Advanced Marksmanship Dealing with mental pressure in a match

[aagifford]

So I practice at home, dry fire a bunch. Everything looks good.

Then, practice at the range, do decent with CB, drills, groups, etc.

And then go to a monthly match and some stages do great, and others fall apart. My brother has the same issue, we've discussed this topic and when one little thing goes wrong, the rest of the stage goes downhill and my performance gets worse fast. In those ones, I feel pressure to shoot fast, like that somehow makes up for missing, even though I know it doesnt, and miss easy points. For instance, the other day, I somehow double-stroked the bolt, and jammed two rounds, had to drop the mag, and ended up single loading the last 4 shots out of 8, the whole time thinking "go faster, time is running out!"

Any advice, how do you train to deal with the mental pressure in a match vs. on a practice day at the range? How do you train to deal with problems?

 

[tigerhawk]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Shoot as many matches as you can. You'll get used to it.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Know that its just a one way range and you will be going home when your done.
Really, relax. Focus on staying cool, calm and collected by knowing it doesn't really matter. It's for fun.

 

[Downzero]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Yep, just keep shooting. Shooting under pressure never becomes easy, but managing stress is part of becoming a good competitive shooter.

 

[sled_mack]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Focus on the shot you are making. Forget about the ones you have not yet taken. If the stage scores the number of hits out of 10 rounds, I'll take 5 hits of 5 shots rather than rushing 10 shots and getting fewer hits.

The bottom line is that it is up to you to remain calm. Remember, it's just for fun, don't put too much pressure on yourself.

 

[Killer Spade 13]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Concentration.

Sight picture.
Breathing.
Trigger squeeze.
Sight picture.
Breathing.
Breathing.
Sight picture.
Trigger squeeze.
Breathing . . .
POW !!!

You HAVE to get everything out of your head except the three things I've mentioned above.

If you can't do that, you'll never shoot competetively.

You HAVE to learn how to subordinate external influences and distractions.

I think that if I'd had a few more pounds on my skinny ass when I was shooting for Georgia and not chasing so much tail, I could have improved my average by 2 or 2.5 points.

Remember, always, you're shooting only against yourself. The only person you want to better is yourself. There will always be someone better than you. But you can be better than him only if you can be better than yourself. OK, enough of the "Grasshopper" crap. But it is true.

You and the target. That is all.

It's a Zen thing . . .

 

[aagifford]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Thanks guys for all the advice, I really appreciate it. I'm going to the next local monthly, and the local "big" match is the following month. My brother and I plan to start going to pistol matches too, to get more used to being in a competitive environment.

I know the shots I missed had a bad sight picture and I pulled the trigger anyway.

 

[treebasher]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

 

[dbateman]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

There is some very good advise in this thread.

As Treebasher said slow is smooth smooth is fast.

You need to build a quality base speed will follow.

Also remember only hits count.

When I shoot a match I don't worry about the timer just what I need to do I don't care about the timer or how fast or slow other shooters go threw the stages the only thing I worry about is just this shot right now this shot right now is the only thing I need to think about.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Shoot the match one shot at a time. That one shot is the only one you can actually do anything about. The previous ones can't be changed. The following ones can't be taken until you actually get to them. A preceding bad shot has no bearing on any other shot, unless you let it. Don't let it. The score does not exist until it's actually counted, and that takes place after the firing is done.

There is no reason to hurry. The only thing that happens is that you have more time to wish you'd not hurried. Things take as long as they need to take, and when you take that time, there's always still some time left over. Even if there isn't, or even if there's a shot left unfired, all the shots you took were as good as you could make them. There will be other matches. What you learn from this match will help you in those other matches.

Never give up trying. Never quit trying. A bad shot is not a bad match, or even several of them, just keep on doing it as right as you can. It all adds up in the end, and the counting doesn't get done until the firing is done.

Perfection does not exist. Seek your best, not perfection. You can do your best, you can't do perfection. The score is what it is. The only one to beat is yourself, and the only one who can beat you is yourself. You beat yourself when you demand perfection of yourself, when you are satisfied with nothing short of perfection. Expect imperfection and stick to achieveable goals.

Greg

 

[Rob01]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killswitch engage</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Know that its just a one way range and you will be going home when your done.
Really, relax. Focus on staying cool, calm and collected by knowing it doesn't really matter. It's for fun. </div></div>

There you go. Just relax and have fun.

And as mentioned its hits that count. 1 slow hit is better than 10 fast misses. You only get points for hits.

 

[Graham]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: aagifford</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any advice, how do you train to deal with the mental pressure in a match vs. on a practice day at the range? How do you train to deal with problems?</div></div>When I raced motorcycles we used to say that nothing compares to racing. You can't learn to race doing track days, and you can't learn to shoot a match at the range.

Match experience (as opposed to training) is key to both. Your brain has a fixed amount of attention that it can give to any task. When you overload the brain with new experiences, like being at a new match for example, the amount of attention that the brain can give to solving problems decreases. The more experience you have shooting matches, the more the brain sets aside the incidental stuff and concentrates on the immediate shooting task. It's the same reason that time flies when you are having fun.

They key to match performance is to shoot the match as if it was another day at the range. For that one needs match experience. Shoot the biggest, hardest matches you cand find and the smaller ones will get easier for you mentally.

 

[Garvey]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

These guys have all hit the nail on the head.

I'm only 19 months into shooting competitvely. I am on a slow uphill improvement. I had to tell myself to keep thinking, learn from every stage and every shot, don't worry about the clock. Take notes on every stage, weather what you did was positive or negative, take notes so you can replicate the positive outcome and correct to negative outcome.

Lately I've been, occasionally, beating some very good shooters on barricades and positional shooting. Some of them have been in a hurry, failed to build a good position, rushed shots and missed the target several times.

4 weeks ago we had the stage where you shot 3 rounds seated, 3 kneeling, 3 offhand. I missed the first two seated but I called the shot and knew where my reticle was when I squeezed. Then it dawned on me that the wind was what was making me miss and not a bad position. I dialed .3 Mil in the windage (which I would never do shooting long range and prone) then moved to kneeling. 3 shots, 3 hits. Moved to offhand, 3 shots 2 hits. I only got those hits in more difficult positions because I stayed calm and figured out what part of the equasion was causing me to miss.

Shooting matches is a thinking man's sport. Keep learning what is working and what is not working for you. Learn to shoot to get hits, speed will come later.

 

[aagifford]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Again, thanks for the replies. Thinking back on the matches I've competed in, either 4 or 5 total, the stages where I do well I've shot slow. Whenever I rush I miss the easy shots. It almost feels pre-decided that I'll blow a shot when I rush.

I definitely have been in the mental overload state, and didn't focus on the shooting. The last match I did better, but I still think I there is a lot of room for improvement.

The match director has said that at the end of the day, its a points game.

Seems like if I sum up the main point of everybody's advice here, it would be:
-Slow down
-Make hits
-Focus

 

[Graham]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

http://www.amazon.com/The-Inner-Game-Tennis-Performance/dp/0679778314

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

The first few times out, shooting a match is not about working on your score. It's about developing a routine that matches up to the sequence of events. Once that routine is mastered, there is time enough to concentrate on the finer points of match shooting marksmanship.

Seriously, the best way to learn is to audit a match or few, strictly as an observer. Very quickly it will fall into place regarding what folks do, who's sucessful, and who's playing catch=up. It may also provide an opportunity to help the match administrators out, and that can be a good reputation to develop as one becomes more and more integrated into the match process

Greg

 

[aagifford]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

I've got the book Graham mentioned on order, and look forward to reading it.

I've helped out at a couple of matches, I think it helped me some, though just doesn't have a way of generating that feeling of needing to perform under pressure. I think just getting used to it by participating a few times has helped a bunch, and of course I plan to keep participating in matches.

I've seen what you're describing Greg, and the common thread that I think I see is that when someone gets behind, they blow all the future chances by focusing on the past. Brian Enos mentioned focusing on the task at hand in his practical shooting book.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

You need to check out the books and tapes done by Lanny Basham on Mental Management. Lanny was a USAMU shooter, Olympic gold and silver medalist and former world champion rifle shooter. He developed this system after choking at an Olympic rifle match, and blew his chance at the Gold. He realized that it was the mental failure that caused htis, and set about correcting it (which he did, very convincingly). He'll teach you, specifically, how to avoid the mental roadblocks and traps that will hurt you if you're not aware of them. Great stuff, and most really serious High Power shooters follow his program pretty closely. Shooting is about a 95% mental game, with the physical aspects being pretty minor in comparison. Well worth the time and money, seriously.

 

[codyb]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

All good advice I would only add if you want to shoot well come prepared. I see more people wasting time on stages trying to take care of things that should have been done prior to showing up than you would believe.

Know your equipment inside and out.
Know your zeros.
Have your data easily accessible.
Have your shit organized (you shouldn't be running back to your rig because you forgot something)

There is no reason to add stress to what your doing because you didn't prepare. I see more people losing time on stages because of the "6 P's" than any other reason.


Few things feel better than finishing a match without a dropped shot. Speed will come in it's own time.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Decide between what's good to have, nice to have, absolutely must have, and can probably get left home by accident and you discover still made it through the match intact.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

I used to get physically sick as I executed the first few shots in standing position of HP competition. I hated it. I just wanted to get it over with. I forgot everything important to good shooting as I came to the firing line. It was an ego thing. I wanted to be successful. And, even though I knew no one cared about my score, I, nevertheless, wanted to be seen as being a good shot, which of course, was not possible as a novice shooter, at least when shooting from the standing position.

Since I could not resolve my mental ordeal I worked on developing muscle memory to be able to shoot decent scores from the standing position in spite of my mental angst. Thing is, although my shooting finally came around, I still have not yet worked out a mental management plan which allows me to enjoy competition while on the firing line. It's only after the smoke has cleared and the dust has settled that I can appreciate the events of the day.

One thing though, what has been most important to my shooting success is visualizing what I did to get a good hit, not what I did to get a bad hit. This kind of thinking can be accelerated by laying off the gun for a while and instead coaching others or reflecting on the shots in groups which did indeed go where aimed. I don't understand the term for this sort of positive thinking but I do know it helps me to produce some really dazzling results.

 

[mark5pt56]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Follow everyone's advice, provided it fits for you, fit them together. What I've found to help is on top of simply dry fire, practice the match at home. Get all of your equipment as if attending a match. Have your "position" in a spot in the garage with 3/8" dots on the fridge or wall to represent standing, sitting and prone height's. Use a timer to time prep periods and also the slow and rapid fire. Actually do everything you would do in a match. Slow fire you can dry fire each "shot", rapid, I dry fire the first and just place the same pressure on the trigger for the others. Make sure you change mags on rapids. Work your breathing in rapids to assist with consistency and that will help with timing also so you use it to your advantage.

 

[aagifford]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

So I went to our local "big match" and took 5th out of 37, not bad if I don't say so myself. I was able to pick a nice prize off the table even, which I quite honestly was not expecting to be able to do. I missed both my cold bores, and thought I would place around 15th to 20th place.

I started reading the inner game of tennis book, though I didn't get too far before the match. I'll finish it in the next day or two, there is a lot of insight in the first few pages though.

Based on the sage advice freely offered here, I decided beforehand to focus on the present shot whenever shooting, and to get each shot right. In general, I shot slow, and in fact ran out of time on the last 2 shots of 2 separate 10 shot strings with about 60 second par times. A couple other times my last shot was within a second or two of the buzzer. My overall accuracy was better than the majority of competitors, which apparently (unbeknownst to me at the time) put me much higher than I would have thought in the standings. It turned out that I had a high X count, there was one competitor with 7, about 4 or 5 including myself with 6, a few more with 4 or 5, and the majority between 3 and 0.

I found out later I even shot at the wrong target once, I was told wrongly what the target placement was on one stage, and I didn't verify it by looking at the numbers written perfectly clearly (in hindsight) right next to each card. Another lesson rudely learned. Luckily, it was only 1 shot with a low score. Sucked looking at my playing card that should have had a hole in it only to find it blank, and another card (the one I was aiming at) with 2 holes.

Anyway, thanks for the advice, I still am learning, studying, practicing, and occasionally failing. I'm enjoying the challenge, and having a lot of fun participating in the sport.

Thanks!

 

[Trapshooter12]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sterling Shooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">One thing though, what has been most important to my shooting success is visualizing what I did to get a good hit, not what I did to get a bad hit. </div></div>

When I was shooting lots of Trap this is what I would tell shooters that wanted help. Remember what you did right to hit the target because most times you never know what you did wrong to miss the target.

 

[corey4]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

did you play any sports in high school / college at a high level?

if you did, then you should be able to manage the stress. in not, get to more competitions so you learn how to manage the stress.

 

[corey4]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

practice doesn't make perfect. prefect practice makes perfect.

when you practice, practice what you need to work on. during competition, do what you know works for you. don't try a new technique during a competition.

 

[Shadow_Warrior]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Great advise from the guys here that have "Been there done that".
When I competing I always have to tell myself two simple things
Keep smiling and Keep Laughing!
I find my stress level is non-existent when I'm smiling and laughing which in turn allows muscle memory kick in.

 

[HBAM1]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

You are experiencing the "stress" of pressure.
The idea of these matches originally was to put shooters in a "like" minded scenario of what combat feels like.
Everyone has a plan til the buzzer goes off.
I just finished a 3 gun match yesterday, limited division.
5 stages - shotgun, pistol and rifle.
i did well on all but one, my plan went all to hell.
Its why we do these matches.
I RO most of these stages as well, so i see what everyone deals with and how.
Its 100% normal to have one or two stages where it goes to shit.
Just keep smiling and realize that its OK. No one is shooting at me today

 

[Strykervet]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: treebasher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.</div></div>

Ah, beat me to it.

A Chinese proverb or some such goes like this:

If a man is shooting his bow for giggles, he'll about him all his skill. If he is shooting for a silver buckle, he'll shoot half as well. If the prize is a gold coin, he will have lost most of his skill.

I always just go in a zone, like I'm the only one there. I don't care about a prize or bragging rights, only that particular shot. The act of putting that singular bullet on target from such and such distance is, for me, the prize.

 

[Strykervet]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: treebasher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.</div></div>

Ah, beat me to it.

A Chinese proverb or some such goes like this:

If a man is shooting his bow for giggles, he'll about him all his skill. If he is shooting for a silver buckle, he'll shoot half as well. If the prize is a gold coin, he will have lost most of his skill.

I always just go in a zone, like I'm the only one there. I don't care about a prize or bragging rights, only that particular shot. The act of putting that singular bullet on target from such and such distance is, for me, the prize.

 

[epaultmbt]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Until there's a governing body and continuity between scoring at matches it will be difficult to properly prepare. We need an long gun IPSC/USPSA, or even a few sets of rules like seen in 3gun.

Until then, work to your strengths. Pick up points and time where you can. Remember no one is shooting a perfect match. Stay consistent through the entire match. I was once told by Chance G and Ed H "if there's a bullet in the air then there's still hope".

 

[sled_mack]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

I disagree about having a governing body for these types of matches. That is the whole point, to take on what ever crazy challenge the match director can think of. Once you tie their hands, it will take the fun out of it for the MD and for the shooters. For me, part of the fun is seeing new challenges.

And really, that wouldn't help with mental pressure. Guys still get mind screwed in IDPA.

Know your fundamentals and commit yourself to staying calm no matter what happens. You won't win every stage, but you won't be last in every stage either. Just have fun with it.

 

[aagifford]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

At yesterday’s monthly, I did allright. The only stage with real time pressure was the man on man stage, first to hit all three goes on, a miss means you’re out… I got my three hits, but maybe a second slower so was eliminated. But I got the points for the three hits, which still count for a lot more than a miss. When I think I can pick up the speed on this, I’ll try going faster, but for now I’m going with making the hits more surely, more often.

I think if things are going well, then most competitors don’t feel much pressure, but if a hiccup happens with no prior preparation (practice or planning), then suddenly, a minor hiccup becomes a stage killer.

Example, one stage was 8 shots, 2 at 160yd, 2 at 240yd, 2 at 460yd, and 2 at 540 yd. But, there were 4 targets at 240 and 460yd, and on these lines only the 2 right targets were to be engaged, in order, and if missed, you are to move on. One competitor hit the first 2, then shot the wrong 2 at the 240 yd line, then gave up. Besides the practical experience of competing over and over again, is there a way of overcoming this kind of self doubt? There was plenty of time to move on and try to pick up points, and he is a reasonably experienced competitor, but he decided to give up on that stage.

I re-read Brian Enos' book on Practical Shooting, and would characterize a lot of what he is saying as getting into a zen state. Seeing a stage for what it is, and letting the body do what it was previously trained to do. But what I’m getting at, is how do you practice for both problems that might come up, and for whatever a creative match director invented to make a stage more difficult? How do you prepare the mind and body to deal with things as they are, and move on to get the job done? I guess what I'm asking is what are various mental and physical exercises that can be practiced to become versatile, calm, and capable while also retaining speed and accuracy.

 

[1SMALLJOHNSON]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

Listen- It's not a Zen thing. It's not any kind of transformative magic mumbo-jumbo. There's not a short-cut. Want the secret? Here it is: When you're a master shooter, you've engrained the correct fundamentals into your shot process. In order to shoot well in matches, you must understand, then practice, then MASTER the fundamentals. Here's the next secret: Working on mental training will not enable you to do anything more than your body is not already able to do. HOWEVER, few understand what mental training mental perfection does: It enables your body to do everything within the best of it's ability (by either removing active thought or making that active thought congruent with the body's actions). Removal of active thought is a poor choice, because unless you're totally emotionless (don't care about the outcome) your mental game will fall apart. Rather, it's best to set up a "process" within your mind that is "congruent" with the game. Make your mind active within the match, but MAKE your mind think of only specific and beneficial things. Those specific things will benefit your performance. Such as: Active relaxation, visual imagery (fancy word for imagining a perfect shot), range check (wind flags, mirage, obstacles), etcetera, shot execution, etcetera.

Now, if you want a more in-depth read, I suggest you get a hold of "With Winning in Mind" by Lanny Bassham. I learned from him, as did my wife. His method works. It works perfectly. It can just as simply be applied to shooting as to golf as to a speech before 10,000 people.

 

[2Shots]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

I've shot lots of matches over the years of all types of firearms. Some I've won, some I've done just ok, some I've blown up! And usually when I miss I know it when I broke the trigger. Speed and thinking about winning will only cause misses. Try to relax and have fun, it is supposed to be a weekend sport after all. But especially watch the good shooters and how they go through match preparation and pay attention and ask questions, then shoot your game not theirs. Lots of guys talk themselfs out of a shot that they had their own read on and end up listening to other people and screwed it up! Myself included! And of course practice the things you consistently do bad at not the ones your good at! Good luck!

 

[DCR]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

This is what I do and it's not long range specific. Make a plan, execute plan, review. what worked, what didn't, etc. During the execute stage it is my goal to "live in the moment". Many before me have described the living in the moment better than I can.

I love Brian Enos's book. It's so much more than about shooting.

 

[waste_knot]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

One word: Crown Royal!

 

[aagifford]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

I've found that I do better when I follow a simple process, I'll try to outline it here.
Memorize any special instructions
Visualize going through the stage
Includes such things as target order, distance and scope setting changes, mag changes, where and how the rifle will be held for positional shots, etc.
Relax a little (this is my zenning out)
Check, then doublecheck my dope and scope settings
Then, when cued start shooting, get on the rifle and focus only on the current shot, with trigger control and sight alignment being paramount, doing this for each shot until all shots are gone or time has run out.

Most of the time I can call my misses, and most of the time I know it is because I pulled the trigger too hard and disturbed the alignment.

The other fundamentals matter too, having the rifle recoil and return back to where it was pointed makes for not having to find the target again. When I figured that out, my shooting got noticably better because there was no reason to look around to find my target, or to confirm if I was even on the right target, for instance.

I think what you are saying here: "Rather, it's best to set up a "process" within your mind that is "congruent" with the game. Make your mind active within the match, but MAKE your mind think of only specific and beneficial things. Those specific things will benefit your performance. Such as: Active relaxation, visual imagery (fancy word for imagining a perfect shot), range check (wind flags, mirage, obstacles), etcetera, shot execution, etcetera." is where I've been trying to get.

Thanks for the advice, I'll be practicing and participating some more in the game.

 

[sled_mack]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

My thoughts on dealing with challenges:

It's always good to watch the good shooters. You (or at least I) can always learn from them. But.... If I have an idea for a solution that I think is worth trying, I'll try it. I'm there to learn and have fun. So I'll take the risk on a stage that I'll either hit a home run or I'll strike out - but either way I know I'll learn something. It's even more rewarding when you are early in the rotation and when you get done one of the good shooters tells you "hey, good idea on that stage". Even a blind squirrel gets a nut once in a while!!!

 

[aagifford]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

I learn a lot from watching others too, especially regarding supporting the rifle in odd positions. Also, in seeing what works and what doesn't, I've made some equipment changes that have proven helpful. My next one will be to add a sling quick connect socket to the other side on the front end so I can use my sling to hang the rifle from a barrier.

 

[fargo007]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

OP - "Mental" is the right word.

These are won and lost between the ears, not behind the gun. I see so many floating through the match in a fog - being carried adrift from one stage to another. Sometimes it starts with a screw up they never recover from, other times they just arrive floating on the fog.

There is an art to shooting, and there is also an art to competing. So many people are great shots on their own, but hold the weight of competition over their head and they turn into a spilled bucket of F#@K. I am a MD and also run a training company so I see both sides and I come at this from a different perspective. I was asked to put a course on the calendar this year to go over the specifics of competitive success, and it is scheduled.

Here's a shock - It's NOT the best shooters that routinely win or place high in long range tactical precision matches. Nope. Most everybody there can shoot. It's the shooters <span style="font-style: italic">who come up with the best plan</span> and <span style="font-style: italic">flawlessly execute it</span> time after time. The ones with the situational awareness to see what's coming next and begin planning it in their head as early as possible. Who constantly take in information while getting ready. They miss nothing and are always ready. They've shot this stage in their head five times before it's their turn.

They aren't won or lost based on the rigidity of adherence to marksmanship fundamentals and extreme focus on perfect execution of a very few number of shots at all. As this discipline is concerned, I completely disagree with that if standings at the end of the day are to be considered.

Four 8's beats three 10's.

These matches are designed to take away the ability to fire perfect shots on your terms in the first place.

Just getting started? Your first order of business is to try to take home no zeroes. Put SOME points up on every stage. This will force you out of the fog and into a mindset where you <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">plan, prepare, and execute.</span> </span>

Above all, you have to have confidence. Confidence in your ability, in your gear. You have to know you're going to hit the target where you intend every time you squeeze the trigger. Otherwise there's no reason to be there.

Seems like you are well on your way at this point, best of luck!

--Fargo007

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

It's my (admittedly no longer all that recent) experience in the N/M High Power COF that time limits are actually seldom the issue where points are most likely lost. The likeliest loss occurs during the Offhand Stage, where time is quite abundant.

My own thinking about limited time resource consumption is that when the shot is ready to break, the shot is ready to break.

There is little, perhaps nothing, to be gained by either rushing or artificially prolonging the process.

Learning to recognize the point where the prerequisite waypoints to the shot's release are passed satisfactorily is the key component to successful shot management. It is primarily a matter of clarity of thought and mature self discipline.

But the important factor here is not about points, it is about personal responsibility.

Launching any and every bullet is a serious business. Every bullet needs to have a consciously chosen destination; because once it becomes released into flight, it cannot be recalled. These are not Airsoft pellets we are dealing with; they are powerful and each one carries a piece of our personal responsibility with them.

Greg

 

[Emilio]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

My advice is simple. Shoot your own match.
My first match I was so worried about my score compaired to everyone else's that it over shadowed my shooting and I came in dead last. I was pissed. I blamed my loads, the rifle, and anything else that I could think of. I found the targets on line and shot them at my local range and shot a perfect score. I introduced the time limits and I ended rushing some shotes then waiting for the timer to buzz. That afternoon I set my timer for 60 or 90 seconds and closed my eyes until I thought time was up. Try it, 60 seconds is a long ass time.
My next match I shot with the goal of not being last and I took 6th. The following match I was in the lead and didn't know it. When someone asked what my score was I said I don't know. Some one else then said that I was first and there went my score and the fun I was having. I came in 12th that day. Just shoot your own match. The score will be there waiting for you. If you must compete against some one, compete against yourself and your last score.

 

[1SMALLJOHNSON]

Re: Dealing with mental pressure in a match

AA- You got it. Make your brain congruent with what you're doing. One other thing I forgot to mention: Sounds corny, but it REALLY is true. "A man's got to know his limitations". Absolutely true for shooting in a match. Perfect example: Overholding. You overhold, and a guarantee the round will NOT go where it was intended. If you get that "yellow warning light" going off in your head while you're squeezing down for execution, STOP! Breathe. Physically relax. Imagine a perfect shot. Take up slack. Let it break.

Good shooting!

 

[irishshooter]

A lot of excellent information for you to take on board here mate, one tip i can give you which applies to feeling the pressure in any sport is relax yourself through your breathing, if you start to feel nervous and that you will run out of time your breathing will become faster. No matter how much prep you have done if you allow your nervous feeling to overcome all of what you know then its gone out the window. Before you even get behind the rifle breathe in for 7 seconds and out for 11, do this for a minute or two and you will relax automatically and allow you to clear your mind and focus on your fundamentals. The breathing technique is called 7,11s. Its easy to remember and if you practice it enough you will be able to do it as soon as you start to feel stressed.

 

[Unknown]

Langelius and Graham said most of what I was going to suggest. I found that when I try to shoot matches as fast as I can I usually screw things up. The matches where I have had the best results are the ones where I try to shoot as if I am at a practice session, and I am merely trying to shoot as well as I can in practice. If I can shoot the match without making any of the mistakes I have been working to correct in my practice sessions I usually do fairly well. If I try to go extra fast, or do something new that I just thought of, mistakes happen.

I really believe the old adage "There are no good ideas the night before a big match." Bad shots, or mistakes happen to everyone at one time or another, just let them go.

Try to shoot the match at the same pace, tempo, cadence between shots and with the same "tricks" or techniques you perfected in your range sessions. Avoid techniques that you are still working on unless you really want to find out how they screw you up when they go south. When I try to get "tricky" in am match, I usually end up remembering why I should perfect new techniques in practice before taking them to a match.

To be sure, Graham and Langelius aren't the only people who have posted fabulous info here. They just said things that I came to realize since I started competing a long time ago. Match nerves are a function of having a properly operating human nervous system. Desensitizing yourself through practicing as many new techniques as possible will help you immensely.

We humans look for things to compare to. Think of the saying "It tastes kinds like chicken". The more varied the things you taste, the more you can properly describe something: "It tastes kinds like alligator". It is the same with shooting. By practicing as many varied techniques as you can, the less surprised your conscious mind will be when something similar happens in a match (such as shooting with your ejection port pointing toward the ground). When you have practiced a technique so much that it is in your unconscious mind, then you no longer "think" about it, or are surprised by similar things.

When your unconscious mind is able to do most of the work (because of training), your conscious mind is free to take on other tasks, and match nerves begin to decrease.

Under great stress (such as matches or fights), we do not "rise to the occasion", rather we revert back to the lowest level of our training. The more you train, the less you stress.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

A key facet of successful match performance management is familiarity with match procedure, and refinement (I.e. KISS) of a proven routine. Confusion, confliction, and uncertainty are the issues which rob us of our aplomb. Staying calm and committed to a proven routine is the path that allows us the most actual marksman time with the least distraction.

This clearly indicates that the first few times out, things aren't going to go smoothly. But that's still a good thing, because it serves to provide us with clear indicators of the areas where attention is required.

The best approach for the new participant in any match regimen is to allow the first few events to serve as shakedowns and learning moments. Even attempting to shift the emphasis toward maximizing points is the wrong approach. That goal needs to take a rear seat to developing a regimen that anticipates actual events, and the polishing of that routine until one's attention can finally be devoted to actual marksmanship. Even the best shooters can lose it when their ammo is buried at the bottom or the range bag; but then, again, the best shooters are prepared, and such oversights should not e happening. Proper prior preparation prevents piss poor performance.

My own personal approach goes a step further, where I audit (I.e., observe vs participate) events before I attempt participation. This allows me an undivided opportunity to see how experienced participants manage their time and motion. I think of it as targeted time management. Serving in the pits while auditing allows opportunities to discuss and clarify our questions.

Greg

 

[Ramius]

Shoot more matches.

Learn and control your breathing. Not just breathing, but breathing as it relates to your state of mind/stress. Correct breathing will help you relax, it can also override panic.

Develop a pre-shot routine. Once you have it you can compress it and perform it quickly. This routine should be the same for every shot.

 

[wilecoyote]

someone sayed here that "isn't a Zen thing" : I must partially but heartly disagree:
when the continuous practice,the failures,the preparation,the fundamentals,the breathin'control,the mindset,etc.etc.
are together, be the Sword, the Bow, or the Rifle... that's the "WAY" _
...only in another shape_