"Arms naturally by sides"

[johnny7]

Nice looking run and the arms looked fine to me.

JM

[bill o]

I don't mind you blacking out my face... But the Pig, come on that's just mean.

Ha, I knew that was you right away.

[Steven Cline]

OK, I'll be THAT guy.

Take a picture of shooters when they are just standing there watching another shooter with arms at their side... it probably won't look like this.

Just because we won't admit it doesn't change the truth.

Frankly, it's insulting to my intelligence to watch a shooter stand there with legs pretty much straight, arms equally centered at their sides and elbows mostly straight look me right in the face and say, "this is natural" when they pose for the start with bent elbows, left arm towards the front of their body and knees with a noticable bend.

[Supermoto]

My natural stance is with at least one finger up my nose, so this is as natural as it gets when I have to shoot with both hands

[BillD]

That is my normal stance. Arms naturally at sides places my hands in front.

I consciously have to straighten my arms to get my fingers to touch the seams of my pants-kind of like Attention in the military.

There should be nothing wrong with bent arms as long as it is natural.

I suspect most people who spent a lifetime of lifting weights would probably see that as a natural stance.

Shootingchef

Do you mean if my thumb touches the bottom of my holster, you would not start me? I can see not starting me if my hand or fingers are on a mag, but I have seen a lot of shooters index their strong hand by having their thumbs touching the holster.

my thumb touches the barrel of my gun, my weak hand is truly relaxed at my side. It's hard to describe, but cup your weak hand as if your going to grab something, cock your elbow, bringing your hand up to waist high and that is what I am talking about.

Illegal start position. You can't touch your gun until the buzzer sounds.

[BillD]

OK, I'll be THAT guy.

Take a picture of shooters when they are just standing there watching another shooter with arms at their side... it probably won't look like this.

Just because we won't admit it doesn't change the truth.

Frankly, it's insulting to my intelligence to watch a shooter stand there with legs pretty much straight, arms equally centered at their sides and elbows mostly straight look me right in the face and say, "this is natural" when they pose for the start with bent elbows, left arm towards the front of their body and knees with a noticable bend.

I agree. We accept it, everyone says, yeah, that's fine. But, it's not natural.

[latech15]

That is my normal stance. Arms naturally at sides places my hands in front.

I consciously have to straighten my arms to get my fingers to touch the seams of my pants-kind of like Attention in the military.

There should be nothing wrong with bent arms as long as it is natural.

I suspect most people who spent a lifetime of lifting weights would probably see that as a natural stance.

Shootingchef

Do you mean if my thumb touches the bottom of my holster, you would not start me? I can see not starting me if my hand or fingers are on a mag, but I have seen a lot of shooters index their strong hand by having their thumbs touching the holster.

my thumb touches the barrel of my gun, my weak hand is truly relaxed at my side. It's hard to describe, but cup your weak hand as if your going to grab something, cock your elbow, bringing your hand up to waist high and that is what I am talking about.

Illegal start position. You can't touch your gun until the buzzer sounds.

Then I can't assume a "hands naturally at sides position". With my hands naturally at sides, my forearm touches the grip of my gun and my thumb rests on the comp.

Either you are are going to have to let me assume an un natural position (holding my arm uncomfortably out away from my body) or you are going to have to let me touch the gun. I have been shooting USPSA for three years going to at least 5 major matches every year and I have always assumed the aforementioned start position and not a single RO has ever said anything.

[BillD]

The rule book is pretty clear. You can't touch your gun before the start signal. Just because you got away with it doesn't mean it's not illegal.

I'm not the rules guy, if your natural stance is touching your gun, I'd contact Amidon, see if he agrees.

[Supermoto]

The rule book is pretty clear. You can't touch your gun before the start signal. Just because you got away with it doesn't mean it's not illegal.

I'm not the rules guy, if your natural stance is touching your gun, I'd contact Amidon, see if he agrees.

8.2.3 A course of fire must never require or allow a competitor to touch or

hold a handgun, loading device or ammunition after the “Standby”

command and before the “Start Signal” (except for unavoidable touching

with the lower arms).

[Jim Norman]

I think I may be right on this. you are allowed to have your arm or other part of your extremities resting against your gun, you cannot have your hand on the grip or in such a manner, assuming the 'hands naturally at sides start, as to only require a faction of an inch movement to grip the gun.

For example, a table start, shooter standing at the table with handgun placed on X, (Loaded or unloaded, not important here)many will hover just about ready to grab their gun. Once you deviate from the 'standard' start position, you have to spell out EVERYTHING. Hou want them to stand behid the table hands naturally at sides, you have to spell it out.

Standard starts are defined in the rules, all others are by the WSB. Deviate at your own peril.

And please do, it is a lot more fun! My favorite start position is shooter starts in FFZ, on start signal engage targets to score...

People are tripping over each other trying to figure the best place to start.