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What to Work On - Stage Plans and Low Hanging Fruit


DKorn

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I'm a fairly new USPSA shooter. These videos are 4 of the 6 stages (forgot to get video for 2 stages) from my 3rd match ever, although only my second "real" match since the first one was a classifier match. 

 

I'm looking for feedback mainly on my stage planning - where am I wasting time? Also, what are the biggest areas to target in my practice based on what you see here?

 

Let me know if you have any questions about any of the stages. 

 

 

 

 

 

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General observations from a C-Class shooter.

 

Looking good for your 3rd time out. Your reloads look pretty solid overall and the draw on the classifier looked good too. I don't know that the plans could have differed too much from the rest of the field. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it might be tough to offer feedback on your plans.

 

First video

The transition from right to left at about 0:16 could be a bit faster. You are definitely capable of a faster transition as evidenced in the 3rd video at around 0:36 seconds. Plan looked solid overall.

 

Second Video

Looking good. Solid draw and reload. How were the hits?

 

Third video

You could probably hustle a bit faster to that first position. Also, it might help if you get your gun up a bit faster. Think of it this way: You know where the target is since you did the walkthrough AND you can see through the wall. Start your aiming before you get to the edge of the wall and you'll knock some time off.

 

I probably would have gone a bit deeper down range on the arrays on the left side. It's a bit tough to tell from the angle and it kinda depends on how strictly the match setup follows the "8 rounds per position/view" thing. Mainly because I'm not that great at shooting on the move. Granted, you would have to do a standing reload, but you could probably make up the time difference if you run. Again, your reloads look pretty solid and so did your plan.

 

Last video

Run. Once you have that mag in the pouch and the second mag in your left hand: run. You'll eventually get a feel for what kind of stride (i.e., long bounds vs. short pitter-patters) you should use from position to position. It also looks like you were very deliberate on the hardcover tuxedos on the left side of the stage. I bet you could hit those faster than you think. You'll just have to experiment with different sight pictures at different distances. Also, the middle array with the no-shoots. You kept your distance from the port. Depending on how you feel about running "uprange-ish" with the gun pointed down range, you might save a bit of time getting a bit close to the port. The idea is that you'll shuffle a bit less. Of course the bottom line is safety. I suppose you could also "shuffle fast".

 

Cliff notes:

Things you can get faster at especially during dry fire:

Transitions from target to target

Transitions from position to position

Reloads (solid, but I bet you can nail them faster)

 

Practice this at the range a few times and bring this to your dry-fire routine (you can use scaled targets):

Understanding your boundaries for different sight pictures and target presentations. Some of those targets looked pretty close--could be due to the camera.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

Edited by Rez805
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Rez805,

 

Thanks for the great feedback! Here's my own observations based on what I saw and what you pointed out:

 

Stage 1: Both of my wide transitions were extremely slow. The first one was just slow, and the second one was worse because I started to move to the next position and almost forgot those 2 targets. I need to work on transitions in dry fire and probably set myself up square to the middle of the 2 sets of targets so I don't have to take a half step while I turn. 

 

Stage 2: Thanks! Hits were 6A, 2B, 2C. Classifier percentage seemed right in line with where I've been so far (low 40%s), and 1 more halfway decent classifier should put me into C class. 

 

Stage 3: I planned to shoot all the targets on the move, but then stopped when I realized I'm not good enough at shooting on the move to get good hits. Definitely would've been faster to plan to just run up and stop. 

 

Stage 4: Yeah, I got a bit intimidated by the hard cover targets on the left. For the middle port, I thought it would be faster to avoid having to go all the way up and back, but I'm not sure if I made the right call. 

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First stage:

 

I'd go through the first array clockwise or counter closwise finishing on the bottom so that I had a non-penalty target to draw to and finish on - then shoot that final wide open target while backing out of the port.

 

 

Especially when backing up, turn around leaving the gun arm indexed downrange and pick a predetermined spot to put a toe on, then pivot back to engage. The slow backwards shuffle is slow as hell.

 

When making the U turn around the end of a wall, I prefer to instantly drop the mag and draw the fresh one, turn around and then sprint uprange. Once I've made the corner and I'm faced back downrange, insert the fresh mag on the move. This is personal preference, but if you can't kill a reload in one step I think it's the fastest way to move uprange.

 

Watch your feet when you settle into the final position. I don't think I need to point out the wasted second of shuffling.

Edited by MemphisMechanic
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Video 3:

 

To be honest, with that many partials that close together, stop-hose-and-sprint would have been a better choice at your current skill level. Shooting on the move doesn't save anything when you move that slow, and greatly increase your chance of a low hit on the top partial targets turning into a NS penalty.

 

A higher classed shooter is going to do some shooting while moving. I question the benefit for an average joe like yourself.

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Final video:

 

I'd have encouraged you to run up to the center port. Your footwork isn't down yet, and there's no way you lost less than three seconds shuffling three times engaging that array. Judging by the makeup shot, you also got a noshoot penalty in return for staying back away from the port. That means you'd have been 2-3 seconds ahead if you had run into the port and backed out afterward, and been quick about it.

 

Honestly my review would be that you need to work on risk mitigation: the Ms and As in your squad will stay back like that on tight partials. They'll shoot on the move. That doesn't mean a newer, less accurate shooter should do the same thing.

 

Avoiding Mikes and Noshoots is more important than having the most optimized GM-level stage plan. If you, at your honest current skill level, cannot pull off a plan that requires movement or distant shots on partial targets ten times in a row? You're using the wrong stage plan for you and should choose a simpler/safer one.

 

A poor stage plan executed perfectly will always beat a perfect plan executed poorly. Run up close and get the good hits while shooting faster!

 

Edited by MemphisMechanic
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On the first stage, it looks like you could have engaged the targets on the left while retreating and the ones on the right once you were on that side of the wall. Not sure if that was true or camera angle. If you could have, I would have done that and saved the retreat reload and transitions.

 

I agree with the poster above shooting those targets on the move was slower. Especially for single stack. Post up, knock out 8, dash and reload to the next 8. Moving is a balance between speed, hits, risk of penalties, and reload management.

 

The last video, middle position, get your stance wide in the place where you can see the targets by shifting your weight a bit.

 

In all of the above, shoot at the right speed for the target. Wide open targets, let it eat. Zebra targets, aim. shoot as fast as you can make hits. Everything else, moving, reloading, running, do as fast as you can as time spent not shooting is wasted time.

 

 

 

 

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Some low hanging fruit for you: Judging from the cadence of your shooting and the speed of your splits, it appears you are aiming hard at every single target, including the wide open ones at 3 to 5 yards. Take the classifier for example. Watch the video and listen to the splits and transitions. Almost no difference between the full targets and the head box center one, except for getting slower after the reload on the last two full targets after the center target. Learn to shoot faster. For practice, work on Bill drills and El Prezs. Learn to pick up your shooting and transition pace, and still shoot A's. Give the disaster factor targets their proper respect, but hammer the snot out of the easy ones. 

 

As for stage planning, stop trying to imitate the cool kids for now. Get yourself to a shooting position, hammer the targets, and get to the next position. My guess is that you are thinking about way too much stuff while shooting (aim, front sight, shoot while moving, reload now, etc). All that will develop over time, but for now keep it simple. Mastery of base skills will allow you to move on and work on more advanced skills. Think of a stage as a series of linked together base skills. If you are struggling with those base skills then everything else that you add in will be noise that further erodes your performance. At least that is what my fortune cookie said last night (got it from the restraunt next to the Holiday Inn Express that I stayed in). Good luck with your new sport and keep working.

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15 minutes ago, fastluck13 said:

On the first stage, it looks like you could have engaged the targets on the left while retreating and the ones on the right once you were on that side of the wall. Not sure if that was true or camera angle. If you could have, I would have done that and saved the retreat reload and transitions.

 

This was an option, but our whole squad decided that it wasn't worth it because it would mean having to run all the way up the right side. It'd probably also add a standing reload since there would be 5 targets plus the steel all from one position. 

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Think of that stage like this....

 

Draw to the first 8

Reload and RUN back to the spot you can engage the 8 on the left from

Reload and run to where you can either shoot all eight on the right or the first two targets and two from the front

Reload to the front and take steel, front paper, and the two remaining targets on the right. (7)

 

the transitions, retreat reloads, and footwork on the left side are a time trap. You took reloads backing up and those transitions to save 2-3 running steps on the right

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1 hour ago, fastluck13 said:

Think of that stage like this....

 

Draw to the first 8

Reload and RUN back to the spot you can engage the 8 on the left from

Reload and run to where you can either shoot all eight on the right or the first two targets and two from the front

Reload to the front and take steel, front paper, and the two remaining targets on the right. (7)

 

the transitions, retreat reloads, and footwork on the left side are a time trap. You took reloads backing up and those transitions to save 2-3 running steps on the right

 

I didn't think of breaking up the back right array (with the steel) and making it the same number of reloads but placed better. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey D.  Having shot that match on a different squad, I'll give you my insight.

Stage 1:  Your plan was solid.  The real key to that plan was taking long shots on the final 3 targets and steel.  The more experienced shooters didn't run down to engage the last array.  There is a certain level of both confidence and skill required for this, but it was the crux of the plan you used.  You made the smart decision by moving closer to the targets where you felt you could achieve acceptable hits at your speed, but fastluck13's idea may have worked better given your current capabilities.  As you build skills and gain confidence in them, your choices with stages like this one will change.

Stage 3 (classifier): No plan to consider here since it's the same for everyone.  Your speed looks right for a C class shooter.  For exercises like this, it's all about practice, practice, practice to gain speed.  Then practice more to gain accuracy.  One tip I can give is work on speed and accuracy separately.  More reps will result in better results here.

Stage 2: Your start looked pretty good.  The first reload could have happened much sooner.  You were 2 steps in before you got to your mag.  Hitting that reload as soon as you left the first position would have allowed you to keep moving around the corner toward the second array.  You were still getting your gun back up and ready so you paused at the corner.  You *DID* get moving again which is awesome.  For the third array, you basically stopped moving after your reload.  I know you were trying not to get anywhere near 180, but this wasn't really a 180 trap at all.  You could have kept moving and even turned the corner and stayed safe of the 180 (trust me...I did it).  The 3 low targets at the end can be hosed pretty much as fast as you can pull the trigger since you were right on top of them.  Your last transition was excellent!  You snapped to that last target with authority.

Stage 4:  This one was tricky because of the barrel start and all mags on the barrels.  It was not a good stage for Single Stack.  I think your plan made sense given your skill level.

Here are the things I see from these videos that I would have you work on:

Work on transitions between targets whether in the same array or separate arrays.  Many, many newer shooters work on their splits but ignore transitions.  You can shoot .40 splits with .40 transitions and be the SAME SPEED as .30 splits and .60 transitions.

Work on "changing gears" in practice.  Go faster when the targets are close/open and go slower when the shots are tight/far.

Be sure you see your sights.  Learn to call your shots instead of looking for hits.  Learning to call your shots is a process that takes time and practice and focus.  I have a couple drills you can use to start the learning process...we can chat next match.

I see one more thing for you to work on, and I see this because it's one of my weaknesses as well.  Movement/Footwork.  Everyone needs to work on it.  New shooters need to work on it earlier in their practice.  Movement through a field course while taking the most efficient path will save time.  I noticed that you were searching for the right position a few times.  As you're moving through a stage during your walkthrough, make mental note of what I call a "landmark" in the stage.  It could be the edge of a window, a target stand, a blank spot in the gravel, the shadows from stage barriers, or pretty much anything that can be used as a visual cue to tell you that you hit your position.  It helps to have these landmarks that tell you where your FEET should be in order for you to see all the targets you need to see in a particular position.

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