Stokes:
Secret stuff only given to CIA Snipers? Ok.......... Since you disclosed that this type of thing even exists on an open forum, I expect a few black helicopters to pay a visit in the near future. He, he, he.
Much of my current training involves mental skills / enhanced performance / psychological skills so I try to stay up on the current research and theories involving such improvement. For years, psychologists have tried to find ways where an athlete can control his heart rate, among other things, and do so on demand and in a very short period of time. So far, no such luck. And, for the most part, heart rate had little or nothing to do with success or failure. This includes shooting sports. You will not be able to change your heart rate significantly enough, on demand, in very short periods of time. And, if guys think heart rate is the key to successful shooting, go to the firing line sometime in a completely rested state; dry fire until you are very comfortable with your position; put on a blind fold and shoot your string for score.
Before guys go out and get books on self-hypnosis, I recommend they talk with a clinical hypnotist. You will be surprised at how few times their professional attempts change behavior or intrusive thoughts. If they could do so, many mental illnesses would be cured, no one would fail in their attempts to quit smoking or drinking, etc. And, their protocols take months and even years before they see any significant change.
Lanny Basham is a motivational speaker. He won an Olympic gold in small bore in the 1970's because he changed how he viewed himself, his training, and his sport. His lectures and book are a story of this change and its successful results. The book and tapes intend to transfer his experienes into daily life. His information on goals setting and accomplishment, is very good. However, the rest of his information becomes pretty vague as he tries to transfer it towards all activities and all walks of life. And, a-lot has changed in the understanding of mental skills since the early 1970's.
Take this one from Stokes to the bank. "I used to spend countless hours making sure my loads were perfect, my rifle was tuned to perfection, all my equipment was the best that could be had. I've finally learned that my wisest use of time is in mentally training myself to shoot tens and X's."
From my work, the problem here is that most people do not know how to think / what thoughts to be put in their head, that they trust will work to some substantial degree, no matter the conditions. And it really isn't as simple as repeating a phrase when doing something. Basham likes using positive self-talk. My experiences show that positive self-talk is more positive self-lying unless you are at the very top end of the sport, and self-talk has meaning to that particular sport. Guys know if they are good or not and no matter how many times they may repeat some positive self-talk phrase, they sill know they suck if they really suck or are good if they are really good. When Basham started using positive self-talk, he was already a National champion and had competed at the Olympic level. He was not only good, but he knew he was as good as any Olympic level competitor. What self-talk does, though, is to shift attention from some sort of distractor and this is normally good. If it shifts you from attending to something significantly related to your success though, then such talk is probably not useful and may be adverse.
If I told you guys anything more, I am sure that someone from the CIA would pay me a visit I would not like. He or she or it would probably have to cut off my head and lock it in a safe at night.
Actually, there isn't a one size fits all with the performance enhancement stuff. Shot gun approaches to its use won't work out too well although they won't hurt anything, either. To really focus a mental skills program towards someone, it takes interviews and perhaps some testing. These days, attentional focus issues, controlling arousal levels, and what we know as situational awareness are things that are of importance. At least these are the things I deal with when I get involved in the training of folks.
Good stuff, Bob. I am pretty sure this year you will make your High Master.
LR1955
Secret stuff only given to CIA Snipers? Ok.......... Since you disclosed that this type of thing even exists on an open forum, I expect a few black helicopters to pay a visit in the near future. He, he, he.
Much of my current training involves mental skills / enhanced performance / psychological skills so I try to stay up on the current research and theories involving such improvement. For years, psychologists have tried to find ways where an athlete can control his heart rate, among other things, and do so on demand and in a very short period of time. So far, no such luck. And, for the most part, heart rate had little or nothing to do with success or failure. This includes shooting sports. You will not be able to change your heart rate significantly enough, on demand, in very short periods of time. And, if guys think heart rate is the key to successful shooting, go to the firing line sometime in a completely rested state; dry fire until you are very comfortable with your position; put on a blind fold and shoot your string for score.
Before guys go out and get books on self-hypnosis, I recommend they talk with a clinical hypnotist. You will be surprised at how few times their professional attempts change behavior or intrusive thoughts. If they could do so, many mental illnesses would be cured, no one would fail in their attempts to quit smoking or drinking, etc. And, their protocols take months and even years before they see any significant change.
Lanny Basham is a motivational speaker. He won an Olympic gold in small bore in the 1970's because he changed how he viewed himself, his training, and his sport. His lectures and book are a story of this change and its successful results. The book and tapes intend to transfer his experienes into daily life. His information on goals setting and accomplishment, is very good. However, the rest of his information becomes pretty vague as he tries to transfer it towards all activities and all walks of life. And, a-lot has changed in the understanding of mental skills since the early 1970's.
Take this one from Stokes to the bank. "I used to spend countless hours making sure my loads were perfect, my rifle was tuned to perfection, all my equipment was the best that could be had. I've finally learned that my wisest use of time is in mentally training myself to shoot tens and X's."
From my work, the problem here is that most people do not know how to think / what thoughts to be put in their head, that they trust will work to some substantial degree, no matter the conditions. And it really isn't as simple as repeating a phrase when doing something. Basham likes using positive self-talk. My experiences show that positive self-talk is more positive self-lying unless you are at the very top end of the sport, and self-talk has meaning to that particular sport. Guys know if they are good or not and no matter how many times they may repeat some positive self-talk phrase, they sill know they suck if they really suck or are good if they are really good. When Basham started using positive self-talk, he was already a National champion and had competed at the Olympic level. He was not only good, but he knew he was as good as any Olympic level competitor. What self-talk does, though, is to shift attention from some sort of distractor and this is normally good. If it shifts you from attending to something significantly related to your success though, then such talk is probably not useful and may be adverse.
If I told you guys anything more, I am sure that someone from the CIA would pay me a visit I would not like. He or she or it would probably have to cut off my head and lock it in a safe at night.
Actually, there isn't a one size fits all with the performance enhancement stuff. Shot gun approaches to its use won't work out too well although they won't hurt anything, either. To really focus a mental skills program towards someone, it takes interviews and perhaps some testing. These days, attentional focus issues, controlling arousal levels, and what we know as situational awareness are things that are of importance. At least these are the things I deal with when I get involved in the training of folks.
Good stuff, Bob. I am pretty sure this year you will make your High Master.
LR1955
Comment