Visualization...

[Bill Schwab]

Should I use it when trying to work in a new technique or is it solely to reinforce existing techniques?  

Also, to be effective, should my visualization be from a “driver’s seat” view, or can it be from a 3rd person perspective?

How much time do the GM’s spend visualizing?    

Any other visualization principles would be greatly appreciated…I just finished a sports book, The New Toughness Training for Sports, which expressed the importance of visualization in sports, so I figured I’d take it more seriously.  I can clearly visualize correct sight alignment on a target thanks to the Bruce Gray drills, but I find it difficult to visualize something else, like a reload.  And I will often finish a stage and only recall seeing the brown target and front sight, so I feel I have little to work with there, but I can easily visualize myself from a 3rd person perspective.  Help me out.  I guess I need the basics of how to visualize, I understand you get better at it the more you do it.  

Thanks.

Bill

[benos]

Bill,

I visualize ANYTHING I want to do. Free throw shooters who spent the same time visualizing shooting free throws improved about as much as those who actually shot free throws (for a month). (Don't ask me where I got that, I just remember reading it, somewhere.)

"Also, to be effective, should my visualization be from a “driver’s seat” view, or can it be from a 3rd person perspective?"

As usual, it's different for different folks. Imagine yourself setting in the drivers seat of your car. "How" do you see? Do you see as if you are looking out of your eyes, or do you see yourself sitting in the car (third person)? Typically, your answer will be the easiest way for you to visualize.

I've noticed, over the years, that I never really responded well to just visualization practice. Meaning, I couldn't keep a steady practice because I just didn't enjoy it. But the interesting thing is - I've also noticed that I'm an extremely visual person. No matter what I'm doing, I seem to be able to find some way to see it in my mind before I do it. At this point, I believe that if you can fully and completely see EXACTLY what you are going to do in your mind before you do it - you can/will do it.

I wrote this in my journal the other day: Fill your mind with a live, moving image of exactly what you want to happen. Do not (unconsciously) fill your mind with unnecessary thoughts and worries about HOW you are going to make it happen. TRUST - your body/mind will manifest what you fill it with. Just don't be careless or negligent with your thoughts and actions. Indecision, incompleteness, and doubt are the roots of failure.

One last thing - I've found it beneficial to learn to visualize "both ways." Sometimes it's advantageous to "see" out of your eyes, like when firing the gun for example. And sometimes it's beneficial to 3rd person "see," like when moving, or entering a position.

When throwing rocks, darts, or shooting pool, I perform more consistently (better) if I can see the entire event happening, just as I initiate the action. In pool, I see the entire path of the cue ball, it strike the object ball, and the object ball ROLLING into the a certain part of the pocket. If I don't shoot until I can see that in my mind, I'm usually successful. (As opposed to simply just focusing on the contact point of the object ball, as is often taught.) Throwing rocks or darts, I visualize the dart or rock in flight, and landing exactly on it's intended target. (As opposed to just concentrating on the spot.)

Experiment with both methods in varying situations and see what you find out. The beautiful thing about visualization practice is that you can do it most anytime.

be

[BoyGlock]

this is a very old thread, hope you guys wont mind me resurrecting it coz Im looking for an answer to a visualization prob I had just hours ago.

In the past 2-3 days I miss a few steel in practice even when I paused and felt I would hit them before releasing the shot.This is unusual to me and unsettled my confidence in hitting this target. Last night as I drove home from the range I was looking for the probable cause(s) for this. The most I could think of was my almost daily practice live and dry, took its toll and exhausted me so I could be flinching in my shots. I havent had this dose/frequency of practice for several months prior. Avoiding any physical practice today as I decided to rest for tomorrows match, I thought of visualizing (away from the range) my sight pic on a plate and calling the shot for a hit. I believe this will be of great help to me to recover the corect technique. However, I was surprised that I could not create the sight pic image in my mind no matter how I try. I was tempted to get my pistol but I resisted. After a few minutes of trying, I still could not create or see the image in my mind. Im really puzzled, is this how it is? But I can normally and easily vizualise my runs in cofs including entering/exiting positions, reloads, etc. when in the range.

[joedodge]

lately I've been trying to visualize lining the sights up on steel plates and the a zone through whole stages thinking back our matches and seeing everything its been a big confidence builder lately for me and mentally preparing for the worst bad weather hot weather any kind of match stress

[benos]

BoyGlock,

I know this probably isn't what you were looking for... but after reading your post several times, the only words left in my mind are - I wouldn't think about it any more, and just go shoot.

be

[BoyGlock]

BoyGlock,

I know this probably isn't what you were looking for... but after reading your post several times, the only words left in my mind are - I wouldn't think about it any more, and just go shoot.

be

I remember now, thats how I used to shoot steel, see the sights and shoot. But after a few misses, self doubt erased it.

My fear of missing them cost me a win in that match I mentioned above. I had 2 plates fr about 12y I re-engaged 4x each. whooaa! It was a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Thanks BE, for reminding me how it was.

Edited October 19, 2011 by BoyGlock

[benos]

BoyGlock,

I know this probably isn't what you were looking for... but after reading your post several times, the only words left in my mind are - I wouldn't think about it any more, and just go shoot.

be

I remember now, thats how I used to shoot steel, see the sights and shoot. But after a few misses, self doubt erased it.

My fear of missing them cost me a win in that match I mentioned above. I had 2 plates fr about 12y I re-engaged 4x each. whooaa! It was a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Thanks BE, for reminding me how it was.

And how it will be, if you just shoot.

[MQW]

Brian has really done a lot of work in this area and thats what got me looking hard at how visualization works and doesn't work; I have been working with Dr. Jason Selk the author of "10 Minute Toughness" now since July 2011, in preparation for the World Shoot in Greece; one of the things I haved learned while working with him is that in order for you to actually experience the visualiztion fully, you have to be doing it from the first person, or as you stated "from the "drivers seat", a majority of the research done into visualization has concluded that when an event is properly visualized, your body will actually believe it's doing the event for real, the brain synapses fire causing the muscles to flex and move as if they are really doing the event; you want to get to the point where you see it, feel it and smell it; I have been able to do that by first visualizing past successes on stages at various matches, then I move on to visualizing the upcoming stage after I have gone thru it a number of times durng the walk-thru and then mentally until I can see everything happening exactly the way I want it to happen; by doing this- I actually see it , feel it and smell it, if you can get where I am going with this.

It does take time but not as much as some of the sports pyschologists would have you believe, Dr. Selk's program is designed around a 10 min. time period which is perfect for shooters, and has been very successful with a large number of pro athletes within the NFL, Pro Baseball and the US Gymnastics Team. I utilize it before every match and again, before every stage I shoot; I also use it before every practice, to set myself up for success each time. Another thing you may look at, is "Deliberate or Deep Practice" which is covered well in a new book by Geoff Colvin, "Talent is Overrated", he speaks about how the best of the best got that way and how it isn't something you are born with but how you train & practice, a lot of really great info in this book, a lot of research throughout the years has gone into it.

Should I use it when trying to work in a new technique or is it solely to reinforce existing techniques?

Also, to be effective, should my visualization be from a "driver's seat" view, or can it be from a 3rd person perspective?

How much time do the GM's spend visualizing?

Any other visualization principles would be greatly appreciated…I just finished a sports book, The New Toughness Training for Sports, which expressed the importance of visualization in sports, so I figured I'd take it more seriously. I can clearly visualize correct sight alignment on a target thanks to the Bruce Gray drills, but I find it difficult to visualize something else, like a reload. And I will often finish a stage and only recall seeing the brown target and front sight, so I feel I have little to work with there, but I can easily visualize myself from a 3rd person perspective. Help me out. I guess I need the basics of how to visualize, I understand you get better at it the more you do it.

Thanks.

Bill

[benos]

... you want to get to the point where you see it, feel it and smell it; I have been able to do that by first visualizing past successes on stages at various matches, then I move on to visualizing the upcoming stage after I have gone thru it a number of times durng the walk through...

Good stuff.

[DoubleA]

This post is exactly what I needed right now. I had not noticed the slow decay of my visualization over the last year until now. As I have gotten hung up on elements of my shooting, the frustration has lead me once again into trying to make it happen through physical repetition and thinking through the action as it was happening instead of putting more focus into visualizing it happening and witnessing it happen as I shoot.

It also reminded me what it was I was doing when I made my greatest jump in skill. It wasn't so much the drills I was doing, but the maximizing of the effectiveness of those drills through visualization.

Talk about a breath of fresh air!

[benos]

Eventually, after years and years of training and competing, the only thing I cared about (other than that my equipment was in top shape) was my ability to visualize, in minute detail, everything I was going to feel, see, and do.

[RammerJammer]

Eventually, after years and years of training and competing, the only thing I cared about (other than that my equipment was in top shape) was my ability to visualize, in minute detail, everything I was going to feel, see, and do.

I note that this took place later in your career. For an extreme beginner how much should I work on this, or work with this?

On a side note I notice your David Byrne sig line. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on an obscure philosophical problem called the knowledge argument. One of the leading thinkers on this problem is named Alex Byrne. On an early draft I seamlessly inter-worked parts of his papers with parts of "Once in a lifetime" referencing only 'Byrne' one of my advisers thought it was hilarious the other not so much...

[benos]

Eventually, after years and years of training and competing, the only thing I cared about (other than that my equipment was in top shape) was my ability to visualize, in minute detail, everything I was going to feel, see, and do.

I note that this took place later in your career. For an extreme beginner how much should I work on this, or work with this?

That's a tough question. In the beginning, I would say, as much as your attention allows. We have a finite amount of attention; there are only so many things we can pay attention to in a short period of time. As a beginner, all of our attention is used up by executing basic tasks: drawing, finding the targets, finding the sights, calling the shots, mag changes, movement skills, not shooting yourself, etc. As we progress an begin to master more of those basic tasks, that frees up some attention for other thing, like only being aware of the sights, for example. Everything else, such as drawing, mag changes, and movement - is then happening more on auto-pilot. So slowly, over a period of years, as you gain a no-doubt mindset about your skill set, you get to the point previously described.

You might also dedicate some time each day to just practicing visualization skills. That will do you nothing but good. Imagine a simple target scenario, like a plate rack at 15 yards, for example. Close your eyes and visualize everything you will see, feel, and hear, to shoot down each plate, including the draw and how the sights will appear on the first plate - feeling the weight of the trigger until it breaks. There are lots of good books nowadays on the topic of visualization.

be

[Steve Anderson]

"How much time do the GM's spend visualizing?"

When I got to be on the super squad some years ago, it was awesome to see every shooter doing their own version of visualization. Some sat on their bags, some moved around as they negotiated the stage in their mind... everyone had a different way of doing it, but it was clear that everyone was running the stage over and over again.

It reduces stress, increases performance and frees the conscious mind. I do mine in first person, meaning I see the stage from my own perspective. Others may have better luck with a 3rd person perspective...it doesn't really matter as long as you "see" something that burns the stage into your brain.

You can also reduce "big match" stress by imagining all the different things that will be different. I used do this in bed while waiting to fall asleep.

Imagine seeing your fave shooters, looking at a new range, smelling the porta-potty.

You can also prepare for weather condtions this way. Imagine hot, cold, wet, dry...etc.

SA

[DoubleA]

When I visualize some action that is complex or lasts longer than 5 seconds or so, the images in my head bounce around like flipping channels on a tv, only all the channels are different camera angles and details of the same overall subject, but happen in correct sequence along the same timeline. There are, however, variations in the speed that the video plays. It is like being bombarded with information that is almost overwhelming and when I am in the shooters box it is hard for me to make everyone wait for while I digest it.

Does anyone else deal with this? Is it just weak focus that will eventually go away so I see it all in first person?

[waddo29]

Eventually, after years and years of training and competing, the only thing I cared about (other than that my equipment was in top shape) was my ability to visualize, in minute detail, everything I was going to feel, see, and do.

I note that this took place later in your career. For an extreme beginner how much should I work on this, or work with this?

As a beginner, all of our attention is used up by executing basic tasks: drawing, finding the targets, finding the sights, calling the shots, mag changes, movement skills, not shooting yourself, etc. As we progress an begin to master more of those basic tasks, that frees up some attention for other thing, like only being aware of the sights, for example. Everything else, such as drawing, mag changes, and movement - is then happening more on auto-pilot. So slowly, over a period of years, as you gain a no-doubt mindset about your skill set. you get to the point previously described.

You might also dedicate some time each day to just practicing visualization skills. That will do you nothing but good. Imagine a simple target scenario, like a plate rack at 15 yards, for example. Close your eyes and visualize everything you will see, feel, and hear, to shoot down each plate, including the draw and how the sights will appear on the first plate - feeling the weight of the trigger until it breaks. There are lots of good books nowadays on the topic of visualization.

be

This was very helpful to read at the shooting level I am at right now. A large majority of advice I receive right now centers around visualization and techniques to that effect. I am still quite new to the sport and my auto-pilot skills have yet to develop to say the least. I find it hard enough right now to execute the laundry list of tasks mentioned above, "drawing, finding the targets, finding the sights, calling the shots, mag changes, movement skills, not shooting yourself" that I haven't really learned how to visualize properly yet. Right now it seems like I am spending all my time focusing on a memory game and it can be somewhat discouraging at this stage and easy to feel like it’s never going to come. It is nice to read that with enough time and practice it will get easier.

[benos]

When I visualize some action that is complex or lasts longer than 5 seconds or so, the images in my head bounce around like flipping channels on a tv, only all the channels are different camera angles and details of the same overall subject, but happen in correct sequence along the same timeline. There are, however, variations in the speed that the video plays. It is like being bombarded with information that is almost overwhelming and when I am in the shooters box it is hard for me to make everyone wait for while I digest it.

Does anyone else deal with this? Is it just weak focus that will eventually go away so I see it all in first person?

Have you tried prgramming everything you visualize in first person only?

be

[DoubleA]

Yes. As of late I have been putting in extra time in my training rituals to just try to control the images so that I can change the camera angles at will instead of being along for the ride. I can force the first person view a little easier each time, but as I get tired the lack of control over the camera angles comes flooding back.

I just made the connection at a match last weekend on the last stage. I was tired and hungry so the lack of focus on seeing everything in first person was in full effect. I bombed the stage and then later realized what had happened and why. The places in my visualization of the stage that were not in first person with a sight picture were the places that I saw no real sight picture in a recount of the stage. I got good hits on the targets that I had visualized the first person view on and not so on the others. It was worth bombing the stage just for the realization that I have the power to access skills that are there just by learning to visualize everything in first person and letting the program run its course when the buzzer goes off. I'm sure this is old news to many, and I have certainly heard it before, but something about being able to compare what I visualized and what I saw happen in a more detailed manner later this time made it truth and I am excited. It's like being given the key to near limitless possibilities.

[benos]

Yes. As of late I have been putting in extra time in my training rituals to just try to control the images so that I can change the camera angles at will instead of being along for the ride. I can force the first person view a little easier each time, but as I get tired the lack of control over the camera angles comes flooding back.

I just made the connection at a match last weekend on the last stage. I was tired and hungry so the lack of focus on seeing everything in first person was in full effect. I bombed the stage and then later realized what had happened and why. The places in my visualization of the stage that were not in first person with a sight picture were the places that I saw no real sight picture in a recount of the stage. I got good hits on the targets that I had visualized the first person view on and not so on the others. It was worth bombing the stage just for the realization that I have the power to access skills that are there just by learning to visualize everything in first person and letting the program run its course when the buzzer goes off.

Nice work! Stay sharp and stick with it. Now that you know where the road leads, it becomes easier to stay on it.

be

[leam]

DoubleA, you might also want to look at your diet and calorie intake during a match. Our brains are highly complex bio-chemical machines that need the right amount of the right fuels to run. Maybe some extra hydration and a snack bar after the first third of the match?

Leam

[Arbutrator]

Act Natural....

[Jollymon32]

......

I wrote this in my journal the other day: Fill your mind with a live, moving image of exactly what you want to happen. Do not (unconsciously) fill your mind with unnecessary thoughts and worries about HOW you are going to make it happen. TRUST - your body/mind will manifest what you fill it with. Just don't be careless or negligent with your thoughts and actions. Indecision, incompleteness, and doubt are the roots of failure.

be

Brian, any chance I can get my hands on your Journal......

Edited January 29, 2012 by Jollymon32

[benos]

......

I wrote this in my journal the other day: Fill your mind with a live, moving image of exactly what you want to happen. Do not (unconsciously) fill your mind with unnecessary thoughts and worries about HOW you are going to make it happen. TRUST - your body/mind will manifest what you fill it with. Just don't be careless or negligent with your thoughts and actions. Indecision, incompleteness, and doubt are the roots of failure.

be

Brian, any chance I can get my hands on your Journal......

Thanks.

be

[Tempered]

I wanted to add to this, My reply isn't so much as a reply as it is me just emptying my thoughts on visualization and my intent on improving it. I have what I feel is good visualization but I notice when I focus on task specific actions related to shooting, my pictures of the action are "shifty" and bounce back and forth at speeds that I cannot always control. When I see a perfect sight picture it last for a moment and as I hold it the gun starts to wobble or rotate in figure 8 patterns. Sometimes I wonder if my mind is exaggerating the subtle movements that are there during real practice.

I continue to work on my visualization as it relates to shooting but after the last match I realized that I might need to immerse myself to "start" to get a true grasp of what I want. I would like to believe that everything we learn (physical/mental) gets stored in our system like a bank. If I practice juggling for hand eye coordination the profit is stored into my general fund but also transfers over to my shooting account. So now my thought is if I immerse in pure visualization, not so much shooting I will improve overall and it will transfer to my shooting.

The exercise I discovered that is really powerful, which many of you probably already use (I know Mr Enos talks about his Journal)is the correlation between writing a thought down and your mental image of that thought being simultaneously projected. So I've started a daily exercise of creating an imaginary place. I bring in key words that cause a vivid mental image as I write them. Once I've written this "story" I have noticed that I have a feeling of experiencing it completely and I also remember it exactly as I visualized it while I wrote it, even days later. I'm also considering adding real items to the visualization to stimulate the experience. It is said you need to visualize the smells, the feelings, the environment as you visualize your shooting. So have you ever really thought of what burnt gun powder smells like it? You know it when you really smell it, your brain recognizes it, but if you close your eyes and try to re-enact that exact smell, can you? I cannot. So I thought if I visualize pine needles, I will have some real pine needles with me a that time and will take a whiff, or mint leaves or orange peels etc,. Over time I would like to think that my smell association with visualization would become stronger. That is at least what I would like to try and find out. I would like to try the same thing with touch association (visualize cool water while touching water).

Finally when doing this, I am able to visualize the setting in it's entirety, then I can see myself there in the 3rd person and finally I visualize it as I'm experiencing it. It's feels like a well rounded approach.

So in a nut shell here is an example of my first writing. Maybe there is a better way. What is funny is that when I write it, it feels like poetry, the simpler the phrase the more powerful the visualization. Singular words are very powerful.

Eagles Perch

Granite rock outcropping amidst a mountain,

A hard seat,

Warm sunshine,

Puffy clouds,

Whispering Pines,

Their strong fragrance,

Cool breeze,

A river in the distance,

Snow capped mountain,

Deep breaths,

Relaxed,

Chattering squirrels,

Soaring eagle,

Pine cones,

Cool water,

Time stands still.

[dravz]

The exercise I discovered that is really powerful, which many of you probably already use (I know Mr Enos talks about his Journal)is the correlation between writing a thought down and your mental image of that thought being simultaneously projected. So I've started a daily exercise of creating an imaginary place. I bring in key words that cause a vivid mental image as I write them. Once I've written this "story" I have noticed that I have a feeling of experiencing it completely and I also remember it exactly as I visualized it while I wrote it, even days later. I'm also considering adding real items to the visualization to stimulate the experience. It is said you need to visualize the smells, the feelings, the environment as you visualize your shooting. So have you ever really thought of what burnt gun powder smells like it? You know it when you really smell it, your brain recognizes it, but if you close your eyes and try to re-enact that exact smell, can you? I cannot. So I thought if I visualize pine needles, I will have some real pine needles with me a that time and will take a whiff, or mint leaves or orange peels etc,. Over time I would like to think that my smell association with visualization would become stronger. That is at least what I would like to try and find out. I would like to try the same thing with touch association (visualize cool water while touching water).

Definitely try to include as many of your senses in your visualization as possible to make it that much more real and vivid. Maybe you can't recall the smell of gunpowder (I can), but you can still feel the weight of the gun in your hands, the feel of the grip on your palm and fingers, the sounds of the range around you, and so on. Putting the extra senses into the imagery is a good thing.