Even the relaxation and heartbeat control in Yoga are required for precise long-range shooting
I am unfamiliar with Yoga, expect for the name.
I had read that someone hooked up some International shooters to a heartbeat machine. What was noticed was that shooters were pulling the trigger between heartbeats. When shooters pulled the trigger between heartbeats, they got the best results. When the trigger pull was at the moment of the beat, the shot was not good.
I am convinced that highpower shooters do the same thing. Cognizant of the article, I decided to experiment. Once at Long Range, I noticed the circular movement of my front aperture. I decided to mentally calm down and see if I could drop my heart beat rate. I was successful. I could see the aperture move slower in its arc and stop for a very short pause. If I fired in that pause, my shots were X ring, or close to X ring, if the wind call was correct.
I have determined that in high heat, high stress conditions, I cannot slow my heart rate.
I believe that good shooters have trained themselves to reach a calm mental state, and when everything feels “right”, they pull the trigger. I also believe that the “right” feeling is at the moment when the shooter’s heart slowed down and is inbetween heartbeats. I think everyone has noticed that when you are anxious, under physical stress, your shooting is not as good as when you are calm, happy, and cool.
The mental part of shooting is very important. But so is the physical part. Good cardiovascular condition and well as being in good physical shape is a benefit to good shooting. By the time you get to 600 yards at Perry, (which is around 1500) you have been on the firing line since 0700, been pulling heavy target frames all day, been lugging your body and your gear up and down a 1000 yard range (Viale), sweating gallons in 90 degree weather (sometimes 100 F), and the whole day has been physically stressing. If you cannot get your heart rate down at 600 yards, your groups will be large.
