Just Thinking Out Loud.

[PaulW]

Ok so I was sitting here thinking of things I need to work on with regards to shooting. Then I asked myself a question; "Why do we not perform at out very best more often?"

I mean we all have done some things, shooting wise, that exceeded our last "best". But we usually revert back to less than our best more than we actually perform our best, or even better. Why??? And I don't mean lucky runs or just "hooking up". I mean reaching a new level and staying there.

I believe it has to be more mental than physical, so how do we train our minds to emulate our best performances over and over?

Things that make you go hmmmmm......

[shred]

Maybe we have to do the unusual enough times that it becomes usual.

[XRe]

Beware - armchair psychobabble ahead!!!!

The way I understand it, and have experienced it, is that you have to have a glimpse of the future to know what the new/next level looks and feels like - usually the result of a really relaxed performance, or a really peak one. This is like opening the door and looking through, but not yet crossing the threshold. Put another way, you've suddenly entered the "consciously incompetent" phase of your next level of development. This is a manifestation of your conscious desire and will to push the envelope - it's your body and subconscious saying "Hey, wake up, check *this* out!".

Then there's usually a phase of "trying" to have that sort of performance again - as I gained more experience, the "trying" bit sort of fell away as I became more comfortable with the reality (and had proven to myself several times) that the new level would come if I simply let it, and stayed aware, etc. Eventually, as shred says, what was unusual previously now becomes the norm - this is usually a gradual change. Several times, I got frustrated with my seeming lack of progress (based on how I felt about it), and had to consult my log book to see it - and boy was it there.

Somewhere around there, I hit "consciously competent". That's when the trusting begins for me. I've begun to really see the change, and believe it. That's when it's really integrated, and becomes a fact of my performance regimen, vs. the anomaly that it once was. It usually doesn't take me much time from there to totally trust in that new skill level to the point where it doesn't even occur to me anymore - "unconsciously competent". I learned to enjoy this phase not because I was now comfortable, but because I knew it was only a matter of time before I found some other door to open and step through, starting the whole cycle again

Once I became comfortable with this being my normal learning cycle on things, and that good things would result from it if I was patient with myself and allowed the change to happen (rather than trying to force it out), I started to really like feeling uncomfortable with my shooting. It meant that it was going to get better - usually a *lot* better - even if it felt crappy at the time. I became aware that my match performances actually got better, as I would become more certain of what I *did* know and could execute on demand, and I could perform at the edge of those boundaries during the match, and then explorer the uncomfortable "growth" area during practices (and, sometimes, local matches).

Anyhow - that's where I left off 5 years ago, and I'm hoping to get back to soon

[BigDave]

I think a lot of limitations to high performance are mental and they are also self-imposed. Looking back on when I started USPSA in 2001, other than a little muscle memory, nothing much has changed physically for me. The majority of my progress as a shooter really has come from my time spent in contemplation of how I see and disect things visually and mentally. Further, I'd say that 85% of my own progress has occured off of the range and while not thinking about shooting itself.

While typing this, I'm reminded of a line spoken by the character Junior in the movie Platoon. Free your mind, your a$$ will follow. Its just about that simple, for me. That is not to say that I can flip a switch now and go from B to GM in one swoop. But, in steps, I sure can.

[Duane Thomas]

XRe and BigDave,

EXCELLENT posts!

[JPro45]

This is a great topic. I recently began reaeding Brian's book again (this will be the third time in a year). I am struggling with awareness and focus. It became apparent while dry-firing that I was thinking about not thinking. Obviously I was still thinking and not being just being aware.

I spent the last hour dry-firing not really practicing the draw or the relaod, but being aware. This has proven to be a very interessting and productive practice. When I manage to just let it happen, my draws and reloads are better then ever. As soon as I start to think, even about not thinking, things get sloppy.

As mentioned in a previous post, I think it is very important to get a look behind the door. Once you experience something, at least you know what you are looking for next time. The problem is "trying" to make it happen again. That is when I get into trouble. Again, a mental aspect.

[j1b]

Dave - great post.

There with ya Baby!

BTW - in the spirit of the thread let's recognize that performances can very as much stage to stage as they can match to match. The thing I realize from this is that any match can be a good match. A poor performance on a single stage can set the mood for a match - or you can set the mood for that match.

JB

[XRe]

A poor performance on a single stage can set the mood for a match - or you can set the mood for that match.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes!!! Very true for me, too!! That's why "your focus determines your reality" is in my sig - to remind me of it. Funny that so much wisdom comes from George Lucas

[Sam]

Every disappointment begins with an expectation.

[benos]

Every disappointment begins with an expectation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's heavy. Nice summary.

I thinks it's humanly natural to not only want to shoot up to our realistic ability in matches, but maybe even to expect consistent performances that are more toward the upper limits of our ability. In this case our natural tendencies create problems for us.

Our bodies act and respond in certain ways in the comfortable environment of the practice range.

And our bodies act and respond in certain ways in the stressful environment of - The Match.

I think the reality of the above is underestimated. Precise, high-speed shooting demands the finest visual and motor skill coordination. It's tough enough just to do consistently do things correctly in practice. Right? But yet we expect to carry the skills we develop in practice right on into the Nationals.

Our bodies remember what it feels like when we aim, transition, call shots, and move around in practice. But since our sport allows us to go as fast as we want - the speed we "remember" from practice will not relate in any way to what it feels like as we are shooting in The Match. This creates a problem.

Over years of analyzing practice vs match performances, I realized that the more I expected of myself in the match, the worse I shot in the match. Many have probably experienced that one. You're practice is going great... man, you're just gonna rip this match apart! Guess what? Trashorama. Stage after stage sometimes because we're too stupid to back it off a bit.

Our abilities are there, we have to learn to let them come out, in matches.

be

[markm]

My best Keanu Reeves voice : Wooah!

[Sam]

Our bodies remember what it feels like when we aim, transition, call shots, and move around in practice. But since our sport allows us to go as fast as we want - the speed we "remember" from practice will not relate in any way to what it feels like as we are shooting in The Match.

Brian, that describes the feeling I get. While shooting matches, especially ones to which I have mentally attached some importance, I often notice a feeling like I'm ice skating. And I don't mean to say that I'm floating along effortlessly. Cuz, I've only been on ice skates a couple of times. So the feeling I'm talking about is one of surprise and amazement that I'm not sitting on my @$$ at the end of the stage looking up.

I was sooo smooooth in practice. Now, I feel like I'm standing one someone else's legs, wearing clown shoes, (which are five sizes too big) and shooting a strange gun. A stranger, in a strange land...... But, truth be known, I like it. The stress of possibly crashing in front of other shooters, the juice when it hits, the edgyness of it all.

It's like riding a high-speed wheelie on a bike that I've never slung a leg over before. Matches are magical dust !

[sixx]

One of the worst things you can do is have a woman you care about watching you shoot a match. It's usually almost suicidal,in fact. I've had my 1911 feal about as "familiar" as a forceps on occasion. i"ve had the shakes so bad that I could barely load my mags. Sometimes, in spite of all that, I still shot A class scores, but usually only if the ranges were inside 15 yds. I always had real trouble keeping all my shots on the 50 yd targets, because I emphasized speed too much at 10 yds and less in my practice, and more importantly, in my thinking. I just didn't care if I could hit at 50 yds or not. Today, I don't care if I can hit at 25 yds or not, cause I know that when it's for real, the thing to do at 25 yds is move to cover. Without ear protection, and with realistic CCW gear, all this longer range stuff goes right out the window.

[XRe]

One of the worst things you can do is have a woman you care about watching you shoot a match. It's usually almost suicidal,in fact.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a sign of a weak mind game is all....

[BSeevers]

Generally as mentioned we cause our own failure through poor physical preparation and a poor mental preparation

[jnshapiro]

I've taken to not having any expectations. I go to a match and what happens happens. If I expect or pressure myself to do well, I don't.

Here's a story...

I was at a match recently where I knew that if I wanted to win, I couldn't have any mistakes. The first stage, I screwed up and dropped 15. At that point I figured I was out of the running, so no more pressure. I just did what I trained myself to do in practice - I shot.

Turns out I shot well enough to finish 2nd overall out of over 200 shooters. I didn't put in a stellar performance, but I did just shoot. Ya know what? I had a lot more fun too!

Expectations are overrated.

Joel

[shred]

Doing poorly when you're trying to impress somebody (especially if they're non-shooters) is a clear sign of shooting-in-order-to-look-good. Which is bad if you want to do well.

[Athena]

A very wise man once told me that when you feel as if all eyes are on you while you're getting ready to shoot and you get the feeling of wanting to impress, just impress them with your hits

[MattBurkett]

Is that the Athena EVERYONE knows??

:-)

The final score is what matters when everything is done - until then you can't do anything about it - before then you can't do anything about it either. Focus (if needed) on the bullet in the barrel if you can't just let it happen.

BTW if you can't just let it happen time to get back on the mental aerobics program again! In other words, do you think about driving to work or do you just show up there?

I was told a long time ago to let my gun do the talking. I have obviously not listened to that advice quite as well as I should perhaps but I do know what he meant.

Here is the hardest part of all - good shooting is boring. (Roll that one around for a bit.)

[Athena]

Is that the Athena EVERYONE knows??

Here is the hardest part of all - good shooting is boring.

Amen

(I can't get the quote part. Forum illiterate.....sorry)

[Duane Thomas]

One of the worst things you can do is have a woman you care about watching you shoot a match. It's usually almost suicidal,in fact.

Not always true. I shot a plate match with my girlfriend watching. Didn't lose a run all night. In between runs I'd go up to her, get a hug and a kiss, it was like having a safe harbor to berth in, protected from any stress at all.

Needles to say, I kicked ass.

[Duane Thomas]

(I can't get the quote part. Forum illiterate.....sorry)

Cut and paste the thing you want to quote. Position your cursor in front of that text. Click on the QUOTE button (found up above the area in which you write). A "Q" inside brackets will appear. Move the cursor to the end of the text you want quoted. Click on the quote button again. A "/Q" inside brackets will appear. That text is now quoted! That's the same way you do bolding, italics, and underlining, BTW.

[MattBurkett]

Maybe this will help since everyone seems to be hammering the guy that mentioned having the "other" watch his shooting.

My first match when I had my Mom watch me shoot went to hell right off the bat. It was after I was "good" and had won a bunch of matches. The Mountaineer or something if I remember it right in PN. Had spent some time the day before with the guys and gals at CMore (great time!!!) and got a prototype scope that I (haphazardly) decided to shoot in the match the next day. Problem was the plastic took the mold to the hard case I had put it in and was nearly a foot off at 25 yards for the first stage. The first stage was the standards and after a couple of misses and more D's than A's I was rather stressed out. My Mom (whom quite a few know has been a huge supporter of my shooting) said, "So what, do what you can and make it it." I knew if I didn't hang it out there to get stomped on, I wouldn't win the match. I did some things in the Hero or Zero zone that I couldn't believe at the time due to this. Ended up winning by the THIRD decimal point. Still kind of feel for the guy that was in second due to his shooting a clean match. There was this breaking of the tension and comfort area that I probably wouldn't have had had she not been there. One of the large growth points of my shooting. After that break through, and I tell you what - it wasn't easy having Mom watch me shoot, it has not bothered me to have anyone watch me. In fact, I now work on drawing from the crowds energy instead of realizing it negatively.

Remember that nearly everyone there wants you to do well. Relax and go with it and do what you are capable of. If you do just that, you are an incredible success.

Good luck and remember that you are out there to have fun! That alone will change your entire outlook on shooting and have an incredibly positive effect on your shooting! (Not too mention how much it screws with everyone else's heads!)

MB

[David]

One of the worst things you can do is have a woman you care about watching you shoot a match.

Interesting comment sixx. A couple of things came to mind when I read this, first, you're clearly putting too much emphasis on impressing the woman rather than just shooting.

Second, my own personal experience shows that I do MUCH WORSE WITHOUT my wife there. Of course, as a shooter herself, if she ends up having to watch rather than participate, she provides me a lot of insight into the stages. It really is amazing the difference in thought processes when you're competing versus someone that knows whats going on but is not competing! She can regularly see things about a stage, when she's not shooting, that really help. Like the rest of us, when she is shooting, the brain leaves and she's not quite as insightful

[Zerwas]

I have a couple of thoughts on the subject...

1- As Matt B talks in video #4, don't worry about who is watching you or that this person is there or that person is there. All you have to do is concentrate on pulling the gun out of the holster, looking at the front site and squeezing the trigger after the front site is aimed at the middle of the target....

I have run this quote thru my mind on SEVERAL occassions and for the most part, by golly it works!

2- Several years ago, when I was just getting into the game of golf, I used to go with my brother who at the time had been golfing for several years. I would see him step up to the t box and crank the ball with his driver about 250+ yards. I thought to myself, ok swing as hard as he did and you'll get the same result....Well, that didn't happen. Mine would slice off into an area 3 fairways away from the one we were playing. It wasn't until several months had passed when I realized, I cannot duplicate how hard he swings, because I'm not good enough to swing that hard and have the same results as he was getting. I realized I MUST turn away and not watch him when my brother walked up to the next T box, otherwise guess what? I would have subconsciously wanted to continue to swing that hard. A couple of years later, and not watching him anymore, I can poke the ball out there as far if not farther than he can now.

OK, now I"ll move onto shooting.......

At a recent USPSA point match, I was watching Mr. Jake Kempton (GM for those of you who don't know him) who was shooting an open gun. I made the HUGE MISTAKE of watching him, and you can guess what is coming next. I wanted to shoot as fast as he did. Now, I'm shooting a limited gun, and I have been shooting long enough to know there is no way I can keep up with Jake. I am an ok shooter, but I am no GM. The result of that stage was several misses on some longer distance targets. I know better than that too! I HAVE to slow down and read my sites. I keep telling myself that, but I also felt the burning need to keep up with the best shooter in our area. Well, watching him was a BAD idea. I put my male macho testosterone in check and removed an thought about shooting as good as Jake, and decided to shoot as good as I could shoot. If it hadn't have been for that stage I would have had a very good chance of winning that particular point match.