Bear1142 Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 After reading Pat Harrison's post on the Dot drill, I was inspired to share one of my training drills. Please indulge me with your patience for a bit of background information. One of the many things I've learned as I've progressed through the skill levels is that as I master certain skill and their associated problems, I always seem to encounter more "higher" level problems that need to be dealt with before I could continue to progress. My #1 personal problem, which has plagued me for about the last three years can be classified several ways. I have issues with a lack of follow through, or shooting in the future, lack of visual patience, call it what you will. I always seem to have to the occassional dead center "A" and a complete miss. Many of these are on targets in the 7-12 yard range. It doesn't happen often, but even 1 time at a match can cost you dearly (ex.- Missing 2nd overall (Tactical) at this years 3GN Nationals). When I took the time to really run through the stage mentally, usually on the ride home, I do remember seeing the target for the second shot, so then what happened? Much to the derision of one of my friends, I would always explain to him that I'm outshooting the gun. After he finishes laughing and blasting me for letting my ego get a little out of control, I explain to him that what I think is happening is that when I really get into a rhythm and I get into auto-pilot mode, just letting things happen, I think I see the target and mentally break the shot, then mentally I move to the next target, but physically, the impulse from my brain has not reached my finger and the gun hasn't mechanically fired but I'm already moving the gun to the next target. The mental and physical aspects of shooting are not aligned and I end up putting my second shot off the target. This year I was determined to "fix" this problem and devised this technique to help and I thought I'd share it. I've started shooting 3 shots per target. It will work with any drill you like. I've found that it forces me to stay home for the second shot, because I've got a third shot on deck. It's really helped me to mentally stay with the second shot longer. I've noticed a solid reduction in the number of times I had the "A/Miss" syndrome. It also gets you out of the two shot (double tap) mode and into a "shoot the rhythm of the gun" mode, which I feel is a more intuitive and receptive mindset for shooting. Give the 3-shot method a try and see what it does for you. Erik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chp5 Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 If I start doing that drill, I might have to change my BE user signature. That would be a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 Eric, going to start this today.... My A - M targets are usually wide open in the 5 to 7 yard range, and the last shot in an array. Never been accused of out shooting the gun before though..... Definately the excuse I'm using next time it happens! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RKooi Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 It is very interesting that you write of this today, my friend. I had 3 mikes over my last two stages at Area 5 on Saturday. 2 of the 3 were the direct result of my lack of follow through on the target I was leaving. The end result being a drop of at least a half dozen spots in the overall. Anyway, I will give this some thought and experiment with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Bill Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 I appreciate your thoughts and drill Erik. I have been struggling with good follow through on targets 10yds and closer. On farther targets, I seem to have good follow through, but on closer stuff, my follow through gets accelerated too much. I have caught myself a few times pulling off targets as the dot lifts. I had not thought about a way to fix it, (other than more visual patience), so I will experiment with 3/per-drill. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 I'm going to add that caution must be used, with this drill, in order for it not to become a crutch. The problem is visual patience, or lack of visual followthrough. You do not see the last shot on target. With a three shot drill, the second may always land...but wheres the third? If it flies off target, you haven't fixed the problem, you've masked it. And shooting 3 fast per target is slower that 2 aimed. You must have the strong desire for both shots to be there. Its not any slower to place the second shot in the A zone than to fling one past the target. Basically you must narrow your focus, right now your focus is on going fast, not on hitting the targets, so to fix the problem you fire three fast, but you are still not intent on hitting the target. Change your intent, do not accept anything that is not an A whether its 1, 2 or 3 on target. In the end you will do as well as you prepare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 I was thinking the same thing as Pat. If you don't do this drill properly it can easily hurt you more than it will help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 I like this drill for speed and accuracy http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=930&st=0 It forces not only the speed but the hits too, otherwise you can't make a 20 HF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 Bear1142> I point you to the post 'Optimising Your Performance' on Tips for Improvement.. make your mind/body clear on the mission and you will reduce/eliminate the problem. The 3 shot drill to assist your followthrough (when you really mean to fire 2) may allow you to achieve, but are you optimising?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear1142 Posted September 8, 2004 Author Share Posted September 8, 2004 Pat, Point well made. If you start missing your third shot in the string all you've done is pushed the problem further down the line and once you go back to two shot strings, it will return. Thanks for the other drills. I realize there are many drills out there, I just wanted to contribute my little one and see if it works for other people. If the drill is not effective, I'll trash it and try another one. Paladin, Interesting thoughts. I think my mind/body are clear and have the same mission, my problem is that one is accomplishing the mission sooner than the other. My mind/body are in agreement, they are not in harmony. This drill was a quick, uncomplicated way to basically slow my mind down by giving it more tasks to accomplish before it can move along to the next target. On the up close targets, many shooters get away with double tapping (one sight pic, two shots) and the close proximity of the target allows a certain level of "sloppiness", maybe even encourages it. When doing three shots, you have to start calling shots, even the real close ones, and you can't start moving the gun like you can with doubles or else the third shot will miss the A zone or even the whole target. You can't swing through a bank of targets, you have to stop and hang around for a while. You just can't pull three splits fast enough while letting the gun drift, to keep all shots in the A zone. It forces you to stay home. Call it a physical solution to a mental problem. We use the mind to train and solve physical issues. Can we not use the body to train and solve mental issues? My experiment continues. Thanks for your thoughts. Erik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
short_round Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 This drill was a quick, uncomplicated way to basically slow my mind down by giving it more tasks to accomplish before it can move along to the next target. I think the dangers of this drill have been adequately addressed so I won't go into that. I think the problem that Bear1142 is presenting is something that I have also. The program being run for the first shot and the second shot are different. The second shot is being rushed to make the transition to the next target. Rather than fix the real problem, this method "puts it off" by allowing you to rush on the third shot which mentally allows you to shoot the second shot like the first. You still get the incorrect feeling that you are going fast since you are allowed to rush the third shot but at the same time accomplish what is the most important which is shooting the second like the first as an individual shot as it should be. This is not ideal, but I can see where it is going. Maybe this is good to establish the feeling for the second shot and then can be abandoned once the feeling has been experienced. One more thought, is being prepared to immediately make a follow up shot a bad thing? Of course this means that your follow up shot is triggered by your call rather than results from the sound of steel or seeing holes or lack thereof on paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 Erik, I feel you on this. What I try to do is to fire the third shot mentally. This forces me to see the third sight picture and thereby, call the two actual shots. It's amazing how fast your brain and eyes can function. I know what you're saying about "outshooting the gun", at least I think I do. I do not have to go down range to score my targets because I already know where the shots went. I saw the gun fire, and that's that. It's just a matter of "how acceptable or refined was the sight picture when the shot broke?". That especially applies to shooting on the move. Even though I see all this happen at the time, it's hard to perfect because it's all happening so fast (the limit of human function). Oh the joys of trying to compete at the top level of the game.... Todd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear1142 Posted September 9, 2004 Author Share Posted September 9, 2004 Turtle, Congratulations on the squeaker of a win at A5. Next time, try not to make it such a photo finish Team Shooters, rolling along in '04, chewing bubble gum and kicking ass. (and we're all out of bubble gum) Erik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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