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Quotes from Competitive Shooting
by the Russian coach A.A. Yur' Yev
One must learn to correctly perform all shooting techniques and to reinforce proper shooting habits in order to become an outstanding shooter with the ability to achieve consistently high results. One must train to achieve this goal. [p. 309]
One condition for developing a lasting motor skill is to first master it consciously. The more consciously a skill is formed, the more strongly it will be consolidated. To form the skill more quickly and solidly, one must picture in his mind every detail of the action being learned, step by step. By relying on this mental image, the athlete can consciously reproduce it in motion. Having a knowledge of the movement being learned and a clear concept of how it is performed are absolutely necessary conditions for mastering it. [p. 310]
Sports medicine has shown [that] the acute muscular- articular sensation developed for shooting is dulled if the shooter uses auxiliary training exercises which require excessive muscular effort with heavy loads. This means that the shooter, after spending many years developing a fine, distinguishing capability of the motor analyzer, can significantly lower that ability if he practices those forms of sport which are associated with heavy physical overloads such as gymnastics on apparatus and weight lifting. [p. 311]
Experience in various types of sports testifies to the fact that, with the use of a limited range of training exercises, a fast but comparatively restricted growth in results is possible. Results are limited because perfecting the conditioned reflex connections only ensures the accomplishment of those particular movements and is unable to make wide utilization of the functional capabilities of the organism as a whole. The training of a shooter will be many times more effective if constant work to attain automatic movements with other physical training activities, including both properly chosen sports and auxiliary training exercises. It should be kept in mind that, in training, there is a phenomenon called transfer of skills. [p. 313]
In the absence of training, motor skills gradually deteriorate and the extinguishing of conditioned reflex begins. After a long break from training, a shooter loses the capability to complete many complex motor skills which previously characterize his level of training. [p. 313]
Shooting disciplines are generally characterized by uniform repetitions of the same actions that may turn into tedious, tiresome efforts which bore the shooter. When this happens, the automated processes and motor skills do not improve, but conversely, the possibilities for their further improvement narrow. This is one of the basic reasons for the cessation in shooting improvement even though training continues. Excessive fatigue and loss of interest sets in and constant repetitions of an action may lead to a decrease in results. To counteract this possibility, the training of the shooter who generally specializes in one form of shooting must include general and special physical training and auxiliary sports. [p. 314]
The best special training exercises are, first of all, the shooting exercises themselves or elements of shooting technique and also special shooting exercises. These special exercises must be based on drills with a gun or dummy firearm in shooting position.
First of all, the universal means of enhancing the shooter's special physical qualities is by training in dry holding with a gun in shooting position. These exercises, in differing amount of static effort, allow the shooter to purposefully develop various special qualities.
There are many methods for developing special static endurance during the training process. For example, prolonging the hold after a shot, not lowering the gun and, again, producing a "shot" while aiming and pressing the trigger. During dry fire training, the sight picture can be maintained while repeatedly pressing the trigger at favorable moments to gradually increase the time used for aiming.
Another example is increasing the intensity of training load by increasing the time the gun is held in the position through alternating live shots and dry fire shots. Developing the strength and endurance of the muscles of the right arm and shoulder girdle used for shooting pistol can be done by the prolonged holding of a dummy firearm or any object with a weight roughly equal to that of the pistol. This method is convenient because it can be done any time of the day, even at home. [p. 321]
One of the signs of overtraining is disorder in movement coordination. In such cases, the shooter's performance becomes `deranged.' He presses the trigger absent-mindedly and indecisively and a fear of firing appears. In these cases and in addition to the disruption of motor skills and movement coordination, negative mental phenomena are also observed in training such as poor attitude, depression, sluggishness and indifference. The shooter cannot force himself to attain higher results. Such a condition naturally affects his scores which begin to decline steadily instead of improving. [p. 324]
Shooting experience, especially in recent years, has shown that the most effective system of training is one where the shooter effectively combines live firing with dry firing so that they supplement each other. Both are very necessary for the continued development and growth of the shooter.
Dry firing train has its favorable aspects which cannot be replaced by live firing. In dry firing training without cartridges, the shooter is able to detect a number of errors in the technique of firing a shot, including defects in trigger release. He also facilitates and quickens the reinforcement of many skills which are not so vital to shooting, Despite the fact that such training is not very exciting, most of the best shooters cannot do without it and systematically can carefully work out all the elements of their technique through dry firing.
Dry firing is especially important in perfecting position stability and a smooth trigger pull properly coordinated with the sight picture. It also facilitates the search for more advantageous position variations. Inasmuch the daily amount of live firing training remains almost unchanged, an increase in intensity is usually achieved by adding varying increments of dry firing. [p. 325]
In training, many shooters fire irresponsibly, unconstrained and at an accelerated tempo with the knowledge that their shots are not being recorded and are not for record. In shifting to record firing or competitions, no trace of this unconstrained shooting remains and the shooter starts to work on his shots carefully. This changes the working rhythm acquired earlier and becomes a cause of excessive nervousness. To prevent this, shots in training must be carefully produced and a style of shooting must be developed and reinforced which generally can be maintained in both training and record firing. [p. 326]
It is extremely important for the shooter to develop the ability to approach each shot thoughtfully and critically and to identify the factors that can influence the accuracy of his shooting. Without careful study of his actions or an analysis of his shooting, especially poor shooting, it is not possible to become a good shooter. The shooter must give himself a precise account of what he sees and feels and search for the reasons for unsuccessful shooting. Some shooters rave about good targets and remember them while the poor targets, which are usually greater in number, are neglectfully thrown in the wastebasket because the shooter will not take time to reflect properly on why his shooting was unsuccessful. There should be no doubt that doing this is not beneficial to the shooter because he loses any benefit from that training and, by not finding the reasons for his mistakes, will not grow in his sport prowess. [p. 326]
Most leading shooters maintain a shooting diary in which they systematically record observations about themselves during shooting such as the system of training experiments conducted in adjusting the gun or sights, and also their searches for better methods of shooting. Keeping a shooting diary has another favorable result because, while taking notes, the shooter automatically starts to consider more deeply, everything he encounters during shooting. He acquires the ability to observe, analyze, generalize, and draw correct conclusions so that he can uncover and eliminate his mistakes more rapidly. [p. 327]
The shooter should focus attention on safeguarding vision and not overloading the eyes with additional work, especially during training periods. He should not read in unfavorable conditions or in bed.
It is important not to change the routine sharply when changing from training to competition. The shooter must not feel this transition either psychologically or physiologically since the skills, habits, and conditioned reflex connections which have been formed and worked out in training can be ruined and the shooter will lose the match. [p. 327]
Finally, it should also be noted that research in other sports and the practical experiences of leading athletes has shown that completing training sessions with loads exceeding those which are required for the competition event give especially effective results. Therefore, in the process of doing overall special physical and technical training, a shooter must develop the ability to withstand double or even triple loads in his particular discipline. [p. 328]
To develop the stability of the arm in holding the gun while aiming and to develop the ability to support the weight of a pistol for a long time in the firing position, the following methods may be employed:
- periodic use of pistols of increasing weight during actual shooting and dry firing practice (by using detachable weights of 80 to 100 g);
- not lowering the gun after a shot, but prolonging the hold, making a second dry fire shot;
- holding the pistol in the firing position for 15 to 30 seconds before beginning the actual firing of the shot;
- during dry fire training, pressing the trigger repeatedly during favorable moments of the gun's oscillations, prolonging aiming up to 30 or 40 seconds.
- alternate firing of an actual shot with the raising of the arm to produce a dry fire shot;
- fire shots only on the second and third lifting of the arm (attempt);
- conduct systematic sessions of dry firing at home using a dummy pistol or any other object for stressing the arm which is held in the aiming position.
- quickly starting the upward movement of the arm with the pistol;
- raising the arm in a precise vertical plane with a smooth stop when the upward movement is completed (Here, one should check to be sure there will be no "skip" of the pistol through the center of the target. Otherwise, there will be an unavoidable loss of time in lowering the arm back in line.);
- raising the arm while simultaneously aligning the sights;
- practicing the first actions of the index finger in the work of squeezing the trigger(Here, one must direct attention to seeing that there is no delay on the beginning of the index finger.);
- raising the arm while maintaining aligned sights and beginning the movement of the index finger in pressing the trigger. [p.332]
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