down0 Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 I shot a local 3 stage IDPA match tuesday night. I consistently place about 6th in this match behind the Master class shooters ( I am but a lowly SS ). Prior to this match on the 7th of Jan, I had not shot a round since a 3-gun match on Dec. 15th. Not a round. No dry firing, nothing. I came in second tuesday night. For some reason, this totally p****s me off! All that freakin' practice last year (at least once a week, not including local matches) and all I had to do was to not shoot for 3+ weeks between matches, and I would have done so much better! Arrrrrrrrgh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 Don't be so quick to contribute your success to not practicing. And congrats on the good finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 I've shot some of my best matches coming off a layoff... I think it's because I come in expecting less and thus seeing more and trying less. Kinda lets all that practice manifest itself subconsciously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 I was forced into nearly three weeks of "layoff" right after that recent hip surgery. Oddly enough, I came back a better shooter (and more clear-headed) because I had time, I believe, to let my previous efforts really sink in and settle into place without constant pressure. Good thing, too. I have League starting next Tuesday night--with the Big Dogs this time. (I still think two days' practice per week is the minimum I should do to stay "warm." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rishii Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 no wonder you did so well, you did shoot a I Don't Practice Anymore match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 Down, What did you do, I'll bet you looked at your sight more and focused harder, because you hadn't been practicing. I notice that I can't "will" myself to make shots, as much as I wish I could. You have to use the sights and sometimes when I am practicing a lot, I tend to get lazy and not keep focused on my sights. I also tend to put more pressure on myself to win when I am practicing everyday, and I shoot better when I am relaxed. My goals have changed from winning to accomplishing small things in my shooting for me. I am having a heck of a lot more fun now too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 Down0, I think SL and Shred nailed it. I shot one of my best matches coming off a 4 month (!!) layoff. I did some dry-fire practice, but still. It just seems like the chaos of ideas you have just kind of dissolve and the "good things" stay. I recommend myself a layoff now and then. (about a week or two every 6 months). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2alpha Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Uhh, did you shoot better or place better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
down0 Posted January 13, 2003 Author Share Posted January 13, 2003 I shot better. You are all probably right about lower expectations, concentrating on my front sight, slowing down to go faster, etc. Still....I shot 12K practice rounds last year over 110 hours of practice time and I'm kicking myself in the a** because my gut tells me I probably could have cut that by a third and done just as well if not better....arrrrrgh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 It's also possible that had you practiced for the past month you may have done even better. Don't be too quick to think you'll always do better without practice. I do definetely agree with what everyone else is saying though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Your current state of mind can be attributed to ALL of your past experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2alpha Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Right on Flex. It's too easy to think that only your latest practice has any affect on your current match. It's a two edged sword, both good and bad past experiences affect you. Thinking or saying something negative about a match months before it can bite you when the match rolls around. BTDT Proper practice cannot hurt your ability. Poor practice sure can. I think there could be two answers to your better performance. One is that your practice methods were really crappy and so you shot better by not practicing. Or, that you were more comfortable at the match via lowered expectations and shot closer to your ability than usual. So you either need to change your practice or work on your head game. Since you state you're really pissed off I suspect the latter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 There's a definite phenomena with coming back stronger after a layoff. I noticed this when playing music back in school. I always felt "better" somehow after picking the horn back up in the fall after a three month hiatus. I think part of it is due to relaxation due to lower expectations. I also think another major component is that our minds tend to do "garbage collection" during layoffs and that bad habits and stress tend to get the boot in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vluc Posted January 14, 2003 Share Posted January 14, 2003 I noticed the same thing over the holidays. Did no shooting for a few weeks, no dry fire, nothing. Came back to shoot and it was like I was in the zone from the get-go. Previously it took me a bit to find it, but this time, the sight was there, the pistol just floated in my hand and found its proper place...it was a moment that lasted the entire session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted January 14, 2003 Share Posted January 14, 2003 Right on. We need a time-out now 'n then to clear the self-induced pressure and dust mites of the mind. And it seems to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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