Dip in confidence and form?

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Iggy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2012
Messages
1,023
Location
Staffordshire
Hi all,

I seem to have been going through a rough patch over the last few weeks with iffy scores which has led to a bit of a dip in confidence. I can't shoot tomorrow unfortunatly so went for 100 bird sporting practice at Doveridge today and often found myself walking onto the stand thinking I wouldn't hit anything at all and didn't in a lot of cases.

I'm my own worst enemy in many respects as I'm always fanying about with different shells, chokes (and guns) none of which help I know, but there have been times just recently where it almost feels like I've forgotten how to shoot?? I know it's not the equipment and the problem's in my head but I'm just wondering if anyone has suggestions to get beyond it?

I'm wondering if I should maybe focus on some skeet type routines for a few weeks just to get my eye back in and some ryhthm going again? I'm not in any way suggesting skeet is an easy option just thinking the discipline and structure (not to mention seeing a few targets break again) might get me back on track again?

It feels like I'm going backwards and in a bit of a spiral at the moment, the worse I shoot the harder I try (measuring lead and over thinking) and the worse I shoot.

Thanks all in advance.

 
Hi Iggy,

I've been there myself many times. The first thing I did was get a couple of lessons from a great coach to reset my technique. I like to have a routine to fall back on if my shooting falls apart, which is does at times. Best thing i did and as much as possible I keep up the lessons to really bed things in.

I found trying harder definately results in lower scores as I dont wait for the bird and force the gun a bit.

D

 
ts a very individual thing to tackle as we all react differently to pressure. Been there myself. had a bad trot for a month, had a few bogie birds that are seen regularly on sporting layouts and every time I saw a stand with them on I may as well have just saved my shells.

Went and had a lesson with a decent coach and worked hard on them and have also been working hard on the practice ground. How do you practice? Just have a wander round and shoot what you fancy or have a specific plan? After some good advice from various members on here my practice has become more structured. I have a plan of what targets I want to focus on, I shoot maybe a dozen of the target I am having the problem with as singles to get grooved on it then bring in the other target on the stand and shoot them as a 4 pair stand. Shoot them exactly how I would in a competition, same preshot and post shot routine A bird followed by B then vice versa then if its there for a simo do that too. Thats about 30ish shells so I wander to the next bird I want to work on take a little break, smoke a fag , check Facebook on my phone, whatever to take the mind off shooting for a while then same routine on the next stand. I never try to work on more than a couple of problem targets in a session and intersperse these with some bankers to keep the confidence up. If it aint working on a bird dont flog it to death, go away and come back. I might only shoot 2 or 3 stands on a practice round, shoot, go away shoot something else and come back to the first stand to make sure its firmly in there.

Also have a look at Phil Coleys clayshooting success site, some good tips on there to help you relax in your shooting. If possible give one of his masterclasses a go, certainly helped me by being able to incorporate some of his mental techniques into my pre shot routine. If you are tense and anxious you will shoot tense, relaxed you will shoot relaxed. When have you seen any of the top guys stabbing at clays because of tension. Keep it smooth and relaxed and the form will come ;)

 
Wellcome to the world of clayshooting ups and downs.In my experience progress is a series of ups and downs rather than a steady climb.The funny thing is that you usually learn more from your mistakes than you do from your successes.When things go wrong for me it is usually one or two things that I have not paid attention to that cause the slump. More often than not it will be something basic that I neglected until it became a problem. Unfortunately most of us cannot afford regular lessons throughout our shooting careers so it is easy for faults to arise and be overlooked for some time. Fuzrat has the correct approach in my opinion which is to get help once the slide starts.I think the idea of keeping a written log is a useful one so that you can consult it when things go wrong and hopefully find the answer from the last time it happened.It saves having to pay for the same advice twice!

 
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I like to pack up when I'm shooting bad. Usually it's because my mind is elsewhere or I'm stressed with work etc. Have a break for a month then start back with a bit of coaching and kicking out all the variables that you will have introduced. That is a huge part of it; you have to be settled in your routine and kit is part of that.

 
I'm in a bad place at the moment, can't hit a barn door so I decided to have this weekend off shooting. One more bad score so soon from last weekend would be hard to take. May even have next weekend off too.

 
Disregard all my comments above, shot like a prat again today :( no shooting next weekend (holidays :D ), English open the one after (must shoot as booked in already) then Im going for a play on the Oxon county champs. Bit of whirlies (hants this one), Skeet, OT, Allround and DT through june/early July. Will shoot a few sporting as and when i feel like it and get some pigeons in too hopefully.

No expectations or self imposed pressure as Im not even classified in Skt, OT or DT. Just out for some fun pulling the trigger ;)

 
I'm with Ed on this one (again). :D Your all over thinking guys and you need a break for a couple of weeks. Get and do something else and forget shooting for a couple of weeks at least. Then see a good coach first time back. Then get out and kick ass. ;)

 
Relax my boy and stop fiddling about with your kit! :D Good advise from Ed too!

 
Evening all and thanks very much indeed for all the help and advice. It certainly feels like I need a break, if nothing else it may hopefully clear my head of some of the clutter I've been shovelling in there over the last few weeks.

It's interesting what you say about practice and focussing on specific targets as I don't do this at all and its glaringly obvious that I probably should. For various reasons I'm only able to shoot once a week (weather permitting) and its normally every Sunday when I do a registered shoot so these shoots are my practice as well. Maybe I should cut back on the registered and perhaps do 2 per month using the other 2 days to practice specific targets?

I'm booked on the Benelli SPauto next weekend, so I'll be doing that but I think I'll ease back afterwards and get myself some lessons sorted.

Thanks all, reassuring to hear its not just me!

 
Relax and shoot for the fun of it! We all like to shoot well, but there are soooooo many people out there who just take it all too seriously! Chokes and carts and glasses and adjustable every-bloody-thing!

Remember the words of that old classic song -

"Smile, and the world smiles with you

Stress, and you shoot like a tit"

:p :D :.:

 
Definitely agree that proper practise will make a huge difference as will settling on your gun/cartridge/choke set-up. Learning better shooting isn't an overnight thing - five years in and every day is still a learning day it that's the way I like it :)

 
I think we all need to realise that you can shoot all your life and never know it all and still have lapses in concentration and confidence.

When you are really down in the dumps, take a break, and just de-stress, do something totally different.

Then when you are ready to resume go to an known easy shoot or layout and just enjoy, maybe factoring a couple or so of your previous bogey targets, and apply a sound logical technique to break those few bogey clays, don't just do the same as before, we can all practice poor style or technique, if your idea of how to address that particular target doesn't work, pause, think about it, and change something. Do not Poke & Hope. :smile: :smile: :smile:

 
Hey all,

I admit I don't normally read this section as I am into shooting purely for the fun of it. I've mentioned before that my dad and I run a small strawbaler for 20 odd blokes twice a month on our family farm. Recently however my shooting has gone to pot and its really getting me down. The last couple of months have felt like nothing but a waste of time and money. My average score for our 50 birder was usually around 40-44. That has dipped to the low twenties. At more professional shoots I have hit a 73 at West Kent, and a 68 at Southdown, so I am of that kind of standard.

Last year when I had a couple of lessons to help me kick on to the next level, and they sure did help. My scores improved consistently, and then WHAMMO, can't hit a bulls arse with a shovel. I just don't know where It's gone wrong. My shooting buddy says he can't see any difference in my shooting. I'm running through the same pre-shoot process etc.

I had my walk away moment this Sunday. 1st stand was a (usually) easy right to left crosser. i missed the first 9 birds and hit the last one by accident with my gun not properly mounted. i went and did clay loading and trapping for the rest of the morning.

I am going to west kent this week, just my buddy and I to try and get back on them with no pressure. Shoot what i want, start easy, go a little harder if its working out alright. Apart from that I dont know what to do. Lessons are really expensive. I would book one if i thought it would cure this blip. If it really fails at west kent then I'm going to do whats been suggested earlier in the thread and leave it for a bit.

I try not to over analyse things, but its tough when this happens.

Also, i can have access to a dryfire simulator if I wanted. What are peoples thoughts on this. Would firing at a small dot on the wall a couple of thousand times help?

Cheers

Ben

 
How things have changed for the original poster, beat his pb of 74 by 3 on Sunday, and at a registred shoot. Well done Iggy!

Woody, you must be doing something different, either technique wise or mentally. If you are snowed under or stressed at work or have health worries this will impact your shooting. If so then this is a good time to pack up for a bit. If not then get a decent coach to look over you and get feedback from him as to what flaws you have let creep in to your game.

 
Im with Ed on this one, Ive put the gun away until the end of the month, focus on something else :)

 
A dip in performance, ah yes know the feeling :oops: , the truth is it happens to everyone, thankfully even the very best are not immune. The extent of it can vary though of course, if you're used to being in the top 3-5 at a shoot then a a 5% drop in scores is seriously bad news for instance.

The interesting thing is that when it does come it's usually application that's at fault rather than suddenly forgetting how to shoot certain targets. Initially you can't do too much about it, no good beating yourself up, go with the flow, accept you're in that phase and just knuckle down and try and string together the very many things you need to shoot well.

Carry a positive mental attitude into the stand, pace yourself, pre-think your routine and how you mean to deal with the individual birds, don't speed up when you smoke stuff, don't let the easy ones get away. You need to learn to concentrate for 2 minutes at a time then switch off and enjoy yourself with your mates, that's what it's all about in the end.

 
I went to west Kent on Friday. It really helped. I thought back to my last lesson I had there. The routine. Assessing the visual pick up point, the hold point, and where you are going to kill the target. We ended up shooting most of the sporting layout and I hit a good 75-80 percent of the targets. All in all, happy. Positive steps. I just need to apply it every time out, no matter what the target.

 

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