Overcoming match pressure

[upcountry]

I experienced the same thing shooting .22 bullseye matches--my practice sessions and warmups before matches were always better than my match scores. Things improved when I learned to relax, control my breathing and simply not care that the score was. The best score I ever shot was they night I sat at home and wondered if I had the energy that night and travel to the match.
Finally said "What the hell, I don't care", packed up and went with no pressure or expectations. Got there, set up, did a little relaxation and breathing, and shot 293 out of a perfect 300.
Go figure...

 

[PistolPete]

They say that Practice makes perfect but as Supermoto said in his own words is "Perfect Practice makes perfect." Visualize yourself doing great at a match even when you're just driving down the road. Think of how great you shoot the first stage of ever match. This will help give you a strong self image and will make shooting your first stage a breeze. Also, if you make a mistake on a stage or target etc at a match don't focus on that. Let it go and think of everything else you did great. This will help give you a positive self image and will help you get better and to better handle match stress. too many great shooters will mess up one stage in a match or sometimes even just one target and they will only focus on that mistake and then go all out to try to "make up" for the mistake only to find them making more of the same mistake.

You're practice should be divided into segments. If you're doing action type shooting then accuracy is paramount. You need to ALWAYS practice for accuracy as it's the most important tool in your belt. Then just shoot by following the sites and feeling what the gun wants to do. Then at maybe 10% of your practice turn things up to 110% but try to watch everything going on. Then slow down and go back to accuracy. You want to be able to get to the point where it's as if you're just watching the shooting happen around you. When it becomes subconscious then you are where you need to be to really start learning.

Your best stages will be the ones where you finish the stage and think it went OK but felt kinda slow and everyone comes up to you and says that was amazing. That's when you know you were experiencing the shooting happening.

As previously mentioned DON'T PUSH YOUR SHOOTING ESP. IN A MATCH... You're not going to get better at a match you do that in practice. However, you will learn things shooting matches but that will mostly be things you will then take to your practices.

 

[MFP4073]

Yelena-
There has been some awesome advise given here. I am not sure I can add to it. But... I'll give it a try.

As time goes on and you gain experience and confidence, the nervousness becomes excitement. Excitement can be just as hard to control as the nervousness but that is what makes competition fun for so many of us. The challenge becomes very much related to self control. You learn alot about yourself and your capabilities. The trick is to execute to the best of your capabilities.

In the beginning I was very nervous. I didn't know many people, I wasn't a great shot and I lacked many basic skills for match shooting. My confidence was low. I found it effective to concentrate on clean and safe gun handling because it is as much the mark of an experienced shooter as being able to score well is. It is also the most important skill for all of us, especially at competitions. Most do not really care how you score but everyone cares how safely you handle your firearms. I found concentrating on these skills to be helpful at easing my anxiety. It doesn't matter if you can hit the steel plates, the bowling pins, the bullseye, the swinger or whatever. If you can leave the line demonstrating clean and safe handling skills you will have the respect of your fellow shooters.

One thing to remember- you never stop learning in this sport no matter how good you are, and everyone starts somewhere. That is one of the things that makes it great. I love learning from other shooters.

The prize money is usually the same - $0.00. Keep reminding your self "I am shooting for fun." The more you shoot, the more you learn, and the more you get to know the shooters you are round the more the nervousness becomes excitement and your confidence builds. The only problem is the better you become the more you care about your score.

 

[Hamar]

Or, YOU could hold the target and see how the rest of us shoot. You know, so you can see the correct stance.

Skriv...and knowing how well YOU shoot, she'd be in trouble...........

 

[Scrivener]

Skriv...and knowing how well YOU shoot, she'd be in trouble...........

Well, YOU could hold it.

But you're a MUCH bigger target....

 

[PMD]

I'll add my 2 cents.

I started competitive shooting about nine years ago, first with High Power Rifle and then about five years ago with Action Shooting. Almost 10 years at the shooting sports and "pressure" still effects my performance.

I know for me when I don't think and just perform everything goes great.
When shooting becomes second nature everything seems to flow into place and that's usually when I do my best.

Ability, confidence and knowledge are key.
Proper practice builds ability and confidence.
Repeated practice will hopefully lead to your performance becoming second nature.

Additionally, continued proper practice is important. To be at the top of your game one needs to practice often, and to practice often takes time and commitment.


There is a lot of information in books and on the web - keep in mind that not all advice is good - you'll need to filter through and see what works best for you. You might also want to find out who's the best at your sport and talk to he or she and see if they'll offer advice.

Good Luck and if you find the solution to match pressure please let me know.

Paul

 

[Hamar]

Well, YOU could hold it.

But you're a MUCH bigger target....

You're absolutely right, you'd have a much better chance of hitting something..........

 

[Cuz]

Don't compete against the others there, compete against yourself. Try for a personal best in score or time at each event you go to.

Well, to each his/her own, but personally I don't agree at all. I'm an average shooter, but what works best for me is to actually target someone at a match and focus on beating them, and just them for that day. That allows me to concentrate on something specific and takes my mind off my actual performance. I find I do better when I'm not thinking specifically about my performance and concentrating on beating someone else. Others are right about the mental game and this is just how I get a grip on mine.

-Cuz.

 

[Cuz]

... You are not going to learn how to shoot steel on the move... when you step in the box.

Then why do I keep trying it??? I hate watching someone much better than me shoot just before my turn. I always think "gee, that looked easy enough" right before I crash and burn...

-Cuz.

 

[PistolPete]

Then why do I keep trying it??? I hate watching someone much better than me shoot just before my turn. I always think "gee, that looked easy enough" right before I crash and burn...

-Cuz.

HAHA That's why you NEVER watch the person shooting directly before you. If they do something different you might think of changing your plan and that's a bad idea. Or, if they are missing steel and unloading mags trying to hit it you will think it is difficult.

I agree with you about trying to win and not just try to beat yourself. I think most people compete to win and not to come in last. It's just a basic human fact. Although, not everyone tries to win "first" per say but I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't mind that position.

 

[Cuz]

HAHA That's why you NEVER watch the person shooting directly before you. If they do something different you might think of changing your plan and that's a bad idea. Or, if they are missing steel and unloading mags trying to hit it you will think it is difficult.

Easier said than done. I can't tell you how many times I've changed my plan after watching the person before me shoot a stage. Actually, I can. It's about the same amount of times I've changed my plan 3 shots into my run just after the buzzer goes off. Those are the things that keep me in the middle of the pack, but I'm working on it...
-cuz.

 

[Lugnut]

Make sure you focus on your weakness after the match is over not during

Of course... I should have been clearer.

I wouldn't practice at 100% alot , you make to many mistakes, you have to practice perfectly, or you will start engraining bad habits. Practice slow, work your way up, then try to push the envelope.

I agree too, but when you DO try to push yourself, you do it in practice NOT in the match. Matt Burkett was the guy I heard that suggested running matches at 90-95%.

Also be careful who you practice with.... make sure they share your drive and goals, you need to learn skills not compete against each other. A bad practice will is worse than no practice

Yes and no IMO. Yeah it's VERY important to practice with people that share your drive and goals... matter of fact- personally, I try to work with people that are the best shooters around me. I feel I want to learn the right way.

However I do have the desire to compete with them.. not in practices, but in matches... practices are to improve, not compete.

 

[Yelena]

Thanks everybody for advices! I am so glad to know that I'm not unique and special Yes, I do know it, the problem comes from the pressure I put on myself. When it comes to actual competition, I start worrying about doing well, and, as a result, don't do so well. I am looking at the average result, not comparing it to my best score during practice (thanks for mention this, Supermoto!)
Yesterday at the match I did absolutelly horrible at the slow fire (for some reason, I always do worse there), and so-so and timed and rapid. Looks like it is a very looong way to go...

 

[Dan S]

Yelena,
You're shooting bullseye? You should have said so in your original post. Almost all the replies were pertaining to action shooting.
When shooting slow fire, the most difficult thing to do, is put the gun down if you have to. You should try to get a good sight picture and squeeze the shot off in about 5 seconds. Don't keep holding, the shot will only get worse! Work on consistant breathing, for all strings of fire. Timed and Rapid syncronize your breaths with the range commands. These will help with your bullseye shooting.
One other thing. When you practice, shoot it like a match, cold, and all three phases.

 

[Dick]

When shooting slow fire, the most difficult thing to do, is put the gun down if you have to. You should try to get a good sight picture and squeeze the shot off in about 5 seconds. Don't keep holding, the shot will only get worse!

This is very good advice, and something that took me a while to really adhere to. I used to have the habit of thinking "if I can just hold another 3 seconds, I can get a good shot off," but in fact I never did. Now, as soon as the thought crosses my mind that I should put the gun down and start over, I put the gun down - no exceptions. Sounds pretty straightforward, but it took a while to beat it into my thick skull.

By the way, if you're dropping most of your points in the slow fire stage you're pretty much like everyone else. If you've been watching the scores of the top shooters in your matches, you've probably noticed that they don't drop many points in timed and rapid. Your groups should be smaller than what you shoot in timed and rapid, but you won't score as well because the target is different.

While it's obviously important to practice by simulating a match, it's also important to identify and work on individual aspects that may be problematical for you. For example, if you're having trouble making a good first shot in rapid fire, as many do, then get a buzzer/timer of some kind (I own and really like this one: http://www.larrysguns.com/Products/Range-Officer-Target-Timer__Target-spc-Timer.aspx) and just work on shooting the first shot of a string. At one point, I went through boxes of ammo just doing that. Then practice making the first and second shots only, etc. I'm currently not giving up many points in sustained fire, so my practice sessions have been almost exclusively slow fire, with just a couple strings of timed and rapid at the end to maintain the "feel." Some of the shooters on my teams have improved their slow fire by practicing on the standard 50-ft target at 25 yards. When they see the target at the correct distance during a match, the black looks huge and they feel like they can't miss. There are all kinds of tricks, but in the end there's no substitute for simply shooting a lot - something on the order of 20,000 rounds a year isn't unusual for true bullseye addicts.

 

[PistolPete]

One thing that will help you with this is visualization. Keep telling yourself that you're great at slow fire etc. and you will help create a positive self image. Practice when you're at home relaxing by just visualizing what you need to do and seeing exactly what you need to see and see yourself getting that perfect score. This will truly help you in achieving your goals.

 

[Mike-Mike]

Tell yourself. It's mind over matter. You don't mind cuz they don't matter.

 

[Greg Derr]

Yelena: What books have you read? And what instruction related to precision shooting have you had? Greg

 

[matt]

I'm a little late to the party, but I'll add something that helped me allot.

Develop a routine. Organize your stuff in your range box (if you don't have a pistol box to bring to the line so you can set easily, it's worth it), work on how you spend your time in the prep period. As Dick suggested work on your first shot, and the lead up to it (when you bring the gun up, line up the sights, etc.).

It might just be my eyes, or maybe it helped clear my mind, but I would also focus on a spot (happened to be the corner of my range box) while waiting for the range commands.

It is definitely a mental game as has been said.

Also, matches tend to be in the evening. Personally, I drink allot of coffee during the day and it really affected my performance until I realized what I was doing. I tended to practice in the morning with no coffee in me and my practice was always better. In the evening I had a slight jitter from the caffine.

 

[Jose]

For some odd reason, my pulse went sky high every time I shot the 200 yard rapid fire stage in highpower. I never have had that probelm in any other shooting sport, or even in any other stage of a highpower rifle match.

I've recently started IDPA, and the fact remains that the only way to get over match nerves (defined as stress that is affecting your performance negatively) is to just go to matches. A lot of matches. Right now I have about nine years of competitive shooting (mostly highpower and sporting clays) under my belt, so the transition to IDPA did not create the anxiety that it would a new shooter.

 

[Scrivener]

Elena;

Just remember that:

1. You're shooting MY ammo;

2. Through MY guns;

3. At MY club; AND

4. If you don't win, you won't eat - per YOUR mother!

But hey; NO PRESSURE!

 

[PaperPatched]

Match Nerves - Reprise (Previously Posted in another Sub-Forum by me.)

There's Good Advice Above
And in addition anything you can do to stay organized & reduce stress at the match is beneficial. Such as: Have an equipment list; check it before you leave for a match. Arrive early if you can, you'll have plenty of time to register, mark your targets, etc. You will have a 3 Min. prep time before the slow fire stage, but if you arrive early you will have time to load magazines ahead of time (buy extras if you can to reduce rushing to reload). Then use the excess prep time to do some relaxation / visualization / breathing techniques to let all cares,vexations, expectations (except to do your best on every shot!) fall away from you. Once a shot is fired, forget it. Don't rejoice in what a good score it's going to get you, or beat yourself up for how bad it was (There will always be one shot that was your worse one.). Your job at that moment is to make the next shot the best one you can.

Take the advice above and get a timer. Use it to not only know how much time you have left, but also to force yourself to take more time between shots (time to relax, concentrate on your breathing, rest your arm a little). You have ten minutes. Use what YOU need and don't worry about others being impatient to move on to the next stage.

On gripping the gun: relaxed doesn't work for me. Neither does "grip of death" as it induces tremors. Firm with almost no thumb contact, and no pinkie finger pressure helps me. It will take many matches & practice sessions to develop the "muscle memory" or subconcious control, but your average score should start to climb.

You'll learn that you have plenty of time in Timed fire, and enough in Rapid. Don't take the first shot at the buzzer in Timed if it won't be a good one. Re-center and go on from there. Try to develop a rhythm. Don't rush. As Wyatt Earp said "You must learn to be.....Slow in a Hurry." Wyatt Earp 1849-1929

Sorry to be so long-winded. Try a search for "Nygord's Notes" and print them out. You'll have some reading material for your range bag (It has water right?) Try to stay hydrated in the afternoon before the match if you don't usually drink much water. And if you're caffeine sensitive like me, it's de-cafe, postum (an aquired taste) or CaFix during league season Sept-April.

Before leaving for a match my wife says "Shoot straight"; to which I say "the gun always shoots straight, I just have to do my part".

Last edited by PaperPatched; 12-16-2007 at 04:33 AM.

 

[eisenhow]

Here's my prescription: Don't practice and get really annoyed before a match. I've been busy this last week and wasn't able to make the time to practice. Before going to my Bullseye match this evening I got into a heated debate on NES about various ballot questions in several states. I shot a personal best: 263 3x (78, 90 0x, 95 3x)! It's +20 from my last two matches and +30 from the one before

Who wants to get on my nerves next week?

 

[bdutton]

I noticed that I always do a lot better at practice that at the match. I am trying to take it just as shooting for fun and not for competing, however, when other people shoot with me, I can't achieve a good concentration and thus do worse than if I shoot alone.
Anyone else has this problem? And what do you do to overcome it?

Some people I know are good shooters in practice and no matter what, they cannot overcome the match pressure. Its not to say that it cannot be overcome, just that for some, they get too wound up to get past it.

I still get match jitters and I've shot some pretty great scores in competition. I find that I feel more pressure in team matches than in single matches.

Also, I found that when I feel that familiar match pressure starting in my mind I force myself to focus on the things I CAN control. Sight alignment and trigger control for example. Sometimes, its just too late to get that adrenaline out of my system and I have to accept the larger wobble and shoot through it. I usually do poorly compared to practice or a good match but its far better than my worst when I didn't focus on the basics.

 

[bdutton]

Thanks everybody for advices! I am so glad to know that I'm not unique and special Yes, I do know it, the problem comes from the pressure I put on myself. When it comes to actual competition, I start worrying about doing well, and, as a result, don't do so well. I am looking at the average result, not comparing it to my best score during practice (thanks for mention this, Supermoto!)
Yesterday at the match I did absolutelly horrible at the slow fire (for some reason, I always do worse there), and so-so and timed and rapid. Looks like it is a very looong way to go...

Slowfire is always the hardest and the most important.

I always say, its pretty hard to break 290 with an 89 slowfire.

When you go to 'practice' have a purpose... and call it training too. I find a good training plan for slowfire improvement is to keep shooting slowfire until I get 10 tens. I find that this flows well into all other aspects of shooting. Timedfire is just a quick slowfire and rapid fire is just a quick timed fire. Everything starts with slowfire both literally and figuratively.