Lethargy and slow movement

[Resjudicata]

I've been feeling very lethargic and just can't make myself drive out of positions or really drive the gun in transitions. I've been working on accuracy shooting lately and for the most part improving. However, it feels like I'm just too captivated with the sights and not really moving myself and the gun when I'm not pulling the trigger so that I can get to shooting the next shot.

Any suggestions on things/drills to work on transitions and movement again? I actually used to move faster and have quicker transitions. But, then again I also usually didn't have as many points when done with the stage. I can tell that I'm just not reacting to the end of the previous shot and pushing to get to the next shot.

Chris

[38supPat]

Scroll to the bottom of this:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=5

I posted it yesterday and you might find it useful for transition training.

[Bigpops]

Nice post Pat. Somehow I missed that one.

I too suffer from what I call a "cadence". Long shots will get the same split and transition times that the previous close shots got...and vice versa. For some reason my old brain just adapts to the rythmn unless I make a point to drive the gun.

The whole vision concept is what we need to accept. If its there...let her rip.

[38supPat]

I really noticed this when I was doing one of TGO's Drillmaster drills this week. It was set at 15 yds and my first couple of runs were high points but very slow times, about 3 seconds slower than Rob. I noticed I was not driving the gun, once I made a note of that my draws, reloads and splits all decreased dramatically to where I was only about a second slower. With the Box stock Kimber and 190 PF loads I was using, I was pretty happy with this!

[Bigpops]

I recently made the switch to Open (the eyes have it ) In speeding up my transitions I find that it seems easier since I am not aligning the sights on target but rather I am now super-imposing the dot over the target.

Now the question.....do you stop, or hold, for each shot before you transition? For instance, on a plate rack...would you smoothly "flow" through the rack, pressing the trigger as you see what you need to see? Or do you have a ratchet effect...stopping at each plate?

With the above answer...how would you apply this to several close paper targets in regards to speeding up transitions and shots?

Does this make sense?

[38supPat]

Well now there's the $25,000 question!...lol

If you are asking should you just sweep the sights over the targets and pull the trigger? No. you might get some screaming good runs if everything works out, but more than likely you will just miss everything. You definitely want to stop the sights on the target, though 'pause' might be the better term. Simply put see what you need to see, nothing more, nothing less. If you intend to see the sights to fully stop on each plate, you will likely be slow. If you sweep you will be fast but miss. You need to find out how much you need to see to get hit without wasting time. In reality you will need to see the sights on the target and stay there while you fire the shot, but the gun may not actually stop moving. The same goes for paper, even on extremely close targets I like to see my dot stop on the target. It makes sure you pause the gun long enough to get two good hits instead of what we commonly see where a lot of D's and Mikes show up because the shooter was already moving the gun to the next target before firing the second shot, or an early shot.

It's probably the hardest question to answer, how do you get the gun to the target and fire with the least amount of delay, stay on the target only long enough to ensure a good hit, then leave without wasting time? And it all depends on the difficulty of the shot required!

[Bigpops]

Thanks again Pat. At least you understood what I was trying to ask. You pretty much clarified what I knew to be true...I was just looking for a shortcut! It all boils down to more quality trigger time.

Res - I did not mean to hijack your thread. I hope this exchange of information answered some questions for you also.

Edited March 15, 2010 by Bigpops

[38supPat]

The one thing I can add is if you want to learn something specific, work on it specifically. What I mean by this is most shooters will shoot a string of fire, say El Pres, they will look at the timer and the score then repeat it. Look instead to break down the specific skills that you need to complete the string. If you want to work on the draw, you practice the draw, to improve your reload you practice your reloads, but what do you do to improve transitions? One way is what I posted in the other thread, but you will want to think of other ways to break down the specifics of the technique.

[Resjudicata]

Thanks again Pat. At least you understood what I was trying to ask. You pretty much clarified what I knew to be true...I was just looking for a shortcut! It all boils down to more quality trigger time.

Res - I did not mean to hijack your thread. I hope this exchange of information answered some questions for you also.

No problem. I think, ultimately, your answer is also my answer. I just need more trigger time than I am getting. I used to shoot more and I think watching for the sights to lift and driving the gun hard to the next target as soon as the sights lift is just too perishable for me to go very long without working on it. And, I think for me, I need to shoot more complete stages to force me to put things together more often.

Of course, maybe I need to lose some weight as well so I can move a little better.

Chris

[Resjudicata]

Scroll to the bottom of this:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=5

I posted it yesterday and you might find it useful for transition training.

Pat,

I think your other post actually does hit on my problem. Recently I took up NRA Action Pistol shooting at my local club with the intent of shooting the Cup this year. Because my accuracy, especially at distance, was not up to the standards of the Cup I have been working on that almost completely. Now, I'm having trouble not trying to focus completely on the sights and getting good front sight focus and alignment even when it isn't needed. Also, I haven't really been working on getting into and out of position in USPSA shooting like I normally would. I think I'm trying to pay too much attention to the sights and shots to the detriment of everything else.

Thanks for the responses. This gives me some things to think about.

Chris

[shooterbenedetto]

A lesson from one of the super GM goes a long way.

Burkett, Bragg,Grauffel,TJ, Travis+Michel to name a few.

Just a suggestion. From there, its up to you to

practice,practice,practice. You wont regret it.

Edited March 16, 2010 by shooterbenedetto

[Jake Di Vita]

Lethargy sounds like a much deeper problem than shooting related....

[benos]

Now the question.....do you stop, or hold, for each shot before you transition? For instance, on a plate rack...would you smoothly "flow" through the rack, pressing the trigger as you see what you need to see? Or do you have a ratchet effect...stopping at each plate?

No matter how big or close the targets are, you'll consistently shoot better if you train yourself to always stop the gun on the middle of each target before firing.

Train yourself to do everything with precise, deliberate movements - which will look smooth to the onlooker because in the shooter there's no doubt.

Keep your eyes moving.

be

[Bigpops]

Thanks Brian.