Visualization

[skinnylizzy]

Ok, so I'm at the stage where I believe some mental training will help my shooting. I'm trying visualization but I think I may be doing something wrong. When I close my eyes I see something similar to the picture I've attached. I try deep, slow breathing and thinking about 1 inch behind my belly button and various other pieces of advice I've picked up but nothing has really worked. My mind clears up somewhat but I cannot get a good visualization of a clay target from the start of a presentation to the end. I struggle to visualize proper distances, I can start and call "pull" but nothing is to proper scale and I keep getting blank spots, I.e. call pull, see it initially then see it smash but nothing in between. It's very hard to describe, frustrating and absolutely useless to my shooting.

What is the key to good visualization?

Should I just checked myself into the Looney bin?

Thanks guys.

 

[Salopian]

What I do is close my eyes , but more importantly close my mind to outside influences and distraction.

I visualise moving to the target and smashing it to pieces.

If that doesn't work, try visualising giving Phil Coley £20 notes , then realise that those £20 notes will do more good in your wallet!

 

[ips]

If that doesn't work, try visualising giving Phil Coley £20 notes , then realise that those £20 notes will do more good in your wallet!

That is brilliant Pmsl

 

[skinnylizzy]

Thinking 1" behind your belly button.........

Please say you did not pay for that one.....

It may or may not have been in a DVD I may or may not have paid for........ Hey, if it clears my mind, I'll pay for it

 

[ips]

I am actually very interested in this side of things however from previous posts on the subject it seems difficult to get any definitive answers without paying.

 

[Mike Bartlett]

Go and see Henry Hopking - the proof is in who has attended his courses!

 

[Delboy]

Give this guy a try,  Lanny Bassham  http://www.mentalmanagementstore.com/

I have his 6 CD audio on the mental game for sporting clays, It works for me

 

[shootkle]

Very interesting topic. And IMHO very important for Sporting clays because:

“Competitive sporting clays is shot mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course, the space between your ears.” (shootkle)

(Origin: “Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course, the space between your ears.” (Bobby Jones))

The following books are dealing with visualization in Sporting Clays.

If It Ain't Broke, FIX IT! (Lessons in Shotgunning (and Life)) by Gil Ash, Vicki Ash

Chapter 21 is about visualization: „Introduction to visualization“

Traveling the InnerState by Gil Ash, Vicki Ash

Chapter 10 “Building Pathways with visualization”

In a PM I will sent you my bank account. ;-)

 

[jake.keeling]

I find visualisation and rehearsal are quite easy in sporting and disciplines were you know exactly the target flight and where your going to kill it. But on Random stuff like OT, DT etc, I find it much harder. I don't think anyone clearly sees the whole process like watching a film?, it's more a representation and a feeling.


tiroVesti seamless performance clothing.

 

[Oldblaster]

Visualisation my way, get on the stand point your gun in the right direction, go completely blank, focus on nothing, (only achieved after many years of marriage!") call for the bird and hope for the best!

 

[ips]

Visualisation my way, get on the stand point your gun in the right direction, go completely blank,

This

 

[Dog Tyred]

This

Or as Aleksei Alipov would say Подумайте, как осел  

DT

 

[ips]

Or as Alekseai Alipov would say Подумайте, как осел  

DT

да "Da"

PS

Who you calling a donkey

 

[Darkside]

Ok, so I'm at the stage where I believe some mental training will help my shooting. I'm trying visualization but I think I may be doing something wrong. When I close my eyes I see something similar to the picture I've attached. I try deep, slow breathing and thinking about 1 inch behind my belly button and various other pieces of advice I've picked up but nothing has really worked. My mind clears up somewhat but I cannot get a good visualization of a clay target from the start of a presentation to the end. I struggle to visualize proper distances, I can start and call "pull" but nothing is to proper scale and I keep getting blank spots, I.e. call pull, see it initially then see it smash but nothing in between. It's very hard to describe, frustrating and absolutely useless to my shooting.

What is the key to good visualization?

Should I just checked myself into the Looney bin?

Thanks guys.

I've had a couple of lessons from Phil Coley, the Masterclasses he did with Ben...I found it very easy to 'visualise' after Phil had talked you through it face to face. Watching his DVD is good for recapping, but I definently got/get more out of his DVD after having done it in a face to face lesson, both pre shot visualisation and sitting at home visualising shooting at grounds you've already shot at before. Don't get too hung up on the mental side unless you are technically 95%+ proficient, I'm not saying I won't work with Phil more in the future, but at the moment it's the technical side of my game that is more in need of help. Phil did far more than just teach me visualisation when we did the masterclass lessons, him and Ben, with the help on a heart monitor, picked up on a major fault in my shooting mind set and taught me how to correct/control it, some shoots, I feel that's worth 5+ clays to me!!!

 

[Dunc]

I devoted a lot of time and effort to improving my 'mental game' in my (rifle) competition shooting. And it is really important, IMHO.

I've have got many personal examples of this. One I can vividly remember last season was while in practice when I was consistently getting a 9 score (rather than a bull/10), and when I slowed down, focussed on my breathing and visualisation 'exercises' and 'body scan' - as appropriate, saw the next shots consistently being in the bull. I found it really hard to believe it could be so important, but I'm now convinced it is - at least in the context I've given above.

Good post above from James although I would have thought that one could benefit with 'mental/mindfulness' training well before you're 'technically 95%+ proficient'.

However, you're of course starting with an advantage in being coached by Ben H, who does incorporate the 'mental routine' in his sessions seamlessly.

IMHO, any competition shooting can benefit from an improved mental approach and the more important the competition (and 'stress'), the more critical is a correct mental approach.

 

[Darkside]

I devoted a lot of time and effort to improving my 'mental game' in my (rifle) competition shooting. And it is really important, IMHO.

I've have got many personal examples of this. One I can vividly remember last season was while in practice when I was consistently getting a 9 score (rather than a bull/10), and when I slowed down, focussed on my breathing and visualisation 'exercises' and 'body scan' - as appropriate, saw the next shots consistently being in the bull. I found it really hard to believe it could be so important, but I'm now convinced it is - at least in the context I've given above.

Good post above from James although I would have thought that one could benefit with 'mental/mindfulness' training well before you're 'technically 95%+ proficient'.

However, you're of course starting with an advantage in being coached by Ben H, who does incorporate the 'mental routine' in his sessions seamlessly.

IMHO, any competition shooting can benefit from an improved mental approach and the more important the competition (and 'stress'), the more critical is a correct mental approach.

Hi Dunc,

Yes, I would agree some mental training would/is benifitial long before your 95% proficant, right from the start...just don't get too hung up on it. It's not until your scores are being held back by your head rather than your lack of technical ability. Ben does teach mental routine at the same time as teaching you to shoot, sometimes you don't even notice he's doing both!!!

 

[chippy]

I visualise missing the clay. And then get a pleasant surprise if I hit one.

 

[Nick Selby]

what does 'think 1" behind belly button' actually mean?..... but I don't want to pay for the answer

 

[ips]

I think it's just a way of explaining how to think of nothing, to clear ones mind and shoot with the sub concious. Old blaster pretty much said same thing but in normal language.