Coaching & Troubleshooting FAQ
Neurologic Visual Trainer (NVT) Technical Resource
Troubleshooting Your Swing: Calibration Guide
Use this guide to diagnose and fix common training errors. If the training doesn't feel "connected," one of your timings is likely out of sync with your current skill level.
| Shooter Symptom | The Cause | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Stopping the Gun" | The Restoration is too long. You are waiting to see the bird before committing to the shot. | Decrease Restoration Time. Force the shot to happen the moment the "Focal Pop" occurs. |
| "Guessing the Lead" | The Hidden Zone is too long. You've lost the line and are just throwing the gun. | Decrease Hidden Duration. Bring the bird back sooner so you can stay "on the wood." |
| "Bailing Out" at Call | The Streak is too short. Your brain isn't getting enough data to calculate speed. | Increase Streak Duration. Give yourself +20ms until you can consistently "see" the launch. |
| "Lazy Eyes" | The Streak is too long. You are tracking the bird for too long before it vanishes. | Decrease Streak Duration. Force an immediate, aggressive visual lock. |
| "Eye Jumps" (Saccades) | The Jitter/Sway is too low or off. You are trying to "spot" the bird's future location. | Enable Jitter. Force your eyes into Smooth Pursuit by making the target "swim." |
General Q&A
A: Absolutely not. In fact, feeling dizzy is the ultimate "diagnostic proof" that the system is working. It confirms that you are fighting the trainer rather than using it.
Dizziness occurs due to Sensory Conflict. Your eyes are trying to "hard-lock" onto a jittering target that has no stable edge, while your body is trying to move in a smooth, physical arc. Your brain is essentially "overclocking."
The dizziness is a physical signal that you are over-processing. To fix this, you must change your visual approach:
- Stop "Killing the Ghost": Don't try to track the jitter. The swaying clay is merely a placeholder to remind you where the line of flight is.
- Trust the Line: Shift your focus to the flight path, not the bird.
- Adopt "Soft Eyes": Keep your vision "wide" during the jitter phase. Observe the sway in your peripheral vision or with a relaxed focus.
- Quiet the Eyes: Once you stop trying to track the individual jitters, your eyes will "quiet down" and the dizziness will vanish instantly.
The Early Acquisition Trap (False Starts)
A: This occurs when a shooter instinctively attempts to execute the shot based solely on the initial 0.05–0.1s "Streak" (the first flash of light/movement). Instead of using the Streak as information to find the line, the shooter treats it as the trigger to fire.
A: When you react this early, you are "shooting the ghost" of the target. Your brain hasn't had time to calculate its true vector or speed. You are essentially making a "best guess."
A: Because clay shooting at this level is a reactive, subconscious process. Telling yourself to "wait" usually leads to hesitation. You don't need to wait; you need to change what you are reacting to.
Suggestions for Breaking the Habit: Training Drills
Instead of trying to "wait," give the brain a task that requires an extra 0.1s of processing. Force yourself to mentally name the color (e.g., "Orange") or see the "Rings" on the clay before moving the gun. This naturally pushes the reaction into the 0.15s+ window where the data is actually reliable.
Set the Streak to be ultra-short (0.05s). If the shooter tries to go, they will realize they have zero information. Gradually increase it back to 0.10s. The shooter will begin to feel the difference between "I saw a flash" and "I see the bird's path."
If the shooter is reacting to the sound of the trap or the call, use a random delay on the trap release. If the gun moves before the bird is visible, the "False Start" is identified immediately.
Tell the shooter: "The bird doesn't exist until it snaps back into focus (The Pop)." By ignoring the initial flash and waiting for the restoration of clarity, you force the brain to stay in Smooth Pursuit (tracking).