2. WEEK 

 (Monday 11th - Sunday 17th of September)

(for instructions - and first week content - scroll down)

MENTAL TRAINING  and MINDSET exercises for the second week

MENTAL TRAINING

However, in shooting, insight alone is as little use as a one-off demonstration. Regular and systematic training is the only way to establish new behavior patterns in an athlete’s arsenal. Only once they are firmly embedded can they be applied in practice. Only once they are adapted for real-life situations will they function under pressure. Only if they are constantly kept in peak condition will they remain at a high level. And only if they are accurately adjusted to the specific demands of competitions can they be applied efficiently and reliably in conflict situations. 

Psychological competition training

  (from our book SPORT PSYCHOLOGY  and COMPETITION)

This plan carries on where other sport psychology texts end, i.e. at the point when the actual training begins. There are virtually no systematic approaches for the psychological training of competitive athletes in German-language publications. Equally, we are unaware of any comprehensive models in English-language texts.

According to our research, the training plan on the next pages covers largely new territory. We have drawn on our own unpublished plans tested successfully as part of two scientific studies and in general training plans for rifle shooters. We have also used our experience of numerous one-to-one consultations normally steered by specific exercises. Overall we are confident that the plan that follows is an effective way to systematically train your psychological skills for competition situations.  

 

Structure: Psychological competition training comprises a total of 126 exercises over a period of six weeks. The tasks are divided into the three sections that underpin the theory section of this book. 

There is one exercise a day for each of the three sections. Ideally, you will therefore be doing 3 exercises per day. If you like, you can opt to complete the three training series one after another, which would extend the overall time to 18 weeks. You shouldn’t leave any more than a week between the stages.  

However, it’s a good idea to complete the tasks in a specific section within a short space of time as this will help to ensure your skills develop systematically. You shouldn’t interrupt the process for more than one or two days.     

 If you have limited opportunities, it’s best to do the three sections in the order given (PPR - MT - MM) because they get more complex and difficult as they progress. 

If you have trouble completing the entire program you can of course pick out individual exercises or sections of the plan. It’s also perfectly okay to draw up a different structure or time schedule for the tasks.

To find what’s right for you, we recommend that you complete the first week of exercises in full to start with. This will give you an idea of the best way for you to progress.

General conditions: To complete the training program successfully, you need to put in the effort. You also need to set aside a bit of time and give yourself a chance to practice in peace and quiet in a secluded environment. 

This book provides the theoretical basis for the exercises. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to read or re-read the sections on psychological regulation, mental training or mindset while you complete the relevant exercises. This ensures insights and practical aspects come together to form one complex entity.   

Any type of training is more fun and results in greater and more rapid progress when done as part of a group with proper instruction. We recommend that you follow this training plan together with a friend or friends. 

Coaches can do this program together with their team. Many exercises are ideal for doing in a group. People are usually much more willing to do this type of thing than you might think. If the ‘leader of the pack’ takes psychological training seriously, it will soon become as natural a part of the process as the warm-up. Practical advice for dealing with real problems is more important than understanding the ‘mysteries’ of human nature.

To help with the training plan, get hold of a little notebook to jot down your own impressions and complete the written exercises. You should also acquire a heart rate monitor, preferably with an ear clip in addition to a chest strap. 

The rest of the training program is pretty self-explanatory. The most important features are indicated on the right. The ‘Calendar and notes’ column is where you write down your training activities. Mark which exercises you’ve actually done so you can keep track of things.

Under the table are two scales for evaluating your discipline and progress. They should help you to keep an eye on how you’re getting on. 

Your learning history: Some people are quick on the uptake and learn new things very easily. However, these lucky individuals often have problems with discipline. Others really have to make an effort and progress slowly, but have learned to stick with tricky material and not give up.

Your own individual qualities, talent and previous experience determine whether you get to grips with psychological exercises quickly or with a lot of effort. The young are generally more flexible, while older people can find it much more difficult to move into unknown territory. No matter where you’re starting from, the only thing that matters is your own personal experience. You’ll soon feel if this plan is starting to unleash your inner competitor. As soon as that happens, everything else will fall into place. 

Psychological developments in your sporting life naturally have an effect on your private and professional life, too. Whatever you achieve in the sporting arena you can automatically also draw on in your daily life. That means you can use these techniques in slightly modified form to prepare for an exam, for example. 

Repetitions: Like all skills, mental training requires regular repetition. Once you’ve completed the plan, you should keep doing one exercise daily. You can run through the entire plan or parts of it again, or develop your own exercises. We’re confident you’ll soon be able to continue the system our plan is based on on your own.    

Generalization: This book is primarily designed for shooters and golfers. Athletes in other disciplines will nevertheless be able to use much of the content. In terms of the exercises in the training plan, the tasks need to be translated into a form suitable for your specific sport. This is usually an easy task once you understand what the exercise is aiming to achieve.

Below the way to use the plan...

1. WEEK   (Monday 4th - Sunday 10th of September)

...and here the Regulation exercises for the first week...

(mental and mindset exercises below)

...to be continued next week (if there are enough participants...)

...to be continued next week (if there are enough participants...)

TRAINING SCHIESSEN                                                                                                      TRAINING SHOOTING

  Wenn Wettkampf, Lehrgänge und Training ruhen wird es Zeit, die Theorie auf den aktuellen Stand zu bringen. Wir tun das mit einer neuen Publikation, die erstmals gedruckt und online erscheinen soll. So lassen sich die vielen Möglichkeiten des Internets unmittelbar  in die Trainingspraxis der Schützen übertragen. Und das weltweit, blitzschnell und zunächst zweisprachig. 

When competition, courses and training are at rest, it is time to bring the theory up to date. We are doing this with a new publication that will appear in print and online for the first time. In this way, the many possibilities of the internet can be directly transferred to the shooters' training practice. And it will be available worldwide, in a flash and initially in two languages. 


print + online

  Unser Trainingshandbuch wird gedruckt und als e-book im Handy-Format erscheinen.

  Our training manual will be published in print and as an e-book in mobile phone format.

theory+praxis

 Es soll kurz, kompakt und verständlich alles Wichtige bereit halten.

  It should provide everything that is important in a short, compact and comprehensible way.

text, pic, video

 Es wird Text, Bilder und sofort abrufbare Videos enthalten.

It will contain text, images and instantly accessible videos.