Smiling when shooting

[M2CattleCo]

My wife and kids ask me why I look so mad when I think I'm looking happy.

A full blown smile while shooting would probably overwhelm my ability to manage stress and I'd have some sort of a breakdown.

[beenalongtime]

Every time I am spotted smiling while shooting, people start using words like "Psychopath".

And words hurt.

Try laughing maniacally and when they question that, tell them it helps with the voices.

[StraitR]

This is an interesting concept GJM, but I am going to submit my hypothesis on why it seems to work, rather than just relieving tension.

You’ve given your conscious mind one goal: to smile while shooting. Your subconscious mind is then responsible for the rest of your shooting.

Apparently the conscious mind can only deal with one thought at a time, and subconscious performance, or being in the zone, is where you want to be, especially when you want peak performance on demand.

I learned all of the above from Steve Anderson. Other reading I have done about the conscious mind, and subconscious performance in sport, seems to back up his thoughts on the subject.

I follow Anderson’s teachings and say to myself just before I shoot a stage ( at matches only) “I’m here to see my sights on every target”, essentially giving my conscious mind one job before the timer goes off. It seems to work and allows me to remain very calm throughout stage planning and the load and make ready process.

I credit much of the meager success I have had in this sport to the mental game strategies taught by Anderson.

This is a great topic GJM. Looking forward to the responses here.

^^^^ Also jives with what I've read about upper level sports performance and flow-state or "flow", often referred to as "in the zone". Very little direct and intentional cognitive thought, which is reported to elevate the physical performance of those at a high to master level of their craft.

Photo's and video of me shooting show that I basically just hold my mouth open, like a neanderthal. I do the same when concentrating heavily on anything. I'm going to try this smiling bit, if I can remember, to at least look a bit smarter if not happier.

[Cheap Shot]

Its fairly typical for people on my squad to laugh while I'm shooting

[txdpd]

I think many shooters understand that extra tension degrades rather than enhances shooting performance.

I tend to agree with this, even though it contradicts the common wisdom that gripping harder is better. The harder you grip, the more upper body muscles that are activated. A firm grip is good, death grip not so much.


I never really thought about smiling and shooting, but in terms of posture it makes sense. There's a lot out there about the effects of smiling and good posture. Just playing around with some dry firing, I can't smile with "bad" shooting posture, it's more of a grimace. By bad posture I mean being hunched over, with the shoulder shrugged up to the base of the skull, forehead dropped, chin tucked, and looking seeing the sight at the top of my glasses. To smile I have to flatten my back, pull the shoulders down, and bring the head up.

[Tamara]

I sometimes sing. Does that count?

[miller_man]

Apparently the conscious mind can only deal with one thought at a time, and subconscious performance, or being in the zone, is where you want to be, especially when you want peak performance on demand.

I learned all of the above from Steve Anderson. Other reading I have done about the conscious mind, and subconscious performance in sport, seems to back up his thoughts on the subject.

I follow Anderson’s teachings and say to myself just before I shoot a stage ( at matches only) “I’m here to see my sights on every target”, essentially giving my conscious mind one job before the timer goes off. It seems to work and allows me to remain very calm throughout stage planning and the load and make ready process.

I credit much of the meager success I have had in this sport to the mental game strategies taught by Anderson.

This is a great topic GJM. Looking forward to the responses here.

I agree with all this and am on my own very similar path it sounds (starting to think about going for M class). I am very sold on Anderson's concepts.

Although, I read this thread yesterday and said what the heck. Worked on a very small session going for a .60 draw in dry practice and on reloads. Forced myself to smile while doing lots of the reps - maybe just a placebo "effect" - but I did feel more relaxed and seemed to have more success. Tried it for most of my dry fire session this morning and continued to get the same "effects".

If nothing else it keeps me from making my usual "is that a fart I'm smelling?" face

[Cheap Shot]

I sometimes sing. Does that count?

Depends

Showtunes?
Death metal?
Yodeling?
Gangster rap?
Opera? (and is your hair braided in pigtails)
Gregorian chants?
Mongolian throat singing?

[Clusterfrack]

For me, what helps is breathing continually. I am working on never holding my breath.

[Shotgun]

I’ve never thought about whether I am smiling. Interesting thought. I would hope we all smile from time to time when shooting just because we are having fun! I will say this in response to George’s original post: I do think I shoot better when I am not actively frowning because I am thinking about a work problem or some other stressor. I know that my Sporting scores are better when I am relaxed and have my mind on shooting rather than my mind being elsewhere.