Want to be cool, calm and collected on the stand? Be devastatingly accurate? Then develop a preshot routine, psychologist Jess Thom tells James Simon

We’ve all seen them. Competitors who seem to be able to reach a state of almost other-worldly serenity before taking a shot. They’re calm yet completely focused on the task at hand. Undistracted by the chit-chat of their fellow shots, unperturbed by the sound of other guns going off around them and seemly unconcerned by the pressure of competition. Just totally in the moment, completed absorbed by the now.

The method these shots use to obtain this harmonious state is called a pre-shot routine. They’ll quite literally be taking themselves through a consistent, predetermined set of actions – a routine – before every shot. It you look carefully you may be able to observe some of the steps but others are so subtle they are impossible to detect.

So, what exactly is a pre-shot routine and should we all embrace one?

Psychologist Jess works with athletes on the British Shooting pathway

A good routine helps you focus on things that will affect performance

As one shooter takes his shot, the next is going through his routine

Accessible for all

Psychologist Jess Thom helps athletes on the British Shooting pathways develop and perfect their routines. “Every athlete at this level will use a pre-shot routine, often handin-hand with other routines. But it’s not just for athletes, club shots can also benefit tremendously from having a proper routine to follow before every shot.”

The purpose of a pre-shot routine is quite simple; it’s designed to enable the shot to put in a first-rate performance. But dive in a little deeper, and the water can muddy quite quickly. The pre-shot routine used by athletes is often confused with other routines, and in some cases even superstitious beliefs.