concentration

[spiderz]

i have great trouble concentrating in competitions when i can hear others around me talking

does anyone have any tips on how to combat this problem

greatly appreciated

[pHz]

doesnt affect me (my observational drawing training as an artist has made me pretty good at focussing on a visual 'target' and the connected physical action to the exclusion of all else) but good advice i think is the tip my dad gave me when i was learning to drive

talk to yourself in your head as if you were commentating on your own actions for TV or radio - focuses your thoughts on what you are doing and should help to block out external distractions

either that or some big f - erm - jolly large ear defenders !

slainte rob

[MINIMike]

I just concentrate on trying to hit the target face (let alone the gold!). If I can hear what's going on around me then I aint concentrating hard enough.

Failing that, just imagine the noisy folks taped to the gold and try to silence them with your arrows. That could work too!

[tel]

You hear them too? Thats a relief!

[smog]

As a coach, I use the sound of the bow on release as a guide as to the quality of the shot. It used to get so bad at the club, I could tell who was on the shooting line purely by the sound, and whether it was a good shot or not. When I was shooting this was a fairly big distraction.

I now concentrate on the end of the long rod and "listen" to a tune, or waves on a beach, waterfall, heatbeat etc in my mind. As the concentration cuts in (probably takes only a couple of seconds), any external sounds are shut out. This can take some work but it can be achieved. {You will need to conditon yourself to listen for the whistles if you are pushing the time limit}

[geoffretired]

Spiderz, I know what you are saying because I suffered that way for years.
Not any more! It is not magic. Now, when I shoot, I am too busy to take any notice of the sounds around me. Yes, I can still hear the words etc but I take no more notice of it than I do of traffic going past the end of our road.
This is not done by switching out the surrounding voices; that is very important to understand. It happens when you have something more important to think about. If you were having a problem threading a needle, you would get into a similar state.Your concenration on the task would increase and other noises would get ignored. The concentration arrives by having something very important to do; not by thinking, "I must concentrate."
If there is an area of weakness that you are working on, let's say the aim, then make that your focus to get right. It will be important to get it right if you want a good shot. Work on aiming as well as you can, like getting the thread through the eye of the needle. You will have to get used to shooting that way. Don't expect success first time and every time. Keep practising till you start getting a high percentage of shots with a good aim, through working hard at it. If you then start taking things a bit easy, you will find the voices coming back at you.
You may change your focus from the aim to some other aspect of your shot sequence. When you do, you will probably notice how the concentration climbs again as there is something new to master.
So, don't practise concentration;I don't think that works. Practise doing something very important/slightly difficult, and let the concentration grow and blot out the distractions.
I think it is important not to think in words like, "I must get this bit right."
In the same way you wouldn't talk to yourself about threading the needle. Concentrate on getting it done right, observing the quality of the aim all through that stage.

[eastdesign]

you could simply use ear plugs which would muffle the sound but not completely block it out, so you could hear whistles and safety notices etc, this would help in concentrating on the target etc etc

[Kae]

Originally Posted by eastdesign

you could simply use ear plugs which would muffle the sound but not completely block it out, so you could hear whistles and safety notices etc, this would help in concentrating on the target etc etc

This wouldn't be alowd, and is too dangerous for general shooting.

Kae.

[smog]

Originally Posted by eastdesign

you could simply use ear plugs which would muffle the sound but not completely block it out, so you could hear whistles and safety notices etc, this would help in concentrating on the target etc etc

ONe of the archers I coach admited that he was listening in to all conversations that were going on, and if he was shooting near the judges it was even worse. As a "present" I got him a set of industrial earplugs, with instructions. They were tried at one shoot (so I was told) to good effect as the scores improved. It did manage to prove the point and now he is able to "shut out" the noise around him.

So, it may seem silly, but give it a go. If you don't try, you'll never know

s

[Damage]

Originally Posted by pHz

doesnt affect me (my observational drawing training as an artist has made me pretty good at focussing on a visual 'target' and the connected physical action to the exclusion of all else) but good advice i think is the tip my dad gave me when i was learning to drive

talk to yourself in your head as if you were commentating on your own actions for TV or radio - focuses your thoughts on what you are doing and should help to block out external distractions

either that or some big f - erm - jolly large ear defenders !

slainte rob

I've found the 'talk to yourself' routine seems to work until you hear a "keyword" which just seems to make you tune in to what's been said and you lose all form! I would also apply a quick mental check just to make certain you are only commentating mentally! Been there!

Damage