Burnt Out

[Rikarin]

[whining and cursing mode on]

I was so burnt out on shooting this couple of weeks. I got so bored from lining up sights and pulling the trigger. Was so sick of everything.. reloading, waking up early, dicking with equipment and most of all, having mulfunction on qualifier stages for months! My best qualifier is like from March godamnit!

Malfunction is fixed now (changed recoil spring and bumped up PF) but I guess repeated disappointment for half year really striked me down.

Watching super squad at Steel Challenge didn't help. Heck, they aren't human! Its like gecko's toauge! I can only see what's happening with slowmotion video. There's no way I can shoot as half as that good. So, why bother? I am no 20s anymore and there's no way I can do as those young men. Why the heck I started shooting stupid bitch. It's so rediculous.

Argggggggrrrrr.!!!

I was really bummed...then I got angry... then I was thinking, hey, I bring a lot of ammo to the match and hose the stages. That would be fun! Like, playing "House of the Dead". No worries about hitting A box. Just throw bullets at targets and run as fast as I can. Then, it "feels" like I did well, even its full of mikes. I just want to feel I can do good. I want to feel good about myself. Besides, haven't you had a stage you felt you did great and score didn't match up? Its all BS anyway.

I know half of this is I really am pressuring myself to get better. I can not forgive myself doing mediocre anything and spending so much money on this and not seeing result. And since my life revolves around shooting, when shooting sucks, everything sucks. I guess I need to have some back up plan too.

sigh... thank you. I am glad be able to write this thinking some might feel for me. I just needed to feel there's people out there who can empathize and related to my pain.

[/off]

[dfwmiket]

Try going back to basics? Shoot production. TRUE production. Buy ammo at Walmart. WWB. No reload, no fuss, no muss. You shoot an XD, right? Have any other gun/holster you can switch to for a while? Set a goal at each match.....something simple. "No misses". If you aren't having fun, you have GOT to make a change so it IS fun again. "Been there, done that". Shoot rifles a while, something...... don't give up.

Mike

[vluc]

I think many shooters have been at that point. While I don't believe in burn out, I do believe that we can pressure ourselves to the point it is not fun.

So stop doing it. Do something else. Take a walk, read a book, crash your hard drive...just step away from the shooting for a bit.

[ErikW]

This time of year is burnout/depression time. All the big matches are over and I didn't do well at any of them, which is depressing because I burned out practicing for them.

It's time to do something different. Which, for me, is going to be shooting Open and/or Production. That is, until some rain and snow fall and I can ride dirt bikes and snowboards and really get my mind off shooting.

[SiG Lady]

What an absolutely fabulous and significant rant!! Well done!! Quit shooting for a while and write literary masterpiece rants!!! I'm serious.

"And since my life revolves around shooting, when shooting sucks, everything sucks. I guess I need to have some back up plan too."

Boy, does that sound like MY life, or what?? I can tackle everything and anything when those high-scoring targets show up, but let me get a bee in my bonnet and see bad targets and the bees turn to locusts and multiply in one frickin' hurry and my life takes a dip that goes off the charts. Hmmph. I still haven't come up the the "back up plan" that Rikarin so wisely mentioned, though. Damn.

[Sam]

I'm definately burned out at the moment. I haven't done much pistol at all since Area 1 and only a little rifle. I sucked at the ITRC. But it was great fun as always!

I'm surprisingly OK with my present state of total roachedness.

I used to get concerned that I was losing skills or stagnating when I quit shooting. Not anymore. I went down to the range about 2 weeks ago and really turned the badger loose. It was just as easy as falling off a bicycle.

I'll go back when inspiration finds me.

[eerw]

Seems like burnout comes once every year of so..depending on how much training and matches you have shot..This year..I am no where near that..because..I basically I cannot find the time to get to the range..

My shooting buddy on the other hand..has been training hard over the past two years..our last club match..he shot three misses on a stage..when it was all done..he looked at me and said.." I called every one of those...and I don't care. I think I am done." The next minute I saw him..he had his gear off...shook everyones hand, said thanks..I will see you all in a few months...

Went fishing with him the next weekend..and we talked about all our silliness..and maybe trying to put together a 10/22 match..

[John Dunn]

I sucked at the ITRC.

That was me, not you. Didn't notice you missing any bonus targets! Or missing the shoot-off target a dozen or more times! Or switching barrels a week before the match! And you suck? Don't believe it folks.

I just want to feel I can do good. I want to feel good about myself.

Look back at where you were when you started. How was your draw? How were your reloads? I bet there has been huge improvement. I bet there are a crapload of new shooters who would love to shoot as well as you. I tend to make quantum leaps in performance, and then stagnate until the next breakthrough. Don't sweat it. The improvement will come. It also helps to suffer from (enjoy?) unconditional positive self-regard, but I think men are naturally more inclined to that than women.

[SiG Lady]

"I used to get concerned that I was losing skills or stagnating when I quit shooting. Not anymore..."

I kinda reached that point finally. But it was mostly financial: No matter which way I turned, everthing was skyrocketing in terms of participation fees, transportation costs, materials, whatever. It was just coming at me from every direction... and I'm not the only one who experienced it or noticed the overall trend. Local participation at the range is wayyy down from what it was two years ago. It's just plain flat getting expensive to shoot. I've become a bit more concerned lately with hard-cash income, frankly, than I have with buying into yet another over-priced shooting match that I can't afford to practice for either! Jeez...

[Sharyn]

Malfunction is fixed now (changed recoil spring and bumped up PF) but I guess repeated disappointment for half year really striked me down.

A malfunctioning gun will kill your confidence and it's hard to overcome. Believe me... I went through 5 Open guns...

There's no way I can shoot as half as that good. So, why bother?

Because you like it and you like the challenge.

I am no 20s anymore

Me either.

and there's no way I can do as those young men.

Who? Rob L.??? Non-human I can understand... but young???

sorry, TGO! Just trying to make her laugh.

I was really bummed...then I got angry... then I was thinking, hey, I bring a lot of ammo to the match and hose the stages.  That would be fun!  Like, playing "House of the Dead".  No worries about hitting A box.  Just throw bullets at targets and run as fast as I can.  Then, it "feels" like I did well, even its full of mikes.  I just want to feel I can do good. I want to feel good about myself.  Besides, haven't you had a stage you felt you did great and score didn't match up?  Its all BS anyway.

I know half of this is I really am pressuring myself to get better.  I can not forgive myself doing mediocre anything and spending so much money on this and not seeing result.  And since my life revolves around shooting, when shooting sucks, everything sucks. I guess I need to have some back up plan too.

sigh... thank you.  I am glad be able to write this thinking some might feel for me.  I just needed to feel there's people out there who can empathize and related to my pain.

This isn't the Hate forum... so I can give you advice...

You NEED to read The Inner Game of Tennis. Some brilliant goof around here recommended it to me and it has really helped me deal with some of the issues you're expressing. Also, reading this book helped me take a break from shooting yet still improve my shooting game.

Thanks, Flex.

[Vlad]

Something you may want to try is a completely different type of shooting, something with no time pressure, something like bullseye or maybe high power rifle (yeah I know that bullseye has timed fire, but coming from IPSC, its just funny) . Maybe some clays?

Me, I break out my bolt guns and shoot my Savage for groups. My current goal is 10 groups of 5, all under 0.5". I can do it half the time and the gun can do it all the time. Shooting rifles for groups is its own kind of zen and removing the time pressure makes it completly different type of shooting.

Or spend $200 and buy yourself an old Mauser or a Mosin. 1000 rounds of ammo, and throw a box of clays on 100 yard berm and try to bust them with military surplus ammo and iron sights. That tends to make me get back into shooting real fast as it puts a great smile on my face.

Edited October 2, 2005 by Vlad

[down0]

[whining and cursing mode on]

sigh... thank you.  I am glad be able to write this thinking some might feel for me.  I just needed to feel there's people out there who can empathize and related to my pain.

[/off]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh no, I love to shoot all the time! There are days when I can't wait to go out to the range and practice "Bill Drills" for the one hundred and thirty gabillionth time!

Hang in there. I have found that after I have gone through a shooting "blue period", I make some of my biggest strides. You seem to have a tremendous desire to improve That makes us our own worst critics, but will probably be what pulls you through this low spot.

[BritinUSA]

It's pretty much the end of the shooting season, most of the big matches are over and all that is left are the regrets for oppourtunities missed and good memories of the times when we shot well and the guns worked.

Everyone needs a break once in a while and this time of year is as good as any. Here in Colorado the weather will soon start to turn and some clubs do not host matches in the winter months due to snow etc.. Match attendance will slowly start to whither, I see the same thing every year. A break is a good thing, a chance to recharge the batteries and to think about next year.

I can not tell you how to cope with this, everyone is different and what works for me may not work for you...

On the weekends when I would normally shoot a match - if for some reason I can't or it's cancelled - I will do the following.

1. First thing in the morning, head down to the gym, 30 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes of weights.

2. Hot shower; This performs two functions, helps me to relax and stops me smelling

3. Dump all the gym stuff in the car.

4. Grab a paperback book, preferably a novel, we are looking for escapism here.

5. Head down to the coffee shop for a cup of tea and a muffin.

6. Sit in the coffee shop drinking above, reading my book and watching the world go by the window.

Goodbye stress, hello relaxation.

Repeat each week for the duration of the year, once the shooting season starts looming on the horizon, buy myself some shooting equipment, new ear defenders, glasses, gun whatever. The new thing that will help you to shoot better (change is a good thing) and get my butt back to the range.

By then I'm hungry for the new season to start... it works for me every time.

[sargenv]

It's funny, I took a month off this season (August) after the Northern Cal Sectional. I generally shoot a minimum of 3 matches a month with sometimes a 2 gun or icore match thrown in (or steel when we have them ) but if I feel like I'm starting to burn out, or get behind or do something weird, I switch classes. I was shooting pretty much open up till the sectional match, kind of a new gun, needed some classifiers, etc.. it was neat to shoot an open blaster for the first time..

After the Sectional match, I looked in the safe and thought to myself..."Gee, I have a perfectly good production gun here, why don't I ever shoot it?". It's a Sig 229, and I have 5 Prod mags and 2 standard cap mags for it yet I'd never used it for Production. I go and see what kind of bullets I have.. Nearly 4000 Plated rnfp's that my limited gun now hates.. Hey.. load these to 750 or so, they'd be great for Prod. I've been shooting Prod regularly for about a month, and practicing with it. My goal now is to make B Production (I have a B in Lim and Limited 10, so why not?). After I reach that goal, we'll see how things are, maybe I'll start shooting open and try for Open B. Then Revo B, you see where this is going? There are ample opportunities to do something different.

This is the one shooting sport that I've stuck with since there are so many different ways to do it, not to mention 3-gunning now too. There is so much to learn with all these things and I'm enjoying it all. Come November I'll be going hunting on some Sats and shooting on Sundays. I personally think the burnout is from expecting way too much from yourself, way too soon. I've been around firearms all my life, and can honestly say I've been shooting now for about 25 years (and I'm only 38 now), I've come and gone into and out of shooting, but I still have fun every time I go out regardless of the discipline. Take things one shot at a time, this is supposed to be a "FUN" sport.

Vince

[spook]

I think many shooters have been at that point.  While I don't believe in burn out, I do believe that we can pressure ourselves to the point it is not fun.

So stop doing it.  Do something else.  Take a walk, read a book, crash your hard drive...just step away from the shooting for a bit.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe Vluc is right.

If you don't feel like shooting anymore, stop doing it. Do something you want to do. Don't worry about ""losing it" if you stop shooting entirely for a couple of weeks/months/years.

Take your break, do stuff that makes you feel good! Have fun!

[spook]

5. Head down to the coffee shop for a cup of tea and a muffin.

[...]

Goodbye stress, hello relaxation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Coffee shops over here in Amsterdam are pretty relaxing too. We just don't call the stuff "a cup of tea and a muffin"

[Rikarin]

Thank you so much for the support, suggestions, funny jokes. It all helps. Sometimes I hate to be me being tomboy. If I am into more girly stuff, I can share with my girfriends and get support. But shooting is completely different. It takes alot out from me and got tired from it doing it alone.

well, I think I will find something else I can enjoy for now. I felt pressured since Babes with Bullet and Area 2 is around the corner. Well, if I don't recover by then, all I have to do is to cancel. Both of them has waiting list anyways.

I just want to say, thankyou all

[SiG Lady]

Rikarin, when I got overwhelmed by too much shootin' pressure with league action and whatever, I simply quit participating for a bit until I felt more caught up and rested. I actually haven't done any serious league competitions for well over a year and the guys keep asking me when I'm coming back. One of our top-notch, life-of-the-party shooters just a week ago was all but begging me to come back. That was kinda nice. Mostly, nowadays, it's money. It costs too much. But I promised everyone I'd come back full bore in spring.

So, don't feel all alone in this because you're NOT. Not in ANY direction, I'm sure. We all seem to go through these 'weird' spells of hating our performance or feeling self-conscious or feeling like we're getting nowhere. If you're still shooting, then you're actually getting somewhere. No match or practice session is totally a loss or a waste of time, I've found. Sometimes, though, we just have to back off and give it a rest. How LONG you rest is totally up to you.

Good luck and best wishes!!

SL

[schmitz]

I'm definately burned out at the moment.    I haven't done much pistol at all since Area 1 and only a little rifle.  I sucked at the ITRC.  But it was great fun as always!

I'm surprisingly OK with my present state of total roachedness.

I used to get concerned that I was losing skills or stagnating when I quit shooting.  Not anymore.  I went down to the range about 2 weeks ago and really turned the badger loose.  It was just as easy as falling off a bicycle. 

I'll go back when inspiration finds me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll come back when inspiration finds me See ya'll.

Edited October 2, 2005 by schmitz

[kimel]

Last year around November I found myself being burnt to a crisp. I forced myself to keep going to matches and then I just took January and most of February off. No dry fire. No matches.

When I came back I was forced to go back to the "core essentials" and I found my shooting had IMPROVED by not doing anything.

At least for me my "burnout" was a result of trying to do too much to force progress and lo and behold that was screwing me up. The fancy stuff was screwing with the core essential elements (stance, grip, sight picture, etc).

I have been injured (screwed up my back a couple weeks ago) and haven't been able to shoot since early September. Dry fire hurt (shoulder movement of the draw was excruciating) so have backed off.

Of course I keep messing my back up doing home improvement stuff...I guess I'll never learn.

Almost 30 years ago I was a hard core skier. I was getting into racing and doing okay. I started forcing myself to ski more and when I went skiing I was working on racing stuff. It stopped being fun and I kept forcing it. Then I had a bad crash one January and took myself out for the rest of the season. I went up to the hill a few times after that and found that I just didn't have the motivation to enjoy the sport any longer. I needed new equipment (old skis and poles died in the big crash) and decided I didn't want to spend the money. Haven't gone skiing since and, honestly, do not miss it one bit.

I learned a hard lesson there and I don't want to do the same thing to shooting.

It is difficult to do but sometimes we must feel it is okay to miss a match, even a big match, now and then.

Just ask yourself this: If it isn't fun, why are you doing it?

[iainmcphersn]

Another type of shooting can be very relaxing. I've got an old clay taget thrower so $20 at Wally World will get me a box of 90 clays and a box of 100 12 ga shells. It's great fun to break them and the shotgun's spread helps my confidence.

If you've got a shotgun, any shotgun, you've got to try aerial clays some time.

My 2 cents,

John

[benos]

Rika,

Wasn't it your friend Matt Burkett who said you were the fastest improving student he'd ever seen. That's no little statement, as he's worked with many students. I also agree with Matt. You went from - "Group shooting is boring and there's nothing to be learned from it," and not even knowing what calling your shots meant, to "Wow - this is really fun - I'm learning things I would have never imagined," and shooting great groups, in an extremely short period of time.

Once you're set on a course, you have a rare ability to figure out how to get there.

There are a lot of great suggestions in this thread. Taking a break, keeping if fun - those both worked well for me, many times over the years. And like Erik said, it's really easy to feel burnt out this time of year. At the end of every season, I couldn't wait for it to be over. I wouldn't touch a gun or reloading press for 2-3 months. And I always came back stronger because of it.

And sometimes, for no reason, we just happen to be at the bottom of the wave of life. Just relax and be patient, the wave has a way of evening everything out.

be

[boring, objective responses deleted and saved for later.]

[Ron Ankeny]

I haven't touched a handgun for almost a month. I quit shooting local matches, could care less if the props fall apart, and don't give a crap if the club lives or dies. I have two new pistols that should be delivered this month and I don't care if they ever show up. In fact, I have sold everything but one remaining single stack and it's for sale now. Not whining or complaining, and I am not kidding or exaggerating. Now that's burnout. Time for a long break.

[eerw]

I haven't touched a handgun for almost a month. I quit shooting local matches, could care less if the props fall apart, and don't give a crap if the club lives or dies. I have two new pistols that should be delivered this month and I don't care if they ever show up. In fact, I have sold everything but one remaining single stack and it's for sale now. Not whining or complaining, and I am not kidding or exaggerating. Now that's burnout. Time for a long break.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ron..best of luck to you..hope to see you again sometime

[iweiny]

Rika,

Wow, this is interesting. I was so upset I could not shoot Richmond this weekend cause I was sick. Perhaps it was because Lorrie and I have not shot anything for like a month! We have been so busy with Camping and I had a great Jeep trip happen a week ago.

My advice, do whatever you did before you started shooting. For me that was jeeping. I did not do this because I was burned out, just cause we wanted to. But I found 2 things:

1) I remembered how fun my other hobbie was (Now I am all looking through the Jeep catalogs and figuring out the winter time jeep projects... you think shooting is expensive... man who am I kidding it is all expensive.

2) I got a big break from reloading and worring about shooting well.

BONUS: Got my gun into the smith to make sure my trigger is all fine, and some other goodies. And boy does it look nice now! I can't want to shoot it!

Hope this helps,

Ira