Concentration

[diver682]

I am struggling with concentration, particularly on shoots where you are waiting a while between stands. I drift off, my mind wonders onto other things and then suddenly my name is being called and I enter the stand and shoot badly because I'm not quite with it. Now I know i do it but can't control it. Anyone else suffer in a similar way and have you got any tips to remain focused please. 

 

[Jonny English]

I'm currently suffering a similar problem, suffering a serious dip in form, mine is related to decision making. Not choosing to break the clay in the right place, not appreciating the line that is needed. Too much mental work on hold point and lead, not enough on kill point and line. I'm not doing the right work outside the cage.

I haven't found an answer yet but I am considering a small piece of paper or card with bullet point processes to go through in my mind before I get in the cage to prompt me about the items I need to consider. 

 

[Will Hewland]

I am struggling with concentration, particularly on shoots where you are waiting a while between stands. I drift off, my mind wonders onto other things and then suddenly my name is being called and I enter the stand and shoot badly because I'm not quite with it. Now I know i do it but can't control it. Anyone else suffer in a similar way and have you got any tips to remain focused please. 

I sometimes just know it’s not my day. Don’t feel confident, or feel like I should be elsewhere. That’s where my bad days usually come from. With respect, your stated problem is just discipline and you merely need to make the effort. You’ve paid the money to be there, just make the most of it. Watch at least 3 pairs carefully before you shoot and have the full plan worked out before you step into the cage. 

 

[Will Hewland]

I sometimes just know it’s not my day. Don’t feel confident, or feel like I should be elsewhere. That’s where my bad days usually come from. With respect, your stated problem is just discipline and you merely need to make the effort. You’ve paid the money to be there, just make the most of it. Watch at least 3 pairs carefully before you shoot and have the full plan worked out before you step into the cage. 

Serves me right.. I did exactly what I said you mustn’t today. Was hot, chatted to ref and didn’t pay attention to the precise place a fast chondel appeared. Cost me 1. Twonk.

 

[El Spavo]

Blimey, how did you miss a chandelier... they're usually massive?!

...and fixed to the ceiling!!

 

[Will Hewland]

Blimey, how did you miss a chandelier... they're usually massive?!

...and fixed to the ceiling!!

Bloody autocorrect..

 

[Lloyd]

This is a fascinating subject to me. One which as a novice I suppose hasn't really come up, not am I sure it ever will.

I find my ability to concentrate is entirely proportional to the level of interest I have in the subject matter.

I can for example find, quite unintentionally I hasten to add, that when listening to someone I can be very much away with the fairies. This of course NEVER happens when listening to my dearly beloved  

On the other hand, If the subject matter is wholly fascinating, I am apparently deaf and blind by all accounts.

I recall one time as a wee boy, I was in the lounge of my parents home constructing some electronic circuitry of some sort. Probably some device to alert me of my rapidly advancing mother at bedtime. OK, it was device to alert me of my rapidly advancing mother at bedtime.

Anyhow, I digress. I was busy beavering away when I felt a sharp know to the back of my head. I looked down to find a slipper laying on the floor that I was sure wasn't there prior.

I turned around quickly, ready to snarly at one on my two sisters who would doubtlessly be responsible.

"YOU IGNORANT LITTLE BUGGER!" my mother exclaimed. "What?" said I with my usual gaze of perplexed bewilderment. "I've been shouting for you. . . Shouting!" she replied. I looked towards my father; I could always count on his support. He nodded. "But I didn't hear you" I said. Thankfully my mother could read me like a book and knew I was being truthful.

A day or two later I was sat in the doctors surgery having my ears examined. The doctor declared my ears to my absolutely fine.

This has been a constant theme in my life. I discovered many years later that it is not uncommon, among men in particular and those with dyslexia such as myself all the more so.

To be back on topic, on the shooting grounds, I have found so long as I do no pre shot planning or think about the lead I am able to replicate this "in the zone" like concentration and results in a hit more often than not. However, if I plan and think, I'm near certain to miss five times out of ten. Some of the advice I have been given seems contrary to this and I find 'routine' does not help me in the slightest (another lifelong theme)

I suppose we're all different and we each just need to find our own individual way of getting into "the zone"

I'd be fascinated to work with @Henry Hopking one day

Blimey, how did you miss a chandelier... they're usually massive?!

...and fixed to the ceiling!!

Literally had my crying with laughter

 

[Hamster]

I am struggling with concentration, particularly on shoots where you are waiting a while between stands. I drift off, my mind wonders onto other things and then suddenly my name is being called and I enter the stand and shoot badly because I'm not quite with it. Now I know i do it but can't control it. Anyone else suffer in a similar way and have you got any tips to remain focused please. 

The trick with "useful"  concentration is to accept that it is only necessary and perhaps even possible in short manageable durations. The whole thing is neatly connected to and in fact reliant on having a set routine, set being the operative word. 

For example when watching people shoot it soon becomes apparent that the "average" ones lack a fixed routine. I would go as far as saying that the difference between an A class lifetime "journeyman" and one in AA is not defined in shooting skill per se but the ability to set, reset and repeat without fluctuations in tempo. 

If you observe people while they're shooting you will often see them call for the target while either their body or barrels are in movement, curing oneself of this single flaw WILL add anything from 2-6 targets to your score, that means many a decent shooter can easily jump up a class by doing nothing other than calling for the target AFTER his/her body has remained motionless for two tenth of a second or thereabouts. 

The other set requirement is finishing the shot, often overlooked but critical if you're to allow your senses to absorb and remember why you hit the previous target. One of my good friends who has a lot of natural ability has the unforgivable flaw of being in a hurry to open the gun and flip/slap the ejected shells into the bin (as though that in itself gets extra marks). The result is that he has far too many 8's instead of 9's, because he doesn't let his mind absorb enough of what's going on around him. 

What Im trying to tell you is that everything aside you first need to develop a set routine for your time inside the stand, this needs to be adhered to regardless of what's going on around you, misses included. That set and tempo has to be your constant in a world full of distractions.  Once you accept that that's a vital ingredient in good shooting then you will hopefully find fewer occasions when "concentration" becomes a problem - you don't need to concentrate too much, you need to apply the set/reset in the 1 min 50 seconds it takes to tackle a 10 bird stand. 

I'm afraid the next secret is going to cost you £40 but compared to what's being charged out there it's a steal. 

 

[DavidJ]

I'm currently suffering a similar problem, suffering a serious dip in form, mine is related to decision making. Not choosing to break the clay in the right place, not appreciating the line that is needed. Too much mental work on hold point and lead, not enough on kill point and line. I'm not doing the right work outside the cage.

I haven't found an answer yet but I am considering a small piece of paper or card with bullet point processes to go through in my mind before I get in the cage to prompt me about the items I need to consider. 

Not quite sure how you can establish a hold point when you haven't determined a kill point! The same applies to lead, it's only the given lead at the kill point. Shoot it earlier or later and it's different.

It's worth laminating a list of bullet points for before and in the cage.

Have a look here for some ideas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr9aw5rT040

 

[Will Hewland]

Not quite sure how you can establish a hold point when you haven't determined a kill point! The same applies to lead, it's only the given lead at the kill point. Shoot it earlier or later and it's different.

It's worth laminating a list of bullet points for before and in the cage.

Have a look here for some ideas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr9aw5rT040

You have to visualise the whole thing first. So then you do have a kill point, which together with careful watching of the clays gives you hold point. And you don’t shoot it earlier or later than your plan. Unless you need to try a plan B

 

[Lloyd]

The trick with "useful"  concentration is to accept that it is only necessary and perhaps even possible in short manageable durations. The whole thing is neatly connected to and in fact reliant on having a set routine, set being the operative word. 

For example when watching people shoot it soon becomes apparent that the "average" ones lack a fixed routine. I would go as far as saying that the difference between an A class lifetime "journeyman" and one in AA is not defined in shooting skill per se but the ability to set, reset and repeat without fluctuations in tempo. 

If you observe people while they're shooting you will often see them call for the target while either their body or barrels are in movement, curing oneself of this single flaw WILL add anything from 2-6 targets to your score, that means many a decent shooter can easily jump up a class by doing nothing other than calling for the target AFTER his/her body has remained motionless for two tenth of a second or thereabouts. 

The other set requirement is finishing the shot, often overlooked but critical if you're to allow your senses to absorb and remember why you hit the previous target. One of my good friends who has a lot of natural ability has the unforgivable flaw of being in a hurry to open the gun and flip/slap the ejected shells into the bin (as though that in itself gets extra marks). The result is that he has far too many 8's instead of 9's, because he doesn't let his mind absorb enough of what's going on around him. 

What Im trying to tell you is that everything aside you first need to develop a set routine for your time inside the stand, this needs to be adhered to regardless of what's going on around you, misses included. That set and tempo has to be your constant in a world full of distractions.  Once you accept that that's a vital ingredient in good shooting then you will hopefully find fewer occasions when "concentration" becomes a problem - you don't need to concentrate too much, you need to apply the set/reset in the 1 min 50 seconds it takes to tackle a 10 bird stand. 

I'm afraid the next secret is going to cost you £40 but compared to what's being charged out there it's a steal. 

This is brilliant. Thank you @Hamster That's the most thorough explanation of what a "set routine" is and what it is supposed to do for you. However, what I still don't know is the why' this would work and if it would work for me. Perhaps this could be my limiting factor?

I read an article on sport psychology as observed in Formula One. The study observed ordinary drivers, Formula One race car drivers and the 'greats".

The article spoke of "filtering" of distractions being a significant difference between those who cannot, those who can and those who can better.

Ordinary drivers it was revealed do not possess the ability to detect fine accelerations in yaw (small increments of rotation) while Formula One drivers are able to detect very fine differences in yaw signaling the onset of loss of traction. On the other hand, the greatest drivers also notice these small incremental changes in yaw, but are mentally able to filter them out and ignore all but the most significant ones.

Perhaps the routine help limit the number of things that need to be filtered out? Its commonplace for Formula One drivers to have set routines, yet some notable drivers are known to allow more distractions. Three I can think of in this regard are world champions, one many times over.

So, I do believe that these pre-shot routines are important and commonly required, but I do not feel it is a prerequisite to success. The ability to "reset" after a disappointment however I do feel to of greater significance.

Now. . . me being of a curious persuasion, to where do I send the £40?  

 

[Lloyd]

You have to visualise the whole thing first. So then you do have a kill point, which together with careful watching of the clays gives you hold point. And you don’t shoot it earlier or later than your plan. Unless you need to try a plan B

I am intrigued by this. I have read and been told this several times, but my admittedly very limited experience thus far of shooting just 300 clays has been quite contrary to this.

Perhaps with experience I will be better able to utilise these planning tools to improve but thus far they seem to detract. Of course the difficulty of the targets has to be a factor I'd assume, but I'm told by my instructor that I have been shooting competition targets. Of course these could be the easier of competition targets and the instructor may just be blowing smoke up my backside. To be honest it is very hard to tell with my limited experience.

With all that said, I have tried the process of -

Seeing the clay, identifying the hold point and the kill point, then pre-mounting, ensuring I am comfortable, steady, good breathing and calling pull, picking up the clay, pulling out a lead or swing through or maintained. . . squeeze the trigger. . . BANG! hit about 6/10

I have also tried the process of -

Clay released unseen, without calling, on sight of clay, mounting, pointing, BANG! Hit a significantly greater number.

I'm puzzled. I cannot understand why this could be? This is entirely contrary to everything I have been told. 

One thing I have also noticed is my mental response to both these situations. The former builds a slight tension, whereas the latter gives me a feeling of calm that I rarely have felt anywhere else. It's become kind of like yoga but less boring.

I can only conclude I need to try a greater range of targets at different grounds to mix it up.

I'm not sure where I would want to go with this. Competition sort of appeals, but the relaxation I get from the latter process is what has drawn me to clay shooting in the first instance.

Any insights will be most appreciated.

 

[Will Hewland]

I am intrigued by this. I have read and been told this several times, but my admittedly very limited experience thus far of shooting just 300 clays has been quite contrary to this.

Perhaps with experience I will be better able to utilise these planning tools to improve but thus far they seem to detract. Of course the difficulty of the targets has to be a factor I'd assume, but I'm told by my instructor that I have been shooting competition targets. Of course these could be the easier of competition targets and the instructor may just be blowing smoke up my backside. To be honest it is very hard to tell with my limited experience.

With all that said, I have tried the process of -

Seeing the clay, identifying the hold point and the kill point, then pre-mounting, ensuring I am comfortable, steady, good breathing and calling pull, picking up the clay, pulling out a lead or swing through or maintained. . . squeeze the trigger. . . BANG! hit about 6/10

I have also tried the process of -

Clay released unseen, without calling, on sight of clay, mounting, pointing, BANG! Hit a significantly greater number.

I'm puzzled. I cannot understand why this could be? This is entirely contrary to everything I have been told. 

One thing I have also noticed is my mental response to both these situations. The former builds a slight tension, whereas the latter gives me a feeling of calm that I rarely have felt anywhere else. It's become kind of like yoga but less boring.

I can only conclude I need to try a greater range of targets at different grounds to mix it up.

I'm not sure where I would want to go with this. Competition sort of appeals, but the relaxation I get from the latter process is what has drawn me to clay shooting in the first instance.

Any insights will be most appreciated.

As per, impossible to say without seeing you. With the greatest respect at your stage, you may not be doing what you think you’re doing. Actually people who have shot for years have this issue. But one thing is for sure, the tough targets definitely need a plan..

 

[Lloyd]

". . . you may not be doing what you think you’re doing. "

I've no idea what I'm doing. When I'm thinking about what I'm doing I fair poorer then when I'm not thinking. Or perhaps I'm thinking but not so consciously aware?

Perhaps it is in these more 'spare of the moment' targets I am actually practicing what I am told without considered thought and when the target is presented I am over thinking and thus my swing is effected and hence a miss?

 

[Will Hewland]

And just to make a dangerous supposition in your case (but it is the case often), newbies can do well with a sudden “instinctive” shot, but for one reason only: They make a rush at the target which puts some lead on, whereas they are usually behind (because it’s not natural to shoot ahead of a target at first). As I say, I need to see you to know.

 

[Lloyd]

And just to make a dangerous supposition in your case (but it is the case often), newbies can do well with a sudden “instinctive” shot, but for one reason only: They make a rush at the target which puts some lead on, whereas they are usually behind (because it’s not natural to shoot ahead of a target at first). As I say, I need to see you to know.

That figgures. 

One target that I needed five attempts at was one off the tower. I could not believe the amount of lead it needed. The target was in Bedfordshire, I was pointing the barrels somewhere over Cambridge when the clay broke!

Do you coach?  @Will Hewland

 

[Will Hewland]

That figgures. 

One target that I needed five attempts at was one off the tower. I could not believe the amount of lead it needed. The target was in Bedfordshire, I was pointing the barrels somewhere over Cambridge when the clay broke!

Do you coach?  @Will Hewland

Yes, not as much as I would like. Really enjoy it though. 

 

[Lloyd]

From where do you coach @Will Hewland

 

[Will Hewland]

From where do you coach @Will Hewland

Usually EJ Churchill but varies.