Concentration

[Camille Eonich]

It's been entirely too quiet in here lately so.....


My first stage is the hardest one for me.  I get excited and hyper and usually end up trying to shoot it way faster than my current capabilities so I have to work to keep myself calm.  I do this by going over the stage in my mind until I get it down.  Then every chance I get I stretch and breathe deep.  After I get my guns loaded and while I'm waiting to shoot I stretch some more.  Arms, back, neck, shoulders fingers.  I'm finding that this works pretty good most of the time and I'm not blowing up on the very first stage of the match.


What do you do when you start getting too wound up?  How do you keep yourself calm and focused?

[E.R.Beaumont]

Howdy Pards and Pardettes.

Miz Camille, Pardette You must be one of those Competitors, me, I am meerly a Participant so I never get wound too tight. 

However, I would suggest yoga.  Also any of the mind controll types of meditation. Brian Eros and Michael Plaxco both have very good books about shooting out there.  I think Enos even has a web sight.  Both of these books have extensive bibliographies. 

I think that the meditation and ability to clear your mind is very helpful.  I think that if you have the ability to "Produce your skill on demand." you will have less tension to deal with.  I guess that means that 'proper practice' is as important as anything else.

When I was in college I was in the Theatre.  We were taught that the energy generated by that tension, if properly used, would make our preformances  strike sparks.  So I am not sure that you want to get rid of the tension entirely.

That is all I think I know.
Regards, Beaumont

[Camille Eonich]

E.R. for me I find that a reduction in coffee intake helps quite a bit.  You see, I am a slighly hyper person anyway and coffee just jacks me up more.  I don't do caffiene after noon or I don't sleep.


That being said the topic wasn't about me but more of a way to generate discussion and present different ideas and proven techniques to anyone that may come along looking for help.


Doc Shapiro is a big promoter of Brain Enos' books on developing shooting skills and I have heard others reccommend them as well.  I have thought about buying his book to read but settled on a good Stephen King book instead.   

[Forty Rod]

Naps are good anytime.  Ask your cats.

[Sod Buster]

Doc Shapiro is a big promoter of Brain Enos' books on developing shooting skills and I have heard others reccommend them as well.  I have thought about buying his book to read but settled on a good Stephen King book instead.   

I also find the books of Stephen King to be very relaxing. 
I have almost all of them in hardcover.

[Bristow Kid]

I don't shoot actual stages yet. I am more of a big bore buffalo long range shooter.  Where concentration is very important especially when shooting at 500 meters or more.  For me i usually lite a cigarette or a cigar.  Then I try and clear my mind and think of anything but shooting.  Usually for me trying to remember the words to a song works well to clear my head.  And of course some good ol' Mt.Dew helps take the shakes off.

[Stump Water]

You must be one of those Competitors, me, I am merely a Participant

That's the crux of the biscuit right there.  Sorta.

Those folks that are here "just for fun" are a lot of the fun of this game. Wouldn't be the same without them. 

One of my best shootin' buddies don't give a rat's azz how he shoots.  Sometimes he doesn't even shoot!  He just hangs out with the posse and helps out with posse chores.  He just likes to be around cowboys.

Me?  I'm a competitor... most of the time.  Sometimes I'll just clown up the whole match for the heck of it.  Most of the time I try to do well.  I'll go "Zen" (or whatever) at the loadin' table.  When I get to the line I'm amp'd up.  When I get to the unloadin' table is when the shakin' starts.

If that "excitement" ever goes away, I'm done with this.

I don't practice... because I do this for fun.  Practice ain't fun. But I COMPETE.  And I don't piss and moan when you beat me fair and square...  because I don't practice, and I do this for fun.

[Stump Water]

Almost forgot...

Yoga?  That go well with granola?

[Delmonico]

Almost forgot...

Yoga?  That go well with granola?

Not in this cosie's camp, ya got's to eat that far away from me.

[Russ T Chambers]

I have found that:
ZEN and the Art of Cowboy Action ShootingWorks for me! 

[Sagebrush Burns]

Concentration?  Sounds too much like work.  Sorta like practice, another term to be avoided when possible.

[Cyrille]

I 'concentrate' when I pratice, when I shoot, I shoot; I don't compete, I just shoot--- I'm not fast on the trigger, I aim, doin't just point but 8 times out of 9 I hit what I'm shooting at and that is only because the stationary target moves!
i.e. deer, small game etc. at "Cowboy Action" targets I hardly ever miss but I am SLOW like someone said on one of these threads speed is fine but accuracy is final! Being cool is the ticket!

[E.R.Beaumont]

Howdy Pards and Pardettes.

Miz Camille, Pardette I wasn't adressing you specifically, I was adressing the public you.  But if you want to be competitive in a pistol shooting match these guys know what they are talking about.  Brian's book also had the added bonus of explaining the "Zone" in terms that not only made sense, it explained the Zen Thing.  Read those two books cover to cover several times.

Yes, Yoga The streaching helps to loosen the muscles.  The breathing exercizes can help burn the adrenaline to stop the shakes.  Yoga is good for you at some level if you are competeimg in a sport.  I would also think that something like Tai Che would also increase flexability and strength.  While we are talking physical conditioning here, work out with weights or a resistance machien, also do some running/walking.

The Ability to Produce Your Skill on Demand.  Is probably the most important single confidence builder.  It means that if someone hit a buzzer you could draw and hit any one target indicated right then.  No hesitation, just draw and fire, bang ding, every time. Practice that cause once you hit the first one the rest are easier.  Remember speed does not come from moveing faster, it comes from not moveing as much.

I realize that there are two other arms that we must deal with, both of them are important fortunately they are paralell in operation.  Sight down the barrel put the bead on the target and squeeze the trigger.  Most folks find it easier to hit with the rifle and shotgun so they don't usualy need to practice with them as much, maybe.  I think that the ability to manipulate the equipment is as important as your shooting skill.  Dry fire with snap caps and practiceing the load, shoot, unload, load, shoot, drills for your shotgun.  With your rifle ballance a dime on your barrel, just behind the front sight, and practice working the action and not droping the dime.  Now practice it real fast.

I cannot emphasize the importance of dryfire practice enough.  If you practiced 30 minutes a day, 10 with the pistols, 10 with the rifle, and 10 with the shotgun you would move up 10 places in one month.  The Confidance that comes with the ability to really shoot well goes a long way towords reduceing preformance anxyiety on a stage.  John Pride also says to load up on potassium to cut out the shakes, so eat bananas and whatever else is high in potassium. 

I think that the concept of visualization is very important it gives you a plan.  It is hard to change a plan you don't have, it is hard to shoot a stage well if you don't have a plan.  I do however think that shadow shooting is, vulgar and uncouth, not something done by real sportsmen.  Keep it simple, we are just here to shoot and have a good time (in both senses) safely.

Remember there is no Bass Boat, there is no Cadillac, there is no pick up truck.  We are here haveing a good time with our friends and they will laugh with us and at us as appropriate.  They will also appaud us and cheer for a real good stage.  These folks make competeing easy cause they will cheer you for beating them, everyone wants you to do well,( but maybe not that well), we're all mostly on your side.  Just because I don't choose to be a competitor does not mean that I don't know what it takes to be one.  You will have to dedicate the time for practice, for dry fire, for yoga/tai che whatever, for strength training, and for aerobics.  It is hard work to be a competitor, and it costs time.  So either go to work, or relax and become a participant.

That is all I think I know.
Regards, Beaumont
     

[Camille Eonich]

bump for potential visitors

[Red River Ray]

Got to shoot against an EVIL MAN once at a man on man shootoff. I went to the loading table with a pulse rate of a bull rider, almost in a jerk. When a little man sitting on my shoulder says to me, what a DA, don't you remember what Handle bar Doc tought the children at Mule Camp?

If you want to slow down your pulse rate, load your pistols and rifle very slowly, and look each and every round over very careful. In the time it takes to load these gunz, you will be at peace with your pulse! Now your ready. It really works.


The one minute before tha buzzer is harder ta deal with than the 20 sec. after it.

[Camille Eonich]

Ray, ever since you told me that I have slowed down at the loading table and I watch every single bullet into a chamber of a pistol.  It really does help.

[Sidekick]

It sounds kind of stupid but I've found that if I will close my eyes and wiggle my toes that it helps with match nerves.

[Stump Water]

It sounds kind of stupid but I've found that if I will close my eyes and wiggle my toes that it helps with match nerves.

Seein' how ya won Mule Camp this year, if you (or last year's NE regional champ a couple of posts up) want to share any more of your "stupid" techniques and ideas then I'm all ears.

No jokes about my ears.

[Camille Eonich]

Next match I'm gonna be closing my eyes and wiggling my toes at the loading table.  You were talking about when you're getting ready to shoot and not while you're shooting weren't you?


Hmmm...might help me out if I do it while shooting.   

[Sidekick]

One other thing that might help is to get in to a routine at the loading table.  When I go to the loading table I load my rifle then my pistols and then I check my shotgun shells.  Now you don't have to load your guns in the same order as I do but you get the idea.  Once you get a routine down do it everytime you go to the loading table. 
Camille I wiggle my toes after I've loaded my guns when I'm waiting to be called to the line.