Master Target / Trap Shooting with Your Mind
By Craig Townsend, Clinical Hypnotherapst & Founder of NeuroFrequency Programming™
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The steady hand, the sharp eye, deep focus, and the calm mind...
No matter whether you're a shooter grappling with competition nerves, or a skilled marksman aiming to elevate your technique and outcomes - whether you use a rifle, air rifle, pistol, handgun, or even a crossbow...
Mental training delivers your best performances when it counts most, under competition pressure.It's the silent edge that takes you to the next level. Mental training delivers your best performances when it counts most, under competition pressure.
It can give you the crucial edge in terms of confidence, consistency, focus, resilience, and a calm mindset.
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Being a mental trainer, I worked with many competitors over the years looking to improve their inner game - once they realised the mind was the vital X factor they were missing. They increasingly needed help with common issues such as flinching, hesitation to pull the trigger (upon getting the perfect sight picture), or issues related to sighting the target, rhythmic breathing, mastering their routine, or blocking out other shooters during their routine.
🎯 Mastering Visualization
Along with a full range of mental skills, I teach athletes the correct way to visualize and mentally rehearse their shots at competition events - entirely in their mind.
Used correctly, visualization allows you to pre-program your shot routine into your muscle memory. This boosts belief, sharpens confidence, and makes you feel noticeably calmer under pressure.
Why? Because in your mind, you’ve already shot your routines many times before the event - which makes you feel desensitized to the pressure. The environment feels familiar, and your body knows what to do.
Visualization reinforces your routine and highest-level technique with surprising efficiency - allowing you to master new skills faster than ever before.
Once you become skilled at this process - and I provide a wide range of guided imagery types further below - you’ll add an entirely new dimension to your performance, whether it's rifle, pistol, or trap shooting.
You can mentally rehearse every aspect of your routine - from stance and breathing to trigger control and follow-through. This builds precise muscle memory for flawless execution in real competition.
This method creates greater consistency from day to day - both in your routines, and your performance level - as it provides a stronger inner template for your routine to work from.
Champions Do Things Differently
"Visualization fuels the fire within, igniting the pursuit of excellence."
Jerry Miculek
"Visualization is the bridge that connects dreams to reality in the realm of sports."
Niccolo Campriani
"In the realm of sports, the battle is fought within."
Gary Anderson
"If meditation was a sport, it would be shooting."
Niccolo Campriani
"The mental aspect of shooting is often underestimated. It's about controlling your mind, staying calm, and executing each shot with precision."
Kim Rhode
Implementing & Mastering These Techniques at Home
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For generations, athletes have relied on powerful techniques like visualization to gain a competitive edge. Now, with advancements in modern technology, these techniques have become even more sophisticated
I will outline some examples for you shortly, which you can practice at home (as effective do-it-yourself programs are what most people are asking for).
I have outlined the various options below to cater to different levels, so you can choose the best path you'd like to explore..
Training Options - For Different Standards, Levels & Skill Sets
Depending upon your level of experience and expertise, there are two distinct approaches to mental preparation - as below:
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Option 1: Mental Exercise Practice
Building Foundations – for New & Entry-Level Competitors
If you’re just beginning your journey - or have time to practice regularly - this approach helps you build a solid mental foundation through proven traditional techniques.
These methods offer gradual but powerful shifts in mindset, clarity, and confidence.
Focus Areas:
1. Creating Powerful New Beliefs
2. Visualization & Mental Rehearsal
3. Developing a Positive Mindset
For those who want faster results with less repetition, see the advanced option below.
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Option 2: Accelerated Techniques
Achieve results in 4–6 weeks that might otherwise take up to 12 months with traditional training.
If time is limited or you're ready to skip the manual work, explore the Fast-Track Audio Program – developed from decades of coaching elite athletes, combining neuroscience with hypnotic techniques. Just $29.
These audios integrate everything below directly into your subconscious Your subconscious is the powerhouse of peak performance, controlling all bodily movement, storing your training experience and muscle memory, and guiding your body with effortless efficiency and precision. , so no manual repetition is needed.
And for the ultimate in personalized training...
Consider NeuroFrequency Programming - a system of customized theta-level Theta brainwaves (4–8Hz): Unlocks heightened creativity, mental clarity, and subconscious alignment - ideal for accelerated learning, focus, and peak performance. mental training recordings, personalized to your exact needs, training, schedule, mindset, and competition challenges - to deal with confidence, focus, resilience, and overcoming nerves or lack of belief, and up to 3 months of monitoring results.
Of course, if time is not an issue, you can always begin by doing the exercises manually - and if you are not satisfied, you can always progress to the next level - combining these and other techniques simultaneously, to accelerate results (see below).
And so for those committed to dedicating time to regular practice and reinforcement, I have provided a selection of options and info below you can work through, and explore further.
(if you have further questions - simply drop me an email)
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1. Embedding Positive Core Beliefs
This exercise, called a contemplation, embeds powerful new core beliefs within your subconscious, as these enormously influence performance.
Your beliefs - weak or strong - ultimately determine your results - and how far your potential can develop. They are the dominating force - more powerful than motivation, talent, ability, fitness, power, etc.
These are your 5 Core Beliefs list to instill, below. Focus on each point in the list for 30 seconds daily, thinking of positive thoughts related to the topic and reasons why it's true for you.
Do this until the reasons are true for you.
1. My focus remains deep and unwavering.
2. My process remains consistent even under pressure.
3. I remain within my calm inner world, unaffected by externals, during performance.
4. I adapt easily to all conditions.
5. My aim is precise, my focus unwavering, and my shots consistently hit the mark, with every squeeze of the trigger.
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2. Visualization Exercises (Target)
(trap further below)
Needless to say, the initial and primary visualization should be of yourself competing at your absolute peak of your performance - with as much, or as little, detail as you wish - while imagining experiencing great confidence and inner power while you are performing.
Do this each day, while in a relaxed state (directly before or after sleep are excellent times), and ensuring you use all your senses - ie. ensure the images are vivid, realistic, present-tense, positive, and without any external distractions.
While the results wont be as quick as using the audio recordings, slowly but surely this will bring about improvements, so be patient. As you progress in your development, consider integrating the following aspects to enhance your mind's capacity to visualize flawless performance.
As there are literally hundreds of different ways you can use imagery for various different purposes, I have included some options you can experiment with later on.
But for now, keep to the basics, and make sure you practice regularly.
* A Perfect Shot - your stance, grip, aim, trigger squeeze, and follow-through. This can help you establish a mental blueprint for success and improve your muscle memory.
* Calming Scene - in a peaceful, relaxing environment, such as a beach, forest, or mountain range. This can help reduce stress and anxiety and improve your focus and concentration.
* Achieving Your Goal - hitting the target with perfect accuracy, scoring high, or winning a competition.
* Overcoming Challenges - overcoming obstacles, such as fatigue, distractions, or adverse weather conditions, and hitting your target regardless. This improves your mental toughness and resilience.
2. Trap Visualization Tips
* Imagine the perfect shot - taking the perfect shot with every detail in place, from the correct stance to the perfect lead on the target.
* your success - hitting every target with ease and confidence, seeing the clays break into pieces in your mind.
* hitting the target - hitting the target, with a clear image of the clay breaking into pieces.
* Performing the shot sequence - performing the entire shot sequence, from calling the target to following through after the shot.
* Focus - maintaining your focus throughout the entire shot, with no distractions or disruptions.
3. Affirmations for 'Target' Performance
(Trap further below)
You can also manually recite a mantra over and over again silently in your mind, which is a manual auditory method which can be targeted towards specific uses - plus work great to drown out nagging negative thoughts during performance.
Note: Ensure you use a great deal more repetition to create the necessary reinforcement, seeing these will be recited at the conscious, rather than subconscious, level. A manual way to get around this can be reciting mantras in the shower, which relaxes the mind and body.
Some examples below.. ensure the statements are positive, present-tense, and with no hidden or reverse negatives.
* "I trust my training and ability." - maintains focus to perform to the best of your ability during competition.
* "I am calm and composed under pressure." - make better decisions and execute shots more effectively.
* "I am fully present in the moment." - tunes out distractions.
* "I trust my instincts and intuition." - for better decisions in the moment and acting with greater confidence.
* "I am in control" - Being in control of your thoughts and emotions holds your focus0 and avoids becoming overwhelmed by stress or anxiety.
3. Affirmations for 'Trap'
* "I am confident in my abilities and trust my training." - helps build self-confidence and trust in preparation for competition.
* "I am in control of mind and body." - the importance of mental and physical control.
* "I am focused and present in the moment." - staying present and focused on the task at hand during competition.
* "I take my time to shoot accurately." - taking the necessary time to aim and shoot accurately, instead of rushing shots.
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The Neuroscience of Rewiring Your Brain for Peak Performance
This information now equips you with the tools to kickstart your own (manual) training - programming your mind's software to power your body's performance. It takes practice, so do not delay.
* Or - if you prefer the fast-track option for more advanced training, go with the accelerated approach.
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Mind Training for Target Shooting
by Craig Townsend (Dip. Clin. Hyp)
Hypnosis / Visualization Program
for Accelerated ResultsMP3 Download
$29.95* Intro
* Mind Training / Visualization Track
Includes Bonus:
* Belief / Visualization Info (value $30)
* Sleep Subliminal (value $30)
* Gamma Brainwave Motivational
* Email Support / Professional Advice
* All standards / agesLifetime Access
1 Year Unconditional Warranty![]()
PayPal / Stripe
Trap Shooting
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MP3 Download
$29.95(same inclusions as above)
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PayPal / Stripe
⚡ Make Your Training Personal 🔥
Customized Hypnosis Recordings
✨ Featuring the Multi-Track Transformation System™ ✨
(includes 5 bonus tracks - valued at $450)
[Learn More]
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Accelerated Mental Training / Hypnosis Audios
by Craig Townsend
Mental Trainer / Clinical HypnotherapistTake it to the Next Level
"I’ve had 3 first place wins in my past three 600 yard matches, besting the 2nd place finisher by a good margin. I also came within one point of setting a new national record here in the US."
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"I worked with Craig to develop a customized program that I can use daily. I was amazed how in tune Craig was with my sport and how he was able to include my technical and mental processes into a program that works."
Discover the Key to Unlimited Improvement.
Your journey starts here..
Listen....
* Audio - 'The Power of Visualization & Belief'
- Craig Townsend explains how these transform performance.Click the 'Play' symbol to start the audio.
* Audio - 'Pre-Performance Motivator'
- Get motivated before performance
with this 5 minute belief reinforcement.Click the 'Play' symbol to start the audio.