Mr Unnatural

Hi It's been a while since I posted in my tread here. I would like to thank you for your interest and suggestions in this thread. The good news, I solved all of the problems, obstacles! I have solved the problems I had with setting up the research and how to analyze and present the results and give feedback to the shooter about his performance. The solution for the data collection is solved by the new CED timer ,as announced by Charles Hardy on personal Armament podcast (ability to download to a pc, to be released in 2011). Note imagine they include the spy mode of the CED 7000 and you can spy on your squad buddies or even the super squad and analyze and compare there results to yours. As a source for the data one could organize a postal match on the forum. This way all forum members could contribute and receive an analysis. This would give the needed match performance. It could be easier but less relevant if training stages are used and shooters hand in there training results. For relevant stage design one would have to analyze USPSA match design and note what all the elements. This could be used to determine how often certain positions are needed in a match and at what distance targets are to be expected. For example what distances are targets at from a prone position. If you know how often prone positions occur in a match and you what the typical distances and targets are you can compare this ‘skill’ to other skill’s. Since all matches are sanctioned by USPSA or IPSC the organization there has be some kind of library with stage designs. One could distinct between the level of sanctioned matches. It could be that level 3/4 matches ask different skills to be more developed then in level 1 matches. With the information in the database you can compare you’re performance to your peers that are ranked similarly or with a GM. Only this way you can find out what training priority a certain skill has for you. It makes no sense to develop your skills unevenly or not according to the skills needed in matches. I have made some test stages analysis and these work, one can clearly see where to focus on in training to get a better result in match scoring. You still have to figure out how to train certain skills for yourself off course. The easiest way to start this would be to select a number of short stages (eg the ones on Jake DiVita’s website) make sure that the stages are similar to match stage design (just as hard). Then start to write down your own score and times (including splits) and the ones for your training partners and start comparing them. PM for a simple excel example. The bad news, I don't have the resources for this project to make this available for every one (time and money). So I will put the project on hold or if someone would like to make this his project feel free to send a PM and I will try to help you. I will use it for personal purpose and compare and analyze my skill level with my training partners. This will be sufficient for me in the next two years. Kind regards, Rick

Hi Brian I want to thank you for the super quick orderprocessing and fast shipping to europe. The maku mozo T-shirts are great kind regards, Rick Janssen

Finally I have found some time for continuing this post. I've been busy finishing a book I'm writing (Implementing Performance Based Real Estate Mainanance Concepts, it's now being edited) and finishing a Master thesis. I have allmost finished the research set-up. The bad news is this going to be time consuming project because of the data collection. I will need detailled info on the stages, score per target and time (splits also). Only then I will be able to produce something that will make sence and is of value to the shooting community. Are club will host a match in november and I plan to test my project on one stage (the match is a week after the a.t.a. (birth) of our second son, if all goes well I can be at the match). I will ask the RO for coorperation as I will need his help for the scorring. For time I plan to use a ced7000 in silent mode to record the shooters. I will have write down all splits in excel or something and match this with the shooters score. I plan to divide the stages into short sections eg: from last shot (T2) box b to first shot (T3) box c (transition time). I will be making more sections on each stage. I can also make section last shot box b to last shot (T5) this would give transition time and target acquisition time..... For a larger scale data collection I want a timer that I can hook up to a computer. The more matches are analysed the more 'evidence based' the outcome will be. I don't know if it's easy to couple the time data to the scoring data, I have no recent experience with scoring software used at matches. The results the results will give you a 'hitfactor' for each stage section see above. These hitfactors will be coupled to the class the shooter is ranked. This will give an average hitfactor per class on a section. The more data there will be on different stages and shooters (let's go international) we will know the standard deviation on this hitfactor. To give everybody an idea of the things we could find out: 1. we will know what technical skills are needed in matches, the more match stages are analysed the better we will know how often eg a prone position is needed and in range the distance to the targets will be. (Depending on the data this could be further specified to the level of the match eg level 3 versus level 2 matches) 2. You would be able after measuring your match results to compare them to the results of shooters in your class and find out your strong and weakpoints. 3. Because of the knowledge of the frequency of certain skills needed (1) we could establish a training priority for practice. 4. we will find out what skills set the GM's apart from us mere mortals. 5 this could be the basis for a objective ranking system because it's on actual match performance not on classifiers you can train yourself on. 6 better insight in the scoring game of IPSC, improved stage strategy 7 if there are any breakthrough skills that are 'needed' to reach a certain level of performance. 8 and a lot more. I have a draft of the research set up in VUE. http://vue.tufts.edu/index.cfm this is: The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) is an Open Source project based at Tufts University. The VUE project is focused on creating flexible tools for managing and integrating digital resources in support of teaching, learning and research. VUE provides a flexible visual environment for structuring, presenting, and sharing digital information. PM me for the draft in vue (i will clean it up first) and feel free to comment or ad your two cents. I will attache a pdf version of it. It contains my visual map for understanding practical shooting. I did not think of all this I merely connected some dots and I have not credited all my sources because I made this for private use only. Thinking out this idea has given me a greater understanding of what it takes to perform well in match conditions. I will complete the research set-up and will share it here but I do not plan to do all of the research (data collection). kind regards, Rick “ It is hard to explore what happens when people behave with a purpose without becoming curious, even concerned, about how well or how badly the outcome serves the purpose.” T.C. Shelling, 1978:19 Practical shooting research.pdf

Graham Intended or not but your comment underlines the benefit/importance of this knowledge. What you are referring to is the so called 'theory of constraints' (I recommend reading The Goal by E. Goldratt), this theory states that your performance/progression is hinderded by constraints. In other words when you are not able to hit a target at a normal pace, don't bother training e.g. speed shoots. By knowing what skills at your level are considered constraints you what to focus on first to develop a foundation to progres on without hitting 'a plateau' become dissapointed and stop participating in the sport. As a comparison I will ad this example from the golf. Most people that start playing golf spend hours on the driving range hitting balls and trying desperately to hit it further then last week. Even if they succeed in hitting long distances their scores will not improve much. Being able to hit over 250 yards with a driver as a beginner will not improve your score by much. This is because most starting golfers need about 120-130 strokes to compleet a course (72 strokes) 40 to 50 strokes at this level is putting. 80% of all golf shots are within 100 yards of the green. If you want to improve spend time on improving your shortgame skills and putting. Hitting it straight and consistent is the only goal when teeing off as a beginner (eg hitting the target in the a-zone). Most beginners overrate their skills, when they hit a ball in the rough (spelling??) they still think they can hit is straight to the target, because a few months ago this miracle shot was a succes. What happens is they hit it even further in the rough costing several strokes over playing it save to the fairway or taking a penalty shot. For beginners it is important to get a good sence on what skills are important to get a better result at matches and what level their skill rate is at this moment to train effectively. Rick

Hi rlv65 I think this would be a great starting point. Either it will produce the insight we're looking for or it will give us the information needed to develop the project further. The splits are necessary I think (I concluede that if we know all splits and the layout we would know the transitions as well), I (may not be correct but) think that transitions are crucial to determin what sets the masters apart from the mere mortals among us. It is important to know/compare how different shooters asses the necessary trade-off between speed, precision and 'safe scoring'/safety. I think that good shooters asses thes trade-offs differntly by experience, ability and confidence in their skill. While analysing the data I would like to make a selection of experienced match schooters (someone who's shooting there first matches is greatly (hypothesis) influenced by match stress). Rlv65 I assume you have acces to this data? Cheap and easy way for collecting data is to try to find a university to help 'study' this subject and involve them in the research and data collection. I'm not familiar with rules and guidelines of RO, maybe it's possible to equip every RO with to timers and alternate between them so that 'this student' notes the readouts 'splits' of the shooter after official scoring by the RO. I'll work on a research mindmap (in the next weeks) and post try to get is posted here so everyone can contribute to the development of it. Rick

Hi rlv65 I have found the post http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=86718 (this big picture 'implies' that matches are won between targets and not on the target). Pat has a good point in his post, using his insight I have come up with the following list/approach. At this point I see 3 options for determining (data collection) what is important. 1 measuring real match stages 2 measuring a 'postal match' 3 measuring predefined drills This would be my preference since we measure what matters at a match, under match conditions. Things to measure: match level shooter level class major/minor score on each target splits between shots penalties total time stage layout ... For my job I use software to determin what 'aspect' matter en what 'aspects' don't. I would be able to analyse large databases of match information to discover 'evidience' of the importance of certain skills. My profesional experience in analysing maintenance data teaches me that most assumptions on the effectiveness of maintenanc are wrong and that only with a proper quantitative analasys of data we can make a sound qualitatively analasys. Maybe the data that is needed is allready collected some time ago for another purpose. Lack of data and lack of a sound plan are the main obstacles to test this concept. GrumpyOne is right, if data collection is needed there is a lot of 'legwork' needs to be done. Rick

I want to contribute to the development of more effective ways of deciding what skill to develop for IPSC. There are already lots of great posts about this subject but I want to add my 2 cents. I would like to combine some of the already great ideas of the people on the forum and others in our sports to develop a more evidence based approach of how to decide what skills need training to do better in matches (not standards). My idea started with the 'skill assessment worksheet' as presented by saul kirsch and discussed on the forum http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=56824&hl=sheet This worksheet lets you make the assumption of what is the importance of a certain skill and how to grade yourself. Since assumption is the mother of all ****ups, this is not a good thing. The prioritizing function of the worksheet is ok I think (I do not want to start a discussion on HOW to train certain skills). In golf players are scored with a handicap rating. Since golf is a big sport (money and number of players) it's not surprising that they have collected lots of data on the game and what sets the good players apart from the average players. Dave Pelz is one of the people who has collected lots of data and discovered that a lot of assumptions were not correct (e.g. the discovery of the 'bra pattern', the shortage bible). By collecting data they were able to look for evidence for what sklls a player needs to reach a certain handicap level. The most important statistics are the number of GIR (greens in regulation), FIR (fairway in regulation), sandsaves, driving distance, number of putts up and downs etcetera. these statistics are comparable to the skills used in the worksheet. If we could start measuring a standard set of skill (tests/exercises) and brake them up in meaningful parts (not only the total time but also or only the relevant split times). If we could put the results of all shooters in a database we could analyze what skills are needed to win matches (winners that perform 'bad' on certain skills but still win matches are indicators for the 'real' importance of this skill). Not only could we determine what skill are important but also at what level they need to be. If we could collect enough data we could compare shooters within the same class and compare individual skill levels for tips on what skills need the most improvement. The blog of Jake DiVita has tons of great small skill tests which could be used as does Sauls book on training. The drills on the blog of Jake are challenging and seem to be more comparable to what one could expect in a match situation. I think we could use the concept used for golf for our sport. For a insightful explanation on the Suunto website you can download the manual of the golfwatch G6 with the appropriate tittle "how not to rely on luck when lowering your handicap". This will give you a better understanding of the concept. http://suunto.com/en/Products/Outdoor_Sports_Instruments/Suunto-G61/Suunto-G6-Pro/#Manuals This explains the concept and importance for golfstatistics very well. This concept is also used in the following apps, for golf there are two nice apps that put it all together golfshot en golfplan by shootzoom. This gives a good indication of how a feature app for us coiled look like and what kind of benefits are waiting. I would like to get some comment to further develop this concept or comment that this is to complex/time consuming to research. I hope to get some input to further develop the idea and keep it simple and realistic, so that it could be developed opens source for or by the community at low cost. Rick PS I hope this is the correct category for this posting.

Hi Hugh interesting stuff, I have known the concept for some years, thanks for refreshing my mind on this subject. For those who are interested in reading more look on www.avaxhome.ws for ebooks on motor learning, there are lots of them. You can get an idea of the book and then buy them offcourse. regards Rick

Hi Bill I have this book: Transforming Stress: The HeartMath Solution For Relieving Worry, Fatigue, And Tension by Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman, Ph.D. STRESS-It's the quintessential buzz word of modern life. It hangs on everyone's lips from the first miles of the morning commute until the screeching alarm clock starts yet another day. Countless articles and studies tell the same story: lives controlled by unmanaged stress end early and none too well. This book describes a simple, straightforward method readers can learn and practice to literally transform stress by shifting the heart's own rhythms. At the core of the HeartMath method of emotional regulation is the idea that, by focusing on positive feelings such as appreciation, care, or compassion, anyone can create dramatic changes in his or her heart rhythms. These changes precipitate a series of neural, hormonal, and biochemical events that dissipate stress and anger and lead to greater well-being. The benefits from using this system are remarkable and far-reaching: blood pressure drops, stress hormone levels fall, immune system activity increases, and anti-aging hormone levels rise. Through its interactive learning system, this book teaches readers to use the HeartMath method, enabling them to see and experience in real time how thoughts and emotions affect their heart rhythms. It teaches them how to engage their hearts to bring emotion, body, and mind into balance, and helps them stay in a zone of focused clarity, optimal health, and high performance. Changes brought about through this method are fast-acting and long-lasting-the perfect antidote to our chaotic and fast-paced lives. Product Details * Paperback: 150 pages * Publisher: New Harbinger Publications * ISBN: 157224397X I found it helpfull it explaines the techniiques you can use and the science behind the theory. I also use the freeze framer software (seeing is believing) and I have a Managing Emotions: Golf's Next Frontier Booklet Based on research by Doc Childre and the Institute of HeartMath If you are a passionate golfer, you can appreciate the pleasurable emotional state associated with playing at the peak of your game. You also understand how emotional blowups or meltdowns can quickly override and undo the results of countless hours of practice. A new, illustrated, 60-page book explains how you can achieve and maintain optimal emotional states for extended periods of time-even in the heat of intense competition. You'll learn HeartMath's Quick Coherence? technique for emotional balance and high performance in golf. It's easily integrated into practice routines, just like chipping, putting, ball striking, etc., and will help you maintain your energy, avoid errors due to emotional judgments and inner turbulence, shoot lower scores, and stay at peak longer. If you want to learn more I sugest the book and reading the heartmath site and maybe there is a clinic at a local golfcourse you can attend. After reading the book and maybe attending a demonstration you can choose if you want to use software or anything else. Regards, Rick

Hi Jake I agree just trying to get in to the zone is not going to help you, well it did not help me. Knowing how you can prepare yourself in an optimal way, will get you there more often. Even then it is worth it. I was sceptical too. I get in the zone more often and it gets easier over time. I have a technical background and the strenght of this concept is that you can see the feedback on the screen and correlate this to your state of mind. This what convinced me that it is possible to influence your state of mind in a positive way that improves your performance. It's not voodoo or hypnosis. Rick

yes, this is the fascinating different sports were your achievements depends on your mind set. My golf improvement is several strokes. Best improvement is in putting en hitting my driver, which I was afraid of because of bad previous performance. Especially the putting when it really counts in the last few holes. Your correct that normal play isn't much affected by this. It's not just about a pounding heart its more about the rhytm it's pounding in. You can perform action a 1 mile running away from a group of angry people wanting to beat you up. or you can run a 1 mile because you want to for your workout. I think your stress levels are different. maybe not the best argument, I hope you get what I'm trying to tell. Rick

I like this part in the forum. I like sports where after managing the fundamentals it's all about the mind and stuff. This is why I like IPSC, golf and rockclimbing. The Zone for me is a kind flow where evrything is kinda slowed down and I perform at my best. Biggest problem is/was how to get in to this state of mind. Some time back I found out and want to share this in our great community at the BE forum. The techniques I use are from www.heartmath.com. I got to know it through golfclinic but use in all sports and in my job. It's a breathing related technique that helpes you get in to the zone. The big advantage is you can measure this, and this means you can train it and get better and faster in it. You can use a measuring device to see what you are doing at the computer. There is also a portable version of it you can take tot the range. it was in a recent article in golfdigest http://www.golfdigest.com/features/index.s...00705heart.html For a more full understanding check out the heartmath site. I'm not that great in explaining these things in english. regards, Rick

Hi Benny Does this imply that as you progress the heavy weight on the front side is going to limit my transition speed? can this be corrected by changing the balance of the gun eg tungsten magwell? In the end does the added lenghth give me an advantage? I thought that recoil was more related to slideweight and the resistance of the spring. Offcourse half an inch add's weight but this is compensated by milling away some metal on the slide, is it not? Rick Does a 6 inch barrel fit the box? The gunsmith at HPS states that this gun "just" fits the box. Rick

I was wondering if the following gun configuration in an advantage in shooting or just fancy? http://www.hps-guns.de/HPS_Detail/HPS_Limited_LS.htm is this half inch worth the trouble, it is 100 euro extra. The hammer looks kind of unpractical for dry training. Rick

Thanks for the info I’m impressed and at the time it takes to get some helpful reply’s. I used to have a Tanfoglio sold it because my results with my tuned Norinco were always better in speed and accuracy. (At our range we only used single stack friendly stages because everybody shoots 1911 in .45. I was active at my fathers club, they co founded the dutch NPSA, most of them are 60 plus, no offense). This is where my choice for 1911 comes from. I was looking for an STI edge or comparable. I do see the advantages in shooting production. I was planning not only to shoot ipsc but also some other types of matches under limited time pressure comparable to ppc. But this would force to battle two types of triggerpull. I will have to try/test production type guns for my self before stating a definite NO to this division. On reloading the cheapest .40 “bulletheads” are 78 euro K that is about 78*1.33 = 104 dollar. Maybe some European shooters can help with reloading costs on .40. Since this is the bottleneck in deciding which division and what gun. Regards, Rick

I'm planning to get started in IPSC this fall ammo prices are the main expense in my budget. Only 9mm is cheap when reloading or buying factory ammo. reloading .40 is much more expensive. 9mm is about 8 euro cents and .40 about 17 eurocents (the Netherlands). I prefer 1911 style pistols and sa trigger. Production is not my prefered division. Question 1 What should I do? 1 starting with a 9mm hi cap. and when I reach my limits buy a .40 top end for matches. 2 start with a .40 hi cap and suffer the financial consequences. I can be competive but where lies the breaking point? How soon do you get there. Question 2 How to be competive with a 9mm in standard? I know the following When the hit factor is low, the stage is “point heavy” which means you should slow down a little and really go for all A’s. When the hit factor is very high – speed carries more importance. How much is “very high” – depends mostly on your individual shooting level. Speed is economy of movement On some stages targets or partly coverd by No-shoots that reduce the a zone considerably. My accauracy is ok so are other shooting skills. All feedback is welcome. greetings Rick

The NPSA drill is a conversion of the cooper army drill. It was copied by Arnold Korvers (one of the founders of the NPSA) from Jeff Cooper when they met at a match in Brussels (Belgium) in the seventies I think. They used the drill as a classifier then. I don't know these days because I'm not a NPSA member yet. You can PM me for the NPSA drill. For the origenel test with classic targets I have to check my fathers "exam diploma" greetings, Rick