I seem to have lost it

[GrrClark]

I feel your pain Tom, I am going through a similar thing just now.  My problem seems to be that I am trying too hard not to miss and end up doing exactly that.  I also think about it so much I end up barrel watching and trying to aim the gun, again trying really hard not to miss.

My exercise for the next while is just to try and shoot instinctively, if I find myself thinking about it or as soon as I catch myself barrel watching then I move to a different stand and a completely different type of target.

Frustratingly when practising I am shooting OK, but as soon as it's a competition the 'try not to miss' instinct kicks in because I am fed up posting rubbish scores.  To counter that I am also changing my practice sessions to be more disciplined, i.e. shoot 5 pairs then move on to another stand, I can come back to that stand later if I want, but before I may have shot a box at a tricky target to try and work out how to hit it.  I think that has led to thinking about things too much so counter productive.

So far it is paying some dividends in practise, but still bloody frustrating.

 

[EdSolomons]

Not thinking isn't the answer. Thinking first, the committing to a well thought out plan is the way to go.

Just shooting on instinct will only take you so far, and you are unlikely to have enough sight picures built up yet to do this with any level of success anyway.

There could also be some basic technical flaws present which may well be causing issues, but that can't be highlighted over a forum sadly!

 

[GrrClark]

Not thinking isn't the answer. Thinking first, the committing to a well thought out plan is the way to go.

Just shooting on instinct will only take you so far, and you are unlikely to have enough sight picures built up yet to do this with any level of success anyway.

There could also be some basic technical flaws present which may well be causing issues, but that can't be highlighted over a forum sadly!

That is a good insight, thanks.

Without wishing to hijack Tom's thread I should have said if I find myself thinking too much having called for the bird, i can go through a scenario in my head after i see the clay of thinking is the gun mounted properly, i think i'm too low, think i'm too high, moving too fast, etc, etc.

I am trying to do all my thinking/planning before even loading the gun and then execute that plan, with reasonable success in practice, but it all goes to the wall in a competition.

 

[Gavin]

When I started clay shooting I was always told about hold points and break points, it tuck me years tho to realise there value, I'd say a good coach Would speed this up for you,

 

[Nimbusgb]

See a coach.

I seem to be just emerging from a similar slump.

It was damned frustrating at the time but it's fun this side of it!

 

[Rosso]

see below

 

[Rosso]

Its pretty a crap feeling. I am just like it now. All the gear and no idea.
Been doing it over 40 years.
Have one good shoot one poor shoot.
Sunday at Southdown. Straight a stand then next one 3. The whole card was straight a stand or 2, 3, 4.
There was just nothing in-between good or bad. Shot one very hard long stand straight then only 2 on a soppy pair of left to right easy crossers.
Lots of shooters go through this at some point.
I am going to get some help as that is all part of shooting.
 

 

[Will Hewland]

Sporting can run you ragged. I can't stick a good card in just recently, but feel I'm shooting a lot of the course well. Messy missing. While I love my new gun I feel I'm still thinking about IT and not the clays enough. I'm not despondent though as I know (mental) phases come and go. Just wish I could get a bit more consistent as per last summer. It will come..

 

[Salopian]

Will,

 Exactly, if you have the ability, it will come.

This where mental attitude training comes to the fore , separating the wheat from the chaff . Dismissing the negatives and building upon the positives.

Barry Simpson once said that when you are in a slump with form , go and shoot some easy targets , build up your confidence. One thing that is often overlooked is that you can overdo things and often a break of routine , a rest, a week off can have surprisingly beneficial results.

 

[Jeremy Baker]

Sporting can run you ragged. I can't stick a good card in just recently, but feel I'm shooting a lot of the course well. Messy missing. While I love my new gun I feel I'm still thinking about IT and not the clays enough. I'm not despondent though as I know (mental) phases come and go. Just wish I could get a bit more consistent as per last summer. It will come..

I'm there too. Nothing drastic not "feeling" it as I did last summer

But it will come.

Scores aren't drastically poor currently just not as good as they could be.

OP.....

Work with a coach you trust and that will reset the processes for you.

Season starts March April so plenty of time to get the confidence and timing back.

 

[schmokinn]

i thought i had lost it but i seem to have found most of it again :biggrin:

just relax,take it one pair at a time and NEVER think about your score till you finish!

 

[sibaldib]

I see that the stand where I only got 1 out of 10 yesterday was the same stand that Mr Digweed dropped his only bird of the round. I feel much better now!

 

[Sian]

which one was that Sibaldib?

 

[Doctor Lecter]

I seem to have lost it  but never really had it  ,  im in b class  low to mid 70s  is my norm .   coach , glasses ,  gun , chokes , shells ?    at 59   im running out of excuses , and time !   YIKES   :fie:

 

[Skeet UK]

I see that the stand where I only got 1 out of 10 yesterday was the same stand that Mr Digweed dropped his only bird of the round. I feel much better now!

Equally, I feel good about it too
@Sian It was at Horne, the true pair of left to right crossers, before the tower

 

[maddmatt]

An important factor can be expectation, sometimes we feel we should be hitting more targets but in reality we might be performing well on a hard course, there have been numerous shoots where I thought I had under performed only to find the rest of the scores were all down as the course was difficult. You can pressure yourself into trying to perform at a level that is potentially unrealistic, your mind convinces you that you should be hitting this target and that target, so when you miss them there is a rapid decline in confidence, usually followed by {insert any excuse here}!!!

 

[Will Hewland]

I'm just further down the score sheet than I was a while back. I will be fitting new chokes, which will solve everything, so watch out.

 

[Papa]

I find It's dead easy in this sport of ours to do the important basic things wrong and you convince yourself everything is ok . And when you struggle and run out of ideas , eventually seeking the help of a coach , you then realise that an expert can put you back on track quite easily because he can see things you can't . Hence why he's a coach . I popped into buy some carts off Mr Cobb and asked his help as I'm struggling with various targets . After a couple of minutes watching me shoot he informs me Gun mount poor and hold point way out . An hour of tinkering with me and I set a new pb the weekend . So to the OP get some proffesional help .


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[Santa2512]

Welcome to my world,  

one day i shoot well, then next its barn door syndrome ...

one thing i can offer,   dont get dispondant, it happens to most of us,

For me its a case of overleading, or approaching the shot presentation incorrectly.

The former i can correct, the latter i may need professional help for 

your in the right place for support though

:santa:

 

[sibaldib]

which one was that Sibaldib?

Stand 9 the simultaneous L to R crossers