Mental stamina

[Bear Heart]

I have no trouble pulling my bow back all day.  My issue occurs 25 targets into a 3D shoot when I just can't mentally focus as well.  What do you do to build mental stamina for all day events.

[slivrslingr]

The shoots I do are 2 rounds of 20 targets.  I like to take a break before starting the second round, grab a drink and a bite to eat, use the toilet, etc.  Seems to help, especially in the summer when it's hot.

[woodchucker]

Do you shoot 3-D alone? or with friends???

I honestly find alittle "comic relief" goes along way!!!!!

Much like hunting... you're sitting there doing/thinking about "whatever"..... along comes a deer, now it's "crunch time"... Time to get SERIOUS!!!!!

I usualy shoot with 1 or both of my boys. Between the 2 of them, I practicaly pi$$ myself between targets!!! When it's time to shoot, I need to "knuckledown"!!!!! Cuz, if they beat me... (and they usualy do!) I'll hear about it for days!!!!!

[Bear Heart]

I usually shoot in a group.  This last 3D I did well the first day. The second day I did poor until we stopped for a snack.  After the snack I shot great.  Usualy I start out strong, about two-thirds through I decline before picking it back up for the last few.

[McDave]

I think it helps if you regularly shoot as many or more shots in practice as you would shoot in a 3D tournament, and learn to concentrate when you have to shoot many shots.  If the only time you shoot that many shots is in a tournament, then your brain has not learned the skill of maintaining concentration through many shots.

[reddogge]

Not to throw a fly in the ointment but I've found I'm far less mentally fatiqued shooting 30 or more targets in a day since I made the switch to a gapping method from a purely instincive method. Far more less thinking, concentrating, and burning those elusive holes. It just becomes a game to me and my sighting system goes on autopilot.

[alaninoz]

I'm with McDave here. Our regular competitions are a maximum of three arrows at each target. For a while when I'd shoot the occasional IFAA round I'd group the first three arrows and the fourth was all over the place. That problem has gone away now that I'm usually shooting six to twelve arrows in a practice end.

I think the same might apply to the number of targets - get your numbers in practice up above the number you'd shoot in a competition.

[Bear Heart]

I regularly shoot dozens of arrows. This only happens during long events. I am thinking that the difference could be the having to focus on the 3d much harder than an orange dot.

[njloco]

You come shoot with us one day, we'll show you how to concentrate under real pressure, we bust each others chops so much it's amazing any arrows are shot at all, and even more amazing that we hit anything, but most usually make great shots. I think because it's such a relaxed environment in which even if you make a great shot, everyone is going to bust your chops at the next target, so no pressure !, either way you lose, but we do have a lot of laughs, and the guys and gals really do shoot very well.