Stop practicing (temporarily) to improve?

[Andreas]

I've noticed that my shooting often picks up after vacations or other forced lay-offs. I'm wondering if people have looked into taking time off strategically and what they've found.

Recent example: I've been dry firing almost daily since March, but a flare-up of tendonitis in my weak elbow at the beginning of July and a train wreck of a USPSA match the first weekend forced me to set down my pistol. My elbow was feeling enough improved that I shot a Steel Challenge match on the 21st after a short dry-fire session the previous night. I wasn't expecting a whole lot but ended up shooting personal bests on five of the six stages. The exception was Smoke & Hope, where I know that my lack of grip strength in my weak hand killed me. I'm running Roundabout in ~3.3s and Pendulum in ~3.75s with my SP01 Shadow FWIW.

—Andreas

Edited July 22, 2013 by Andreas

[shilberry]

I've noticed that my shooting often picks up after vacations or other forced lay-offs. I'm wondering if people have looked into taking time off strategically and what they've found.

Recent example: I've been dry firing almost daily since March, but a flare-up of tendonitis in my weak elbow at the beginning of July and subsequent USPSA match train wreck the first weekend had me set down my pistol to let it heal. It was feeling enough improved that I shot a Steel Challenge match on the 21st after a short dry-fire session the previous night. I wasn't expecting a whole lot but ended up shooting personal bests on five of the six stages. The exception was Smoke & Hope, where I know that my lack of grip strength in my weak hand killed me. I'm running Roundabout in ~3.3s and Pendulum in ~3.75s with my SP01 Shadow FWIW.

—Andreas

I think it depends on how much time off - and how hard you've been pushing yourself. I've found that small breaks help - they let me break the drudgery of a routine, and then I start to look forward to things again (and this applies not just to shooting). I tend to push really hard when I'm doing something, I'm dry firing 1-1.5 hours daily at the moment, and if I don't take the break I risk burn out.

Also, time off is when your body can really take the time to absorb all the things you've learned. I've noticed that with tons of practice I'm always tweaking something, so the time off is almost like time to reflect and think about all the stuff that I've figured out. Just because I took a break from it physically, doesn't mean I took the break mentally. It seems to always be on my mind!

Edited July 22, 2013 by shilberry

[grapemeister]

"I wasn't expecting a whole lot" I wish I could be there more often, I shoot better when I am.

[GrumpyOne]

It wasn't the lack of shooting...it was the lowering of your expectations.

[Chris iliff]

It's normal to benefit after a lay off. First, your practice mind shuts off. Second, your subconscious kicks in and takes over. When you learn to shut your practice mind off, great things can happen.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Chris iliff

[Andreas]

Interesting comments regarding expectations. My biggest match disaster to date was the aforementioned USPSA match. I showed up thinking "I'm so ready to shoot some personal bests" and proceeded to tank the first two stages, after which I seriously considered crumpling up my score sheet and driving home. But I stuck it out and tried not to be too much of an insufferable ass to my squad mates. It was tough shooting that far under my self image based on previous match & practice performance. The lay-off certainly helped smooth out that roughness.

I've been trying to work on my mental game—what's meant by "practice mind"?

[Chris iliff]

Practice mind is the mode you are in during a practice session. Critiqueing, analyzing, judging.....these are things we do in practice. This is a normal practice state for our minds. These things allow us to get better and adjust our training.

At a match we should just be shooting. Hence, no practice mind.

[grapemeister]

Practice mind is the mode you are in during a practice session. Critiqueing, analyzing, judging.....these are things we do in practice. This is a normal practice state for our minds. These things allow us to get better and adjust our training.

At a match we should just be shooting. Hence, no practice mind.

Very good. I think that when I can consistently let go of the practice mind when shooting matches, I will take my shooting to a higher level. I wish I could figure out how to consistently be in that state of mind. Maybe, like anything else, it just takes practice to get there.....I don't know.

Edited August 23, 2013 by grapemeister

[lugnut]

I personally think there is indeed the concept of working too hard at times... I don't think it's the actual practicing that hurts but it's the expectations and pressure that can kill you. At least that's what I've seen in me. At some point it's a lot of mental stuff. You don't implode because all of your skills somehow just evaporated in a match... it's the mental shit. And it can be a crazy circle of mess... because what happens when you are training hard and then you tank a match??? You train harder and put more pressure on you.... all while your self confidence takes a beating as well... not good.

I have not found a good way to get my mental game in check... but I do believe stepping away for a short time is good.... even mid season if need be.

Heck you even said it... your expectations had changed and you did good. What happened? You removed excess pressure. It's all mental.

[seanc]

I am pretty sure this is basically "settled". At least at elite levels its understood that breaks in training improve peak performance.

That is a pretty narrow context, intense training/periodization over long cycles, but its not merely periodization. Taking breaks and doing other activities and come back to there sport better, the change of pace.

Its all individual when you get down to it of course and depends on the termpermant of the trainee...