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For the want of 0.07 seconds. Yes, 7/100ths.


rowdyb

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Looking at my A1 data and making some generalizations from it and self assessing my own shooting I've found a new desire to be 0.07 seconds faster.

 

So the division winner, Casey Reed shot 391 alphas in 309 seconds that match. I shot 401 alphas but in 398 seconds. We had very close to the same of all the other hits as well. So he was 89 seconds faster than me over 17 stages, or 5.2 seconds per stage.

 

Where do I want this magical 0.07 of a second? Everywhere! We'll cover some assumptions at the end, so sit tight. I do not think it is unreasonable that I shot at 85% of my ability this match, it's where I am comfortable in matches. But to be more than mid pack Master I need to keep my level of hits but be faster. My first assumption is that I could shoot at my 88-90% and keep the same accuracy if I had the confidence to crank it up. (A whole other topic!)

 

I then thought to myself, what if I just "cranked it up" just a tiny bit, everywhere. To me, a tiny bit is that 7/100ths of a second. At that area match each stage had roughly 15 targets, and in Production I had a draw, three reloads and 4 shooting positions each stage. Breaking down the targets that gives me 14 transitions and 13 splits, because steel.

 

1 draw

3 reloads

4 entry/exit

13 splits

14 transitions makes it 35 places I could go that teeny tiny bit of a second faster.

 

I don't think doing a draw 7/100ths faster, a reload 7/100ths faster, a movement 7/100ths of a second faster, an average split and transition 7/100ths of a second faster is unreasonable for me personally. I should be able to have that in me.

 

So if I were able to feel confident doing everything just a bit faster, a reasonable amount faster everywhere then I'd be  2.45 seconds faster per stage. I could have almost halve the time difference between me and him with that 0.07 of a second. For reference that's less than the blink of an eye, which is about 0.1-0.3 of a second. Cutting that much time off would have moved me into the top 10 possibly......

 

Just doing everything, everything, an eye blink's worth of time faster will yield the result I need and want. Now to find that 7/100th...... and the confidence to "turn it up" in matches from where I feel safe and secure at 85% to that same feeling at 88%......

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I may have misunderstood, but if you need 5.2 seconds per stage, divided by 35 different elements, my

calculator shows that as 0.15 seconds/element, not .07 seconds ...   ???

 

What did I do wrong?

 

 But, interesting - IFF you can pick up 0.15 seconds per element (a 1.00 draw instead of a 1.15 second

draw) you can become KING...

 

Thanks for the incentive to get a Little Better.    :) 

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No, it's just a realistic, incremental improvement. A step. The realization that tiny of a time element, applied everywhere gets me half way to my goal. Just one thing.

 

You did the math right.

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What's your current weekly practice schedule look like and at what pace do you normally practice?

 

If you don't already, I'd recommend you start taking copious amounts of notes about your practice and matches. It may not be realistic to shave .07 off certain areas (such as splits on a 5 yard target) but may be very reasonable to shave .25 or more off other areas (such as entries and exits). The more notes you have that you can refer to the easier it will be to decide where to put your effort. Break down practice and match video of yourself constantly.

 

Also something to think about after your major matches this season...If you've never practiced with a dot on your gun it can be an extremely valuable training tool. 

 

Shooting a match at 85% of your ability isn't a bad thing...that's about where I like to be as well. 

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I'm done shooting CO for the year, these are my Production matches. So no worries about the dot. But that's not what you're asking I guess when you wonder if I've ever practiced with a dot. Yes, but only when I had CO matches coming up.

 

Thank you for chiming in, I was curious if you were going to.

 

Every practice gets a page of notes. Not line for line, but day, time, gun, load, drawing of each mini stage or element i set up, splits and times and hits for most runs and HF if i put it into Pscore on my phone, my impressions, learning points. So a decent amount. BBUUUTTT, I've realized I've been doing a majority of my practice in my comfort zone, focusing on what's executable not on stretching myself. I'm basically retired so I live fire 3 times a week, dry fire 3 times a week and have a local match every weekend and go to about 12 or so major matches a year.

 

No writtten notes from majors, just video review, mental review and Pscore review. I realize I can't change anything that's already happened so the review is to help me focus on things going forward. To my eye it looks like i need to get a dose of "little bit faster Rowdy!".

 

The 0.07 time was what I hoped would be a good balance of achievable and an average of places where one normally can save larger chunks, like movement and the smaller places like splits. I watch my videos and then watch the people winning and in the top ten overall and the biggest differences I see right now are. I'm a very good example of "do everything esle but the shooting fast, and shoot slow" but I'm doing the shooting part far far slower than the better Masters in Prod. So when I look at them versus me I see:

1. they don't sit on the sights as long as i do. my splits on every target are slower than theirs. they're aggressive and i'm cautious.

2. i still have a few small bobbles here and there in say a reload or an overcooked entry. not tons, but i'm not entirely error free either. Sometimes their effect is minimal and other times it is huge. 2016 was the year I spend on reducing the variation in my performances.

 

2017 looks to be the year I go a little faster.

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7 hours ago, rowdyb said:

BBUUUTTT, I've realized I've been doing a majority of my practice in my comfort zone, focusing on what's executable not on stretching myself.

 

There's your problem. If you don't focus on stretching your abilities, they don't stretch. The good part is you have a lot of practice you can fall back on in matches for shooting within your comfort zone. As you improve your speed and accuracy at 100%, your 85% will naturally become faster and more accurate as well.

 

In my opinion, it's time for a large amount of damn near recklessly fast practice. Both dry and live. The only practice in your comfort zone that I'd want you to do is within the last week leading up to a major match just to get the feel of your comfort zone back.

 

7 hours ago, rowdyb said:

do everything esle but the shooting fast, and shoot slow

 

This is good advice in principal (especially for lower class shooters), but as you're finding out you can't shoot slowly and win against high level competition.

 

8 hours ago, rowdyb said:

1. they don't sit on the sights as long as i do. my splits on every target are slower than theirs. they're aggressive and i'm cautious.

 

In matches cautiously aggressive is right where I want to be. That is shooting within your comfort zone, but pushing a bit where you know you can based on your abilities. They may appear to be more aggressive than you, but I bet most of them are still shooting within their comfort zone....their comfort zone has just been expanded by likely practicing at a much more aggressive pace day in and day out. 

 

8 hours ago, rowdyb said:

2. i still have a few small bobbles here and there in say a reload or an overcooked entry. not tons, but i'm not entirely error free either. Sometimes their effect is minimal and other times it is huge. 2016 was the year I spend on reducing the variation in my performances.

 

Sure. Absolutely. I have the same problems. You should see how many times I've butchered reloads and movement in some of my match video on youtube. I've shot thousands of stages in my life and the number of stages I think I shot flawlessly can be counted on one hand. Since everyone will make mistakes, the goal needs to be for your mistakes to have as minimal of an impact on your score as possible.

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Thank you. Mike Seeklander and I were talking about my shooting after Optics Nats while on the plane and from that discussion is where I first realized I hadn't been pushing myself.

 

Either in practice or local matches. Local matches, even shooting Prod, I am the overall winner more times than I'm not. I don't train with anyone other than myself and the timer. So the only push I get is when I decide to post a video of a common drill to Instagram. Like last week when I posted a 4 Aces I did in like 2.3 seconds.

 

I am admittedly fearful when I start to "turn it up". So my 100% never gets better, and if all of us are shooting at our 85% mine just isn't as good as theirs. And while being a mid pack Master at Area matches is good enough for some, I am starting to get very unhappy with that outcome.

 

So as you rightly have pointed out, I need to change my actions.

 

The next major match I shoot is the end of May. Then I have one every weekend the month of June. And I'm taking most of July of to go on vacation out of the country. So I have 6 weeks for a different kind of live fire and dry fire practice.

 

It was a fun mental exercise to see what just 0.07 of a second could do for me. Now I need to take that knowledge and advice and DO SOMETHING with it. (hahahah, just like my signature line!)

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3 hours ago, rowdyb said:

I am admittedly fearful when I start to "turn it up".

 

Why is that?

 

3 hours ago, rowdyb said:

The next major match I shoot is the end of May. Then I have one every weekend the month of June.

 

If I were you, I'd spend the next 3-4 weeks really pushing the pace in both dry and live. Then starting in June I would continue pushing hard in dry fire and use your live fire to tighten up to a consistent pace for the matches.

 

Regardless if we're looking at this realistically, you've got about a year of work ahead of you to really see results from the change in practice.

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Mid pack Master at A6 this week too. 10th of 24 Masters in Prod and 32nd or something overall in the division.

 

I'll PM you about the fear thing if that's ok.

 

Yep, a year seems about right. I can accept that. I have a lot of advantages others don't have in my quest to get better but I also realize I'm 45, wear glasses and have only been doing this like 4 years.

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3 hours ago, rowdyb said:

I'll PM you about the fear thing if that's ok.

 

Yep, that's fine.

 

3 hours ago, rowdyb said:

Yep, a year seems about right. I can accept that. I have a lot of advantages others don't have in my quest to get better but I also realize I'm 45, wear glasses and have only been doing this like 4 years.

 

Fortunately this is one of those sports where there's no reason you can't be highly competitive deep into the 50s and maybe beyond with the proper maintenance. I think you're in a good place for 4 years...I'm pretty sure I was still B class 4 years into shooting.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/23/2017 at 6:54 AM, rowdyb said:

BBUUUTTT, I've realized I've been doing a majority of my practice in my comfort zone, focusing on what's executable not on stretching myself. I'm basically retired so I live fire 3 times a week, dry fire 3 times a week and have a local match every weekend and go to about 12 or so major matches a year.

 

I have to agree with Jake.  There are times when you need to practice at the comfort pace.  Normally when you are preparing for important matches, have missed practices and are trying to maintain, if you need a confidence boost, setting new baselines, etc.  Other than that, you need to be making yourself uncomfortable when practicing.  You can't expect to do things well faster if you don't actually start doing them faster.  This applies to dry and live fire practice or just whatever practice you want to do.

 

So push it in practice and start forcing things a little faster than you can connect.  Eventually you will see what you need to see and start to connect.  Then you can ratchet the process some more.  When you go back to the match, shoot that 85% feel and it will be 85% of a relatively higher benchmark but hopefully everything will still feel completely under control and error-free.

 

 

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I'm going to chime in here for a sec...I've been competing for a few years and I've seen short guys, old guys, tall guys, fat guys and hot women dominate stages!  Not sure what the right body type is for this sport.  The people that put in the time are the ones that win!  I've learned to not analyze so much about the results.  You know when you shoot a stage what you were slow at.  You watched every one else shoot the same stage, just watch and learn.  Take that knowledge back to your practice sessions and practice what you suck at!  Practicing what you suck at will get you the most from your efforts.  Stick with the basics/fundamentals and don't analyze so much, you will drive yourself crazy!  Practice is practice, thats when you should make mistakes.  Push yourself!  I think every practice should be uncomfortable, that way you are learning.  Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and achieve things you didn't think were possible.                                                        

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Very good thread! I feel your pain. I can't break second in my division yet... I tried to turn it up two matches ago and it was disastrous. Shot 2 stages and realized I could not even remember seeing my dot...

 

Back to the basics for awhile for me. Did good last match, fewer mistakes, felt slow, looked slow, but placed well for me. 19th over all out of 82 Shooters.

 

Sharpy marker on left hand "squeeze" and a red dot painted on my thumbnail we're good visual reminders for me!

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Very interesting topic and encouraging to see people of all different levels digging deeper into themselves for growth.  That takes a lot of humility.  In my line of work (professional corporate coaching), humility and awareness of yourself is key to personal/professional improvement.  

 

Thanks for the transparency and letting others see your progress.  It's helpful to me.

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Shoot more A's than the guys ahead of me and no misses to their two misses apiece. But being 1.10 seconds slower per stage gets me 3rd overall. (Though I did miss out on second by only 3 points!!) Link is for results from a recent state match this weekend.

 

https://practiscore.com/results/new/38299

 

But still, the point stands. If I could just be 1/10th of a second faster every where and everything I do, then that gap would be gone. Yes, my current program and skills can have me in the top ten of state matches for Prod and top 20 of  Prod for most area matches. But I want more than that.....

 

Anyways, glad this idea, of how many discreet elements added together make a big difference. And that with desire, a smart program, self awareness and work you can get better. Just don't be thin skinned and ask for video tips, hahahaha. I can hardly read that thread I started as I just feel bad hahahaha.

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On ‎6‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 5:36 PM, rowdyb said:

Shoot more A's than the guys ahead of me and no misses to their two misses apiece. But being 1.10 seconds slower per stage gets me 3rd overall. (Though I did miss out on second by only 3 points!!) Link is for results from a recent state match this weekend.

 

https://practiscore.com/results/new/38299

 

But still, the point stands. If I could just be 1/10th of a second faster every where and everything I do, then that gap would be gone. Yes, my current program and skills can have me in the top ten of state matches for Prod and top 20 of  Prod for most area matches. But I want more than that.....

 

Anyways, glad this idea, of how many discreet elements added together make a big difference. And that with desire, a smart program, self awareness and work you can get better. Just don't be thin skinned and ask for video tips, hahahaha. I can hardly read that thread I started as I just feel bad hahahaha.

 

Just wanted to say thanks for the very insightful post. I'm still a U and only had 3 matches but I find myself improving each time and thinking wow I killed this one only to realize later that I was still 7-10 seconds slower on any given stage than the A shooters. It is very depressing and I wonder where I could have found those 7-10 seconds. Your post gives me a very simple goal at this point that I think I can attain each and every match for the next few months. Just be a tenth faster or so on every movement for the stage. 14 targets, 2 relaoads, a turn, draw, run left , run right, etc. Just a tenth at my level could have saved me well over 2 seconds in one stage alone. I was 7 slower than the top guy on one given stage so cutting into that by more than 25% is a huge leap. Thinking I need to cut 7-10 seconds seems unobtainable but when you break it down into very small amounts of time then it seems much easier.

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  • 5 months later...

Yes. I made a big change in how I practice at the encouragement of jakedevida which has paid off. I shoot a lot more in practice with the sole focus being speed. My dry fire is also more about mechanics and smoothing motions versus practicing shooting.

 

Also I got to shoot on a few "almost the Production super squad" squads in some bigger matches this year and being able to first hand see and hear what they do opened my eyes to some subtle things I was missing.

Edited by rowdyb
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