ISSF "Olympic" Pistol Shooting

No I am not talking about Rambo or Dirty Harry but the ISSF precision pistol disciplines as practiced in the Olympic Games. The ability to place a projectile, into a small circle, at distance, repeatedly, consistently, and under pressure.

Olympic Pistol events require the highest level a level of precision, a margins for error measured in hundredths of a degree To date nobody has achieved a perfect score in a major championship or the Olympic Games. The slightest wobble, the slightest loss of focus, will show in the final score.

At highest level the sport is dominated by the Russians and the Chinese and who are kept in check by a handful of Europeans.

At the club level the sport is growing throughout Europe. In UK, where recent changes in the law have all but banned position of other types of pistol, the standard for 10M Air pistol at the club level is surprising high and I hope that we will soon see some British Olympic champions.

Another interesting aspect to the sport is that you are not "Over the Hill" at the age of 30, in fact there are very few world class competitors younger the 30. One Notable exception to this however is Wei Pang of china, at the age of 20 he is currently number one in the world ranking for 10M Air pistol. I expect we will see some great things from him in the years to come. His youngest rival is Vladimir Gontcharov aged 29. The oldest man in the in the current top 10 ISSF world ranking for pistol events, is the Russian Sergei Alifirenko who a the age of 47 Who ranks 4th in the worls for 25M Rapid Fire event!

The ISSF have a outstanding website, with event descritions, rules and regulations, Results, World championship Standings, videos and interviews.

MENTAL TRAINING

By Tom Redhead

Instead of the words MENTAL TRAINING one could well use the words MENTAL PREPARATION i.e. " Preparing to compete successfully ". Mental training can open many doors and do many positive things. What it cannot do however is grant you shootings skills if you do not possess them. If you cannot hit a Donkey on the arse with a Banjo, don't expect Mental Training to do it for you. Mental training is not a substitute for technical shooting training, its primary purpose is to enable you to achieve your potential in a match.

In the past, when perhaps Sports Psychology was more of an art than the science it has become, there was a lot of unnecessary and unhelpful mystique and jargon associated with Mental Training. Unfortunately this has caused many serious target shooters to avoid using any of its undoubtedly helpful techniques in the past.

I strongly recommend that, wherever possible, you enlist the help of a qualified Sports Psychologist as part of your overall strategy for winning. They have many techniques, that are beyond the scope of this presentation, which they could use to help you.

As you will know your brain is divided into your conscious and your sub-conscious state. Your sub-conscious is an incredibly powerful and complicated machine with an enormous potential that mankind has barely begun to realise. It fulfils an amazing amount of functions, both Physical ( as a survival machine ) and Mental/ Emotional with built in balances and checks.

Although this powerful "Super-computer" controls so many of our actions and reactions, it reacts to messages from our conscious mind and this is where most of us go wrong. It is strange to note that despite the aforementioned complexity of our sub-conscious mind, I have found the most effective Mental Training Methods to be those which treat the sub-conscious state as a unsophisticated, somewhat naive, child.

For example whereas in family life you would say "Not in front of the Children" because of the negative effects it could have upon them ( it's better that they don't know about such things etc.) the same is true of your sub-conscious . You must not think "negative thoughts" because of the negative effects they can have upon your sub-conscious. There are many other examples but I'm sure you have got the message.

It's one thing to know that something works and quite another to know why it works. Science is beginning to provide the answer. Research, using a high powered electrical brain scanner, has determined that we learn a skill or technique in one part of the brain and then the information / knowledge is transferred for storage and use in an entirely different sector of the brain.

The basic cause of the problems we encounter prior to, and during, a competition lies in the fact that we are sending entirely the wrong messages to our very willing but non-discriminatory sub-conscious mind. When you get nervous at the prospect of shooting in a competition, your sub-conscious state picks up the signals emanating from your conscious mind and reacts accordingly.

Because it cannot readily differentiate between Stress; Anxiety; Fear or Anger; your sub-conscious state stimulates the secretion of adrenalin to prepare you for the extreme Physical action ( Fight or Flee ) it anticipates you are going to make.

Adrenalin is bad, bad news for a target shooter. It may be the Athletes friend but it is definitely the Shooters enemy. If you want to elicit the correct response from your sub-conscious mind and prevent the production of Adrenalin, always bear in mind you must never think about what you DON'T want because your sub-conscious will

misunderstand what you want and will give you exactly what you are trying to avoid!

Five of the main aspects of Mental Training are:-

A.) RELAXATION

B.) VISUALIZATION

C.) MENTAL REHEARSAL

D.) FOCUSING

E.) POSITIVE AFFIRMATION

A.) RELAXATION

Progressive Muscular Relaxation ( P.M.R. ) One of sports most widely used techniques.

Whenever possible it should be used as a preliminary to both Mental Rehearsal and

Focusing. You will all have heard of this technique;

You sit or lie in a relaxed position, do some deep breathing and then systematically and progressively tense and relax your entire body from the feet upwards.

This technique is without doubt the most effective ever created to relieve tension; not only for sport but for life in general and I recommend that you use a professionally produced video or cassette tapes, of which there are many on the market.

Speed relaxation

This technique was devised by David Bunker, who is a leading Sports Psychologist based at Loughborough University. Using well-established principles, he created this system for the Captain of the British Olympic Women's Hockey Team, to assist her in coping with being the only one to take G.B.’s penalties throughout the games. She had to learn how to rapidly switch from racing around the Hockey Pitch, to being cool, calm and collected. Her G.B. team won the Bronze Medal.

It can be used during a competition to slow down your heart rate or to relieve tension.

In speed relaxation you concentrate solely on your arms and your legs using a technique which I call " Doing the five's" i.e. :-

Whilst still seated on your chair take a couple of DEEP chest breaths to build up your oxygen level.

Then take another deep chest breath counting up from one to five,

1-2-3-4-5

Whilst you are counting you must PROGRESSIVELY tense both your arms and both your legs until they are at maximum tension by the count of five.

Now hold it..., and hold it a little longer...., then slowly breath out, counting down from five to one;

5-4-3-2-1

Progressively relaxing your tensed muscles as you exhale.

Now repeat the process once more.

B.) VISUALIZATION . What you see is what you get ( Also known as Visual Rehearsal, self actualisation or going to the movies).

Long before we had a vocabulary and could speak, either as a Cavemen, or as an infant, we

had visual images/pictures in our minds. The expression " Picture that in your minds eye " is

especially appropriate. It is no coincidence that visualisation, be it before firing each and

every shot or preparing yourself of a forthcoming competition, proves to be the most effective

technique for many shooters.

Your imagination is stronger than your willpower. If willpower alone created World Champions

we would have a good many... but it doesn't... and we haven't!. Trying to force something to

happen by sheer strength of willpower will never be as effective as visualising it being

accomplished.

If you don't believe me ask yourself this question." Could this be the reason why no matter

how determined I am, and how much willpower I use, I still do not get the results I deserve in

competitions?" The simple fact is the sub-conscious brain finds it very difficult to discern

between; something which has been imagined and that which is actual. All it knows is what

is programmed into it, by visualising something you desire to happen you have programmed

your sub-conscious into providing it.

Here is an example, chosen because the subject matter has strong similarities to shooting

under pressure, to illustrate the point :-

In a documented experiment in America, two groups of students were given the task of

practising basketball penalty shots and practised everyday for a whole month. One group

actually practised physically netting the ball, whilst the other group relaxed on a bed or chair

and used visualisation to mentally practice netting the ball.

At the end of the month both groups were gathered together and physically competed

against each other to see which group could net the most penalty shots. The visualisation

group won by a considerable margin. I am not saying that you should replace shooting

training with visualisation. Mental training is not, and never will be, a substitute for

shooting ability but I am saying it is a bloody good way to enable you to fulfil your potential in

a match!

C.) MENTAL REHEARSAL Be prepared

Mental rehearsal conditions your sub-conscious mind into expecting/anticipating what is going to happen and preparing itself for the task to come. So when you walk onto the range to compete, the brain gets straight into gear because it thinks it has done it dozens of times before. The objective is for your sub-conscious mind to think " Ah yes I recognise this situation, there is nothing to worry about, I know how to handle this".

As an example mentally picture yourself:-

On the morning of the competition preparing your kit;

Waiting in the foyer for the bus to the range;

Arriving at the range;

Going through the formalities;

Setting your kit out at the firing point etc. etc.

Mentally prepare yourself for any eventuality, this is known as 'What if...?' scenario setting. Plan in advance what you are going to do if the target changer stops functioning; how you will handle the officious range officer; cope with a broken firearm. This is not being negative; it is foreseeing a possible problem and working out a solution in advance, which can only be to your benefit. Malcolm Cooper used this method to remarkable effect. He visualised every possible occurrence and mentally rehearsed how he would deal with it.

At the Seoul Olympics when a B.B.C. reporter knocked over and broke the bedding of his Rifle, a few days before his match, he didn't allow himself to get upset or alarmed, he had already envisaged such a scenario and worked out how he would cope with it. He walked straight off the range, leaving the team officials to deal with the problem and went for a cool fruit juice and chilled out.

The Russian Armourer subsequently repaired his rifle and Malcolm won his second consecutive Olympic Gold Medal.

Perfecting your shooting technique.

Having achieved a relaxed state through P.M.R. close your eyes and picture, in your minds eye, the technical excellence you wish to achieve. At first it may be difficult but with practice it will quickly get easier, moving your hands and arms to mime the actions also can be very helpful.

For instance you could:-

See and feel the weight of the pistol in your hand;

Feel yourself breathing;

See and feel your pistol being raised;

See the sights coming sharply into focus;

See the sight picture steadying;

Feel the smooth application of pressure on the trigger;

See and feel the smooth controlled recoil as the shot is released;

See the bullet hole in the middle of the ten;

See the sights coming back into line as you follow-through.

Another useful method utilizes sensory deprivation.

It is based on your brains amazing ability to compensate for the loss of any of your senses by strengthening/ improving those that remain.

Block off your vision. Cotton wool held in place by a day sleeping mask works well

Block off your hearing. Soft plugs under your ear defenders do the trick.

Adopt your shooting stance and click and really ’FEEL’ your trigger. Free from distractions you will quickly reach higher levels of trigger control.

Check you body movement; strive to achieve Zen Buddhism levels of bodily awareness.

D.) FOCUSING. Training your conscious mind to focus your concentration.

The following should become part of your shot-firing routine, in training as well as in competition:-

Prior to firing a shot, close your eyes and in your minds eye go through the whole sequence of your shot delivery technique

Many top shooters find that saying a “trigger” phrase or mantra at the start of the process strengthens the positive effect. The word ‘FOCUS’ is one of the most popular with all sportspeople. A videotape is available, which assists with this process.

The purpose of this technique is to send positive, well established signals to your sub-conscious. You are programming it to give you the desired effect. The more you learn how to focus your concentration during you shooting training sessions, the better you will be able to focus your attention during a match.

E.) POSITIVE AFFIRMATION. Always be positive, never negative.

Soothe and reassure your sub-conscious, as you would an anxious child, with positive words and images, using phrases which describe the good things which are about to happen. Be positive and self encouraging at all times before, during and after your

match. Indulge in positive self-talk. Tell yourself how good the next shot is going to be, how good your firearm feels in your hands. Remember, "Not in front of the children!".

There is never " A bloody awful shot ". You will say :- "That's A Mistake I Will Not Repeat, The Next Shot Will Be Good And Technically Correct" Do not count the errors; focus on you good shots. It is well worth repeating:- Never think about what you DON'T want because your sub-conscious will misunderstand what you want and will give you exactly what you are trying to avoid!

Your ‘Secret friend’. Very efficacious; if it works for you it ‘s magic!

A very efficient method of self-talk is to imagine that you have an earpiece in your ear receiving a running, very positive, commentary from someone who’s opinion you respect and trust, who will always use your Christian Name when talking to you.

If necessary keep a running dialog going with that person during a shoot. Your secret friend must keep encouraging you, praising your efforts and frequently keeps using your Christian name. Discuss strategy with you friend, if problems arrise your friend reminds you what you have done in the past to correct the problem, or encourages you to focus on the basics, etc. etc.

CONCLUSION

None of the Mental Training techniques we have just discussed are of any use if you are not prepared to spend time practising them. The more important you perceive a competition to be, the more demands it will place upon your mental training.

One aspect of mental activity which is often overlooked is it dibilitating effect put bluntly "it knackers you". Therefore always remember adequate rest is absolutely essential if high levels of concentration are required! When away on a shooting trip always find time to have a quiet half hour, on your own, in your bedroom to do some mental rehearsal.

Doing your mental training is like putting money in the bank, the more hours you accumulate the more " Mental interest" you have to spend during a competition. Remember the more important a competition, the more " Mental interest" it costs you. If you fail to do your mental training you will quickly go into " Mental overdraft " during the competition and could suffer the consequences. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Enjoy your shooting,

Tom Redhead

improving Your Technique

Not that we discourage the attitude that "If I had a better gun, I'd shoot better" (after all we ARE in the business!), but the truth is that hard work on a sound technique is the real way to boost your performance. The problem is the "hard work" part - nobody enjoys that nearly as much as seeing holes appear in paper 10 minutes after you arrive at the range. Still, once you decide that you are serious you will not mind the effort as the results begin to appear. In building your technique, you might as well start at the ground and work up. I like to use the analogy of building a house: You need a good, strong, well designed foundation to support the rest of the structure.

The first idea to dispel is that of finding your "natural stance". While your physical makeup will have to be factored in (I had one student who had engaged in "Kendo" for years - he was so muscle-bound he could NOT hold his arms out straight!) your stance should be based on basic principles and then MADE "natural" by repetition. Almost all elements of a good shooting technique are compromises and we see that in choosing a good body position: The placement of the feet is a compromise between stress on the ankles and legs and the desire to have the widest possible platform for stability. The commonly stated rule of thumb that the feet should be about as far apart as the shoulder width is a good starting point. Next, we must choose how to orient our feet. Again, the oft heard "45 degrees to the firing line" is a reasonable starting place. The feet are set as if along the sides of a triangle - toes out, heels in with the firing line being the base of the triangle and a line through the feet converging behind the shooter as the apex. We choose something near this angle as the best compromise in reducing strain on the body as we divide the 90 degrees to be subtended between the mechanically inefficient 'facing the target directly on' and the quite efficient 'feet parallel to the firing line' positions. If we were to stand with the feet parallel to the firing line (and some early shooters did!) we put enormous strain on the neck trying to twist the head around enough to sight down the barrel line and we also constrict the carotid artery which is supplying oxygen to the eyes and brain. This is not a good, so we start with the feet as above and subtend the remaining 45 degrees or so by twisting at the hips and ankles about 20-25 degrees and by turning the head for the remainder of the way. Now we have stabilized the back and have distributed the strain throughout the body leaving the neck arteries free and the neck muscles only mildly extended. The head is erect, of course, and so the balancing organs feel correctly oriented.

I recommend you choose a place at home to do your dry firing where you can place and leave tape markers on the floor in the above relationship to the aiming mark on the wall. This way you can step into place exactly the same way each time you begin your dry training. Very quickly your body will "learn" this position/stance and it will become "natural". Don't be afraid to mark your foot position with chalk or tape at the range and even during the match, either! In a long match, it is recommended you take breaks (or, you may have no choice during scoring breaks.) It is very nice to be able to just step back into the exact place and thus eliminate another possible variable. I have seen shooters at world level matches do this, so ignore any odd looks and be confident you are in "your" stance.

By now, your position should be pretty well established, so as promised, we will take the next step in building our technique and discuss breathing. Hey, what's to discuss? Everybody knows how to breathe, right? as usual, however, there are good ways and better ways—particularly if you are shooting.

The first things to understand are your physiological needs and how the body treats breathing (it has its own agenda going here and shooting wasn't hardwired in to be part of it!). The brain and the eyes are two of the biggest users of oxygen and darned if those aren't two of the most important organs used in shooting. So, we have to be sure they are getting lots of it. Another thing to consider is that the "out-of-breath, gotta breathe" feeling is NOT due to lack of oxygen, but due to the body detecting an excess of CO2. When we take these facts into account and add them to the need to not be moving while we deliver a shot, the framework of our breathing technique emerges. Other things to consider are the fact that really full lungs tend to compress the heart and change its beating rate and yet an expanded chest can help support the gun.

The first step in breathing for shot delivery is to PURGE the lungs of CO2. Most of us only use about 1/2 the lung's capacity while breathing "at rest." CO2 is heavier than air and sinks to the bottom of the lungs. To purge it, we need to make a deep exhale and push all of the CO2 out. The second step is to take a deep inhale—fill the lungs all the way up. As we do this, we lift the gun—letting the expanded chest help. The third step is to make a "normal exhale". This will take the pressure off the heart and as we do so, we lower the gun into the aiming area. Then, I like to "top off the tank" by taking a normal inhale. Now we are "full" of fresh oxygenated air, empty of CO2 (which promptly starts building up again) and in the aiming area ready to deliver the shot. Here we can fine tune by making a controlled small exhale to let the gun settle into the exact area we have chosen as our aiming area. The chest actually is helping support the gun. You must experiment to find the point that is just right for you. Now we become still, "holding" our breathe while the shot is delivered. Finally, we make a normal exhale and lower the gun to the bench and begin "normal" at-rest breathing while we relax our eyes, body, and mind during the "rest" phase of the shot cycle.

Once more:

Step 1: Deep exhale
Step 2: Deep inhale, lift gun as we do so
Step 3: Normal exhale to relieve pressure on heart
Step 4: Normal inhale to "top off" (maybe even a bit MORE than "normal")
Step 5: Tiny, controlled exhale to fine tune "support" position for the gun in aiming area
Step 6: Still (hold breath) while shot is delivered (and until after bullet hits target—"follow through")
Step 7: Exhale normally while lowering gun to bench
Step 8: Normal respiration while resting between shots.

Who would have thought "breathing" requires all those steps? this routine now must be folded into your technique by slow, careful, exact repetition until it too becomes "natural". As with everything else, consistency is your goal.

The development of 10 meter air pistol competition

It is certain that soon after the first of the Diana, FWB and Walther pistols hit the market, a formal type of competition was developed to take advantage of their incredible accuracy and precision. Although initially contests were fired at a variety of distances, soon the 10 meter standard we all use today was confirmed. The targets developed as well, and with each new edition the scoring rings became smaller. What we have today is a target such as this:

The outside scoring ring has a diameter of 16.5 centimeters ( 6 1/8" ). The 10 ring has a diameter of just 1.15 centimeters
( 7/16" ). That doesn't leave much room for error now does it! Inside of the 10 ring is a still smaller X ring with a mere 5.2 mm diameter. It is possible to shoot a pellet so perfectly on center, that you punch out this ring and leave the white visible around the hole. I know because I have done it, but only twice in five years!

Some major changes have taken place in just the last two decades. In 1980, the UIT changed the men's competition from a 40 to a 60 shot format. Women's competition stayed at 40 shots and has remained there since. Also in 1980 the firing of sighter shots was changed, allowing unlimited shots - but all had to be taken before the first shot for record. Before this change a maximum of 15 sighters could be fired, but they could be taken before or after any ten shot string during the match. These were accounted for on the two sighting targets each competitor was given. Now, according to UIT rules, a ten minute preparation period takes place before the match starts, and this prep period is broken into two parts - three minutes of general equipment preparation where you may not handle the gun, followed by seven minutes during which you may dry fire, etc. The length of time a competitor has during a match has been shortened from two hours, to just one hour and forty-five minutes including sighter shots. The X count is no longer used as a major scoring component. I believe that it is used as the third tie breaker, behind number of tens, and the last ten shot string's score.

One of the best developments in 10 meter competition came in 1986 with the advent of "finals". This is currently used in all major matches worldwide. The method is this: After the 60 shot match is complete, the top 8 competitors are placed in the order they finished the 60 shot match on the line - first place on position #1, second on #2, etc. They then begin a 10 shot final shoot-off. In this finals, the competitors have a 75 second time limit to fire each shot. After the last competitor has fired shot number 1, the targets are scored, and the score is given. The competitors then shoot shot number 2, after which the scoring is again done, and so on through all 10 shots. The scoring of each shot is given a numerical value to the tenth of a point. The lowest possible shot for score would be a 1.0 with the pellet just touching the outside of the lowest value scoring ring. The highest value shot would be a 10.9, or a perfect center shot. This 10.9 maximum value rule has been in place since 1989 when the 11.0 value was dropped by .1 of a point. The maximum score now possible is 709.0 with the 10 shot finals included. That would be sixty consecutive tens, followed by ten consecutive 10.9 shots. I can honestly say that I feel this will never happen. If it does, well ... we can make the target smaller still I guess?! To further illustrate this scoring method, here are a few samples of shots and how they would be scored.

My 12 Rules of Shooting

1. Remember every shot is a match shot (that includes when training).

2. When the conscious mind has a positive thought, it cannot, at the same time think a negative thought.

3. What you picture is critical. Positive pictures, positive result.

4. The more you talk about, think about or write about something. We improve the probability of that happening.

5. Let the scorer do the score and you do the shot. If you are focusing on the score, you are not focusing on the shot.

6. A positive mind will give you a positive shoot, Only winner think of winning.

7. Stay with your plan until it is finished.

8. Dont remember the bad shots, only reinforce the good shots. Remember how they felt when you shot them and do it every time.

9. If only....if only...Nothing is going to change until you change it yourself. AND REMEMBER YOU CAN NOT CHANGE HOW OTHERS SHOOT.

10. Stop worrying about the small stuff, "Remember it is all Small Stuff".

11. If you dont believe in your own abilities, nobody will. Positivity will allow you to reach your goals and targets. Belief and confidence help you reach your capabilities and by using these to the full, You can do whatever you put your mind to.

12. FOCUS ON THE PROCESS....

GOALS SETTING FUNDAMENTALS

1. Be honest with yourself-assessments.

2. Use the approach or approaches which most appeal to you.

3. Appraise your goals regularly - ideally, every 6 - 8 weeks.

4. Set S.M.A.R.T goals to maximise motivation, commitment and quality.

5. Design long, intermediate and short term goal setting schedules.

6. Assess your goals each week.

All goals should meet the 'SMARTER" criteria, but there are three main types of goals that can be set:

1. Outcome goals - focus on outcomes of particular events and usually involve a comparison of some kind with other people (e.g. winning a competition).
2. Performance goals - specify an end product (usually relatively independently of other divers) and encourage your athletes to perform to their potential e.g. achieving a personal best score.
3. Process goals - specify the actual behaviours that individuals have to perform in order to compete well.

There is one more very important type of goal that does not fit the rules of other goals. It is the DREAM GOAL!

A dream goal is the vision which motivates performers e.g. learning to dive, winning the Nationals, getting a gold medal at the Olympic Games. It may well be out of their control, and doesn't fit the SMARTER principles, but it will define their ambition and the kind of performer they want to be. For that reason dream goals are special, all other goals are a way of reaching that dream.
Dream goals inspire, they create energy - it's like when you stretch an elastic band!!!

VISUALIZATION

The last couple of "tips" by Dr. Mike Keyes dealt with stress and relaxation as a tool to overcome stress. Now that we are relaxed, lets look at some powerful mental techniques to improve our performance. I refer to these as "Strategic Visualization" and "Tactical Visualization". These techniques work on the principles that the subconscious mind controls such activities as shooting (or should and would if you let it!) and that our neural pathways can be "primed" to transmit preferred messages to the body. Also, it is known that the subconscious mind holds our "self-image" and cannot tell a vividly imagined event from a real one (!) With these ideas firmly in place, we can devise a strategy to improve our self image. And, once we have a new self image, we are compelled to adhere to it! Building a new self-image is done with:

Strategic visualization. The technique is so easy many can’t believe there isn’t more to it. What you do, is make up an "affirmation" card: a 3X5 card with a positive, present tense, first person statement on it. (Don’t skip over this part - all of the last sentence is critical to success.) An example would be: "I am a 570 air pistol shooter". (Of course, this should be a challenging but not ridiculous statement and one that represents a significant improvement.) Now, using the relaxation techniques we have learned, we get comfortable and relaxed, take out your card(s) and then read this statement to ourselves - once out loud and once silently. Then, we close our eyes and visualize - IN AS MUCH DETAIL (color, sound, smells, etc.) as we can - being a 570 shooter. See the scoreboard in your mind with your name and score. Visualize shooting the match with 95 average strings. Feel your friends pat your back, etc. Do this several times a day. Thats it. And, believe it or not, in a far shorter time than you might think possible, you will find yourself doing the things necessary to be a 570 shooter and then the day will come that the 570 score is achieved and you’ll hardly even be surprised - after all that is YOU, so whats the big deal? You will find that instead of turning on the TV, you think you’ll practice a while, because that is what 570 shooters DO. You’ll be sure your equipment is suitable for a 570 shooter. All this will happen without conscious effort, just because you WANT to! You can make up several of these statements and even subordinate statements. For example, with the "I am a 570 shooter" statement, you might feel that you just can’t find enough training time to make this happen, so you make a card that says, "I find it easy to schedule training time" and put in behind the "570" statement and use it the same way. Very soon you will be finding reasons to GO practice rather than reasons NOT to go. The subconscious mind has received all those vivid pictures of the "new you", believes they are actual experiences and is making sure you conform to this new, improved self image. The more frequently you visualize, the quicker the change occurs.

Tactical visualization is a bit different. In Tip #7 we talked about creating a perfect model of the action you wish to take - in this case, a perfectly executed shot. You must have this in order to practice your skill either mentally or physically. Researchers have shown that if an athlete, a down-hill skier in one example, visualizes making a slalom run while hooked up to a mylograph, minute electrical fields are measured that indicate the exact same muscles are being activated that would be used to actually ski the slope. We believe that these neural "paths" can be programmed with the visualization of your perfect "model" just as with actual action. Visualization is probably better because the act can be done perfectly EVERY time! So, this is a way of training mentally anywhere, anytime. One excellent use of tactical imaging is to visualize a perfect shot on the range just before you actually perform the shot. Then, letting your mind hold that image, you raise the gun and execute what you have just visualized. The results of this technique are very gratifying!

And, notice that if you are working hard at visualizing perfect executions, you are not worrying about negative things and are going to be free of the stress-causing concerns that plagued you before!

Training Plans

How do you set up a training plan? What is training, anyway?

Training is a learning process both for your mind and your body (anyone out there think you can seperate them?). Learning theory is pretty well established and basically says that short sessions and lots of them is the most efficient way to learn anything. The U.S. Shooting Team shotgun coach, Lloyd Woodhouse, has the most rational plans that I have heard. He defines "training" as that time spent perfecting each element of the technique (sometimes called "the fundementals"), this should consume about 80% of your learning time. "Practice" should take about 15% of your learning time and is defined as simulating match conditions as closely as possible, but being able to stop in the middle of or at the end of a series of shots, making an adjustment to come closer to the perfect technique, and then repeating the series or continuing as needed. You'll notice that there is 5% left - and that is the time spent at actual matches.

Three sessions a week for about 3-4 hours per session is a pretty heavy learning load, but it is about what is required on the range for those seeking to become elite shooters. Alternate days should be spent in physical or mental "training" to maintain good physical condition or increase strength, and/or to work on visualization techniques.

One important aspect not commonly recognized is to schedule uninterupted time and concentrate on a single element. New studies show that if you try to learn more than one thing in a day, your learning efficiency goes down! It seems that it takes the mind/body combo some significant time to integrate what it is trying to learn. So, when you "train", pick one element of the technique, focus on it, work to perform it perfectly and don't try to do anything else in that session. Then take a break, for heaven's sake!

Training Plans

How do you set up a training plan? What is training, anyway?

Training is a learning process both for your mind and your body (anyone out there think you can seperate them?). Learning theory is pretty well established and basically says that short sessions and lots of them is the most efficient way to learn anything. The U.S. Shooting Team shotgun coach, Lloyd Woodhouse, has the most rational plans that I have heard. He defines "training" as that time spent perfecting each element of the technique (sometimes called "the fundementals"), this should consume about 80% of your learning time. "Practice" should take about 15% of your learning time and is defined as simulating match conditions as closely as possible, but being able to stop in the middle of or at the end of a series of shots, making an adjustment to come closer to the perfect technique, and then repeating the series or continuing as needed. You'll notice that there is 5% left - and that is the time spent at actual matches.

Three sessions a week for about 3-4 hours per session is a pretty heavy learning load, but it is about what is required on the range for those seeking to become elite shooters. Alternate days should be spent in physical or mental "training" to maintain good physical condition or increase strength, and/or to work on visualization techniques.

One important aspect not commonly recognized is to schedule uninterupted time and concentrate on a single element. New studies show that if you try to learn more than one thing in a day, your learning efficiency goes down! It seems that it takes the mind/body combo some significant time to integrate what it is trying to learn. So, when you "train", pick one element of the technique, focus on it, work to perform it perfectly and don't try to do anything else in that session. Then take a break, for heaven's sake!

TRIGGER CONTROL

Trigger control simply means learning to squeeze or press the trigger without disturbing the sight alignment. Proper trigger control requires that the only change in hand pressure be the straight-back pull of the trigger finger on the trigger. Adjusting the trigger finger placement on the trigger can aid in achieving a straight-back pressure.

Proper finger placement on the trigger is important for proper trigger control. An exercise that can help you find the proper placement of the finger on the trigger is, to take a pencil and hold between the finger and thumb of the hand not used to pull the trigger. Wrap the trigger finger around the pencil like it was the trigger. Pull the pencil like it was a trigger. Note the direction the pencil travels. If you have too much finger on the trigger it causes the rifle to pull to one side. If the finger is too close to the fingertip, the rifle will push off to the other side. The proper placement is about half way between the fingertip and the first joint.

Once proper placement is achieved you will have to learn to apply slow constant pressure to the trigger so as not to move the rifle off the target. Do not get in a habit of jerking the trigger.

You will also learn proper breathing while having proper trigger control. When the sight picture is correct you will take a deep breath, let out about half and hold while you squeeze the trigger. Patience will have to be learned to know when to wait n a shot and try again later.

Top Eleven Bad Habits of Shooters

The following chart indicates various errors frequently done by shooters and the general direction the shot goes when the error occurs. This is chart is for right-handed shooters, left-handed shooters merely have to mirror the chart horizontally.

1.Not Looking at the Sights. This quite frequently is listed as "looking at the target." A shooter may be focusing his eye on neither the sights nor the target, but since he does not see the target in clear focus he assumes he is looking at the sights. You must concentrate on sight alignment. 2.Holding Too Long. Any adverse conditions that interrupt a shooter's ability to "hold" will cause him to delay his squeeze, waiting for conditions to better. The disturbing factor about this is that you will do it unconsciously; therefore, you must continuously ask yourself, am I being too particular? 3.Improper Grip or Position. Suffice to say that you cannot fire a decent score with any gun at any range if you continually change your grip or position. 4.Jerk or Heel. The application of pressure either with the trigger finger alone or in case of the heel, pushing with the heel of the hand at the same time. Apply pressure to the trigger straight to the rear and wait for the shot to break. 5.Anticipation. Anticipation can cause muscular reflexes of an instant nature that so closely coincide with recoil that extreme difficulty is experienced in making an accurate call. Anticipation is also the sire to flinching. 6.Loss of Concentration. If the shooter fails in his determination to apply positive pressure on the trigger while concentrating on the front sight his prior determination needs renewal and he should rest and start over. 7.Anxiety. You work and work on a shot, meanwhile building up in your mind doubt about the shot being good. Finally you shoot just to get rid of that particular round so you may work on the others. 8.Vacillation (Plain Laziness). This is a mental fault more than a physical one, which results in your accepting minor imperfections in your performance which you could correct if you worked a little harder. The end result being you hope you get a good shot. Just like you hope you will get a gratis tax refund, and you will get one just about as frequently as you get the other. 9.Lack of Follow Through. Follow through is the subconscious attempt to keep everything just as it was at the time the shot broke. In other words you are continuing to fire the shot even after it is gone. Follow through is not to be confused with recovery. Merely recovering and holding on the target after the shot is no indication that you are following through. 10.Lack of Rhythm. Hesitancy on the first shot or any subsequent shot in timed or rapid fire. Develop a good rhythm and then have the fortitude to employ it every case. Frequently many shooters will have fine rhythm until the last shot of a string and then hesitate, doctoring up that last shot. 11.Match Pressure. If there are 200 competitors in a match, rest assured that there are 200 shooters suffering from match pressure. So what makes you think you are so different? If you are exerting all your mental energy toward executing the correct fundamentals rather than the arithmetic valuation, your shooting match pressure will be what you feel when people congratulate you on a fine performance.

Dry Fire Training

By : Top World Class Shooter

Dry firing is the shooters equivalent to health food. We know it's good for us but the very thought of it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Plus we're afraid our friends will consider us pussies, in the same way nerds were despised in the school yard for swatting for exams. Lose the baggage, guys, if you spend a little time building your skills before your next match, chances are your scores will improve. Extra effort does pay off, and the best part is you need never admit to your friends that you're a closet clicker.
The Basic Necessities
1. A quiet room. Preferably with good lighting. Ideally with a wall at least three metres away (ten feet).
2. 15-30 minutes when you know you won't be interrupted. Best not immediately after you've woken up in the morning, nor when you're over-tired.
3. A pistol. Many modern air pistols have dry fire mechanisms built in, which are obviously the ideal. If you are using a rimfire or centrefire be sure to use some form of snap cap that protects the firing pin and breech area.
4. An aiming mark. This is a contentious issue, as many coaches recommend dry firing on a blank backdrop. We will discuss the means of setting up aiming marks and the reasons for doing so later.

What Do We Hope To Achieve?
Dry fire is an excellent means of reinforcing the good technical execution of a shot without fear of getting distracted. By concentrating on all of the technical aspects we can more fully appreciate subtle differences we would not necessarily notice on the range. Above all else, we are not distracted by bullet holes in scoring rings that lead us to an unhealthy preoccupation with scores. When dry firing is performed correctly it takes on an extremely satisfying quality, almost spiritual. It can feel like a solid achievement, which may sound very Zen, Grasshopper, but you will be amazed at how much more you will perceive after just a few sessions. When you do it right, so right you just know that shot would have gone dead centre through the x-ring, the timing was right, the sight picture was crisp, the shot broke as if by magic just after settling in the aiming area - I've been tempted to go whooping about the house it felt that good. This is the time to let the feeling of the technique, the vibe of the whole performance sink in, because this is what you want to reproduce time and time again.

Think back to the last time you asked somebody how they had just shot. What was their response? I bet they shook their head and mentioned a six or seven that murdered their score. Just what exactly are they focused on? What are their lingering thoughts going to be from a whole day's shooting? Just a handful of bad shots. They'll berate themselves, gnash their teeth, beat their breasts and when the time comes to front the line again they'll make the same mistakes because they've reinforced or relived those bad shots so many times, you'd think they just can't wait to do it again.

Dry fire is part of a process where you mentally reinforce good technique. If your technique sucks when you first start, work on it until it improves. Focus on the positives. Cancel out the bad shots, revel in the good shots. There is no pressure to perform, no cruel bullet holes, just a clean slate to chalk up pluses and erase the minuses. Whew. And you thought it was just point and click!

Now For The Tricky Bit
Here is where you will need the help of a friend to set your dry fire range so that it will maximise the benefits. I must thank the input from Herman Sailor for this section. Herman was a top Rapid Fire shooter for Austria a few years ago, and until recently ran the Military Shooting Academy at Innsbruck. I'd give his son Rudi's training CD a plug about now, only being in German it is of little use to most of us, and unfortunately I doubt it will ever be produced in English.

Your home dry fire range must reproduce the layout of the live fire range where you do most of your shooting. In fact, everything must be the same. You must wear the same shoes, clothing and glasses. I draw the line at ear muffs, mainly for comfort's sake, but they may be a good idea if they help you concentrate.

The floor where you stand should be hard, like the range. Dry firing on carpet, especially thick pile, will make it especially difficult to attain the same balance. Mark a point where you shoot from on the floor. Next, you must measure the relative position of your aiming mark or marks, and here you will need a friend to take the measurements.

First, have your friend measure the distance from the floor to your arm when you are aiming at a target on the range. When in your dry fire room, set your arm at the same distance from the floor, and then place your aiming mark at the relative height on the wall. Obviously distance from the pistol does not matter much.

The next step is to make the aiming mark (black target center) a relative size. To do this, take a piece of cardboard and cut the lower part to fit snugly over your pistol roughly where the front sight is situated. Then, holding the pistol in the shooting position, get your friend to mark with a pen both sides of the apparent size of the black. You can then reproduce the corresponding size disc on your wall with the help of the template.

Rapid Fire shooters should note that this is how you reproduce exactly the spacing for your five targets. A wider piece of card is needed, and a little patience, but if you are going to practise motor skills it is pointless doing so unless you do it right.

The point of going to all of this trouble? If you do a lot of dry fire, and it can be addictive, you will build up motor memory in your muscles. The difference is critical in speed matches such as Rapid Fire, or even the Rapid section of Centre Fire. Perhaps it is not so important in slow fire matches, but just a few degrees difference can change your whole body position to the stage where it will feel unfamiliar. This would be a pity, when a few minutes' work could have made it right.

Conclusion
Dry firing does not have to be a chore. It doesn't have to go on for ages, a successful session can be as short as 10 minutes. My best sessions are short, I generally only stay longer when I'm having difficulty getting it right. Try to have a specific goal in mind when you start a session. If your follow through is abysmal, try to concentrate on that. And try to never finish on a negative. Remember, we're trying to reinforce the positives, so stick with it until something feels good, even on a bad day.

But most of all, have fun!