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Most effective way to train the weak-hand?


TDean

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What the h***'s wrong with my left hand/arm?

I can't seem to hit a soda can 10/10 times at 15yds!  Although I can with my right.......

I'm shooting a match this weekend that'll probably stress weak-hand.  So for me, weak-hand is the hot topic of study this week.

What drill(s) are recommended to develop my weak-hand skills?

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If I were a zen-type, I'd say that shooting with the weak hand is not different than any other shooting.  

I know that I would need lots of dry-fire and front-sight focus...then, I'd get my zen on.  ;)

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Quote: from benos on 3:52 pm on May 20, 2002

I feel, continuously monitoring your dry-fire/handling techniques for the presence of neutrality could be the most valuable, ongoing developmental exercise for the serious Practical Shooter.

Even after 20 years of training,  it's what I'd prefer if I only had 15 minutes to prepare before a match...

be

That'll make you think....

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Kyle said it best. Weak hand is just another shot. Grip, stance, sight, trigger, call shot. What has helped me is to not change my stance just drop the strong hand off, place it against chest for support and aim and shoot. It takes a lot of time to change your stance to "quarter" to the target and after a bit the recoil doesnt matter. I will say if you are shooting 10 shots in a 4 inch group at 15 yards you might benefit with rest between shots or weight lifting

PS Thats why its called weak hand its harder

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Flex,

I've been on this board, usually lurking, from the very beginning.  One of my first posts on the original board is on the main hate page (and it is still one of the things I hate).....

Anyhoo, I just wanted to say thanks for all the good things you do here to make sure guy's like me don't miss things, like that link you posted.  Otherwise I would have done what I normally do, click through, briefly look around and then sign off.

So, thanks Flex.  :)

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Paul,

Thanks.  And, no problem.  I benefit from being here when the old board went down.  At the time, I was trying to read all the post on that board (there weren't that many, comparatively).  When this new board came online I thought it would be a good idea to try to read every post...and stay current.  

I post and link for selfish reasons...it helps me to learn.  I often don't know what I am talking about though.  Anything that I might say (that makes sense) likely is just me parroting somebody who actually knows something.

With that in mind...I did a search for your post one night (a few months back, after reading some of your post on another forum).  Read them all straight thru.  I, for one, would appreciate it if you would share more of your insight...more often.

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TDean,

At yesterdays practice session I shot 100 rounds of weak hand Bill Drills.  I did a draw, then transer to the weak hand.  It was great, I feel more confident and comfortable with my weak hand shooting.  I want to try to do this at least once a week because weak hand is one of my two main weaknesses.  You might want to try Vice Presidente's weak hand too.

Also, I find that I do best weak hand when I try to just see the front sight and shoot to it's pace...it's hard to explain but it allows me to make weak hand shooting a purely visual process as opposed to a disjointed process of thinking "okay, the front sight is there, now pull the trigger".  I know this has been said before, but I wanted to restate it because it seems to be especially vital (for me at least) when shooting weak hand.

Hope this helps.

Bill

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Here's what I used the other day:  Staple a 9" paper plate on the IPSC target.  This gives great contrast for the iron sights.  Shoot three weak hand Bill Drills at 10 yards keeping your group as tight and close to center as possible.  Use a slow to moderate pace.  Repeat at 15 and 20 yards using the same shooting pace and the same plate.  Count only the rounds that missed the plate.  Work to zero misses.

Good luck.  

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Travis is right on.   When I started shooting weak hand shooting was weak!   Now I shooting groups with my strong and weak hand at 25 yds.    I shoot at  a white square 1.5x1.5 or so.    I shoot 5 or 6 shots trying to group my shot just like I would do when I sight my gun.

I watch the follow through the way the gun recoils.   And I pay attention to how much I have to shadow the target at different distances with the hand Iam shooting with.

I also practice shooting with a no-shoot  on the left side and on the right side or on both sides of the target at different distances out to 25 yds.   To get comforable with the front side on that side with a no-shoot and relax when I fire the shot just like when grouping your shots.  

All the fundentalmental apply.  

I would not recommend shooting Bill drill only although their are times when do have to shot weak at very close targets.    But with some practice at longer distances shooting close seem easy.     Hope this helps.

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Good drill ideas guys.

The ability to shoot 6 shots into the "A" zone at seven yards weakhand is definately a needed skill, but I'm wanting to go beyond that.

I'd like to put those 6 shots in the head at seven yds in 5 seconds,....consistantly.

Travis, I appreciate the concept.

I think you nailed it. I'm getting a snap sight picture and pulling (not pressing) the trigger.  

Just so we're on the same page, by follow through you mean keep pressing the trigger untill the front sight lifts out of the rear sight notch, while not worrying about the recoil?

What's your definition of follow through?

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When I first decided to improve my weak handed shooting I did all the drills that have been mentioned. And although I improved over my previous baseline, I never got as good as I wanted to.

What I did was to start shooting matches completely left handed ( my weaker hand). I bought a left handed holster, moved my mag pouches around to the other side, and shot left handed using two hands. Not all the time but at least once a month. Also when I attend classes as a student I always shoot left handed. The result, after a while, was the left handed thing no longer felt as odd, it felt natural. I came to realize that it required the same basic skills and nothing magical. Then when I practiced various weak handed only drills, I felt much more comfortable, and was able to improve dramaticially.

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Wow Bob H.

That is a Great idea, shooting an IPSC course weak-hand only.

Talk about putting your EGO away...

Shooting an IPSC match "wrong handed." ---LOL---

Reminds me of John Waynes line in his last move

"The Shootist".

Travis,  

Great advice as always.

Food for though from one who is hungery...

Don't take life so seriously

after all, it is only temporary.

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Sorry to break up the discussion, but is Travis T on this board the car detailer, the rolex to my casio, the Porshce to my Yugo, the Merlot to my Boone's Farm?  If so then you'll know who this is.  If not, then disregard.  If this is Travis, I need you to email me today at gmshtr@aol.com   regarding the World Shoot.   You're email address was listed as private.  Thanks

Phil Strader - the Rodney Dangerfield of USPSA

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In addition to all the excellent posts thus far, I had an enlightenment experience while practicing for the Bianchi Cup one year, which was precipitated by some words from the The Greatest Ever - Arnt Myhre. I'd just shot a particularly poor weak hand string on The Practical. I looked over at Arnt who was standing on the sideline, and said, I suck weak hand. "It looks like you're shooting the gun with your whole hand instead of just moving your trigger finger," was his reply. Well, low and behold, he was right. So, on the next run I consciously shifted 95% of my attention to just monitoring the "feeling" in my week hand AS I WAS SHOOTING. I tore out the X-ring, and continued to do so as long as I didn't take my "weak hand for granted."

Upon reflection, probably the reason we tend to pick and snatch the trigger when shooting weak hand is because the position is so unfamiliar and unstable. But almost always, the shot difficulty factor is not that high weak hand. So if we can just get over worrying about "the aiming" and focus on not doing anything extra to the gun, the shots will land as intended. I hate shooting weak handed, so I seldom practice it. (Against my own advice, I know :)

If you really want to be proficient shooting weak handed, shoot Bianchi Plates at 15 yds until you can regularly shoot them all down with 6 shots, confidently, everytime, in about 7 to 9 seconds.

be

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It's comforting to know that the best in the game have struggled and have overcome the weak-hand dilema.

Just knowing that I'm in good company (although years behind) will increase my confidence.

Thanks.

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I've been doing a drill lately that has helped a bit.  I load three mags and place a target at ten feet to start.  Then I draw and shoot six rounds free-style, drop the mag and reload, shoot six right hand only, reload, shoot six left hand only.

I move the target back five feet each string until accuracy starts to fall off.  

The thing this drill has helped me with is focusing on the follow-through, trigger press and most of all, staying loose.

I never really noticed the difference in tension levels until I shot six rounds from each hand, back to back.  Free-style and right hand my elbow pretty much looked the same, left hand...., I was locking the elbow out and choking the life out of the grip.

Lots of other things came out but, I guess thats the point....

ps- Flex, thanks for the props.

(Edited by Paul Sharp at 8:33 am on May 23, 2002)

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