Shooting Slump

[rwmagnus]

Okay recently I've been in a shooting slump. I'm not seeing the sights like I use to. My trigger work isn't very good either as I'm getting a horizontal spread in my groups where as before they were more vertical but tighter. Last night I fumbled a reload coming into a port then made two no shoot hits on a target that had about 1/3rd of the A zone and 100% of the head available . I tried to remember the shots and had a sight picture to start then my focus shifted to the targets. Still when I broke the shot I thought they were good hits, scoring them proved a different story. This is just one example of my recent slump. In short recently I've been dropping more points than I usually do.

I know more practice live and dry fire is necessary. My slump isn't burn out, just not delivering the results I'm use too.

Specifically what do you do to get out of a slump?

[Flexmoney]

Lose your expectations.

[Jake Di Vita]

I was thinking the same thing.

Go to the match and just shoot the damn gun. Nothing else matters.

[magchange]

Wow with advice like that you should be back on track in no time!

[bountyhunter]

Specifically what do you do to get out of a slump?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try to "task focus", in other words bracket each function and execute it with 100% attention.

Sight

Stage (trigger)

Squeeze

recoil

sight

stage

squeeze

Each time you move to a new task you focus 100% on it and block out everything else.

BTW: shots going sideways is a common malady I get as well. It usually means I yanked the trigger or squeezed my hand as I pulled. Focusing on a solid squeeze will eliminate it.

[rwmagnus]

Wow with advice like that you should be back on track in no time!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LMAO yea I know "Be the Sight". That's why I said, specifically what do you do to get out of a slump?

Edited September 29, 2005 by rwmagnus

[j1b]

*** slight thread drift but I think it applies mode on***

Two days ago I was at the driving range hitting some balls. The session was going pretty good, wedge was good, all the way up to my hybrid clubs. Then I picked up my 3 wood and I'll be damned if I couldn't hit the thing to save my life.

I thought I must have changed something in my swing, so I went back to the hybrid, clocked like 5 balls, and figured ok - I am doing something different with my 3 wood.

Unfortunately, I'm not a great golfer. So in order to fix my swing, it takes more of a visualization or a thought to change something versus a pure mechanical improvement. So I fiddled with a couple of thoughts. A couple are like "foundation" thoughts, but then I went outside of that. Inevitably, I found the trick of the day - I hit a couple of solid 3 woods and left the range at that.

Sometimes we find these flaws in our game, just like sometimes we find ourselves in slumps. I figure that a slump is not a function of something mechanically wrong, it is just something you need to tweak here and tweak there in order to get where you need to be.

So maybe your next practice session you focus on something completely different than normal. I don't know what that something would be, perhaps you focus hard on trigger control versus the sights (I never really focus on trigger control which is why I bring that up).

My last bit of advice - go to the range one day, set up a course, and NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES shoot it with all A's. To give you a frame of reference - if you shoot an el pres in 6 seconds - take 45 seconds and insure every single shot is a very deliberate 'A'. Do this a couple of times. What you are doing is proving to yourself that you can do it - when you want to, there is nothing that can prohibit you from shooting all A's. After that, you can pick things up with the knowledge that when you decide to place a shot, that shot will be precisely where you mean it to be.

*** Thread drift mode off***

J

[Rikarin]

Oh god, I have to hijack this thread... I don't want to shoot now. I am so sick of loading ammo, waking up early, lining up sights and pulling the trigger. Same thing over and over.

I used to find it fun. I have been getting better and that was fun too. But I can see getting better this year (I just got into 2nd year in comp. shooting) looks no fun at all. All I see is blood and sweat.

Long guns were fun thanks to George. I didn't have to load ammo, I didn't have to dick with equipments or I didn't have to worry about getting better. It was like instead of cooking to become a chef, I got a treat of dine out.

Dunno, feel like I wanna sell everything and do something completely different. Thought about moving to AZ so that I can practice more but now it feels like it doesn't matter. I love CA. Beautiful place!

[BritinUSA]

Sounds like you are ready for a break.... My advice is to load up some ammo and store it away then take a rest from shooting for one month. When the next Front Sight magazine lands on your doormat it will fire you up again and you'll have the ammo ready for a trip down the range.

[rwmagnus]

Any chance I can get my thread back? Highjackers use the New Thread button ! Okay vent over...

Originally I posted...

My slump isn't burn out, just not delivering the results I'm use too. Looking for specifics on what you do to break out of a rut or slump. Any particular drills, excercises etc. that have helped you.

Thanks for the recommendations so far.

[SmittyFL]

My dad ran into Greg Norman in an airport years ago and asked him how to improve his putting.

Greg's answer: Lay off for six months.........then quit totally. :-)

Obviously more practice would probably help.

Two thoughts. First, are you sure it's a slump and not just slowed improvement? I don't know how long you've been shooting, but when starting this game there is a huge initial learning curve where you see massive improvement each time out to a match. This may go on a few months or a few years, depending on the person. Then, as with anything, the better you get, the smaller the improvements. It takes more time invested for smaller gains.

Second, if you have another gun (different type) give that a try. Sometimes when I'm just not "feeling" it, I'll switch to a different platform. Single Stack, Open gun, Revolver, whatever so long as it's a different platform. It seems to me when I'm shooting something other that what I've been shooting, I go more back to the basics and concentrate on the little things I may not have with my "normal" gun.

Good luck.

[rwmagnus]

SmittyFL

You raise some valid points. I've been action shooting for 2+ years mostly IDPA. IPSC is a new competition for me. My background is based in Bullseye shooting. Generally speaking I'm pretty accurate. I don't expect to drop very many points. Usually my speed is slower than I like. To me that is a weakness although many say they would rather be blessed with accuracy. All the fast accurate shooters tell me speed will come, LOL.

Don't get me wrong I've come a long way and made some very good progress. As far as the slump vs slower progress... it's a slump. I've seen it in both IDPA and IPSC. I also think I've paid too much attention to the speed element in my recent IPSC matches, IDPA doesn't stress this element as much. This weekend I'll focus more on getting the hits and let the speed fall where it may and see how that pans out. I'm still learning this IPSC thing, it looks easier than it is!

Recently I've noticed more dropped points, even a few Mikes and in my last match I shot no-shoots twice on one target! I know I need to step up the practice sessions and dry fire. I'm just wondering what others work on when they see a slip in performance.

Tonight I'm going to do a postal .22 Bullseye match. It doesn't get any more BASIC than BULLSEYE . Those 22 targets look awfully smaaaaall.

It's still really fun and I look forward to the matches, burn out is far off. I'm sold on IPSC and wonder why it took me so long to try it . Anyway leave it to "The Shark" to say Lay off for six months.........then quit totally. That's not in the cards as I need to be on my game by Nov for Area 2.

[XRe]

Rika - sounds like a solid case of burn out. Been there - hate that You will get past it. Time off is the recipe. Don't even think about shooting for a while, like BritinUSA is saying. A month may not be enough. A break is an important part of any training schedule. When you feel hungry to go shoot again, you'll know when it's time to pick it up No shame in taking a break and recognizing the signs of burnout. The challenge in the future is to plan for the period when you reach exhaustion, and already have your break planned in there as part of your plan.

Slumps are a different matter. Slumps provide a lot of temptation to pick apart your game to find what is wrong - while some review is probably a good thing, at this point, prolonged intense breakdown will just prolong the slump. Go back and review your basics, and keep focusing on the things that got you to the point you're at already - forget about nuances and focus on the building block, core skills. This is a test of your positive mental attitude - make sure you're keeping a balance in your life, and keep your sense of humor

I always seem to emerge from a slump a stronger competitor on a different level than when I entered the slump, with stronger core skills, and a greater level of confidence in my abilities - and in my ability to overcome the next slump. I actually look forward to the slump, in a wierd way, because I anticpate moving through it, and appreciate what I learn from the experience

[Rikarin]

Hahahaha Sorry! You are so right! It's not slump I am burnt out! And yeah, I think I will rest.....hope...

Any chance I can get my thread back? Highjackers use the New Thread button  ! Okay vent over...

Originally I posted...

My slump isn't burn out, just not delivering the results I'm use too. Looking for specifics on what you do to break out of a rut or slump. Any particular drills, excercises etc. that have helped you.

Thanks for the recommendations so far.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Edited October 1, 2005 by Rikarin

[jnshapiro]

Smitty, that's exactly what I'm doing now. After a disasterous performance at Steel Challenge, I decided to take a break from SA Revolvers. I'm now working with my Lim 10 gun and plan to shoot it a bunch over the next few months. Been loading up 45ACP and have run out of bullets. Need more!

Anyway, I'm back to basics. Trigger squeeze, follow through, sight picture (not in that order), and calling shots. I know I can do it. I just haven't been. I am now.

Joel

[Jman]

I find returning to old fashion target shooting very helpful. I'll go as far as setting

up a bench and couple simple targets set out at maybe 10 and 20 yds. Tension is

at the root of my shooting ills, including slumps. These bench-rest sessions

eliminate that. Now I can 're-discover' how the gun looks (front sight) and feels

(trigger) when a bullet hits what I'm shooting at. I hope this is of some help.

Jimmy

[rwmagnus]

Well I can't say the slump is over but todays match went very well. I didn't drop many points but I'll have to see where the time falls. I know my times were slower than what I would have liked but I got my points.

I shot a bulleseye match last night then just did some target practice. I got use to really focusing on the front sight again. In todays IPSC match I went for points first, then time. At times I felt it was taking me all day to complete the course of fire but in reality I know it was just a extra fraction of a second to get the right sight alignment and trigger control.

I got hit with one procedural over a reloading misunderstanding so I'm not really concerned about it (like I didn't do enough reloading!). I guess the bottom line is my confidence is restored. I felt good about cleaning the Texas Star from 20 yards! I think cutting back on the training hurt my over all performance. I know stepping it up will get me back to where I want to be.

[eerw]

I find if I feel if I am shooting in a slump..I find a way to refocus my basics...

I will switch to different division, go shoot 22s for awhile...something..

I find that if I refocus my energy into those same basics..but something that requires me to retrain a little..I dump the expectations and past performances that my mind is using as examples..once that is all erased and find I have reset myself and I can now break that monkey off my back

[Vlad]

I view slumps not as a slow down or as a failure, but as the period preceding a breakthrough. Unlike burnout, I think slumps are a natural part of getting better. The progress curve is not liniar but it looks like a series of ever taller camel humps, at least for me. Slumps are the periods after I have trully learned something and I get over confident because I've done well at a task I set myself to but then I forget to pay attention to the last 10 other things I've learned. Then I pay attention to all the 11 things and get out of the slump and learn something new again. Lather Rinse Repeat.

At least for me it is this way.

[benos]

I know more practice live and dry fire is necessary. My slump isn't burn out, just not delivering the results I'm use too.

Specifically what do you do to get out of a slump?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As you said, your slump is results related. I'm not unfamiliar with this type of slump.

Below is a brief expansion on Kyle's:

Lose your expectations.

After we do anything for a long time we stop paying attention to the things we used to that made the activity successful in the first place. Anything you do to get back to the fundamentals will be helpful. Forget about your score, even forget about your points on the targets. Try things like: Use all your attention to become aware of how the gun feels in your hand. Learn how it feels to shoot with your whole body. Do some practicing with your eyes closed. Or with eyes open but not aiming at a target. Making some fundametal changes will certainly get you back on track and experiencing the shooting as new again.

After we've trained long enough so that our techniques are consistently repeatable in practice, our training takes a new turn. At that point we could say the game becomes completely mental. Now we have to learn how to allow our techniques to surface when we only have one chance to do it.

What do you think about, key on, and focus on in practice? Do those same things "work" for you in matches? That's something we all have to figure out for ourselves by experimenting.

be

[Steve Anderson]

This is going to sound strange, but you might try just shooting.

There is a level of (un) awareness that exist when the basics become truly subconscious.

To reach it, you have to do as Kyle suggests and lose your expectations. You can't get there with any concious thought.

It helps me to replace words with pictures. Pictures are devoid of judgement, they just...ARE.

When you perceive a stage visually, you just see targets. If you see those targets as A-zones, your body has one primary task and pushes the subconscious (with its full power) to that goal.

We can get too caught up in technique...When I first read Brian's book, I was shocked at how little technique he mentioned. I was looking for him to tell me what bullets to use and how to place my feet. The reality is that none of that really matters if you just shoot.

How to get out of a slump?

Take a break

Set a realistic goal with some real pay value (Bassham)

Release yourself from positive or negative feelings about shooting and shoot.

"None of it really matters" - Chris Tilley, after we discussed our gear for 45 minutes.

"Great shooting is boring" - Matt Burkett, describing emotionless shooting.

"Thanks for nothing, light beer!" - Homer Simpson

SA

[rwmagnus]

BE & Steve Anderson thanks. I appreciate all the help offered here from you uys and the others. Sometimes you never know what sticks. I've been told over and over not to be concerned with the score. In golf (something I have more expierence with, 2 index) it's EXACTLY the same thing. If you need a par and your focused on the score rather than the process you're guaranteed a boggie or worse. It's the same in shooting.

Changing the things that lead to success. BINGO. I cut back on dry and live fire practice. Don't know why I thought maintaining the skill set didn't require practice. Same thing occured several years ago in golf. I stopped practicing my short game, 100 yards and in to teach my daughter the game. LOL, I couldn't break 80 for the longest time after that. I figured that one out on my own!

Steve, you and a few others said basically to change the pace and try something different. I did and it also helped, shot a .22 Bullseye match. The feeling of focusing only on the front sight was really good for me. After the match I did some practice focusing on the feel and recoil of the gun, then did some Bill Drills (that Pre-17 K-22 sure is fun) all helped the cause.

I feel now I'm back on track again, the results will follow in time. It's the journey not the destination! I'm outta here.....gone shooting!

[Stuck in C]

I 'm in what you would call a slump-my fix is that it is the end of the shooting season in this climate so there is one more match, then everything is done until March. I started the season shooting the best I ever have-placed 3rd or fourth in the local matches instead of near last. Everything felt right also, I seemed to be "seeing" what I was supposed to. As the summer went on however, I got progressively worse, until the last several matches I absolutely stunk. I shot a classifier in March at high C level, very close to B. I shot the same classifier in August in nearly double the time and my hits fell almost as bad. What happened? I don't know. I guess I'll dry fire all winter and maybe contemplate my navel (or maybe my wife's navel) for enlightenment. (You might not understand that last part unless you grew up in the sixties like I did).