The ability to shoot well will be helpful to hunters, military personnel, police officers, security guards and representatives of other professions. This quality will enable people to do their jobs well and protect themselves in case of danger. The ability to accurately hit targets can also be helpful in sports. For good shooters, various competitions have been invented in which everyone can show their skills and achieve high results. We invite you to study the sports in which participants must be marksmen.
Bullet shooting
The most obvious way to use the abilities of an excellent shooter in sports is to participate in shooting competitions. This type is the most popular among shooting, and many of its disciplines are represented in the Olympic Games program. In addition, high-status world and continental championships are held annually, where everyone can demonstrate their accurate shooting to everyone.
Several types of weapons are used in shooting. There are separate disciplines for each of them. In addition, there is a division into positions from which shooting is carried out. It is easy to guess that the winner is the participant who shoots as accurately as possible. Hitting the target is recorded by a unique electronic system. It automatically determines the number of points received, which are summed up and displayed in the final result. All high-status competitions are held in specially equipped halls in compliance with strict safety rules. Violation of these will result in disqualification.
To become a successful shooter, you must shoot well and have strong nerves. To do this, athletes use unique psychological training methods and achieve the ability to cope with stressful situations or excessive anxiety effectively. Also, preparing participants in a shooting competition includes standard training to help develop endurance. It is necessary to ensure that the athlete does not deteriorate his results due to fatigue, accumulating at the end of a long competitive day.
Skeet shooting
Of all the sports in which those who can shoot well become the best, the most common is clay pigeon shooting. It originated in the Middle Ages and became the primary way to identify the most accurate hunters. Initially, they made up most of the competition participants, but later, they were joined by shooting enthusiasts who had never taken hunting trophies.
Modern clay pigeon shooting is a popular sport in which anyone can become successful. This becomes possible due to maximum availability and relatively low costs. According to the regulations of these competitions, participants must use 12-gauge smoothbore shotguns. Judges carefully check them to ensure they meet established standards. Shot cartridges are projectiles, and saucer-shaped objects launched by unique installations become targets. The winners of the competition are those who hit the most targets. Such simple rules make skeet shooting a popular sport. It has long been represented in the Olympic Games program. In addition, numerous competitions for beginners and professionals are held in different parts of our planet.
Wall shooting requires an adequately equipped outdoor area. It should be located on a site where there is no uneven terrain. Generally accepted rules are used to ensure participants’ and spectators’ safety, and violations of these rules lead to severe penalties, including disqualification. Leaders in skeet shooting are good shooters with quick reactions and know how to concentrate on a flying target. In addition to these qualities, achieving high results will require emotional stability and the ability to adjust to shooting, considering changing external conditions (for example, wind strength and direction).
Archery
Archery debuted at the Olympics in 1900 and is now one of the most popular shooting sports. It allows good shooters to demonstrate their skills and become famous worldwide. Nowadays, many archery competitions are held in which beginners and experienced athletes of different age categories can participate.
For competition, the Recurve or Olympic bow is most often used. Both must have a tension force in the range of 15-20 kilograms and release an arrow at no more than 240 km/h. In some cases, a Compound bow is used, in which the values of the specified parameters are 25-30 kg and 320 km/h, respectively. Most of the status competitions are held outdoors. This happens in a specially equipped stadium, which protects spectators from unpleasant accidents. The distance to the target varies from 30 to 90 meters and depends on the chosen competition regulations.
To be successful, good shooters must have the ability to adapt their shooting to constantly changing wind conditions. This is extremely difficult to do since, due to the relatively small weight of the arrow, even small gusts of wind can significantly change the trajectory of its flight. Also, good shooters need to have ideal physical fitness. It is necessary to make multiple shots that require significant effort (pulling the bowstring).
Biathlon
Among winter sports where good shooters are needed, biathlon is the leader in terms of popularity. It has been present in the Olympic program for many years, and the number of disciplines it holds is constantly increasing. Biathlon combines the ability to ski quickly and shoot accurately. The winner is the one who covers a certain distance in the shortest possible time. Shooting plays a vital role in this sport. In case of missing the target (5 of them at each shooting range), the athlete receives a temporary or distance penalty, reducing the chances of winning.
Rifles weighing from 3.5 kilograms are used for shooting in biathlon. They are equipped with an optical sight, which helps to see small targets at a distance of 50 meters. The ammunition used is 5.6 mm cartridges. Another essential feature is the ban on automatic and self-loading weapons. In this regard, athletes must shoot and prepare the rifle, load it, and remove cartridges.
Shooting training is as essential for athletes as skiing training. In the first case, the ability to shoot quickly and maintain high accuracy is developed. This becomes very difficult due to the high heart rate and rapid breathing (from running on the track). Athletes also develop their ability to adjust the aiming process and adapt to the current wind conditions. When training skiing, endurance is essential for biathletes. In addition, they practice sharp accelerations, which will be helpful at the finish line.
Airsoft
The ability to shoot well is needed in airsoft. This popular military-tactical game has long outgrown the status of simple entertainment and has, for many, turned into a sport. Every year, various competitions are held around the world, with a vast number of teams participating. All participants get the opportunity to show their shooting skills and help achieve victory over the enemy.
Airsoft requires only good shooters. They use special airsoft guns that shoot plastic balls. The latter flies out of the barrel due to the gas mixture or compressed air. Depending on the status and rules of the game, balls with a diameter of 6-8 mm are used. Their weight is standard and is 0.12 or 0.43 grams. In addition to standard equipment, various additional accessories are often used. They become rubber knives, imitation grenades, etc. If the competition is held at night, participants can use special optics, thermal clip-on and other valuable additions.
For athletes who participate in airsoft competitions, the most critical skill is the ability to shoot accurately. They develop this quality first. Special attention is also paid to agility, endurance and reaction. All training and official airsoft battles comply with strict safety regulations. They are pretty complex and require each participant to understand every detail thoroughly. In case of violations, the athlete or even the entire team may be disqualified.
Weapons are all around us. Even in sports, they are used to conduct various competitions and identify the most accurate shooter. There are a huge number of such sports. Some are little-known and not very popular, while others gather thousands of people in stadiums and in front of TV screens. What all these competitions have in common is the need to shoot well. Only with this skill will an athlete achieve the highest possible results.
