Stategies for dealing with a SLUMP!

[Gringo Grizzly]

I know it happens to most of us from time to time, and least those of us who are honest about it.

I find myself mired in a really nasty slump with scores way off from my norm (many years invested!).

One successful strategy I've employed in the past is just to leave the sport for several months and come back stressing fundamentals.  The absence seems to take care of this.

However, this year I've already made arrangments for the Natls and want to go for the good time/whiskey!

If any of you have employed SUCCESSFUL methods please share them as I'm sure I'm not the only one reading this who's having trouble!

Thx
Gringo

[ajj]

Gringo: I'm not saying I'm good at this but an analytical approach might help those disciplined enough to apply it. I'm going to try it myself this evening. I'm going to set aside some time and sit quietly where there is no telephone or other potential distraction. I'm going to relax and maybe meditate a little or read a few pages of "Zen in the Art of Archery." Eventually I'll start trying to calmly remember what was happening the last time I shot a really #!@*** match and my blood pressure came up and I got disgusted and embarrassed and wanted to throw the rifle and...nope, relax, relax. OK. Now. What was actually going on? Well, I couldn't get the shot to break and the wobble zone was too big. Basically, I had (1) lost my confidence and (2) stopped having fun.
Then, I'll start thinking about what I know about the basics. I'll resign myself to a few facts. I need to first visualize and then dry fire and then shoot airgun with the only focus being to pull the trigger smoothly and confidently, with no stops, straight to the rear and follow through. I'll work on that and only that while being a little more withdrawn from what the sight is doing. I'll do it 5 or 6 days a week even if I can only give it a few minutes. When it feels really boring or I can't remember why it matters, I'll stop. In my other spare time I'll do Lawton's holding drill to improve balance and remind myself that I can hold pretty small for a second or two. (This will also remind me of what some of the wobbles look like and where they go.) In my other spare time I'll try to alalyze what makes me feel mad or frustrated or makes me try too hard. I usually start by remembering nobody else gives a damn how I shoot, nor should they. They've got their own "challenges." (There is no such thing as a "problem" and no such thing as a "slump." We just don't shoot our best score, or our worst, EVERY time.)
So, I'll go back to fundamentals, remember how easy it is when I don't try too hard, remember to shoot for the sake of executing the shot properly (not for the sake of hitting the target), remember to let it be fun.
Then I'll have a beer.
See you at the Nats.

[davei]

sometimes a fundamental but subconscious flaw(s) can creep into our hold, stance, or mental approach.  often we are not aware of them.  we are just painfully aware that our scores suck for some unknown reason.  the cool thing is that many of the challenges we have can be easily resolved once we know what they are.  at one point i was slumping horribly and had no idea what the trouble was.  while practicing a friend walked by and said "did you know you are lifting your head just as you break your shot?"  as a matter of fact i didn't know...  once i did know i stopped lifting my head and my scores came right back.

have someone you respect work with you and watch you shoot...  or perhaps film you.  it may be something that requires a small adjustment to fix.

also...  track your misses.  if there is consistency this can point out where your hold or stance may be creating a problem.

dave

[chunter]

I have seen many shooters walk away from this sport because they are in a "slump." One of the biggest factors that I have seen is that these people have lost the fun.  This sport is fun and it should be shot that way.  Many people try way to hard, and miss the whole point of the game.  Try bringing or shooting with someone that you have fun with, that you can laugh and enjoy the match with. Once you have someone there, try to remain open to suggestions and not get upset if you miss.  I definitely agree with Davei suggestion on this, a 'good' spotter/coach can really help you.

Another big help is the no-gun approach. Every night while you try to fall asleep, shoot a 20-40 round silhoutte match in your head, no gun..no equipment..nothing but your head.  While doing this you can work on trigger pressure, spot shooting, hold, breathing, etc..  Visualize each shot and force follow through on each animal, as you watch it fall over.

This game is all mental, the majority of us have the equipment that can shoot 40/40,60/60,...120/120, scores. However, we do not because we cannot control our head.  This mixture of fun and preparation is one of the biggest benefits to increasing your scores and enjoying the nature of the game.

[Arizona Jake]

The best medicine I've found to cure shooter's intrarectal cranium insertion is to take a couple of weeks off playing golf or going fishing, or whatever you can find that is not related to shooting, then pick up a book on shooting fundamentals and start working on your static position, then on breathing, visualization, THEN on firing practice shots. It's basically wiping clean the slate and re-starting from the basics... :cb2:

[nomad]

I may need to go into seclusion for YEARS! :cry:

[longgun]

Guess I've had as many slumps as the next person.  Once when Silhouette was a new game I was doing pretty well but I got in a bad slump  and eventually quit shooting for a few years.   Luckily someone got me interested in the game again.   But after years of shooting, I can detect a slump coming on.   What I usually find is
1.  I am taking shots before I'm on the target and I have to keep telling myself don't take any bad shots.
2.  Don't get on the trigger too hard,  when I see my scope reticle move off the target as I get on the trigger I know that I have jerked the trigger.  And every shot I have to tell myself squeeze the trigger.
3.  Follow through is as important as anything else.  You have to tell your self to hold the rifle until you see the target fall through the scope.  You can't drop the rifle to watch the target fall and expect to hit much .


I can usually work myself out of a slump in one afternoon shooting.  It helps if you have someone shooting with you and spotting,  not as a coach but rather as company and someone to talk to break up the monotony.  

These things are what I work on when I detect a slump coming on.

I don't get to shoot high-power enough to ever get very good at that game.  But I find my problems are the same , shooting before I'm on target , and jerking the trigger.  Have never been able to watch the target fall through the scope, because of the rifle's recoil.  Probably an accomplished HP shooter could give better information on HP shooting.



Don Weathersbee

[GeoNLR]

To deal with a slump. Like the BR shooters you could try and "Buy" $$ your way out of the slump...HAHA

 :-D

BTW> I have a new 1712 comming in today if that tells you anything...

[cslcAl]

Gringo,  I guess to go into a slump one whoul first have to reach some level they are comfortable with? I think one of the problems shooters fall into is they take for granted the targets are going to fall each time they break the shot. We can not do this. There are too many mechanical and mental aspects to this type of shooting. To stay on top of ones game you have to make every shot count as though it the shot to win the match.
     That being said is there anyone who can tell ME how to do that.
Al Foust

[shootnchef]

Gringo
try going out to the range and shooting ALOT at the pigs
this should pick your confidence and be some fun
if that dosen't work try the book "With winning in mind" by Lanny Basham

[nomad]

What's going on here? Now we're getting advice from some high-toned cook? What's this guy know about silhouette?  :-D

[Slowstdy]

Nothing new, and nothing original, but this all works for me.
Think positive. Do not analyze anything bad, like missed shots. Forget them, analyzing them is only reinforcing in your mind, if you cant remember them, you are less likely to do it again. You never learn from your mistakes, that’s bs politicians put out. Concentrate on the good shots, what did I do right, when you know, do it again and again. Practice, but if you are shooting poorly give up and go home. Never practice shooting poorly. Inversely shoot longer if you are shooting well. Try dry firing, this is the best practice you can do, you can do it sitting in your favorite chair, shoot out the window. I do this all the time, try holding on a blade of grass at 75yds and see the effect of the trigger on your hold. Fist time I did this, I was surprised I ever hit anything. When you get your hold steady stand up, dress in what you normally shoot in, including boots, only shoot in boots. And do it again until you can get a good hold, don't be afraid to change things, and concentrate on the good shots, and remember them. Do it again. Then go and shoot at the range.
I suppose the best advice, is only listen to good advise. Now is this good advise...
Just my 0.2c worth.
Cheers Dave