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Mental Preparation For A Match


Assassin

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I don't know about most shooters. I do know about myself. When I'm pissed off I shoot much better. What do others do to mentally prepare for a big match?

 

Myself, I listen to NPR on the radio and it really sets the tempo for my shooting day. :lol:

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14 minutes ago, Assassin said:

I don't know about most shooters. I do know about myself. When I'm pissed off I shoot much better. What do others do to mentally prepare for a big match?

 

Myself, I listen to NPR on the radio and it really sets the tempo for my shooting day. :lol:

You are forever a mystery to the rest of us.

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3 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

I meditate, then when I'm done I hug a tree.

Please don't encourage him. There's a burr in his saddle.

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I tell myself slow to moderate is smooth, smooth is moderate to a little bit faster. Apply anti-inflammatory gel to the wrists and sunscreen to the nose. Make sure holsters are on right; don't forget to put shot shells in the belt; don't mess up first stage. After that I got it whipped.    :lol::blink:

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On my way to the match it is about making sure I have something to eat, but not to much, and getting a good night sleep the evening before. 

 

From there it is just maintaining a positive attitude and a short memory for bad stages. 

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Sometimes, I think getting a miss on the first stage is a good way to start out. The building pressure of a clean match makes me jittery, slows me down, and makes me much more likely to get a "P" or two, or to miss a holster with a pistol:(.   

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I shoot at a few different clubs, all of which are a 2hr drive (each way) for me and my son.  I start out with a prayer for our safe travel to and from the match, as well as safe travels for all the pards  going to/from the match.  Always thankful for what I have and the day and ask that I may shoot well and have a good day with my son and pards.  Since I'm not going for the "bass boat"....it's all about having fun and visiting with good pards! As far as shooting goes, relax and have fun! LOL

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Local Monthlies I see as practice so I'll just shoot them as I see them working on transitions. But Winter Range I might review the stages the day before but other than that show up, shoot the best I can and know I won't shoot clean. I shoot Frontiersman so anything can happen. Top 10 is my goal, or walk away knowing I didn't shoot any love stock!

 

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This is a bit off topic.  But it has to do with preparation, so I'll go ahead and share. 

 

A couple months ago, I realized  that although my grip on the pistols (as a guitar picker) was strong and tight, my wrists didn't have the rigidity I wanted for controlling pistol muzzle movement during cocking and firing. 

An Orthopedist friend suggested this exercise to strengthen all of the wrist muscles.   I've been doing it every night for two months now, and it really has helped me to steady my revolvers.  

 

It's simple.  Either standing or sitting, grip your favorite revolvers, one in each hand - - unloaded, of course.  Hold them in firing pisition, arm straight out and level.  Rapidly draw circles in the air with the muzzles.  Go BOTH directions equally.  Start with 6" circles and work down to 3" in each workout.  Keep speed as fast as you can maintain. 

After a hundred or so revs, your wrist and lower arms will likely begin to burn or ache a bit.  That's should be the stopping point.  Don't overdo it and try to rush things.  It takes time.  Push too hard and you'll develop a painful condition, not unlike carpel tunnel syndrome. 

 

I've been doing about 300 circles per night with each arm, rotating in opposite directions.  I divide the workout into two sets of 150, spaced about fifteen minutes apart.  At first, my wrists felt stiff, and thumbs sore, but now they only feel solid and stable, and I don't have to think about holding a tight grip on the revolvers.  It happens naturally now.   

Whether or not my shooting improves, time will just have to tell.  

 

Just passing it on here for those with interest.  

 

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15 hours ago, Assassin said:

I don't know about most shooters. I do know about myself. When I'm pissed off I shoot much better. What do others do to mentally prepare for a big match?

 

Myself, I listen to NPR on the radio and it really sets the tempo for my shooting day. :lol:

 

A picture of Rachel Maddow or Jim Acosta at the loading table should do the trick.

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I try to start clearing my head on the way to the range.  Slow my breathing, slow my heart rate. Las Vegas traffic being what it is, that isn't always possible.  But If I can manage to arrive in a relatively calm state with a clear head I do tend to shoot better. 

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12 minutes ago, Equanimous Phil said:

 

Do you circle/move your shoulder joints or the wrists?

This exercise sounds interesting!

The entire straight/locked arm is rotated in a cone pattern.  The wrist is held straight in shooting position.  The wrist is exercised mainly by supporting the shifting force applied by the weight of the moving pistol, which is substantial.   Allowing excessive repetitive wrist motion can cause tendinitis, and needs to be avoided.  If, at any time, you experience sharp shoulder pain or popping (indicating Rotator Cuff stress or injury) discontinue the exercise.  An alternative similar exercise, excluding the shoulder can be done with only the forearm, by resting the elbow on a padded table top or chair arm.  Do be alert for signs of developing Tennis Elbow.   

This exercise I applies considerable force on the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints, so don't overdo it, and stop early rather than later if pain of any kind appears. 

 

I should also mention that the trigger finger should be in position gripping the trigger, so it is not just important, but essential, to double/tripple check the empty cylinder (I also keep the loading gates open for visual confirmation while doing this exercise) 

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When they start giving away Cadillac s i may consider prep, until then it's just another match, so I just have fun

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:ph34r:  I have learned to relax  more and  thereby have more fun.  Being ORGANIZED beforehand to allow subconscious to function has been a paradigm shift in

match enjoyment.  This allows time to visit and enjoy interaction with folks we only get to see at bigger matches,  That in itself adds to the fun factor, and by extension,

aids relaxation.

Shooting first stage clean, even if not fast, helps set tone for the rest of the match.

 

And PLUS MANY to C. Gatewood above......  keeping a clear mental picture of what I WANT to do helps immensely.  Of course, then the buzzer goes off.........

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1 hour ago, Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494 said:

:ph34r:  I have learned to relax  more and  thereby have more fun.  Being ORGANIZED beforehand to allow subconscious to function has been a paradigm shift in

match enjoyment.  This allows time to visit and enjoy interaction with folks we only get to see at bigger matches,  That in itself adds to the fun factor, and by extension,

aids relaxation.

Shooting first stage clean, even if not fast, helps set tone for the rest of the match.

 

And PLUS MANY to C. Gatewood above......  keeping a clear mental picture of what I WANT to do helps immensely.  Of course, then the buzzer goes off.........

Thank you! 

I apply the same technique I was taught when I rode bulls. It's a matter of mentally going through every procedure so that your mind learns what is akin to muscle memory. However, once the timer goes beep.....well you know! HA!

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Assemble guns and gear ready to load into my van the afternoon before the match.  I don’t want to feel rushed.

 

Get up an hour early the day of the match, get dressed, eat a high protein breakfast, take care of body functions.  I don’t want to feel rushed.

 

Get to range at least 30 minutes before shooter’s meeting.  I don’t want to feel rushed.

 

Be one of the last to shoot the stage.  I don’t want to feel rushed.

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It seems like my mental state and confidence are driven mostly by my advance preparation or failure to prepare.  If I know my rifle is dirty, I haven't touched my pistols since last months match, my shotgun shells are bulged, and my rifle cartridges are the same ones that produced two squibs on my last match, I doubt that my concentration is going to be very acute, beyond those distractions. 

 

For me, prep is a big part of my shooting ability and speed.  

And regardless of any mental prep exercises I do, I know the timer beep is going to erase it all.  When the timer sounds, I just dive in and do my best.  It's going to either be real good, good, fair, bad, or awfull.  I never can predict.  

 

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I been accused of being Mental.  Time or two.  However, Prior to a match big or small, I go thru my mental checklist, wallet, glasses, change, snot rag, boots, then to the load out, kart, possibles box, ammunition for long guns, short guns, shotguns, then to the actual guns and my hat.  Make sure I have a map to the range.  Start the car and back out only AFTER I have opened the door ......... Once I get to the match, someone always tells me where to go  :lol:  Then someone tells me what to do  :D   Cake .... No ??

 

PS:  See ..... Forgot my leather.

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Match Prep.

Arrive on Saturday morning between 9:00am and 11:31 am. 

Set up motorhome. Talk to others who are camping.

Eat lunch

Set steel if needed. 

Paint targets.

Time for Happy Hour.

Then Dinner either at the range or Mexican Place.

Then a few drinks while sitting around the campfire telling stories. 

Wake up next morning and shoot. 

 

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On 6/17/2019 at 8:42 PM, Dusty Devil Dale said:

This is a bit off topic.  But it has to do with preparation, so I'll go ahead and share. 

 

A couple months ago, I realized  that although my grip on the pistols (as a guitar picker) was strong and tight, my wrists didn't have the rigidity I wanted for controlling pistol muzzle movement during cocking and firing. 

An Orthopedist friend suggested this exercise to strengthen all of the wrist muscles.   I've been doing it every night for two months now, and it really has helped me to steady my revolvers....

 

 

This makes a ton of sense.  Shooting on top of moving my ma-in-law's 4 giant stacks of 20" patio pavers... again...  led me to a pretty severe case of tennis elbow.  Wound up going to physical therapy since I wasn't getting over it by natural means.  Now, my prevention / preparation varies from stretching and wrist strengthening exercises to a TE strap and athletic tape depending on how sore I am before I shoot.  I'm going to add this exercise to my routine as strengthening will help prevent future TE troubles.  Not sure what happened but it turns out I'm not 24 and fit from 50 hrs a week of physical labor anymore...

 

Thanks for that tip.  It's a goodn' for sure!

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On 6/18/2019 at 7:05 AM, Captain Bill Burt said:

I don't do anything to prepare for a big match other than go over the stage descriptions and do some mental walkthrough of each stage.  Prior to a stage I do some mental prep.

 

I do this too.  Then accept my "P" with grace and dignity...

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6 minutes ago, Croc Holiday said:

 

I do this too.  Then accept my "P" with grace and dignity...

I'm far from a top shooter, but Ps are fairly rare for me.  Maybe once every 25-35 matches or so.  I did get one last Saturday though!  I typically visualize myself shooting the stage at least six times prior to going to the line.  That seems to help minimize Ps.

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