I shoot better on the clock . .

[Pro2AInPA]

I noticed something strange about myself recently.

My accuracy is far better when on the clock at a match than it is when I'm at the range alone practicing.

When I practice at "match speed" I shoot a lot of charlies and deltas, but when I'm on the clock at a match, most of those hits become alphas. Anyone else notice this?

Edited April 12, 2010 by Pro2AInPA

[Vlad]

Yes, I've noticed that about myself as well, even with slowfire. If  I setup a target at 15 yards and practice head shots I need to spend a lot more time aiming then when I do the same thing on the clock. I'm sure that means I'm doing something wrong, just not sure what. 

[Nik Habicht]

Could this all be in your head? How often do you review the timer after shooting a stage? How do you know you're slower in practice? Or is there some weird perception thing going on, when you're on the clock? Some of my slowest-feeling runs in matches have been my fastest; some of the fastest-feeling have been molasses slow.....

[Vlad]

Oh no, it is not just in my head, its even worse, there are shots I struggle to make in practice that I can make in matches without thinking. It's odd, I admit, I think it has to do with letting myself see what I need to see and during match I worry about footing, 180, time, reloads, etc, and just trust my eyes, grip, and gun but in practice I force them.  I dunno. 

[Nik Habicht]

Oh no, it is not just in my head, its even worse, there are shots I struggle to make in practice that I can make in matches without thinking. It's odd, I admit, I think it has to do with letting myself see what I need to see and during match I worry about footing, 180, time, reloads, etc, and just trust my eyes, grip, and gun but in practice I force them.  I dunno. 

So, what would happen in practice if you just decided to let go and trust your vision/technique? Let go, until the wheels come off, then back off a smidgeon, and see where you wind up....

I bet it'll be interesting....

[Vlad]

Sure .. and trivial too .. oh wait .. 

[inkedshooter]

Ohhh yeah do the same thing. When you practice or just at the range it doesnt count but when that "ehhh" goes off, your focuse comes in and it's time to shoot your best. At least that's my excuse

[Blueridge]

For me I know that practice is practice, and a match is a match. I can always shoot a stage over in practice if I don't do well, but the same is not possible in a match. I can try to push myself, but it does not feel the same. When I get one shot at a stage in a match, I generally focus and shoot better. I even notice less recoil when I am shooting in a match.

[Flyin40]

Practice=concious

Match=subconcious

From what I noticed most people are not like this but rather the opposite. They relax in practice and try in a match.

Flyin

[Pro2AInPA]

For me I know that practice is practice, and a match is a match. I can always shoot a stage over in practice if I don't do well, but the same is not possible in a match. I can try to push myself, but it does not feel the same. When I get one shot at a stage in a match, I generally focus and shoot better. I even notice less recoil when I am shooting in a match.

I notice that as well.

[want2race]

You're not alone brother. I noticed this too. The more amped up I am, the better. I've shot my absolute best nearly hyperventilating from anxiety. Heart rate WAY up. Somehow when the timer goes off, the anxiety shuts off and I 'just shoot'. Then after, if I have to sign my score card I can barely hold the pen steady. I'm able to control how amped I get. At the SS nationals, standards stage, I knew I would need a steady hold for the 25 yard targets so I stayed calm before I shot. I knew I had plenty of time to get off the 6 shots. For the run and gun stages, I get all hopped up and it seems to help me let go and just shoot.

I have a hard time getting amped up for practice, but when I do it's way more fun and also more beneficial.

[Corey]

your thinking about the shots too much in practice. its slowing you down and your mind is worrying about performing a drill, or whatever and your not letting the shooting happen like it should. In a match, you are in a flow and you are shooting, one shot at a time like your supposed to.

[Chris iliff]

Practice=concious

Match=subconcious

From what I noticed most people are not like this but rather the opposite. They relax in practice and try in a match.

Flyin

+1, A lot of "focus" type threads these days it seems. Flyin40 nails this, really all I need to know lately! Thanks

[moverfive]

....this is why local matches should be looked at as practice. There are a lot of things that are best suited to work on during individual practice, but there are also several things that really can only be worked on under match conditions. And this is for all the reasons stated above - you have people watching you, you only have "one" shot at that stage, someone is actually holding the timer behind you as opposed to being on your belt, and etc. You cannot duplicate those conditions by yourself.

Local matches are where you experiment, take chances, see what you can and cannot do, and maybe better said - learn the areas where you are losing ground (whether it be time and/or points) against people you should be hanging with or even beating. Then based on where you are falling short - THAT will give you better focus on your individual practice. And then the cycle repeats itself.

I see too many people looking at local matches too similar to real matches.....and the net result is they slow down their progress significantly. The analogy that I use is running: if you can only run a 10 minute mile today, you don't show up to a trophy race today trying to run an 8 minute mile - if you do, you probably won't finish the race running. However, if you only train at a 10 minute pace, you will probably never get to 8 minute mile.....and if you do, you will probably be a senior citizen when you do.

[Allgoodhits]

Lots of good comments on this one, however shooting better is not equal to scoring higher. As we know a sloww shooting A shooter or a -0 down shooter will often lose to a faster shooting less accurate shooter.

Having said that perhaps match anxiety or equivalent excitement has you shooting faster yet maintaining the same skill level, thus a better score on time based events. Perhaps, the nonshooting skills are done much faster as well aslo adding to reducing your time etc.

It must also be considered that when on the clock and you are aware that time is a factor in your score you just shoot and don't think about all the aspects needed. You just shoot! If your skill building, and fundamental training have been good, then at timer time or match time when the start is given, you see what needs to be done and just let your subconscious take you there. The conscious mind can not process as many things as the subconscious mind can. More often than not when a well trained, very seasoned shooter shoots a poor shot, it is because they permitted their conscious mind to over ride the subconscious mind, and that "stinking thinking" made it worse.

After the skill building is done and you can shoot a 10 or an A or -0 on demand at all the likely distances and postions, then don't think, just shoot. You don't have to think about walking, because you have mastered the art of walking. Up hills, down hills, up steps, and down steps. You don't think, you just walk. Shooting is the same, just shoot, your subconscious will know what to do when you get to the obstacles, you only need to be aware. .

MJ

Edited May 13, 2010 by Allgoodhits

[Field]

when i am dry fire practicing, there is something about using the buzzer on my timer that actually kind of calms me down a little bit and makes me do less flinchy stuff and wierd extra movements. now if only there was a third ''extra quiet volume'' function because quiet mode is really still loud enough to use when i have ear protection on and i never even use normal volume because it explodes my eardrums pretty much. (CED 7000)

[Pro2AInPA]

when i am dry fire practicing, there is something about using the buzzer on my timer that actually kind of calms me down a little bit and makes me do less flinchy stuff and wierd extra movements. now if only there was a third ''extra quiet volume'' function because quiet mode is really still loud enough to use when i have ear protection on and i never even use normal volume because it explodes my eardrums pretty much. (CED 7000)

Dude . . . try capitalizing the first word of each sentence. Please?

[Field]

When i am dry fire practicing, there is something about using the buzzer on my timer that actually kind of calms me down a little bit and makes me do less flinchy stuff and wierd extra movements. Now if only there was a third ''extra quiet volume'' function because quiet mode is really still loud enough to use when i have ear protection on and i never even use normal volume because it explodes my eardrums pretty much. (CED 7000)

Dude . . . try capitalizing the first word of each sentence. Please?

i did. LOOOK

[calishootr]

Along with shooting a lot of USPSA matches back in the day(i was up to 9 matches per month at one point) I would also shoot in a lil informal indoor bullseye league w/ .22s...the funny thing to me, was that my slowfire target(30 rds in 30 min.) were in the low to mid 80's...where the rapidfire targets(5 rds?? in 10 seconds) i would be getting consistent 90-95s...

[Field]

Along with shooting a lot of USPSA matches back in the day(i was up to 9 matches per month at one point) I would

where do people live where there are 9 matches to do per month

[calishootr]

that would be California...back in the day there was a match at least every day of every weekend, and then an outlaw club shot indoors every other weds. and in the bay area there is the tuesday action shooters??? yeah, look hard enuff you can shoot some matches. our northern Cali. section has somthing like 14 clubs from bakersfield to the oregon border, so depending on how far you wanna drive you can get in some matches, inthe early to mid 90's i was getting in ALOT of trigger time, and like I said earlier, in shooting bullseye, i noticed that my rapid fire times were much better than my slow fire times, which i will equate to shooting a lot of USPSA style matches