Time Pressure Is a Symptom, Not the Cause
Many pistol shooters believe they rush because there isn’t enough time.
In reality, rushing almost never comes from the clock itself. It comes from handing control to the clock instead of your routine.
ISSF competitions provide more than enough time to execute correct shots. Yet athletes still feel hurried—especially late in matches, after interruptions, or when they start counting remaining shots. The problem isn’t time. The problem is decision-making under perceived urgency.
When time becomes the reference point, the shooter’s attention shifts away from process and toward outcome. That shift alone is enough to destabilize technique.
What Actually Happens When You Rush
Rushing is not a technical failure. It is a cognitive shortcut under pressure.
Common signs include:
- Starting the trigger earlier than planned
- Skipping a breath cycle
- Accepting a weaker sight picture
- Shortening follow-through
- “Saving” shots for later instead of resetting
All of these come from the same root cause:
👉 The routine was overridden by time awareness.
Elite shooters do not shoot faster under pressure.
They shoot unchanged.
Your Routine Owns the Clock
A shooting routine is not just preparation—it is a timing system.
When your routine is stable:
- Each shot consumes a predictable amount of time
- Decisions happen in the same sequence
- Abort criteria are clear
- There is no need to “check the clock” mid-shot
Time management happens between shots, not during them.
If you feel rushed, the solution is not to speed up.
The solution is to slow down your decision points and trust that the clock will follow.
Practical Reset: The “Neutral Shot” Rule
Use this rule in both training and matches:
No shot is influenced by how many shots remain or how much time is left.
If the routine is not correct:
- Lower the pistol
- Reset breathing
- Restart the sequence
Even if it costs time.
Ironically, shooters who are willing to spend time on resets almost never run out of it.
Training the Clock Out of Your Head
To eliminate rushing, you must train process dominance:
- Shoot series where the clock is hidden or ignored
- Practice deliberate resets after interruptions
- Use fixed routines with defined internal timing
- Accept aborted shots as successful decisions, not failures
Over time, the nervous system learns that nothing bad happens when you respect the routine—even under time constraints.
Final Thought
Time pressure only controls you if you allow it to enter the shot process.
The clock exists outside the routine.
Your job is to keep it there.
When your routine is stable, time becomes irrelevant—and rushing disappears.
References
-
Ragnar Skanåker – Master Competitive Pistol Shooting
Emphasis on match tactics, routine consistency, and maintaining technical execution under competitive conditions. -
JP O’Connor – On the Firing Line (Selected essays on critical moments and competition mindset)
Insights into decision-making under pressure and the importance of trusting preparation during matches. -
Dr. Heinz Lösel (ISSF) – Competitive Sport Shooting: Practical Sport Psychology
Discussion of anxiety, time pressure, and psychological self-regulation in shooting sports. -
Željko Todorović – ISSF Coach Course: Pistol Shooting
Tactical approaches to match execution, rhythm, and decision-making during precision and rapid stages. -
Frank L. Gardner & Zella E. Moore – The Psychology of Enhancing Human Performance (MAC Approach)
Acceptance-based strategies for maintaining task focus under stress and avoiding maladaptive control behaviors.