Mental game

[Jennifer Herd Seymour]

So I shot my second 3 gun match yesterday, Atlanta 3 Gun. It was my first match away from my local club that only has about 20 shooters. I had so much fun and learned a ton. My question to you all is how do you beat the mental game? I had one stage that I just totally bombed--timed out, FTE gallore, ugly mess! I think I mentally blew the stage. The guy that shot before me (a guy from our club that I know) DQ'd by breaking the 180, something I was already thinking about in the walk through since there were 2 targets that were close to the 180. There was also a verbal rather heated discussion about the DQ right before I shot. My mind was a little preoccupied with that and then I had trouble with the plate rack. I ended up timing out and it was solely because of mental errors. I went back for the first plate when I should have just left it (I have this hangup about mikes that I need to get over), I forgot that I wanted to take my pistol with me and dumped it then had to pick it back up, I lost count of rounds and went dry causing a surprise reload, And by the time all that happened I was shooting terrible. I basically unraveled on the stage and was slow as Christmas. So.......how do you overcome the mental side of it? I knew better than to keep shooting at the first plate, I would have done better to leave it, but in the heat of the moment, I just kept shooting it. Does it just come with time?

 

[Matt1911]

It happens sometimes.
Just try to think about what you're doing and forget the rest.
The matches that I think I'll do good at, I usually bomb. When I shoot just to have fun for myself, my scores are usually pretty decent.

 

[LuckyDucky]

practice
visualize yourself shooting the stage before you shoot it

 

[Jennifer Herd Seymour]

Spencer, I did walk through many times and visualized myself shooting it. The problem came when things didn't exactly go as planned. Then it got bad, then worse lol. There is so much to think about. I guess that part gets a little easier as stuff becomes second nature, which it isn't yet for me.

Matt, you have a point. After I blew that stage, I figured I was probably last so what the hell, I just had fun. Doing that I actually did better on the last 2 stages.

 

[mike cyrwus]

It takes time. Time and repetition.

what it is exactly like, is how, when the first time you move to a new home, or get a new job or work, you have to remember how to get there. You look at street names, to tell yourself, "the second street, turn left", and things of that sort.

Now, once you do something enough, for it to be second nature, ie subconscoius, you dont think about it at all. On the street you need to turn on, or the exit you take, you just do it, you dont say to yourself on the 1500th time, "turn left, that way is home".

Embrace your current status and level of shooting aptitude. Be comforted in the knowledge that you will never be here again, and that gains will come rapidly.

You can not do what you can not do. To try, is to bring luck into the equation. Save luck for the lottery, and use practice and training over time for shooting skills.

 

[mike cyrwus]

also, there is no "Mental Game" to shooting that is separate and apart from "fundamental shooting skills".

They are as intertwined as the relationship between your front sight and your trigger press.

 

[Jennifer Herd Seymour]

Good analogy Mike. I just seemed to get a mental block on that stage. I know it will get better with time and practice.

 

[45recoil]

Procedural memory is strengthened through repetition. Keep at it and it will improve. Learn and apply

 

[Wall]

when things go bad for me, I run over the RO & get a re-shoot.

 

[Jennifer Herd Seymour]

Good idea Wall! I will have to remember that! lol

 

[Matt1911]

when things go bad for me, I run over the RO & get a re-shoot.

It's usually Feegee doing the RO duties, so everyone gets to see a good argument for the rest of the day.

 

[Wall]

everyone gets to see a good argument for the rest of the day.

We "Calmly discuss" it :wink:
But yeah, it freakin' kills him when I get a re-shoot

 

[foghorn918]

when things go bad for me, I run over the RO & get a re-shoot.

When things go bad for me, I tell them my name is Jared, to make sure it gets scored properly

 

[mikey80]

when things go bad for me, I run over the RO & get a re-shoot.

Lying, cheating, and giving the sport a bad name!!

 

[Spiff]

When things go bad for me, I brace for the one-liners I'm going to hear until they're replaced by the next disaster.

 

[02Fatboy]

When they call my name for the on- deck shooter I stop watching. And start thinking only about the stage, going over each target in my mind.

 

[mikey80]

I just unzip my pants and make ready. The rest just comes natural.

 

[Robaire Pullicar]

I just unzip my pants and make ready. The rest just comes natural. Just let it flow!

 

[James Peel]

When things go bad for me, I brace for the one-liners I'm going to hear until they're replaced by the next disaster.

It's funny, what you consider going bad for you would be my best stage run ever


Jennifer, I am new to this game as well having started 3Gun and my first ever action shooting competition in January 2014. I can assure you that the mental aspect of the sport will develop as your physical ability does and with your enthusiam and willingness to practice, this will probably happen within the next year for you.

My worst stages have come when I tried to do things I cannot do in practice or when I try to go at a speed outside of my ability. Just watch the last stage of my most recent video and you'll see what happens. Like Mike said "you can not do what you can not do...."

 

[TheRealKoop]

Im not the best, but this is what I do.

I run the stage plan through my brain as many times as possible, but if something goes wrong I try not to let it affect me.

Fix the problem, eat the time, clean the rest of the stage. I see a lot of people running 100% and then they mess up, fix the problem, and try to run 120% to make up the time. This doesnt seem to work that great.