June 5, 2022 Improve Your Scores through Enhanced Mental Preparation. Are you looking to improve your competition skills and score higher? Shooting Sports USA has many informative articles that will help you score higher in your next shooting tournament. There are articles about match strategies, wind reading, position shooting and wind reading. Chip Lohman, SSUSA’s former Editor, wrote one of the most informative articles on Shooting Sports USA. Lohman, with the help of Judy Tant (a Ph.D.) and Mike Keyes, examines the mental processes involved shooting sports. Chip’s coauthors have impressive credentials. Dr. Judy Tant, a Clinical Psychologist and National Bullseye Pistol Champion, is also a Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Michael J. Keyes is a licensed psychiatrist and former U.S. physician. Shooting Team.CLICK HERE to Read Full Article in Shooting Sports USA Online Magazine.Visualization, Brain Function, and Muscle MemoryIf you shoot competitively, this is definitely a “must-read” article. The authors discuss how the brain works under stress, how visualization can be used to improve performance, how “brain function” can be improved through proper training, and how the “muscle memory” stores learned routines. The article provides concrete examples of top shooters’ techniques to improve their “mental game” in order to shoot higher scores.
Research: Scientists think that the “deep” brain signals transmitted at almost 300 mph may not be being received by the frontal lobe. This is why athletes talk about “letting it go” rather than over-thinking the shot. The conscious signal can take as long as 0.3 seconds to recognize the desired sight image and move the trigger finger. This is too long to capture the perfect shot. The cerebellum, where these procedures are stored through repetition, initiates the signal spontaneously. However, the response speed is much faster. The “deep brain” processes signals twice as fast than the problem-solving frontal brain. Here are some tips from Emil Praslick III (ex-USAMU coach). Praslick was a well-known figure in the field of wind reading and was also known for his ability help shooters master the “mental” game.Thinking Your way to Success
Emil Praslick III
Why is it that a small group of shooters seems to win the majority of matches? What is the difference between shooters who are technically equal and those who are not? Confidence. Confidence is the ability to execute shots without fear. Poor shots are not acceptable. Negative thoughts (can’t or won’t), etc., can ruin a shot. A skilled performance will be destroyed by negative thoughts. The mind will lose focus on the task at hand and instead focus on self-doubt and fear. Fear is the enemy; confidence is the cure. How can a shooter, on the eve a crucial match… gain the confidence to perform to his full potential? Pre-competition mental plans can help you achieve that positive mental state. The plan can be broken into several phases. Create a sense of preparedness. You will feel prepared for match day by creating and executing a plan to organize equipment and routines before the match. Avoid negative and stressful thoughts. Unnecessary stress can be caused by focusing on winning the match or shooting for a certain score (like the President’s 100 or the cut). Good shooters are able to focus on the aspects they can control, such as their sight picture, sight alignment, and position. Each shot should be considered an event in its own right. During practice sessions, you should train stage-specific tasks. Do not limit yourself to shooting matches or practicing matches. Instead, focus on your problem areas with drills. This will increase your confidence. Imagine yourself taking perfect shots as part of your pre-match routine. As part of your pre-match routine, visualize yourself getting in the perfect position, taking the perfect sight picture, and controlling the trigger.
