by Anne Grethe Jeppesen & Anne Marte Pensgaard

Mental Training in Shooting is a comprehensive, practice-oriented handbook specifically written for shooters. Drawing on Olympic-level coaching experience and applied sport psychology, the book explains how mental skills directly support technical execution—from staying steady in position to handling pressure in finals. Its greatest strength is its balance between theory and application: each concept is paired with concrete exercises, routines, and examples tailored to rifle, pistol, shotgun, and biathlon athletes. Rather than promising quick fixes, the book emphasizes systematic mental preparation as an integral part of long-term shooting development.

Main Sections of the Book

• Foundations of Mental Training – Purpose, definitions, and mindset

• Psychological Demands of Shooting – Focus, tension, confidence, resilience

• Mental Control Strategies – Present-moment focus, routines, task thinking

• Core Mental Techniques

  • Relaxation
  • Visualization
  • Self-dialogue
  • Goal setting

• Applied Practice – Exercises, competition routines, and training integration

Why This Book Is Especially Valuable

• Written specifically for shooting sports, not adapted from other disciplines
• Strong integration of mental skills with shooting technique
• Excellent as both a learning text and a workbook
• Suitable for athletes, coaches, and junior development programs

From a coaching perspective, this book pairs exceptionally well with Bullseye Mind and With Winning in Mind: it explains how to train the mental skills day by day, not just why they matter.

http://www.stenvaag.no/mental-training-in-shooting.aspx