean:
How many of you practice everyday without a pistol or rifle in your hand and without ever being at the range? I fire many shots everyday of the year. During the shooting season I fire in my head many matches everyday.
close your eyes and put a mental picture of the target in your thoughts. Add your sights and now control your breathing and get a good shot off. If you notice you will never get a bad shot in your mind if you do it in a relaxed state. If you do that many times a day you will get the perfect shot into your subconcious.
Now that you have that perfect shot picture you will practice it on the range and use it in matches. I will take no shot that is not perfect and it must be the same as in my head as the shot is released when the perfect picture is there.
Where the shots go astray is in your position and follow threw. You then have to have the MENTAL power "NOT" to take a shot without the power in your mind to make the shot right.
why does almost 99.9% of shooters in say standing off hand acept a not so perfect position. You think if I just creep it into the 10 ring and take the shot it will be OK. Well sometimes but most likely NOT! What you get is this:
You will have to actually think about when to pull the trigger and by the time you do that the shot usually does not end up where you wanted it to.
Now if you took the conscious thought of building the position and then let the subconscious take the shot you will get very good shots and on call.
 
The reason I choke is because I have expectations. Those expectations push me beyond my ability. If I just shoot all is fine. "Just shoot" for me is mentally sitting back and watching the shooting take place. The calmness and clarity are unbelievable until you have seen it. Time slows down, precision goes WAY up, sounds go away, the gun just moves from target to target and shoots when the shot is lined up well enough to get the hit I desire. Desire is OK, expectations are not. Practice is the time for pushing, for increasing ability. When the match starts all you can do is what you know, attempting anything else is a recipe for disaster. Had you shot your normal round of plates you would have won. There isn't any way to miss ten times and beat a reasonably skilled shooter that goes five-for-five. Reading it back it probably won't make a lot of sense, hope it helps.
 
Ouch! :)

I believe we are all one the same page.

My take is, Shooting is Correct Basic Fundamental repeated. All it is.

We may build upon these , apply strategy and tactics to various disciplines, using different platforms or accessories, or equipment, still the Correct Basics Fundamentals have never changed over the years.

I am 51, never served in the Military or Law Enforcment. I did have Mentors, Elders, and did get lessons from not only Military, LEO , also known shooters - of my era.

I have more trigger time with a shotgun, next up is a handgun. My books were Brister, Misseldine and J. Michael Plaxco "Shooting from Within". Yes I have shot with and taken lessons from Plaxco - both shotgun and handgun.
I was totally shocked to actually meet Brister, and shoot with him.

Chris,
Misseldine and others basically said get stuff that fits you for task and quit messing with it.
This also means once you get this Physical Stuff, Practice with it. When I competed, instead of just 100 repetitions of mounting gun to face, I have been known to do 500 in a day. I have been fussed at for shooting as many as 16 practice rds of skeet in a day.

We are on the same page, you know, or should know, I respect your posts, training, skills and achievements.



Jon Coppenbarger,
Yes, I agree with you as well.

Using shotguns again. I have instructed students. I continue to on a more limited and select basis due to time restraints and other life stuff.
I decided to attend College as an old fart for one thing.
I chose to work with ladies, and kids, ladies most times victims of abuse, battered and sexual assault.

I do the basics with folks, I use a skeet field. I get the safey and administrative stuff down pat, then get the correct basic fundamentals of gun fit, mounting gun to face, etc.

I encourage student to take advanced lessons or training. Defensive shotguns for instance, they have shown up with a bone stock gun that fits them, they are safe, know admin stuff, and can shoot - basic. Instructor then can take to the next level and assist with gun fit for that task.

Still these folks have the Physical stuff figured out for them. It becomes an extension of them , they do not have to look at the gun to take off / put on a safety, just like they do not have to look at a pants pocket to put a hand in to get keys - Extension of them.

Focus is on the target. Mental game is on, it is not distracted by having to do anything physical.

Just like being focused on having to watch that car backing out of a parking space going across a parking lot, and at the same time just sticking a hand in pocket to get car keys. The physical [pants/ keys] fit them, an extension of them and a practiced extension of them.
They are not looking and messing with that pocket and keys and getting run over by a car they were not mentally aware of.

--

I am huge believer in instilling confidence and getting the human computer programmed.[brain, hand, eye, swinging a shotgun, physical movements - etc ]

When a student hits, I don't care if a BB Gun hitting a ping pong ball [I teach shotguns with this] or a moving clay, or a kid hits a tennis ball with a .22 rifle- or whatever. I stop. I want them to close eyes and re live that hit. Often times with eyes closed they re- live it many times, often they speak out every detail.

If they shoot again and miss. I ask them to stop and re -live the shot they made earlier - a light bulb goes off and they know what they did different. Then they do hit the targets. Takes practice and at skeet for instance there are 8 stations and a variety, so we take each station and presentation slow, and get it instilled. We may only shoot one station that day, whatever it takes.
 
As has already been mentioned, Lanny Basham's With Winning in Mind is a must read.

It's a good, plain-speaking primer on positive mental attitude and competition that was written back before the days of buzzwords and catch phrases.
 
Stop shooting against other people.
Stop shooting against yourself.
Start shooting for the sole purpose of improving.
Once you do that, there is nothing left to create pressure.
Personal accomplishment is invigorating, not stressful.
Make it about doing well because you value the skil set and then see how it goes.
 
I coach an air rifle team.

Yes to all the folks who are echoing practice the fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.

Here's something we do a lot.

We make our shooters shoot under some sort of competitive pressure all the time.

That way, when they face real competitive pressure, they've seen it before, felt it before, tasted it before.

It's the same principle of football coaches holding scrimmages once a week or so.

Replicate the sensations of competition somehow.

hillbilly
 
Chris pretty much nailed it. I too recommend Saul's book, it's a great read. In a nutshell, when shooting fast and accurately (almost contradictory terms), folks perform their best when they are jazzed up (aids in maintaining focus) just the right amount. Not enough juice and the shooter will become too relaxed and too complacent. This especially true of big frogs in a small pond at the local level. Up the price of admission by increasing the the level of competition and the extra "pressure" (properly channeled) will actually improve performance. Too much "jazz" and the shooter will tend to fall apart.

BTW, when shooting at speed with a handgun there is no time for classical concentration or thought or any kind. The tasks are performed subconsiously through total awareness of what is happening at the instant it happens.
 
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