Any suggestions appreciated

[love2shoot]

I just started USPSA in Feb, and am currently classed a high D. This match was not shot at my normal club, and we are still waiting for results from 4/22 but I decided to have a fellow shooter video it for me. So have at it, and constructive criticism and suggestions welcome.

Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=love2shootxdm&oq=love2shootxdm&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=youtube.3...1922.6531.0.6743.13.13.0.2.2.0.188.897.9j2.11.0.

Stage 3- started to engage wrong array from box C...oops

The floor was rather slick at this club, so if it looks like my feet are sliding, they are.

[a matt]

If yor hits are mostly A's. Try to hold the gun up during reloads and be explosive leaving from one area to another. I know it's hard on slick floors. You are keeping is smooth thats good. Those are the areas I'm working on also. And always front sight, press. I'm sure someone will see more than I have and add to this. Keep it fun, fast and safe. Good luck!

[Koppi]

I think the thread Fast C or Slower A's says it all.

[love2shoot]

Thanks for taking the time to comment Koppi, however that thread really doesn't say it all since it doesn't help point out what I could be doing better, or how I could be doing something better, or pointing out things I may not be noticing myself. I wasn't so much concerned about my speed of shooting, I was intentionally slower at this match than I could be. I have consistently beat all the other production shooters in the matches I have attended, the only exceptions being a B class shooter, and a C shooter with more experience. My goal is to get better and climb the ladder, just need some help to do it.

[love2shoot]

Thanks a matt

I agree I need to be faster to get moving, and I'm trying to work on it...just having some trouble figuring out how to go about it and be consistent.

[love2shoot]

Wow, I thought for sure you would all have a long list of things you see to improve on.

[a matt]

Do a search for author Pat Harrison he explains where the time savings is really at. It's not how fast we can pull the trigger, it's how fast we can get to the next position. Right now I am just focusing on the fundamentals. Making sure I see what I need to see before I break the shot. Running and reacting quick. Keeping the gun up in my face. I'm not the best at telling people what they need to. I kinda tell u what they tell me. They tell me at the beginning of our practis.. Slow down and see what I need to see before the shot breaks. u can't shoot D's fast enough to win. Post some vids of you outside and maybe someone with more experience will chim in....

Edited May 4, 2012 by a matt

[lumpygravy]

It's not how fast we can pull the trigger, it's how fast we can get to the next position.

+1 to the above

It may sound abstract, but it really is true for most everyone: Make every effort to minimise time when you're not actually pulling the trigger. This means everything from reacting to the buzzer, the draw stroke, target acquisition, target transitions, reloads and moving to the next firing position.

If you're getting good points (and that's an absolute necessity for Production), then keep shooting good points.

From the four stages you posted, the first suggestions I would make are to get your reload done quickly and then MOVE to the next position. The reload (ideally) should be completed within a step, two at most, of leaving one firing position. Lots of dry fire will help here. Technically, when you perform the reload, keep the gun high in your face (I like to think of keeping the magwell at the same height as my chin) so that the targets remain in your peripheral vision. This is especially important for the mdatory/standing reload on a classifier stage.

I've not shot indoors for a long time, but good footwear that provides the necesary traction is very impotant. When I did shoot indoors, I used volleyball shoes because of the sticky (but not too sticky) rubber used for the soles. They made for excellent footing and reaaly helped me motor around from position to position.

There's more, but I'd say if you can amke strides in these two areas, you'll be pleased with the results.

[love2shoot]

Thanks for the input. I'm trying to get moving faster and react to the beep faster, not sure what is holding me up on both, but it seems easier said than done for me. I also need to work on keeping the gun up both when I move and when I reload, not sure why I always tend to drop it down for both.

[Chris iliff]

Also, your moving your whole upper body on the draw. Practice the draw in front of a mirror. Nothing should move but your arm. Your whole upper body takes a dip to the left.

Do one thing at a time. As stated, get the reload done in one step. Then haul butt. Trying to do the reload and butt hauling at the same time drags anyone down, it's just not efficient.

Reloads up by chin, they need to be high in the "facebox" area.

Several instances where you are lowering gun moving short distances then raising gun back up. Just keep the gun up. Transition to next target with the gun and move to it.

There is no hard and fast rule on "how much distance" to break grip and run. I've found it's faster to maintain grip with gun up and haul butt for a pretty good ways, 10-15 feet. Put this to the timer. Different for everyone.

When we draw we do it at the same speed to every target regardless of distance. Our "draw" to a 3 yard target should be the same as our "draw" to a 50 yard target. Its our trigger and sight alignment that's different in these scenarios. Now ask yourself "Can I apply this same concept to other areas?" Particularly, MOVEMENT. Your movement should be the same. I saw instances where you moved quickly and some you just walk. In one vid at the end you just walked a few steps to a box and finished the stage with head shots on 2 targets. Walked? This is where your movement being the same, snappy transition, and gun up could have shaved several seconds off the run. That's just in the last position.

I'm only an A class. Get some outdoor vid of a match and post it. Then PM some GM's and invite them to critique it. Hopefully they will have time to do that for you. CHA-LEE is a great resource. If he does critique, put your big boy pants on if you have a big ego He is very honest. He understands honesty is the only way to improve.

Good luck.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Chris iliff

[love2shoot]

Thanks Chris,

I never really noticed the dip to the left when I draw, guess I'm just used to it so it didn't jump out at me....now that you point it out its very obvious.

You commented on me walking into the last box...I believe that was stage 2, and I was totally disgusted with myself by the last 2 boxes...when I get to box C, I take 3 shots then my head pops up, that was me saying @#$% because I just shot the wrong targets (starting box targets), that's also why my next shots were faster than all the others. By the last box all I wanted were good hits and to hope for the best. My mind never recovered from that screw up in that stage.

As for posting video of outdoor matches, we haven't had any yet. Hard to shoot outside in the winter here when its -30 before the wind starts, and it has been raining almost every other day it seems so we haven't switched to the outdoor range yet....hopefully this month will be if it dries up a bit by the 20th.

Cha-LEE, or anyone else for that matter is welcome to pick me apart if it will help me. With only 3 months (4 matches) under my belt, my big boy pants are on, and my ego is in the bottom of my pocket. I just want to get better...would love to be a solid B by the end of my first year(a bit ambitious maybe), but as long as I am improving and climbing the ladder I will be happy.

[Chris iliff]

Anything is possible. You can do "B" in a year if you work at it, heck, even better than B. Get Steve Anderson's dryfire books and use them. Your skills will jump remarkably, in short order, if you dedicate yourself to structured dryfire.

Good luck!!