How Can You Help Me Focus for Trapshooting?

Trap Shooter:

What advice could you offer as a means of improving concentration & focus to help me in my sport of trapshooting? The mental part of the game is my weakest link.

Dr. Cohn’s Answer:

This question includes a major part of what I do with athletes. Maybe you could narrow down the question and tell me what you struggle with in terms of your focus. Do you lose focus during the shot or pre-shot routine? Does your mind wander to things unrelated to shooting? Do you get stuck on the past shot and dwell on misses? Give me some more information and I can help you better.

Trap Shooter:

I believe that I need to quiet my mind & be better mentally prepared to see the target. For example, I shot 100 targets on Sunday. It was a windy day and I missed 8 of the first 50. Then I mentally relaxed (sort-of clicked into gear) and shot the next 25 straight (total of approx. 35 straight counting the previous squad). The last 25, I missed 2 of the first 5 and then 2 of the last 20. Scores were lower because of the wind, so my scores should have been higher, but I always seem to be stuck with scores from the higher 80\'s to low 90\'s. I feel that I have stretches of good shooting with good concentration (for example approx. 35 straight). But, I\'m not where I want to be & think that I need work on these area:

a) Be extremely focused and mentally prepared for every target, from the 1st to the last (total focus & no distractions)

b) be able to get in the zone sooner & stay there for the whole match

c) Better staying in the present

d) Maybe, improved confidence as well

I have very good equipment & shells, and good mechanical technique (I continue to practice to perfection, perfect gun fit, etc.). Lastly, I am an engineer and the things that make me a good engineer (multi-tasking, quick to analyze solutions to problems, etc.) probably hinder my trapshooting.

Dr. Cohn’s Answer:

I like your assessment on being a good engineer hindering your trapshooting. Overanalyzing your shooting and being too mechanical are the dangers for you. Anyway…as for you issue about focus, the first thing I would suggest is that you develop a specific preshot routine to help you get clicked in and see the target (I can help you with this in my virtual coaching program). Second, you need to identify what is important to focus on during the routine and shot. In addition, you need to identify what is not relevant to focus on during the routine and shot. The next step is to immerse yourself into the task-relevant cues for shooting and if you get off-task, learn to refocus quickly back to the task. Sounds simple, but that is the basics of good focus in your situation. I would suggest because of your needs that we do a virtual coaching program together because I can help you with all of the above issues you listed.

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