Help retrain brain

[SqHunter]

Saw an interesting target on the rifle silhouette channel and thought I would give it a try. It very quickly illustrated one of my main weaknesses as a shooter, and I was hoping someone here could offer a simple solution.

I shot well on the first target, as well as I am capable of. Four out of first five hit the chicken with the fifth on the edge. That would be five shots in less than three inches from offhand. Target is at 100m.


Second target was not as good, showing my normal results.

My question is why? All equipment was the same, conditions were the same. I am sure it came down to tensing my shoulder and holding my breath, but how do you prevent this?

It happens during a match too. I can have a good run on a couple of banks, but somewhere in the middle of the match when I am trying my hardest, things fall apart.

So how do you get to where you can run long strings? I don't really want to know how to win, but I would really, really like to never miss again. Help!

[ppkny]

Let me start by saying I'm not a Master shooter, not even close. I've always tried to shoot the best I could even when old age was catching up faster than my ability.
I've attend a few seminars given by the top shooters and the theme that runs thought out most is "Keeping Your Mind In The Game"

About 10 years ago our local college was offering some night classes and one called "Can I Have Your Attention" by Dr. Joseph Cardillo Phd sounded interesting. Dr. Cardillo is also famous for his work with Bruce Lee on a book called "Be Like Water".

This book was eye opener on what concentration real is and how to achieve it in any discipline or any part of your life. Most of the techniques he described could be applied to any part of your life professional are personnel.

I was at match and a young shooter was doing a long run on pigs. It seemed like there was no stopping him as he got 44, 45 etc.. About that time some young girls started to notice and where leading a small cheering section. That's where it all fell apart, he started shooting faster trying to impress the cheering section and of course lost his concentration.

It is all about "keeping you mind in the game" regardless of what task you are trying to master. Small setbacks are just that and big picture thinking wins more accolades.

The book is on Amazon "Can I Have Your Attention by: Dr. Joseph Cardillo Phd

ppkny

[SqHunter]

Thank you. I will look for that book.

Has anyone else tried the targets? What were your results?

[Emietenkorte]

Thank you. I will look for that book.

Has anyone else tried the targets? What were your results?

I can say that I have had great success with this training system. I saw that you mentioned that the targets you shot were at 100 meters. How much time have you spent at 40 meters? I would say spending time training at 40 meters is the most important for training your brain and body to be active on the trigger. I spent about 8 weeks, 5 days a week shooting at the these targets at 40 meters alone before I really felt comfortable and noticed my subconscious mind taking the shots. Only after finding myself consistently taking subconscious shots did I start moving the targets to the next distance.

In your original post you wrote... "It happens during a match too. I can have a good run on a couple of banks, but somewhere in the middle of the match when I am trying my hardest, things fall apart." Not to get all psychological but with all equipment and conditions being the same, I would venture to say the thing that changes is your mindset. When I hear "when I am trying my hardest" or "I worked really hard for those shots" it is indicative of a shooter trying to make a shot happen instead of trusting that the shot will come together subconsciously. Chapter 10 of "With Winning In Mind" (a mental management book) is titled 'The Number One Mental Problem'. The Author Lanny Bassham discusses what he calls the number one mental problem among competitors... Over-Trying.

I have heard many shooters say that shooting is 90% mental and 10% physical which is something that I totally agree with, however most shooters who ask me for advice or help tend to only ask about what they can do to improve their hold, trigger control, posture/position, follow-through and so on. All of these elements are physical but if we follow the 90%/10% model then shooters tend to only work on 10% of what shooting is. Lately I have been spending more time on the mental management side of things... the 90% part of shooting. With every shot I take, dry fire or live fire I go through the three phases of taking that shot.

1. The Anticipation Phase

• This includes picking up the rifle, loading the rifle, shouldering the rifle the exact same way every time, taking a breath, saying in my head "execute a good shot", focus on the spot on the target I'm trying to hit.

2. The Action Phase

• Activating the trigger, following-through

3. The Reinforcement Phase

• If it is a good shot, I say "that is a good shot" and close my eyes and replay it in my mind to help reinforce it. If it is a bad shot then I just forget it and move on to the next... I don't want to reinforce bad shots, I want to forget them.

All of this is easiest to do at 40 meters, it's just like training for a marathon, you're not going to run 26 miles on your first day of training, you have to work up to it. Your brain needs to do this too. I believe building up consistency in your shooting ("running long strings") comes from building up consistency in your brain... it controls everything. I would suggest building a shot routine - physical and mental- that you follow every time. Bring those targets back to 40 meters and start building up that consistency, once that consistency is there at 40 meters then move out and become comfortable at 60 meters, then 77 meters, then 100 meters.

I hope this all made some sort of sense, please feel free to reach out to me if there is something that I can help clarify or if you have any questions!

Goodluck and remember...
1. It's not life or death
2. It's a game
3. It's supposed to be fun.

Have fun! = )
Erich Mietenkorte

[375Short]

Well executed explanation. You summarized the mental aspect in a concise and easy to grasp explanation. That helped me, SqHunter is 90% smarter than me so it should help him a bunch .

[SqHunter]

SqHunter is 90% smarter than me so it should help him a bunch .

Lol. I wish! I feel like I am chained to the struggle bus!

[SqHunter]

Thank you. I will look for that book.

Has anyone else tried the targets? What were your results?

I can say that I have had great success with this training system. I saw that you mentioned that the targets you shot were at 100 meters. How much time have you spent at 40 meters? I would say spending time training at 40 meters is the most important for training your brain and body to be active on the trigger. I spent about 8 weeks, 5 days a week shooting at the these targets at 40 meters alone before I really felt comfortable and noticed my subconscious mind taking the shots. Only after finding myself consistently taking subconscious shots did I start moving the targets to the next distance.

In your original post you wrote... "It happens during a match too. I can have a good run on a couple of banks, but somewhere in the middle of the match when I am trying my hardest, things fall apart." Not to get all psychological but with all equipment and conditions being the same, I would venture to say the thing that changes is your mindset. When I hear "when I am trying my hardest" or "I worked really hard for those shots" it is indicative of a shooter trying to make a shot happen instead of trusting that the shot will come together subconsciously. Chapter 10 of "With Winning In Mind" (a mental management book) is titled 'The Number One Mental Problem'. The Author Lanny Bassham discusses what he calls the number one mental problem among competitors... Over-Trying.

I have heard many shooters say that shooting is 90% mental and 10% physical which is something that I totally agree with, however most shooters who ask me for advice or help tend to only ask about what they can do to improve their hold, trigger control, posture/position, follow-through and so on. All of these elements are physical but if we follow the 90%/10% model then shooters tend to only work on 10% of what shooting is. Lately I have been spending more time on the mental management side of things... the 90% part of shooting. With every shot I take, dry fire or live fire I go through the three phases of taking that shot.

1. The Anticipation Phase

• This includes picking up the rifle, loading the rifle, shouldering the rifle the exact same way every time, taking a breath, saying in my head "execute a good shot", focus on the spot on the target I'm trying to hit.

2. The Action Phase

• Activating the trigger, following-through

3. The Reinforcement Phase

• If it is a good shot, I say "that is a good shot" and close my eyes and replay it in my mind to help reinforce it. If it is a bad shot then I just forget it and move on to the next... I don't want to reinforce bad shots, I want to forget them.

All of this is easiest to do at 40 meters, it's just like training for a marathon, you're not going to run 26 miles on your first day of training, you have to work up to it. Your brain needs to do this too. I believe building up consistency in your shooting ("running long strings") comes from building up consistency in your brain... it controls everything. I would suggest building a shot routine - physical and mental- that you follow every time. Bring those targets back to 40 meters and start building up that consistency, once that consistency is there at 40 meters then move out and become comfortable at 60 meters, then 77 meters, then 100 meters.

I hope this all made some sort of sense, please feel free to reach out to me if there is something that I can help clarify or if you have any questions!

Goodluck and remember...
1. It's not life or death
2. It's a game
3. It's supposed to be fun.

Have fun! = )
Erich Mietenkorte

Thank you. I appreciate your explanation.i have not tried the targets at 40m but will do so.

[Smayone]

SqHunter, Please tell me where you got your paper targets or how you made them.

[Emietenkorte]

SqHunter, Please tell me where you got your paper targets or how you made them.

Smayone, I'm not SqHunter but I made those targets and they are available in the description of the video I made explaining how to use the targets. You will find the link below. I hope this helps!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhG4D8xofX8&t=128s