Perseverance and the "Mental" Game

[boltgun71]

Today I took Mrs. Boltgun shooting.  She has attended several Appleseeds, around 6 or 7 total.  She shoots great but during the first few Appleseeds whenever it came time for the AQT she got "test anxiety" and she couldn't put it all together.  She would easily shoot 2, 3, or 4 MOA groups but she struggled putting everything together on the AQT.  This developed over time into a mental block for her.  She kept telling herself she couldn't do it.  She would get frustrated after pulling a shot or two and then give up and tell herself she couldn't do it.  Her form was perfect, no critiques could be made to her position other than the occasional reminder to follow through or watch your breathing.  After her last few Appleseeds she leveled out shooting in the 180-190's.  She just couldn't break out of the 190's and in her mind this just confirmed for her that she couldn't do it.  Her hump that she had to overcome became the mental game.

Then today we went to the range to practice and plink a little bit.  We started out shooting squares to confirm our zeroes then we went into AQT's.  For her first AQT though I decided to try something different just for practice.  I had her shoot an AQT with absolutely no time limit whatsoever.   My theory being that if I can give her all the time in the world to shoot a AQT with no pressure and show her that she is capable of firing a Rifleman score, prove she has the skill, she just has to get put it together under the time pressure of the test.  I just wanted to show her she is physically capable of it.  What followed was the world's longest AQT.  She literally took about an hour to fire the AQT.  Too much time ended up hurting her in the end though and she fatigued herself and the final result was a 204.   Of course this re-enforced in her mind that she couldn't do it, even with no time limit.  But she had focused so much on the fundamentals for each and every shot for that whole hour doing one AQT I knew her body was very in tune to the rifle.  So despite her protests I convinced her to try a few AQT's before leaving the range.  She didn't want to but consented anyways simply to please me but she didn't really put her whole heart and mind into it, she just shot them.  The result?  A 186 and a 198, the 198 being her highest score yet.   This puzzled her but made her happy.  She didn't try, she simply just shot, and ended up with her best score yet.  So building off the success I talked her into two more AQT's just for the heck of it.  Not to care about the score or anything, just do it and shoot.  What did the next two AQT's bring? A 197 and a 221!  Finally a Rifleman score!   She finally won the mental game, trusted what she already knew and practiced and just shot.  Since she wasn't caring, she just shot and didn't fuss anything.  Fussing the shot and pulling her first one especially had been one of her biggest problems to overcome.  Then she finally quit trying so hard and just did it and became a Rifleman!

Her perseverance and winning the "Mental" Game finally brought her the Rifleman score she had sought for so long.  Now she feels a huge sense of relief, the proverbial monkey is off her back.  On the drive home from the range she was happy and relaxed and remarked that she has a feeling that her shooting will be much better from now on.  No longer was the mindset one of she can't do it, now it is one of knowing she will shoot well from now on.  She has won the "Mental" game and become a Rifleman!

[TruTenacity]

Great job Mrs. Boltgun!!!!  I'm happy for your success.

Tru T.

[AFTERMATH]

Yes, CONGRATULATIONS INDEED!!!

I believe most of us have gotten to that point.  AQT syndrome, I believe it is called....(Ask your doctor if they've heard of it...When they say no, tell them they've got to see it for themselves. )
You end up doing some of this , a little of this  and a lot of this  .  But, still

I believe it can often be just as difficult on the coach.  When you get to that point that it seems there's nothing you can do to help.  They've just got to shoot it!  Persist, persevere and relax.

[Junior Birdman]

   Congrats, Sam!!!!

   Now quit slacking off and get that Orange Hat!!!!   

   A great lesson in perseverance for us all.   JB

[Western Rose]

Well done, Mrs. Boltgun!!!!

[Shoot Squirrel Yes]

Knowing a little bit about Mrs. Boltgun's personality, it's safe to say that she is driven and determined to be the best. That, as Boltgun pointed out, became an obstacle. She over analyzed and over fussed every shot; once she simply fired the rifle, she got the "prize". She always had it in her.

Now she has a patch. She'll sew it on her shooting jacket to impress the range creepers. She'll love that!

Well done, Sierra Hotel.

[Colorado Pete]

"She didn't try, she simply just shot..."

This right here explains and solves one of the biggest problems a shooter can have, and one of the most difficult problems a coach/instructor faces. We can't see what's going on inside their heads, and often our words don't sink in enough.
Shooting is best done with not only a relaxed body, but a relaxed mind. Just yesterday at a shoot I was telling a student "If you find yourself trying really hard, you shouldn't have to. Proper position, proper sling, proper NPOA, and the six steps should do it all for you so you don't have to work at it. If you're trying, it's because one of those things needs correcting."
Once they really figure that out it's a great leap forward.

[PHenry]

I know that Atticus calls it the "negativity Monkey" or something along them lines. He warns shooters to knock that monkey off their shoulder and let the last stage go.

As he was one of my early mentors - I use his sound advice to this day. I tell shooters as we are returning from the target line to let that last stage go. Each stage is a new opportunity to make Rifleman. I see shooters git so hung up on a bad stage that it destroys any chance of shooting well on the next stage.

I also have a part in my Sunday benediction. I say"  For those of you that shot well - congratulations. For thems that are kicking themselves - stop! The purpose of this weekend is to show you the path. If you practice what you have learned - if you persist - you will make Rifleman. If you quit - if you give up, then you have something to be ashamed of.

Glad to hear that Mrs. Boltgun conquered her Negative Monkey!

PH

[slim]

I've seen this quite a bit during events, especially on Sunday when the grind starts. After a few AQTs, folks are "sure" they're not going to make it because they're concentrating way too hard on "making it" instead of "having fun shooting."

I try to break up the challenge by having a fun shoot or something to take their mind off shooting "for score." When we come back to the next AQT, I tell them to "just have fun with it and don't worry about scoring a Rifleman score. Just shoot for fun. We're out here on a fine Sunday afternoon saving the country. You're here with family and friends participating in the uniquely American tradition of marksmanship and there's no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than right here on the firing line. Enjoy it. Have fun.... just relax, shoot, and enjoy. Huzzah!"

It usually works to calm down those couple of folks who were really trying hard. It also helps everyone to reset the batteries and just enjoy a good weekend.

[doubleLL]

Congratulations to Mrs. Boltgun!   

I believe the mental game is what solidifies the score. A friend told me to read "With winning in mind" by Lanny Bassham. I read the 162 pages on a 2 hour flight one evening. The book is outstanding, all 162pages! Lanny Bassham is a gold medalist in rifle shooting and lays the ground work in the book for overcoming the mental game.  I have read this book multiple times and my husband and I use some of the mental game techniques from "with winning in mind" when we instruct at an Appleseed (only on an individual basis).

http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Mind-Mental-Management-System/dp/1885221479

[jmdavis]

There is also a CD version of Basham's "With Winning in Mind' available on the Mental Management Systems website.

VaShooter gave some really good advice at the first VA KD day back in April. If you fill your mind with the act of shooting ie, position, relaxation/NPOA, and six steps you don't have time to think about the other stuff (like worrying about a score).

If you're in the "bubble" your mind seems blank, if you are not in the bubble focusing on the act of shooting is a good way to be "in the moment." The last shot is gone, then next shot is in the future. The only important shot is the one you are making NOW.