Target Shooting

[Zonie]

After a few comments, I have a question for you.

When target shooting, we are all told of the importance of body stance, sight alignment, a smooth trigger squeeze etc, but I have noticed over the years there is something more. Something that is difficult to describe.
I have tried to describe it to non-shooters and recieved looks of mistrust, rather like they thought I was nuts.

Basically, I find that if I concentrate on sight alignment I can shoot fairly well. If I concentrate on sight alignment/target alignment I shoot better, but if I combine these with creating a mental "cone" of focus which is best described as as looking down a cone which is large where my eyes are, and converges to a point at the exact center of the target, the bullets seem to hit right at the point I am directing my thought towards. This mental "cone" excludes all outside inputs. I don't notice the lights, the wind, the other guns firing. There is nothing but the point I am concentrating on.

I'm sure most of you have heard of instinct shooting which IMO can be described as "thinking" the bullet into the target. This takes great familiarity with the gun, but there seems to be this "mental cone" plus a eye/hand/gun thing happening that is required to make it work.

I cannot get my mind to focus into this "cone thing" very often, and this is one of the reasons I no longer compete.

Am I nuts, or does anyone here know what I am talking about?

 

[Ohio Joe]

Zonie,,, I can do what your describing when throwing a tomahawk and it works fairly well... It's almost like everything is focussed right to the point where you are aiming for and your in that zone. Everything is just perfect!!! I too, use to be able to do it in competition shooting but now can only do it ocassionally when shooting... The eyes, age, physical and mental concentration seems to be waving bye bye to me... My problem however before the natural course of nature was I couldn't put a five shot string together. I'd lose it after 3 or 4 shots... This was all offhand shooting... Things are a lot more forgiving off the cross sticks, but focus is just as important no matter which way your shooting! Hope we can find that zone again!!!

 

[gordy]

I know exactly what Your talking about! As You mentioned,everything around You seems to become distant except the sights and target.Your stance ,hold,breathing,trigger squeeze fall into place automatically.When in this state,You can call the shots as their made.Most anyone can reach this level with a well fitting gun and much practice.Some seem to have this ability on the first few trys.As Joe says!as age dulls the eyesight,the distance it can be done at shrinks.I still do it quite often, but at 50yds.and under.I still enjoy makeing smoke, :winking: /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

Zonie:
Naw, yer jest nuts!! ::
Of course you are absolutely right, nuts 'er not.
In his book "Become the Arrow" Ferguson describes in detail precisely what you are talking about. Just as you think your shot into the target, you think the arrow into the target.
If done properly this becomes subconscious and automatic, just like blinking, you eventually don't "think" about it on a conscious level.
Wanna scew up a good trap or skeet shot? Aske 'em to describe to you just exactly how much they lead a clay bird.
Once the process is brought back into the conscious mind it's over. The shooter will start missing and begin consciously thinking about lead and he'll go to pot pretty quick.
It's kind of a mind over matter thing. If you don't mind, it don't matter! ::

 

[Darkhorse]

What you are describing is "Flintlock Zen".
It is the same as "Archery Zen".
I used to be an average pool shot, my brother was a shark. For several years I didn't shoot any billiards, instead I pursued and earned a 3rd Dan in Taekwondo, and also ran a Karate school for 6 years. Then one day on a trip home my brother and I and some of his friends spent a few hours in a pool hall. I went unbeaten for the night. Best of all I ran the table on my brother!!!
I was focused and that made all the difference.

We would teach students to "Focus your efforts". All power, speed and concentration is broken down into a smooth effort focused into a tiny point of your body into a tiny target on your target. Very much like shooting a rifle or bow. This was absolutely vital when breaking boards or blocks with hands and feet.

Granted, most can't go out and devote years of practice, not to mention thousands of dollars into the study of the martial arts just to gain focus. So try this, this is a secret few instructors teach.
Light a candle and sit crosslegged in front of it. Place your hands on your knees and stare at the candle, say a low ohmmmmmmm........ and all the while focus on thinking about "Absolutely Nothing". You can't do it long. After awhile you will think about your dog, your girlfriend, your kids or work. Whenever you become aware that your attention has wandered and you are thinking about something just bring your focus back to the candle and resume thinking about nothing. The more you do this, the better you can concentrate and focus. And the better you will get at tuning distractions out. Don't just try this, you must practice it and apply it.
It might be a good idea if you don't let your wife see you doing this. That is why we say a "low" ohmmmmm.....

 

[Zonie]

I work with some Zen type people. They can sit there for 8 hours and think of absolutely nothing! ::

But isn't the thinking of nothing just the opposite of directing all of your thought and body into one small spot on the target, or on the spot the que ball is to hit? ::

 

[Darkhorse]

Your missing the point of the exercise. If you can train yourself to concentrate on thinking of absolutely nothing then you will find that you can also concentrate on "something", such as target, sight alignment, trigger squeeze, NOT watching the flint and fire and watching the target instead.

 

[Stumpkiller]

My Sensi called it (and I have no idea of the spelling ) "Miso no kokora" Which translates to "mind of bee paste". In Okinawa they wrote on wax tablets. Before you sat down to write you had to smooth the wax surface. In Karate it is an exercise to relax and clear your mind. Translates very well into traditional archery and target shooting (especially the flinch-lock). Another exercise is to imagine a coil spring in the center of your diaphram. As you inhale it coils tighter, and as you exhale it unwinds. You can easily lower your heart rate and relieve tension with just this one. Breathing exercises are very helpful in mind and muscle control. LOTS of other exercises in karate translate very well into the shooting arts - which are just another form of martial art.

PS Byron Ferguson does not teach you should "think the arrow into the target" He maintains you should "become the arrow" and think yourself into the bullseye. Subtle difference, but it is there.

 

[musketman]

I work with some Zen type people. They can sit there for 8 hours and think of absolutely nothing! ::

It's not easy doing nothing, because you don't know when you're finished...

My EX-wife must have been a zen master, she did nothing for years...

 

[BadHeart]

Musketman i must have married your ex's twin. Sounds just like my ex.

 

[LRB]

Zonie, I never quite thought of it the you desribe, but you have something there. I have days that I just don't miss, and then there are days I can't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle. I am going to give that candle thing a try also. Musketman, did you think up that quote on your own, or did you borrow it? That was good and quite fitting for my nephew. I'm going to use it on him next chance I get.

 

The late Carlos Hathcock referred to what you're talking about as being "in the bubble". Aside from being one of the USMC's premeir snipers in Veit-Nam he also won the Wimbeldon Cup at Camp Perry in 1964, fired at 1000 yards. No matter what you call it, it works.

Vic

 

[Zonie]

"My EX-wife must have been a zen master, she did nothing for years... "

Mooskeetman: In effect your saying "She just sit there doing nothing and Zen she was gone!"

Har,har,har,har, har!!!! ::

 

Every traditional archer that learned to shoot because of men like Howard Hill or Fred Bear knows exactly what you're talking about. We learned from those greats and others like Byron Ferguson on how to "Become The Arrow". Damn, this is takin' me back fifty years or more. But I know exactly what you mean and unless you've actually been there done that, it is very hard to explain to a "newbie" or an "FNG" as we called them in 'Nam. But it works when you can achieve total concentration . Don't make no difference if it's a long gun, pistol, bow or what have ya. In my case, that ain't often enough any more.

 

[blckhrn]

Zen or just wanting it. Focus is what it's all about. I remember losing at a public 8-ball tourney after literally shooting my heart out on tables that had been set up 45 minutes earlier. Honest to God, I was going for the throat but it just wasn't in the cards for that 8 to run 3 cushions and overcome gravity. Everyone in the gallery knew it was going. I didn't veen know anyone was watching until I heard the applause after I missed.

Pool and marksmanship require one to obey a sequence of personally established criteria in order to differentiate oneself from the masses. It can be done from the conscious level but anyone who has practised will do better when so focused on the task that these criteria become automatic, or psychomotor skills. Focus and practise make the difference.

 

[blckhrn]

I work with some Zen type people. They can sit there for 8 hours and think of absolutely nothing! ::

It's not easy doing nothing, because you don't know when you're finished...

My EX-wife must have been a zen master, she did nothing for years...

You give her too much credit, I'll bet she could gripe.

It's all about focus

 

Holy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!
We were marrried to the SAME
woman!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :haha: :haha:
How come ALL the guys that work for me pratice Zen??
They DO sit all day and think of nothing.
Sad to say we are becomming a ZEN nation. Think nothing, do less. :boohoo: :boohoo:
And the suckers still get to vote!
oh, oh, I'm on a roll again.
Seen any Kats lately? :haha: :haha:

 

[Stumpkiller]

The late Carlos Hathcock referred to what you're talking about as being "in the bubble". Aside from being one of the USMC's premeir snipers in Veit-Nam he also won the Wimbeldon Cup at Camp Perry in 1964, fired at 1000 yards. No matter what you call it, it works.

Vic

I seem to remember that he is also the only soldier to have a "small arms" confirmed kill at over one mile (using a 10x scope on a .50 BMG M-2 fired single-shot he hit a VC carrying RPGs). That's just flaberghasting!