Thanks Guruji for your bold and frank declaration about the surprise effect. I have always doubted it before ignoring it totally in silence because I was rarely surprised during my 7 years of shooting. Your words just gave me the courage to go openly against it.
Surprise; A Myth created and nurtured by so many... It took me about 5 years to get rid of the surprise, to understand that shooting is as simple as squeezing the trigger within the aiming area while perceiving the sharp & perfect sight picture, before, during and after the shot break. Five years to understand this simple principle... Now, I am working to put the theory into practice

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An example to counter the surprise theory is the time frame of shot break 'between 3 to 5 secs' in AP shooting. A shooter has programmed everything in such a way that he/she knows for sure that the shot will break within 3-5 secs. If it does not there is a malfunction in the system and the shot is cancelled. So, if he/she works positively
to let the shot break voluntarily in that time frame, where is the element of surprise??? Here I would also point out that 'let the shot break' is anything but 'provoke a shot'.
I have never thought about the anticipation. Literally, I would be scared of the word anticipation when put to shooting. I prefer to be confident and sure. My main objective is the sharp and perfect sight picture in the aiming zone. Once I know that I have full control over it, I prepare myself (with self talk and commands) to let the shot break in time. I know it will go off so I do not anticipate the shot break. Anticipation (be it positive or negative) is just one step before the actual shot break. Why think of another step in between and engage the mind further? I prefer to ignore it.
This is just my thought.
best regards
tirpassion