concentration or lack of it?

[psych4shooting]

The Trigger Freeze/Flinch research is continuing, but I am also looking at the most common mental fault leading to missing - lack of concentration, nerves and anxiety, pressure, broken target, double miss? Just some one liners would be great, I am aiming to create a table of mental faults and see what comes out of it. Plenty of research is continuing all the time. Watch out for the new DVD on Mental Tips coming out soon.

We are also looking into some ground breaking research in Sporting using heart rate and brain waves.

Thanks

[smith271973]

I find that in sporting, repeated no birds really put me off. In DTL, late releases also normally result in a lost bird. I suppose its a matter of lost concentration.

[Nicky T]

Overly chatty refs whilst shooting I suppose that would count as more a lack of focus than anything

[Chard]

Women

[timps]

Distraction of thinking I am going to clear this stand and missing the last clay as that thought pops into my head just as it appears rather than concentrating on the clay.

 

The others are outside influences, people talking, no birds, but the worst one for me is refs or other shooters (not ones whose opinions I trust, their advice is always welcome) giving advice on lead etc. before I step into the stand because my warped mind wants to prove them wrong even if they are right ... Advice once I have missed the first 3 is always welcome

[EdSolomons]

I would say overthinking/trying too hard and trying to solidly concentrate for a 2.5 hour shoot rather than tuning in and out are more detrimental to most shooters.

 

Ed

[100milesaway]

Biggest annoyance for me is, people standing bunched around their mates AFTER they themselves have shot. Sometimes 3 or 4 hover around the stand watching their pals even though they have already shot the stand. :blink: The next group can't get a look at the targets when it's them that need to see them the most.Please after you have shot, clear the viewing area. from Auntie.

[Seamus]

Keeping score in my head and focusing on that and the miss percentage (miss not hit!) rather than the next clay...

 

I like to torture myself further by keeping certain/other squad members scores in my head too, just so I can make sure by comparison of how badly I might be doing.

[Kermit the frog]

Dear Psych4shooting

 

Attended a training course a long time ago, where a sports physchologist proved to me that I was incapable of doing two things at once.

 

If you think about anything else, you are not looking at the target!!!

 

Old skeet shooters maximim 'you never missed a bird by looking at it to hard'

 

At sporting I accept missing targets, but once I've hit one and got a picture, I get very upset if I then miss one, poor concentration or faulty technique!!

 

As I get older I find it harder to concentrate for long periods, so I try to switch it on and off.

 

kermit

[The Sipe-ist]

I have a dreadful habit of allowing a single missed bird get to me instead of letting it go and regaining composure. It can make me shoot much faster than I would naturally. Sometimes I will shoot the first half straight only to collapse to a mediocre score.

[psych4shooting]

thanks to everyone with these great posts, I am going to use them in a future article on loss of focus in competition, will let you know when it is on the website, it will look at the factors and possible ways to overcome them - more posts too please.

[paulos]

I'm not saying a thing on here - there are too many ******** who'd use it against me! :look: I'm looking your way, *****

 

Edit: I have been advised that the above mentioned individual has gained a super injunction via the courts in order to protect his identity. Any attempt to identify him would B a breach of that injunction.

Edited June 7, 2011 by paulos

[psych4shooting]

Some great comments

[Greg_D]

Sorry!!!

[Chard]

I'm not saying a thing on here - there are too many ******** who'd use it against me! :look: I'm looking your way, *****

 

Edit: I have been advised that the above mentioned individual has gained a super injunction via the courts in order to protect his identity. Any attempt to identify him would B a breach of that injunction.

 

 

You're a t it, Clark

[bakerboy]

People that take for ever to leave the stand and then do not notice or seem to notice you are there, I call them Sloths.

But of course it could be that I am too impatient to get into the stand and are putting off the other person.

Also not being able to easily enter the cage because of observers and previous shooters as has already been mentioned.

Edited June 9, 2011 by bakerboy

[88b]

sorry what was the question ? I don't like people talking to me between stands when I'm shooting skeet, some do it to try and put you off.

[Kes]

Personally, in the field, usually in the dark with a lamp, if, in my mind, (rather than in reality), there is the slightest concern about safety e.g, (two minds), I lack the absolute concentration to hit the target. A target that is well within my capabilities.

This safety concern is always vestigial - almost non existent in reality.

Have had this situation twice only and missed both times.

The moral being unless you are concentrating 110%, dont shoot.

Exclude all thought after a careful decision to shoot has been made, the target is everything.

 

Even when you know your ground like the back of your hand and everything is 110%, quarry id, direction, backstop etc- a thought about a possible ricochet (in practice, impossible) comes to mind.

I'd far rather have this problem than not to be honest, and miss completely rather than wound or worse, from a quick decision to shoot.

Where there is any 'real' safety concern the shot is obviously not taken.

 

Theres always another day.

[psych4shooting]

The boys at the back of the class calm down!!!