As shooting sport continues to evolve, many national teams now incorporate sports psychologists into their preparation programs.
For athletes such as Anna Janssen, this collaboration helps them better understand the complex interaction between thoughts, emotions and physical reactions on the firing line.
“Sports psychologists help shooters like me better understand how thoughts, emotions and body reactions interact during competition,” Janssen explains.
“In our discipline small changes in tension, expectations or self-talk can visibly shift the group on the target. Together we work on tools such as goal setting, routines for different competition phases and strategies for dealing with pressure at championships.”
Mental preparation is not only about performing well in finals. It also helps athletes manage setbacks and recover from mistakes.
“Strong mental preparation is crucial for recovering from mistakes,” Janssen says. “How you react in the next 30 to 50 seconds is often more important than the mistake itself.”
Experts increasingly emphasize that these mental skills should be introduced early in an athlete’s development.
“Ideally, mental training starts already at junior level,” Janssen notes. “Young shooters can learn simple routines, breathing control and constructive inner dialogue during small competitions.”
As athletes progress to senior competitions and the international circuit, mental preparation becomes more individualized. Training may include finals simulations, detailed shot routines and strategies for managing expectations at major events such as World Cups and World Championships.
Together with technical and physical training, these psychological skills form the foundation of elite performance.
In shooting sport, success is built not only on precision and discipline, but also on the ability to control the mind when the pressure is at its highest.