Like a lot of top sportsmen Andrew Strauss, who was once captain of the England cricket team, is a big believer in visualisation. His maxim is ‘you should never put your body in a place your mind has not already been’.
Many top clay pigeon competitors argue that the same principles apply to shooting. Few sports so closely rely on the interaction between mind and body as pigeon shooting. Tom, a clay shooting instructor for over 20 years, says: ‘The mind and body are inseparable in shooting, the moment people tense up, their ability to shoot is dramatically reduced.’
He argues that controlling the mind is a big part of shooting. ‘Shooting is not just about where you put your feet but how you approach the target. It is about being instinctive and aware.’ The above video illustrates how visualisation can be used to focus on the target. Like Andrew Strauss, the shooter is putting his mind in the place to fire the trigger before he actually puts his body in that position.
Visualisation may have played a part in helping Andrew Strauss’ team win the Ashes in Australia, and it could well make you a better clay shooter. Why not give the theory the practical test and have a go yourself, click here.
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