04-25-2012, 11:41 PM
The mental aspects of shooting are more than any of us can comprehend. I've learned this the hard way with many tens of thousands of dollars spent on the match circuit. I began shooting High Power competitively in 2008, quickly moved from marksman, to sharpshooter, to expert, to master, and now I'm pushing into high master territory shooting my service rifle. The only thing keeping me from making high master with my service rifle is my mental control. The discipline to control my body when it counts, not taking that shot that would result in a nine.
Along the way I began to notice that when I shot in important matches my scores dropped, not much, maybe .5% to 1% but that is all it take to keep you from winning leg points, or the rocker patch for Presidents 100. What I found was that I couldn't settle down to the fine level of muscular control required to perform at the levels required. The difference was 100% mental, and a friend helped me to understand this. His name is Sam Yarosh, a former CIA sniper, and multiple national record holder in high power rifle disciplines. Sam gave me some spooky material supplied to the CIA snipers to help them maintain mental control.
I won't share specifics because I don't have permission from Sam to do so, but I will say that the tapes basically teach self hypnosis techniques, ones that work. I can now move to the firing line and slow my heart beat, gain a connection with my muscles that let me identify any muscle group that is not totally relaxed and relax them. This is all done with my mind, not with my muscles.
This helped me move from the mid 180's in 200 yard slow fire off hand to the mid 190's. This means I'm hitting a six inch nine ring 100% of the time with 50% or better in the 3" ten ring. This is done from the unsupported off hand position with metallic sights.
Almost any load will shoot 100% so it is very much mental control that determines the outcome.
I used to spend countless hours making sure my loads were perfect, my rifle was tuned to perfection, all my equipment was the best that could be had. I've finally learned that my wisest use of time is in mentally training myself to shoot tens and X's.
Larry Basham has a book that has helped many in this respect called "With Winning in Mind".
Bob
Along the way I began to notice that when I shot in important matches my scores dropped, not much, maybe .5% to 1% but that is all it take to keep you from winning leg points, or the rocker patch for Presidents 100. What I found was that I couldn't settle down to the fine level of muscular control required to perform at the levels required. The difference was 100% mental, and a friend helped me to understand this. His name is Sam Yarosh, a former CIA sniper, and multiple national record holder in high power rifle disciplines. Sam gave me some spooky material supplied to the CIA snipers to help them maintain mental control.
I won't share specifics because I don't have permission from Sam to do so, but I will say that the tapes basically teach self hypnosis techniques, ones that work. I can now move to the firing line and slow my heart beat, gain a connection with my muscles that let me identify any muscle group that is not totally relaxed and relax them. This is all done with my mind, not with my muscles.
This helped me move from the mid 180's in 200 yard slow fire off hand to the mid 190's. This means I'm hitting a six inch nine ring 100% of the time with 50% or better in the 3" ten ring. This is done from the unsupported off hand position with metallic sights.
Almost any load will shoot 100% so it is very much mental control that determines the outcome.
I used to spend countless hours making sure my loads were perfect, my rifle was tuned to perfection, all my equipment was the best that could be had. I've finally learned that my wisest use of time is in mentally training myself to shoot tens and X's.
Larry Basham has a book that has helped many in this respect called "With Winning in Mind".
Bob