• 7 Tips For Practicing Paintball at AC Paintball

    No matter what sport you play, every athlete needs to practice. Practice provides you with a chance to make mistakes and learn new techniques without the pressure of an actual game. However, when you practice, you should still push yourself and use effective drills so you can improve faster. To help you do so, AC Paintball near Atlantic City, New Jersey is here with some tips and advice. The harder and more often you practice, the faster you will improve. 

    Research Ways To Improve

    There are a variety of ways you can improve your skills. Paintball is a complex sport that requires you to be talented in a variety of areas. Before you arrive at AC Paintball it is a good idea to decide what skills you want to work on and research drills you can use to accomplish your goals. By doing so, you can use your time both efficiently and effectively. 

    Practice Both Alone and With Others

    When it comes to paintball, there are some skills that you should practice alone and others that you need to practice with a team. For instance, aiming, muscle power, and posture are all things you should work on individually. Meanwhile, strategy, communication, and positioning are tactics that require group chemistry. By working both alone and with others on your skills, you can become a better AC Paintball player overall. 

    Treat Practice Like A Real Game

    While practice generally doesn’t involve the same pressure as a game, treating your practice as a real game can help put you in the right mindset. It is good to have fun at practice. However, if you goof around too much, you won’t get everything you can out of your AC Paintball practice. 

    Try New Techniques

    In paintball, there is always something new to learn and practice is the time to try it out. Whether you have a new gun, new strategy, or a new trick, practice is the time to work on it. Players rarely perform complicated tricks perfectly the first few times they attempt it. It is not the best idea to attempt a trick you have never tried before during a game. However, if you continue to work on it in practice, you can get good enough to nail your new trick at your next AC Paintball game.  

    Work On Details that Affect Your Game

    Sometimes in practice, we can fall into the trap of simply performing the same routine of drills over and over again. When this happens, you stay good at the skills you are already good at. However, you don’t improve on the skills you don’t work on. 

    During your AC Paintball game, it is a good idea to analyze and pay attention to aspects that you need to work on. Once you know this, you can figure out how to improve those skills so you can improve your overall game. For instance, if you get tired quickly, you may need to work on your strength and stamina. If you miss your target too often, work on aiming and focus. By improving your worse skills, you can become a more consistent paintball player. 

    Don’t Get Discouraged

    If you aren’t excelling with new trick and techniques quickly, it can be easy to get discouraged. However, if you stop, you will never get better. Find something to keep you motivated and simply keep practicing. You will eventually get better and become an asset to your AC Paintball team. 

    Have Fun

    Finally, it is most important to have fun. Having fun will motivate you to continue improving and playing the game. Make sure you are practicing with people you get along with and focus on how good you can become. 

    If you are ready to schedule an AC Paintball session so you can practice with your friends or family, visit AC Paintball’s website here: https://acpaintball.com/schedule-paintball-game/. You can also call us at 609-561-3883. We look forward to seeing you at our Williamstown, New Jersey location.

  • How To Build Up Your Core Muscles For Paintball

    If you’re looking to improve your strength and endurance for your next AC Paintball game, one of the most important muscle sections to focus on is your core. When your core muscles are weak, you experience fatigue more quickly, are more prone to injuries, and likely have poor posture. However, if you take the time to improve your core, you will find yourself able to play longer, perform better, and feel better too.

    AC Paintball in southern New Jersey is here to help you accomplish this feat with a list of exercises that can help you improve your core. Don’t forget to stretch and drink plenty of water!

    Planks

    Planks are one of the best exercises you can do to engage your abs and strengthen your core. To begin planking, start by lying belly-down on the floor. Then raise your body off the ground using your elbows and lower part of your arms as support. Keep your body and straight as possible and hold the position. It is a good idea to start off with planking for about 30 seconds to a minute. As your core gets stronger, challenge yourself to hold the position longer.

    You can also modify your plank if you wish by lifting up and arm and/or a leg while performing the plank. You can also perform a side plank by starting on your side and holding yourself up with one arm while the other arm is lifted up towards the ceiling. The final position should look like a letter T that fell sideways.

    Bridges

    Bridges are pretty much the opposite of planks. Instead of facing the floor, you face upward. To perform a bridge, lay down flat on your back. Then lift your knees up. Finally, pick your butt up off the floor until your body is straight. Hold this position until you reach your time goal. Then lay back down and relax. Don’t forget to breathe.

    Crunches

    Another useful exercise that will engage your core is crunches. To perform crunches, start by laying back down on the floor and your knees up. It is helpful to put weights on your ankles or to have someone hold your feet down. Next, cross your arms over your chest. Finally, use your core to pull your head up and toward your knees. Then slowly lay back down. Repeat these steps until you reach your goal. A good goal to start with is 50 reps. Then gradually increase this number as you improve.

    Abdominal Presses

    There are multiple versions of abdominal presses. Abdominal presses start with you lying flat on your back. Then you bring your knees up toward your chest. This is where the variations come in. You can use just one leg at a time or both. You can also alternate which hand each knee touches.  Trying different variations help you strengthen different core muscles.

    Superman

    Superman is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. To perform the superman exercise, start by lying belly down on the floor. Then lift your arms and feet off of the floor and hold it for whichever period of time you prefer. The position should look like Superman’s flying position. Don’t forget to breathe.

    Torso Twists

    Like planks and abdominal presses, torso twists also have many variations. A torso twist starts with you standing feet apart with your hands at your side. The basic movement involves you twisting your torso to one side or the other. You can simply do that, or you can add elements. For instance, you can twist to one side while lifting up your knee to tap, you can hold a weight while twisting, or you can even twist while sitting down. As long as you feel your muscles working in the ab area, it is helping you strengthen your core.

    Test Your Skills At AC Paintball in Southern New Jersey!


    Ready to test out if strengthening your core muscles helped your paintball game? Schedule a game at AC Paintball near Atlantic City now! You can do so by visiting AC Paintball’s website here: https://acpaintball.com/schedule-paintball-game/. You can also call AC Paintball at 609-561-3883.

  • Steps for Setting Your Paintball Goals and Achieving Them

    “If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you.” -Les Brown

    Whether you have been playing paintball at AC Paintball for a while, or you are just starting out, you can always find ways to improve yourself. Maybe you want to work on your aim, or maybe you want to work on making smarter choices. Either way, regularly reflecting on your skills and analyzing areas that need improvement can help make you a better paintball player in the long run. Once you know what you want to work on, then you can start working on improving them with these helpful steps from AC Paintball in southern New Jersey.

    Set a Goal

    The first step to getting better is to set a measurable goal. Having a measurable goal will give you something to focus on and help you determine whether or not you are improving as much as you want to. It also helps to make multiple easily-reachable goals rather than one large goal. If you just have one large goal, it can seem overwhelming. It can make you want to give up more often because you are so far from your goal. On the other hand, if you have many small progressing goals, achieving each one will motivate you to reach for your next goal.

    Many times when people want to improve on a skill, they forget to make a goal. Then they end up practicing without knowing where they are going. This can lead to losing focus and eventually giving up on improving your skills. When you have a goal, you can continually determine if you are progressing as quickly as you want. Then, if you aren’t meeting your goal, you can make changes to your technique and practicing so you can start reaching your goals.

    Formulate a Plan

    The next step is to figure out how you can reach your goal. Create a detailed plan about what tasks you are going to complete or practice so your skills can improve. Write your plan down your plan somewhere easily accessible so you know exactly what you have to do. Make sure your plan is specific. You don’t want to show up to the gym or AC Paintball and not know where to begin.

    Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help create a plan.

    • What drills will improve the skills I want to improve?
    • Do I need any special tools to perform these drills?
    • Do I need to go somewhere specific, like AC Paintball, to perform these drills?
    • Do I need help from someone or do I need to hire a trainer?
    • How often will I need to practice these drills to achieve the results I want.
    • What methods do the professionals use?
    • Are there any ideas or tips on the internet that you could study?
    • What can I change if this plan doesn’t achieve the results I want?
    • How can I stay motivated?

     

    Practice

    Finally, it is time to put your plan into action. Get out there and start improving yourself. You might be a bit overwhelmed or hesitant to start, but you just have to push yourself to take that first step. Once you get going, you will likely get in the zone and want to keep going. 

    The more you practice, the better you will become. If you build up your muscles, you will increase your endurance and other abilities. If you work on strengthening your mind, you will improve your decision-making skills and paintball intelligence. After a while, you will see yourself start to be more successful in your AC Paintball games. You will see yourself reach your goals, and then you can continue to make new ones.

    Continue to Look For Ways to Improve

    No matter how good of an AC Paintball player you are, there will always be some way for you to improve. You can always become stronger, faster, more accurate, and more valuable to your team.

    Just don’t push yourself too hard and remember to track your progress so you can look back and see how far you have come. Instead of always getting caught up in your next goal, take some time to reflect all you have accomplished. You can even reward yourself with a fun outing or a new paintball marker. The important thing is that you have fun and stay inspired. If you are not enjoying what you’re doing, then why are you doing it?

  • 9 Tips for Playing a Runner

    Being a runner is an important job in any AC Paintball game. You are basically in charge of leading your team into your opponents’ territory. If you are playing a game like capture-the-flag or center-flag-push, you also have to sneak into a heavily guarded territory. With this in mind, there are many factors to think about and many aspects to pay attention to. To help you do so, AC Paintball near Atlantic City, New Jersey has compiled this list of tips and tricks.

    Plan Ahead

    With a bit of planning, playing a runner can be very rewarding. It is a position that gets a lot of attention as you will likely be the one capturing the flag, or starting the action on your opponents’ territory.

    Planning to play this position starts before you even leave your home. Choosing the right clothing can greatly benefit you during your AC Paintball game. By wearing camouflage or dark clothing, you can help blend in with your surroundings so your opponent can’t spot you as easily. You will also want to make sure your outfit is not noisy. Wearing sneakers that are light can also help you run more easily.

    Then, once you make it to AC Paintball, you will also want to pay close attention when your team forms their strategy. Know where you are supposed to go and what your team expects you to do. When you and everyone else is on the same page, you will have a much better chance of winning your AC Paintball game.

    Work On Speed and  Endurance

    The keys to being a successful runner are speed and endurance. If you know you want to play a runner for your upcoming AC Paintball game, practice running, and agility. The better you get, the bigger asset you will be to your team. It is also a good idea to practice running on uneven terrain. This will help teach you to watch where you step while still running as fast as you can.

    Avoid Paths and the Center of The Field

    Without planning you may subconsciously want to run along the paths. The terrain is likely more even there and you are used to following paths every day. However, your opponents will likely be expecting you to do so and may wait along the paths for you to come by. Then you are an easy target as you are out in the open.

    Instead, try going along the outside of the field or where there is more coverage. Just don’t use the same path every single AC Paintball game. If your opponents catch on, you will likely get eliminated quickly.

    Keep Moving

    Your position is called the runner. Therefore, it only makes sense that you should keep moving. This is a good tip for almost any position. If you stay in one place for too long, your opponents can surround you an eliminate you. As a runner, you should be on the move a majority of the time.

    Stay Aware

    If you are a runner, you will likely be a big target for your opponents. During a capture-the-flag game, you will be the player with the most power to win the AC Paintball game for your team. With this in mind, you have to be very aware. Before you make a big move, make sure you are in the clear. Listen for rustling and scan the field close to the ground. Knowing when it is safe to move and when it is not is critical to playing a runner.

    Avoid Attracting Attention

    Along with staying aware, you will also want to try and stay out of your opponents’ awareness. Doing so will allow you to go to where you want to go and do what you need to do. Some tips to help you accomplish this include, taking routes with few opponents, staying low to the ground, wearing camouflage, and only firing your paintball gun when you absolutely have to.

    Bring Back Up

    It is difficult to accomplish everything a runner needs to do alone. Therefore, you should bring backup. Have some teammates follow you somewhat nearby. This way they can get to you quickly and help if you get ambushed. Just don’t have them travel too close to you as you won’t be able to stealth as easily.

    It is also a good idea to have a plan for one of these backups to take your place if you get eliminated. This way your team can easily regroup and continue your AC Paintball game without having to formulate a new plan.

    Make Good Choices

    Choices are important during an AC Paintball game. The choices you make can determine whether you stay in the game or not. They can determine if you accomplish your goals, or even if your team wins the game.

    As a runner, you should be bold, yet careful at the same time. If you are too careful, you will run out of time as your opponents will eliminate your teammates or capture the flag before you. On the other hand, if you are too bold, you could expose yourself and get eliminated too quickly.

    Celebrate

    Finally, once you have used these tips and won your AC Paintball game, don’t forget to celebrate with your team. Winning a paintball game is no small accomplishment and you should take the time to recognize your hard work. Celebrating is also a great way to bond with your team.

  • Tips to Help You Pull Yourself Out of a Paintball Funk

    Funks happen to pretty much every paintball player eventually. You struggle to hit your targets, you can’t think clearly, you don’t have the same amount of energy, and you keep making silly mistakes. Funks can occur for a variety of reasons. You may not have gotten enough sleep the night before, you could be distracted by some outside source, or you may just lack confidence.

    Funks can be difficult to get out of. Mistakes just pile up and things begin to look hopeless. It’s important to remember that everyone has their bad days, though. Also, no matter how bad of a funk you may be in, you can always pull yourself out of it one way or another. To help you do so, AC Paintball near Atlantic City, New Jersey has compiled this list of tips and tricks.

    Learn From Your Mistakes

    Funks begin when you let your mistakes pile up and weigh on your mind. It is perfectly fine to make mistakes. Making mistakes is how you learn. However, you also need to learn from these mistakes if you want to improve as a paintball player. For instance, if you keep getting eliminated when you poke your head out from a bunker to look where you are shooting, then you need to find a different position and strategy for shooting. As long as you continue to learn from your mistakes, you have no reason to worry.

    Change Your Focus

    Sometimes funks occur because you focus on the wrong ideas. Maybe something upset you before you arrived at AC Paintball, or maybe a certain player is bothering you. When you are at AC Paintball, your primary focus should be on having fun and respecting other paintball players. After that, your goal may be to win the game. This is a fairly vague goal that you likely can’t accomplish on your own. If you get eliminated early on, you may feel like you failed and put yourself in a funk for your next game. Instead, you should try to redefine success.

    If you were able to help your team in any way before you were eliminated, you were still successful. Maybe you took out a player or two, or maybe you contributed a good idea to your team’s strategy. Even if you get eliminated early, you can still cheer on your team and keep them motivated. Even just a small positive gesture can help you be successful in helping your team win the AC Paintball game.

    Look at the Game Objectively

    It is fairly easy to get caught up in the details of any goal. If you are a perfectionist, even the smallest mistake can drive you crazy. When this happens, a good strategy is to try and look at things objectively. While single small mistake can affect the outcome of an AC Paintball game, it doesn’t mean that your mistake necessarily cost your team the game.

    There are a lot of different factors that affect the outcome of a game. If more factors are in favor of your team, you will likely win. However, if more factors are in your opponents’ favor, you may lose. Either way, it is important to not solely blame yourself for a loss. Look at the game objectively. There were likely many other factors out of your control that also contributed to the outcome of the game. Looking at the bigger picture can help you move on and keep you out of a funk for your next AC Paintball game.

    Talk To A Friend

    Sometimes you just need a good support system to pull you out of a funk. If you realize you are in a funk, try talking to a friend, family member, or even an AC Paintball staff member. A few kind words or a bit of advice may be all you need to get back on track. When you hang onto negative thoughts and keep replaying them in your mind, your thoughts can weigh you down and cause you to make more mistakes. By talking to someone, you can get your negative thoughts out so you can move on and focus on the positive.

    Try a Different Strategy

    If the strategy you are using doesn’t seem to be working the way you want it to, maybe it is time to change your strategy. Maybe you wait to try to get close to your targets to ensure you get your shot, but you end up getting eliminated instead. Maybe try shooting from more of a distance or improving your stealth in some way. Think about what your strengths are figure out how you can use those strengths to gain an advantage and be more successful.

    Take a Short Break

    If all else fails, you may just need to step away from the situations that are stressing you out and take some time to cool off. You can try some breathing exercises or just eat a healthy snack. AC Paintball games can move fast. When so much happens so quickly, it can get frustrating. Taking a break allows you to slow down. When you take a minute or two to slow down, you can organize your thoughts and form a new and improved plan of attack.

  • Being Successful in Paintball: Finding and Keeping Your Confidence

    What is the key to success when playing a game at AC Paintball near Atlantic City, New Jersey? You can argue and debate which factors have the biggest impact on the outcome of a paintball game for hours. However,  one factor that almost every player can agree to greatly affects your AC Paintball game is your level of confidence.

    Every player has had both good days and bad days. Some days you can hit your opponents in one or two shots every time, and other days it seems like you couldn’t hit someone standing 10 feet in front of you. The difference between these two situations highly depends on your mindset. Are you focused and do you believe you can win the game? Or are you overthinking every mistake and giving up on your paintball goals? To help you find and keep your confidence, AC Paintball has compiled this brief list of tips and advice.

    Believe In Yourself

    When it comes to any goal you have in life or in paintball, the first step you have to take in achieving that goal is to believe that you can. If you don’t believe you can achieve your goals, you likely won’t. If you don’t believe in yourself, you will only hold yourself back. 

    Where would we be today if the great minds of the past didn’t believe they could do the amazing things they set out to accomplish? Where will we be in the future if we don’t believe in ourselves now? If you want to be a great paintball player or great in any other way, you first have to believe that you can.

    Don’t Let Criticism Hold You Down

    When you believe in yourself, you will teach others to believe in you too. However, not everyone you come across will feel the same. You may eventually run into someone who doesn’t believe in you. They may try to drag you down, but you have to fight to keep your dreams alive. It can be difficult to ignore naysayers. Cruel words can stick in your mind for days and weigh on your shoulders. Yet, you have to work past them, if you want to be successful. If anything, use cruel words as motivation to work harder and prove people wrong. In most cases, people who put you down, do so because they lack confidence themselves. 

    One method that can help you get past criticism is keeping more positive thoughts in your head. When someone says something negative to you, it will run through your mind over and over again. You will hear their voice replay in your head and relive the pain of their harsh words over and over again. You need to find a way to stop reliving the painful moments if you want to move on. Try finding a positive mantra to focus on. Choose something meaningful to you that can overpower any harsh words someone says to you.

    Practice

    You may not have all of the skills and knowledge you need to achieve your goals right away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t. With enough practice, you can gain everything you need to become a great paintball player at AC Paintball.

    If you want some practice, you can do so at AC Paintball in southern New Jersey. You can play as a group with friends on Saturdays. If it works out, you can schedule games regularly. You can view available dates and times and schedule an AC Paintball game here: https://acpaintball.com/schedule-paintball-game/.

    Figure Out Why You Lack Confidence

    It can be difficult to keep up your confidence all the time. There may be tough times where you aren’t successful and may cause you to think you can’t achieve your goals. However, you can pull out of your doubts, if you figure out why you have them.

    If you had a bad day at AC Paintball, figure out why. Were you unable to focus due to lack of sleep? Is there a certain aspect you forgot to pay attention to? When you figure out why you had a bad day or made mistakes, you can correct those mistakes and get back on track to achieving your goals.

    Practice Both Things You Are Good At and Things You Need to Work On

    If you have a long string of mistakes or bad days, it can make a slump more difficult to pull out of. Another tactic that can help you reclaim your confidence is by practicing the things you are good at along with the skills you need to work on. If you continue to not perform as well as you hope, it can drain your confidence. You may feel like you are untalented.  However, if you also practice something you are good at, you will remind yourself that you are indeed talented and successful.

    Success is addictive. When we succeed, we crave more feelings of accomplishment. Therefore, when you see yourself succeed in one aspect, you can motivate yourself to become successful in other aspects. If you use this strategy to motivate yourself, you may end up finding yourself being more successful than you ever dreamed.

  • Leg Strengthening Exercises for Paintball

    When you play paintball, you will use almost every muscle in your body, if not all. This means that it is a good idea to work on strengthening all parts of your body when you are not playing at AC Paintball, so you can perform better during your game. While winning a paintball game takes more than just strength, having good strength and the ability to endure can greatly assist you during a game.

    Your leg muscles are some of the most important muscles you will use during an AC Paintball game near Atlantic City, New Jersey. To help you build up your legs, we have compiled this short list of some exercises you can try to help you get ready for your next paintball game. Just don’t forget to stretch well and properly hydrate!

    Running

    One of the best ways to make sure your muscles are ready is to practice the exact same movements you will be using during your game. During an AC Paintball game, the main way you will be using your leg muscles is for running. You will constantly be on the move. While running is one of the most common and easiest exercises, it provides a variety of benefits. It uses all of your leg muscles and helps boost your cardio. If you want to do more than just run, though, you can embellish your run by doing high knees or butt kicks. 

    Stairs

    Like running, stairs use all of your leg muscles but increases the difficulty. When you run, it may take a while for you to feel the burn, but if you try the stairs, it will happen a lot more quickly. You can simply walk up and down the stairs in your home, at the park, or use a stepper climber if you have access to one. You can even pretend you are Rocky Balboa climbing the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum and celebrate like him once you finish your workout.

    Squats

    Like stairs, squats can get tiring pretty quickly. Squats involve moving into a sitting position and moving back to a standing position without using a chair. It works mainly your hamstrings and glutes but works many other muscles as well. One of the keys to making sure you get a good workout is to go slowly as you move up and down. If you move quickly, it won’t work your muscles as hard.

    Lunge

    A lunge is where you walk, but put one leg almost to the ground like you are going to propose to your loved one. Your knee should not touch the ground, though. Afterward, you return to a standing position. Then do the same with the opposite leg and continue moving forward alternating which knee goes down.

    This mainly works your inner thigh, hamstrings, and calves. Like squats, one of the keys to making sure you get the most out of this exercise is to move slowly and hold your position when you are in the almost kneeling position.

    Leg Raises

    Leg raises are where you slowly raise your leg up high and hold it there for a few seconds.  Then you slowly let your leg down. This can be done in a variety of different positions. You can choose to do a few reps with one leg, then do the same with the other leg, or you can alternate legs after each leg raise.  Leg raises mainly work your thighs and inner leg.

    Calf Raises

    Your ankles and calves are also important muscles to strengthen. When your calves and ankles are strong, you can jump better and start off with more power when trying to sprint. One of the best ways to strengthen your calves and ankles is with calf raises. Calf raises are pretty much just slowly going up on your tippy toes, then slowly coming back down over and over again. They are simple to do but can get tiring quickly.

    Wall Sits

    Like squats, wall sits involve moving into the sitting position. However, with wall sits you lean against the wall and stay in the sitting position longer. Start out by just doing a wall sit for a minute or two. If this is easy for you, start sitting for a longer period of time. While most of the exercises on this list focus mainly on strength, wall sits help build your endurance.

    Once you feel your legs are ready, head to AC Paintball’s website to schedule a game. You can do so here: https://acpaintball.com/schedule-paintball-game/. You can also call AC Paintball at 609-561-3883. With stronger legs, you are sure to play your best and help your team be more successful.

  • 5 Tips to Improve Your Focus

    meditate-1851165_960_720AC Paintball games can get pretty overwhelming at times. There are many aspects to think about as well as plenty of distractions. There are always markers firing loudly, people yelling, weather elements making things difficult, and more. It can be easy to lose your focus. Unfortunately, losing focus can negatively affect your game. If you aren’t paying attention for just a minute, an opponent can sneak up on you and hit you. Before you know it you’re out of the game.

    Fortunately, there are ways to improve your focus so that you don’t get sidetracked in the heat of the moment. All it takes is some practice and determination. To help you practice focus for your next AC Paintball tips, we have compiled this list of popular techniques you can use to help zone in on what is important.

    Take Care of Outside Problems Beforehand

    AC Paintball is a place where you can escape the stresses of the outside world and just focus on having fun for a while. If possible, you should take care of any potential stressors before coming to AC Paintball so you can just relax and have some fun. You don’t want to be thinking about homework you have to do or bills you have to pay while you also trying to focus on winning the game. When you’re at AC Paintball, you are off the clock.

    Visualize The Game

    The unknown is a common source of anxiety for many people. When you don’t know what to expect, you may think of various things that can go wrong. Instead, you should have confidence and think of what can go right. One way to accomplish this is trying to visualize the game beforehand. Walk around the AC Paintball field and picture yourself being away and reacting in a flash so you can create the outcome you want. Solve any problems before they even occur.

    If you are new to the game, do some research or ask more experienced players what to expect. They will likely give you some good advice. Once you have a plan, you can go into your AC Paintball game confident and focused.

    paintball-1278901_960_720Don’t Overthink

    Overthinking is one of the easiest ways to lose focus and start making mistakes. For instance, you may be trying to decide if you should shoot or not, but by the time you decide it is too late. Most times, the best strategy is to just go with your gut and not second guess yourself. Your first instincts are usually right. 

    One way to avoid overthinking is to know what to focus on. Think about what aspects you can control and focus on them. If you have no control over something, it isn’t worth worrying about. If you happen to make a mistake, put it behind you and just focus on what you have to do to get back on track.

    Find a Way To Relax

    If you do start overthinking or get too scatterbrained, try to relax. When you are relaxed, you can think more clearly about how to solve problems and accomplish your goals. If possible, find a safe bunker or a corner of the AC Paintball field where you can take a minute to calm down. Once you find have a few seconds, you can try taking some deep breaths and go to a place in your mind where you can refocus. Once you settle down a little go back out and achieve victory.

    Use a Song or Mantra

    Songs or mantras can also be useful at helping you stay focused throughout the entire game. A repetitive beat will help you focus on aspects you want to focus on. For instance, if you are playing capture-the-flag at AC Paintball and you keep saying “get the flag” over and over again in your head to the beat, you will likely stay more focused on getting the flag. You won’t waste time and energy thinking about other things and you will just do what you have to do.

    When choosing a song or beat, make sure it is upbeat, powerful, and inspires you. This will help give you the extra drive to accomplish your goals.

  • 7 Tips for Being a Team Player

    action-2277292_960_720It is easy to get caught up in ourselves every now and then. You have to make the right life choices to reach your dreams. However, when it comes to paintball, you have to shift your focus to the needs of your team. Everyone on your team wants to win the game. To do so, everyone has to do their part. You have to be a team player. To help you help your team, AC Paintball has compiled this list of great tips to help you show good sportsmanship and be a good team player.

    Participate and Use Your Strengths to Benefit Your Team

    Contributing is the first step to being a team player. If you are just going to stand around or do your own thing, there is not much point in being there. If your team give you a role to play, do it.

    Your team is counting on you. When your team is creating a strategy, let everyone know what your strengths are and what position you would like to play. If everyone brings their strengths to the table, you will form a better team and greatly improve your chances of achieving victory at AC Paintball.

    Listen and Communicate

    When you have many people in charge of multiple tasks, you need to have a good communication system. When you start your AC Paintball game, you won’t know what your opponent’s strategy will be. If they start to take control of the game, your team may have to switch strategies. When doing so, you need to make sure everyone knows the new plan. Be sure to listen to other players and adjust accordingly. If you notice something your opponents are doing that you believe your team should be aware of, speak up!

    Be Flexible

    While you can suggest to your team what role you think you would be good at, you can’t always pick and choose every detail of your AC Paintball game. You may have to take your teammates preferences and strengths into consideration as well. You need to be flexible.

    If your team’s numbers are dwindling late game, you will have to step in and take up other roles, so be prepared. When practicing your paintball skills at AC Paintball, don’t just focus on one aspect, try to practice multiple skills so you can become a more valuable player.

    Support and Respect Other Players

    When most people think of a team player, they think of someone who supports and shows respect to other players. There are many ways to do this. They include:

    • Providing tips to other players.
    • Warning players of opponents in their area.
    • Providing backup when a teammate needs it.  
    • Sharing a bunker if a teammate needs cover.
    • Complimenting other players when they do something good.
    • Lift teammates spirits if they make a mistake.

    Team players make other players feel like they are important. If other players smile and seem happy when you are around, you are likely doing a good job.

    Don’t Be a Showoff

    paintball-2220450_960_720You may end up being one of the most experienced players at AC Paintball. While you should bring your strengths to help your team, you shouldn’t make your teammates feel inferior in the process. Be sure to share the spotlight. You can do tricks and take out players, but make sure you give your teammates a turn to shine as well. When a teammate does well, cheer them on.

    Don’t Give Up On Other Players

    There is always a chance you may end up on a team with someone who becomes disinterested in being a team player. They may just want to have things their way. If you want to be a team player, don’t just complain about them or forget about them. Try to find some way to inspire them to participate.

    Find out what they want to do and try to incorporate that element into your AC Paintball game. If they still don’t want to participate, you can let them be, but try to make them feel like they are still part of your team. People are often willing to do more when they feel appreciated.

    Go Above and Beyond

    The best way to stand out is to go above and beyond expectations. If you think of a way to help your team or make their AC Paintball game more fun, do it. You can bring snacks for everyone, suggest making team t-shirts, or make awards for everyone. Overall, think about your team and how you can help make everyone have a good time.

  • Improving Your Reaction Time

    You’re playing an intense game of woodsball when your eyes meet your opponent’s. You both know what is about to happen, but you don’t know what the outcome will be, yet. That all depends on who has a better reaction time. In this situation, the fastest trigger finger wins. If you’re equally matched, you may both be eliminated. Reaction time is an important skill when playing at AC Paintball. You need to train your reflexes to beat your opponents and avoid getting hit.

    So how do you improve your reaction time? There are a variety of drills, hobbies, and skills you can practice.

    rubiks-cube-157058_960_720Improve Your Mental Speed

    The reaction process starts in your brain. First, your brain gathers information through your senses. You make look for movement on the AC Paintball field, or listen for markers firing. Then it will analyze the facts. You realize you are in danger of elimination. Finally, it sends signals to the rest of your body to help you navigate the situation. You run away or shoot to defend yourself. The stronger and healthier your brain is, the faster this process takes place.

    Puzzles

    Training your brain with different daily challenges will improve your thinking speed. Regularly doing crosswords, Sudoku, Rubik’s cubes, etc. can enhance your cognitive abilities. While exercising keeps your body in shape, solving problems will keep your brain healthy.

    Video Games

    Some video games may also help. Classic games like Frogger, Pong, or Pinball can train your brain to focus on many moving pieces at once. Strategy-based games and shooter games also train you to be alert and ready to take action. While using these training tactics, you can track your progress with a reaction test. There are many apps and websites out there that can help you gauge your abilities.

    Improve Your Agility

    Once you get your brain up to speed, you need to make sure your body is ready to do the work. Now is the time to combine your mental skills with some physical challenges. Choose drills that require coordination and specific instructions. This will help you prepare for anything when playing on an AC Paintball field.

    Ball Drills

    Ball drills are a great way to learn to adjust to your surroundings. Grab a partner and play a game of catch. Have the partner vary the speed and direction so that you never know what kind of throw is coming. You will have to judge where the ball is going quickly and adjust your position accordingly. Once you get good with that, mix it up. Find a wall and stand facing it. Have your partner stand behind you and throw the ball at the wall. Once again, you will try to catch the ball.  However, it will be more difficult because you cannot see which way your partner is facing.

    fitness-1499781_960_720

    Clock and Foot Movement Drills

    Playing paintball puts your entire body to work. Not only do you need to be coordinated enough to aim your marker, but you need to be able to know how to move your feet as well. Try doing some stepping drills that prompt you to keep specific rhythms with your feet. You can use a stepping stool, jump rope, ladder, or even play Dance Dance Revolution. Just choose a specific pattern and keep practicing.

    Another drill you can try is setting up four objects around you. Place each one a few feet in front of you at the front, back, and sides. Have an AC Paintball buddy give you different random directions for each object. For instance, pick up the object in from of you, step on the object to your left, or do three spins at the object behind you. Once you get good, you can make the directions more creative. You can make up code words for each direction to make you think more. This drill will help you practice interpreting, analyzing, and executing.

    Practice Awareness and Try to Predict Your Opponents Moves

    Even if you don’t have the best reaction speed, there are other ways to get ready to defend yourself. One of those options is practicing awareness. Minimize distractions and prioritize your goals. Listen closely for your AC Paintball opponents. If you hear something you can prepare to aim or dodge ahead of time. Once you play for a while, you will begin to notice your opponent’s tendencies. Then you will be able to predict their actions and learn to counteract their moves.

    Schedule a Game at AC Paintball

    Now is the time to put all your skills together. Plan a game at AC Paintball’s facility in Williamstown, New Jersey. The more you play, the better you will get. Every game you play will build your knowledge and skills. You can schedule a game here: https://acpaintball.com/schedule-paintball-game/.