Many shooters walk off the line after a bad shot thinking:

• “My grip is wrong.”
• “I need to adjust my trigger.”
• “Something technical is off.”

That instinct feels logical.
It is also one of the fastest ways to lose a match.

Why technique changes feel tempting

A bad shot creates discomfort.

The mind wants to:

• explain it
• fix it
• regain control

Technical adjustment feels concrete.
It feels like doing something.

But in competition, this instinct usually creates more instability, not less.

The core rule of competition

Competition has one purpose:

To execute what you have trained.

Training is where:

• technique is built
• changes are tested
• mistakes are analyzed
• corrections are made

Competition is where:

• decisions are reduced
• structure is protected
• execution is trusted

Mixing those roles causes conflict.

What actually happens when you change technique mid-match

When shooters adjust technique during a match:

• attention shifts inward
• automatic skills become conscious
• timing breaks down
• confidence erodes shot by shot

Instead of solving one problem, they create several new ones.

This is why matches are often lost after the first technical adjustment—not after the first bad shot.

Bad shots are not proof of bad technique

A single bad shot in competition is rarely caused by:

• suddenly incorrect grip
• forgotten trigger mechanics
• broken stance

It is far more often caused by:

• timing
• tension
• attention shifts
• emotional carryover

Changing technique treats the wrong cause.

Execution vs correction

Think of it this way:

• Technique is built slowly, deliberately, and consciously.
• Execution is fast, automatic, and protected from thought.

Trying to correct technique during execution is like:

trying to rebuild an engine while driving at full speed.

How elite shooters handle technical doubts in matches

Experienced shooters do not ask:

“What should I fix?”

They ask:

“Did I follow my plan?”

If the answer is yes:

• they continue unchanged

If the answer is no:

• they correct process, not technique

The difference is critical.

What is allowed to change in competition

While technique stays fixed, process cues may be reinforced.

Allowed:

• recommitting to your shot plan
• slowing the reset
• reinforcing breathing
• returning attention to fundamentals

Not allowed:

• grip changes
• trigger finger adjustments
• stance experimentation
• mechanical tinkering

How this fits into the shot plan

A shot plan protects execution by answering decisions before the match starts.

Once competition begins:

• the plan runs
• technique is assumed
• thinking is minimized

Changing technique mid-match breaks the plan—and introduces uncertainty.

A simple match-day rule

Carry this rule into every competition:

If it wasn’t trained, it doesn’t belong in the match.

Anything else waits until training.

What to take to the range

If you struggle with technical doubt in competition:

• write down technical notes after matches, not during
• train corrections deliberately later
• practice trusting unchanged technique under pressure

Execution improves when technique is left alone.

Final takeaway

Matches are not the place to become a better shooter.
They are the place to show the shooter you already are.

Train to change.
Compete to execute.

Keeping that boundary clear is a major step toward consistent match performance.

References & Coaching Background

The separation between technical development and competitive execution is a core principle in elite pistol shooting and motor-skill performance. The idea that technique should remain unchanged during matches is not conservative—it is foundational.

• Željko Todorović
  The Fundamentals of Olympic Pistol Shooting.
  Emphasizes that competition is for execution of trained technique, not for technical correction. Warns that conscious technical adjustment under pressure disrupts automated motor patterns.

• A. A. Yuryev
  Competitive Shooting.
  Describes how shooters who attempt technical fixes during matches experience increased instability, loss of rhythm, and series collapse due to heightened conscious control.

• Ragnar Skanåker
  Master Competitive Pistol Shooting.
  Repeatedly stresses that technique must be stabilized in training and trusted in competition, noting that mid-match adjustments are a common cause of inconsistency.

• Anatoliy Piddubnyy
  The Vital Problems of Pistol Shooting.
  Analyzes the neuromuscular consequences of switching from automated execution to conscious control, particularly under competitive stress.

• Sian Beilock
  Choking Under Pressure.
  Demonstrates how conscious monitoring and correction of well-learned motor skills during performance leads to breakdown—a mechanism directly applicable to mid-match technical changes.

Across these sources, the conclusion is consistent:
competition performance improves when technique is trusted and left unchanged, and corrections are deferred to training environments.