Sport Psychology and Olympic Trap Shooting
In the highly competitive and precise world of Olympic trap shooting, success is not just about technical skill.
If you’ve read my other blog posts or subscribed to my weekly insights you’ll know that I always beat the drum on the importance of the pursuit of technical excellence. However, it is often the mind that gets in the way of the execution of technical skill delivery.
Ironically, many shooters spend little time working on the thing that most often gets in the way of the outcome they desire!
Olympic Trap shooting is no different and the margins for error at the top level are minimal. The mental aspect of the sport plays a vital role in distinguishing the champions from the rest. Recognising this, athletes and coaches are increasingly turning to mental training to enhance their performance.
The need to be able to close the loop on the previous shot, and be ready for the next with complete focus, is paramount to Olympic Trap success. In fact, it’s time-travelling, focusing on a past that can’t be changed and a future that hasn’t happened yet, which leads to even the best shooters seeing their performance level diminish unexpectedly.
How to stop time-travelling
The reality is, that it’s incredibly hard to stop time-travelling in between shots. It’s also true that when you’re in a squad of shooters there is a natural rhythm that you either, do your best to control, or keep up with. So it means that there is a limit on the amount of time that you have to respond when your attention drifts away.
The first step is to expect to time-travel. It’s a competition, there will be an outcome, which may be the one you want or not. But trying to force yourself into a siloed focus will only make the unhelpful thoughts stronger and drain your mental capacity.
Olympic Trap shooting is hard enough as it is!!
By expecting and normalising that your attention will drift you can move to a place of acceptance. Accepting that having unhelpful thoughts and emotions is a normal part of performing. That high performance by its very nature is likely to be uncomfortable.
Drop the rope
The principle here is to intend to stop the fight with your mind. Stop trying to suppress or change unhelpful thoughts and accept them for what they are. Just noise. They don’t need to influence your behaviour.
You can use them as a really helpful reminder that your attention has drifted from the task at hand… Breaking as many targets as you can!
Shooting of all disciplines is a game of attention and Olympic Trap may well be the ultimate attentional challenge. It’s fine for your attention to drift in between shots, allowing your mind to go where it wishes and preserving your mental energy (dropping the rope).
It’s knowing how far before your next shot that you must start to ‘dial-up’ your attention again.
This is when it’s time to return your attention to the task and focus on the things you want to do (i.e. see the target) rather than those things that you don’t want to do (i.e. don’t move on the flash). Whilst you don’t want to move on the flash of the target of course this instruction isn’t reinforcing the action you want to undertake.
By dialling up attention on the task and by focusing on what needs to be done, in the most simple fashion, you will find that you are more present and in the moment. Ready to break the target.
The Importance of a Pre-Shot Routine
A consistent pre-shot routine is a critical component of a shooter's mental preparation. A pre-shot routine helps shooters enter a state of mental readiness, ensuring that their attention is on the task before the shot.
It becomes less about what the shooter wants to feel and more about what is required within the task.
I would be 100% confident that you have been able to break a target in the past even if you’ve felt mentally/physically uncomfortable due to pressure.
A well-rehearsed pre-shot routine can significantly reduce performance anxiety and enhance consistency. Building brilliant routines is a central aspect of my 4R Performance Method mental training programme.
The integration of mental training into the preparation of Olympic trap shooters, can unlock greater consistency of skill delivery. By focusing on mental performance, building essential mental skills, mastering how to direct attention, and establishing a solid pre-shot routine, Olympic Trap shooters can significantly enhance their ability to perform under pressure.
As the physical aspects of the sport continue to advance, the mental component will undoubtedly remain a critical determinant of success, separating the good from the great in Olympic trap shooting.