Distracting Phrases
We've all heard the stupid phrases our brain injects that do anything but help us remain positive and stay in the zone: "Is that the right hold point? Be sure you get the lead right. I wish that guy didn't talk so loud. You only got...
Learning to Compete
There's a difference in shooting a shotgun and learning how to compete. First of all, you have to be able to shoot a shotgun and break the target the way you want to break it and where you want to break it without thinking about...
From Hesitant to Depressed
When we go into the negative spiral, we begin neutral, but we become hesitant and doubtful due to hoping to shoot great today. The wrong brain is already in control. From hesitant, you slip into the confused state because your brain is confused - this is...
The Upward and Downward Spirals
Pressure, real or perceived, makes our brains say the most stupid things to us at the most inopportune times. We have talked about how to overcome these lapses into doubt. But when you make it a habit to turn everything into a positive, it instantly allows...
Neutral or Happy
In Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson's book, "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose," their mantra is “neutral or happy” from an emotional standpoint. A lot of emotional outbreak, whether positive or negative, is not good. If you're overly congratulatory and excited about positive things that are...
Training Your Working Memory
You’re very confident about the things that you've shot the most of. And you don't have to think as much about how you're going to shoot it because you've shot them 10,000 times. We as human beings like to be confident and comfortable when we're out...
How Lethal Our System Is
You can never put the gun consistently further in front of the target than you are comfortable with. The reason you were able to do it in the first shot was because there was no expectation. You just looked at the target and let the...
Focus on Specific Targets in Practice
You have to have a goal for your practice. That comes from an assessment of what happened last year. Let's say you went to a tournament, and you realized that of the 18 birds you missed, 11 of them were right-to-lefts. What does that tell you...
Finding Your Inconsistencies
Effective practice demands a higher level of engagement. You can't cram for skill-building in shotgun shooting; it's a gradual process that requires thoughtful and deliberate effort. A recent consultation with a master class shooter highlighted this point. Despite his high skill level, he struggled with...
Turning Negatives into Positives
It's a common human tendency to remember events more negatively than they actually were. This negativity bias affects our perception in various aspects of life, including clay shooting. Surely you’ve experienced a day when everything in your game feels as chaotic as a soccer game with...