Emotionless Shooting

[Steve Anderson]

I mentioned in another thread that I've been inspired by Eric Grauffel's video to shoot without emotion.

Here is a little elaboration of that idea.

It seems like all the detrimental mental activity we experience is tied to emotion.

Wanting to look good

Wanting to win

Wanting not to lose

Wanting not to look bad

All this wanting invariably leads to trying, no elaboration needed on that one.

Well, for me, I start every match neutral and it stays that way for about 10 seconds.

Then, the wanting starts.

If a stage goes well, it becomes:

1. This is easy, It's in the bag ( I WANT to win, therefore I try to win)

or...

If I can keep this up, it's in the bag

both of which are a marked departure from our neutral state of trusting speed and calling shots.

Now, if a stage goes poorly it becomes:

It's over, I lost (I don't WANT to look bad)

or

If I can NOT tank another one, I may be OK.

These also create a departure from our neutral state.

Anyway, lack of emotion means to me that I will refrain from judging any performance as good or bad during the match.

If I have trouble on a stage, there is an excellent chance that others in my class and division will have trouble on the stage.

Changing my neutrality plan will only increase the viscosity of the fecal creek in which I'm upstream and paddle-less.

In Eric G's video, the only time we see any judgement of his performance is after a long mag jams on a stage. There is no display of emotion after a mistake.

There is top regional shooter who, at least on the outside displays this exact mindset. He was given multiple mikes on a tricky moving target after a smokin run and accepted them without any emotion.

At the time, I mistook this lack of emotion as a lack of caring...but now I understand that it is an excellent way to keep small missteps from ruining the match.

(It's also a cool Jedi mind trick for your competition, they may think you're nuts.)

I tried this in my last dry fire session with spectacular results. If I missed a grip on .7 draw par, instead of trying to find the cause and analyzing it, I just holstered up and did another one. problem solved. If I had a great run on something, I didn't get excited about it, I just holstered up and did another one.

It had a very calming effect on me, I didn't judge anything as good or bad, I just did another one.

My practice session became entirely about the shooting, nothing else. And it was good.

SA

[spook]

Wow Steve. Very interesting thoughts. I mentioned in the thread where you said you were going to make new thread about emotionless shooting, that I had been thinking about the same thing.

I found that if I get all pumped up before a stage, the performance becomes erratic. Sometimes good, sometimes very bad.

It definately has everything to do with "wanting". When I go to a match, I try to think I'm the only competitor there, to get in the mindstate of "not wanting". I've found that my weakness is, that I think it's very important what other people think of my performance.

I just have one question for you. When I thought of shooting without emotion, I thought that also meant taking all the fun out of the moment you're shooting. How do you feel about this? Is it possible to separate the emotions you get from bad/good performance from the emotions of enjoying the shooting experience?

[Garfield]

That fun part was exactly what immediately came to my mind as well.

I try to always have fun. And having fun is (for me) almost identical to NOT being stressed about my performance. In the end, shooting for me is a hobby, not a living. And true, I do care about results, but I try to not get annoyed when I screw up a stage.

I agree with Steve in his analysis, particularly about one's mindset in mid-match, when you've shot a few stages well or badly. I have been there myself (had promising results on the first 2 stages then screwed the following 2 because the match was "in the bag").

Excellent and interesting post.

[jhgtyre]

I never put it in those terms but I have been working on this exact same thing. Usually I blow it for at least one stage in a match and start trying and wanting and then I start missing and screwing up.

As far as the fun factor goes I usually get a huge rush after shooting a stage correctly (without trying, wanting, or any other barriers to doing). Now if I could just get that going for an entire match.....

-ld

[tightloop]

It has always been about controlling your emotions. In 1965, Dave Williams, former golf coach at the University of Houston, and winner of 16 NCAA golf championships was talking to me after a particularly poor round of golf.

He said that my personal actions and emotions were the only thing I could really control on the course, not the other players and sometimes not the outcome of the swing you just put on the ball. He told me not to get too high, and not too low. Search for the calming middle ground. In doing so, you don't set yourself up for failure by trying too hard, and you don't let emotions cloud your judgement for the upcoming shot/s. He also said that if you stayed in control of yourself, perhaps the opponent wouldn't, and that gave you the advantage you might need to beat him on the course. It also might unnerve him that you did not crumble after a really bad shot.

Same principle in shooting.

Sorry for the golf analogy, but the correlation was there.

One of the other things he told us when we were trying out for the team. He was not looking for the smartest guys on campus to play golf, because it had been his findings that those people who did not overthink each shot, those who kind of went blank and let their body repeat the swing they knew, were the ones who did the best. That is not to say that you cannot be smart to play golf or shoot pistols, just to not overthink the situation. Relax and let your body do it. Same things, Benos says all the time.

[Bill Nesbitt]

Steve,

If you shoot all your stages in 10 seconds or less you will be fine.

Bill Nesbitt

[mcoliver]

Bill, this smiley face would have been more appropriate for this thread.

(ok, I really tried hard no to put this one.)

Steve, good post. Reminded me of Matt B's video about "good/perfect shooting is boring" because you'll have nothing to work for/on. Of course, one should be careful disassociating "emotionless shooting" to being "indifferent to your shooting." I take the latter to be no fun.

[Steve Anderson]

"good/perfect shooting is boring"

Exactly.

I tested my new mindset at local all steel match yesterday, and it worked well. I shot some stages that went extremely well and refrained from the "inner partying" that gets me in trouble sometimes.

When I had a miss to make up, I just made it up and did not even give it a second thought. A few weeks ago, if I couldn't shoot the whole steel match "virginia" I would really beat myself up on it, and slow down too much.

It also helped me not to pay attention to the times of myself, or of my close competitors. After all, they don't matter til after the match...

AND, I didn't shoot a C all day.... :)

SA

[SiG Lady]

DETACHMENT is the key.

Acting Like a Pro = Being a Pro.

Emotional baggage is exactly that.

Good shooting is NOT boring.

[Ron Ankeny]

Some of the best shooting that I have ever done was during times when the emotions were on high between the stages, but when the buzzer went off there was nothing going on between the ears but driving the pistol. I have tanked stages bad and gotten discouraged and pissed to the max. I have a little internal fit after the shooting and then let it all go to it's place in history before the next string or course of fire.

[benos]

Excellent thread all. My best strings, stages, and matches were always accompanied by a feeling of "matter-of-factness." Just doing exactly what needs done at each instant - no more, no less. No trying of any sort, no rushing or hurring - no emotional force of any kind. Just pure witnessing, fueled by clear intent.

I think, in the Temperament realm however, it might be beneficial to discern how different types "prepare" BEFORE actually shooting.

Some prepare with a more calculating and deliberate mentality, while some "fuel up" emotionally.

But based on many years of experience studying all Types of competitors, I feel, that during the "instant of performance," they're all pretty much emotionless.

be

[AikiDale]

"Anyway, lack of emotion means to me that I will refrain from judging any performance as good or bad during the match."

Right on Steve. There is a concept known in martial arts and Zen circles as Mushin. Litterally translated as 'no mind' it is that state when the mind, like a mirror, reflects exactly what is without the encroachment of preconceptions or ego. In this state we perform our best. Judging takes us far from this state of pure performance. When you cease judging you can be the shooting!

[Steve Anderson]

Yeah!

It works well in practice too...

SA

[tacted]

I'm really glad I found this thread

I've been working on a technique for a couple/three years that I call "inner stillness"

That is, the last thing to happen before the beep goes off, I empty my mind and simply ( simply!) focus on where the first shot will break. The mental state of a still pool of water, no ripples, unbroken reflection.

Works other times as well for cultivating focus and calm.

Nice to know I'm on the right track, have some distance to go yet, though.

[ErikW]

Just got back from the two nationals. My best stages were the ones I went into with confidence. "I'm going to burn this down and not drop any points." Maybe that's getting emotional? But after the Standby command I was shooting matter-of-factly.

[benos]

But after the Standby command I was shooting matter-of-factly.

Matter-of-factly is the shit.

be

[Matthew_Mink]

Steve, I read your thread over and over and finally applied it for the first time this past weekend. (Was really wanting to meet ya BTW).

Your theory works. I had a really good match and I didn't even think about it til it was over. If I had let myself dwell on it, I knew I was doing good, but I didn't think about it at all. I didn't judge myself. I didn't worry about screwing up. I didn't worry about anything. I just shot, and that was that. Had a miss, no problem. Ran a strong stage. No problem. Did an unintentional reload, no problem. Didn't think about anything until it was over, then didn't even worry about the results. It was refreshing. I felt so loose and relaxed it was uncanny.

It was my first match as a USPSA master. I didn't even let that get to me. I was in a Master heavy squad. I didn't even dwell on that. I think that match was the smoothest I've ever shot. I made mistakes, but I didn't let them get to me. There was no bad stages and no good ones until it was over.

What was also cool was the fact that flex, DBchaffin and myself were not competing against each other, but we still pushed each other the whole match. I love the competition, and that just makes me more focused.

[SiG Lady]

(TSC)"Your theory works. I had a really good match and I didn't even think about it til it was over. If I had let myself dwell on it, I knew I was doing good, but I didn't think about it at all. I didn't judge myself. I didn't worry about screwing up. I didn't worry about anything. I just shot, and that was that...  ...Didn't think about anything until it was over, then didn't even worry about the results. It was refreshing. I felt so loose and relaxed it was uncanny."

Wish me luck. I've got to put this (and my own advice about "detachment") to the test for the next six weeks in the annual Fall League action at the local range. (We take summers off; that's why I haven't talked about my match screw-ups much lately--there haven't been any matches! )

[Steve Anderson]

Matt,

That's great to hear! I was bummed about not going...but I took on the responsibility of local MD, and I know how I would feel if a local MD cancelled a match for "personal" reasons.

I really feel like the emotionless shooting deal is the key for me.

In this state, good stages won't cause laziness, and bad stages won't cause a downward spiral.

SA

[Flexmoney]

Yeah...the trick is to not notice the brick wall that you are beating your head against.

[Loves2Shoot]

ROFL Flex.

[kindlyoldcoach]

My best strings, stages, and matches were always accompanied by a feeling of "matter-of-factness.".....No trying of any sort, no rushing or hurring - no emotional force of any kind. Just pure witnessing, fueled by clear intent.

Uhh....that sounds a lot like "the bubble".

Just back from a (very well-run) little indoor club match. Maybe the best holster shooting I've ever done. I was "in the bubble" the whole time, just me, a front sight, and a whole mess of targets. Bugger-all mattered except putting that front sight on a particular spot on those targets. The pistol shot itself.

I was slow, yes, but I don't think I've ever shot smoother. Don't even remember my reloads. Do remember the ROs calling "two alpha" over and over again.

The best shoots I can recall having are the ones I began to smile about once I got home.

[caspian38]

If your TRYING to achieve it CAN you?

Step into the box.

Wiggle my toes . (stress test)

load make ready

BEEP

grip

weakhand

thumb (safety)

presentation

sights

BANG!

The steps are not relevant just the routine ... find your own LITTLE steps to make the WHOLE calm ...

I have found that actually going through the steps one at a time as I perform allows me to focus on only what I'm doing NOW! No emotion ... no trying to be calm, nothing to get excited about. Just 12345 ..... After a while your mind just does it ...... you don't even think of the steps ..... but If/when I feel PRESSURE I revert to the steps .....routine..... If you feel you need to rush a step its to big ! break it down further !

[Limitless13]

I'm glad someone mentioned golfing earlier, as I relate golfing to the shooting quite a bit. On a good golf day or even just in an openly good mood, one tends to get up there and go, "forget it, i'm going to give it all I've got and hammer it." thus the ball finds itself a sacrifice to the water gods, and on the other extreme you have the "(O&(^%%^$^% I hate this game, this ball will crush under my swing" leaving the ball in God knows where. In both, I try to shoot, honestly, like I know I'm going to get my a** whipped. When I believe I have no chance of winning, I calm down, relax, and truly focus on doing what I'm there to do. I wouldn't use the word emotionless, because I can't shoot without emotion as it is something I dearly love. I can however do it without thinking. This is just another point of view.

KS

P.S. a great movie to view this is The Legend of Bagger Vance