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  1. #1
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    Default Experiencing flow state while shooting

    Hello

    I am deeply fascinated and reading lots about flow state.

    Have been getting glimpses of it sometimes when shooting handgun competitions. Easiest way to explain is that I will finish a stage and it will felt as if I was really slow, but once you look at the actual time it was in reality very fast.

    Found a book by Steven Kotler called The Rise of Superman very interesting.

    Also seems that the books by Steve Anderson is based a lot into priming a shooter to experience flow state.

    Anybody else having some experience of this?

    I have been including some weird preparation steps to improve my own, lets call it, “ability” to reproduce it. Was wondering if others have similar experienced and habits.


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  2. #2

    Default Re: Experiencing flow state while shooting

    I'm a big believer in flow state. For example, when I played golf and shots were going everywhere, I would hit 20 balls without thinking about it and the problem would sort of correct itself. Have found something similar with shooting: stop thinking about all the actions and just fire off a mag and you'll find accuracy improves. Find the rapid activity fully immerses you and, it's not so much that everything slows down, as it is you start let loose and just swing/shoot away.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Experiencing flow state while shooting

    Lanny Basham's book With Winning in Mind is also in the same direction. My biggest mind failures are when I'm shooting a string of plates, I have to constantly tell myself not to think "man I'm good" when it is going good, because as soon as I start to think that, that is the time when the misses start to come in the string. Haha, for me, it is quite predictable.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Experiencing flow state while shooting

    Quote Originally Posted by Vaal View Post
    Lanny Basham's book With Winning in Mind is also in the same direction. My biggest mind failures are when I'm shooting a string of plates, I have to constantly tell myself not to think "man I'm good" when it is going good, because as soon as I start to think that, that is the time when the misses start to come in the string. Haha, for me, it is quite predictable.
    very true...I always start off well and when i become over confident my scores drop...wrt flow state ive seen it and if i did not check the times i would not have believed it true...if you listen to those top guys shoot on a big stage it almost sounds as if they are shooting all the time

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Experiencing flow state while shooting

    Quote Originally Posted by M80BHP View Post
    very true...I always start off well and when i become over confident my scores drop...wrt flow state ive seen it and if i did not check the times i would not have believed it true...if you listen to those top guys shoot on a big stage it almost sounds as if they are shooting all the time
    A couple of times, when my conscious mind didn't interfere with my shooting, I though that the timer didn't pick up the last 6 shots or more. But sometimes there is no flow in me because I'm "swimming upstream".

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Experiencing flow state while shooting

    Quote Originally Posted by WessonCountry View Post
    I'm a big believer in flow state. For example, when I played golf and shots were going everywhere, I would hit 20 balls without thinking about it and the problem would sort of correct itself. Have found something similar with shooting: stop thinking about all the actions and just fire off a mag and you'll find accuracy improves. Find the rapid activity fully immerses you and, it's not so much that everything slows down, as it is you start let loose and just swing/shoot away.
    I am now constantly trying to get the best way to start the process for each stage. You mention the biggest part, is to stop thinking. I have picked up the same motivation from Dr Rob Rotella. The aim is to trust the process before the actual action and remove the thinking part as best possible.


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  7. #7

    Default Re: Experiencing flow state while shooting

    Quote Originally Posted by Grobbie View Post
    I am now constantly trying to get the best way to start the process for each stage. You mention the biggest part, is to stop thinking. I have picked up the same motivation from Dr Rob Rotella. The aim is to trust the process before the actual action and remove the thinking part as best possible.


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    100%. It's all about removing your actions from your thoughts. If you flinch, and think about flinching, you'll probably flinch more or over compensate. For shooting, just fire a bunch of mags for each stage and work out what's natural, then try and repeat that feeling in a more conscious way, if that makes sense.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Experiencing flow state while shooting

    Quote Originally Posted by M80BHP View Post
    very true...I always start off well and when i become over confident my scores drop...wrt flow state ive seen it and if i did not check the times i would not have believed it true...if you listen to those top guys shoot on a big stage it almost sounds as if they are shooting all the time
    Yes, never mind the speed, it is as if all shots are shot at the same cadence even with transitions involved. Really impressive.

    Then there are some shooter who are running smaller, non competition guns crazy fast.

    You talk about about being over confident and that messing up your performance. I tend to go the other way somewhat. If I am too nervous it affects my outcome. I have learned the hard way that the stages that look easy can trip me up badly.


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