Magnumite
Ultimate Member
Belgian BA,
Nerves and stress are internal functions. They are concerned with results. You don’t compete for results, you compete doing the task. Results are for when the shooting is over.
You just shoot the match with the skill you have developed so far. If in practice you always fidget getting your stance (platform) correct, safe (or holster) the pistol, take a step back from the line. Reapproach the line establishing your platform. Load. Using smooth movement draw or bring the pistol up from low ready. Do this for each shot in a couple mags. Then occasionally throughout the session. Shoot a good shot, make a good run. Yeah, feels good. STOP! What did you feel? How was your platform? Did you follow through? Did you watch the sight or dot during follow through? Where were the sights on target? How dod the pistol behave? These things you do in practice so they will be second nature in a match…that will help with the nerves.
Don’t try to ‘be like the others’, just shoot. You are not them. We all start somewhere. I remember middle of the pack the best I could do. If drawing from a holster or starting from low ready, you should be feeling the draw stroke or the gun in ready position, eyes on target. You are preparing to shoot, not run a screaming fast stage. A screaming fast stage occurs when the all the shooting is just right. You’ll be smooth, your hold will be right. You will be a spectator watching you shoot your own pistol from your point of view. You will be shooting. All my fast transistion next levels runs occurred when I went to the line and just did what I do. When I thought I ran good but not fast. Those were the fast runs. Shooting pins or in action games when the breakthroughs occured, I always said, “You better check your timer”. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Watching the front sight (or dot) will keep your head where it belongs…shooting.
Mind all the safety rules and shoot. Don’t go for speed at first, either in practice or a match. Using irons, watch the front sight, it should be glued to your eyeball. Same if you are using a dot. Call the shots. That will help develop your trigger and focus.
You can’t shoot any faster than you can shoot. If you try you develop shotgun patterns and will experience trigger freeze. Trigger freeze is when you pull the trigger and it WON’t move. You will stop to see what is wrong. The pistol checks out. Your conscious mind is trying to go fast. Your unconscious mind determined, “Nah, isn’t happening, things are not ready”. Then the unconscious mind will not let the shot go. As an athlete you know conscious thought isn’t for the stuff we do on auto pilot. You will develop the ability to mentally review the run after you shoot it. Reloads will just happen.
I reality, we get nervous. A little is good, keeps you on your toes, safe, focused, and keeps your energy level up. Don’t overdue the caffeine…makes you shake lots on target.
Nerves and stress are internal functions. They are concerned with results. You don’t compete for results, you compete doing the task. Results are for when the shooting is over.
You just shoot the match with the skill you have developed so far. If in practice you always fidget getting your stance (platform) correct, safe (or holster) the pistol, take a step back from the line. Reapproach the line establishing your platform. Load. Using smooth movement draw or bring the pistol up from low ready. Do this for each shot in a couple mags. Then occasionally throughout the session. Shoot a good shot, make a good run. Yeah, feels good. STOP! What did you feel? How was your platform? Did you follow through? Did you watch the sight or dot during follow through? Where were the sights on target? How dod the pistol behave? These things you do in practice so they will be second nature in a match…that will help with the nerves.
Don’t try to ‘be like the others’, just shoot. You are not them. We all start somewhere. I remember middle of the pack the best I could do. If drawing from a holster or starting from low ready, you should be feeling the draw stroke or the gun in ready position, eyes on target. You are preparing to shoot, not run a screaming fast stage. A screaming fast stage occurs when the all the shooting is just right. You’ll be smooth, your hold will be right. You will be a spectator watching you shoot your own pistol from your point of view. You will be shooting. All my fast transistion next levels runs occurred when I went to the line and just did what I do. When I thought I ran good but not fast. Those were the fast runs. Shooting pins or in action games when the breakthroughs occured, I always said, “You better check your timer”. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Watching the front sight (or dot) will keep your head where it belongs…shooting.
Mind all the safety rules and shoot. Don’t go for speed at first, either in practice or a match. Using irons, watch the front sight, it should be glued to your eyeball. Same if you are using a dot. Call the shots. That will help develop your trigger and focus.
You can’t shoot any faster than you can shoot. If you try you develop shotgun patterns and will experience trigger freeze. Trigger freeze is when you pull the trigger and it WON’t move. You will stop to see what is wrong. The pistol checks out. Your conscious mind is trying to go fast. Your unconscious mind determined, “Nah, isn’t happening, things are not ready”. Then the unconscious mind will not let the shot go. As an athlete you know conscious thought isn’t for the stuff we do on auto pilot. You will develop the ability to mentally review the run after you shoot it. Reloads will just happen.
I reality, we get nervous. A little is good, keeps you on your toes, safe, focused, and keeps your energy level up. Don’t overdue the caffeine…makes you shake lots on target.
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