Changing Strat right b4 buzzer

[Goldenmotors]

Recently, right before a start of stage at a sectional. A guy ( RO ) started talking about a better way to run a course. I was intrigued and decided to follow is advise. Well needless to say I bombed. That was not a good idea and I had already spent about 30 mins setting up for the stage in my mind. What I am trying to say is. Even if there is a better way to run a stage, but you have been running your original way over and over in your mind. It may be better to stick with initial game plan.

[Olivers_AR]

Have a plan, stick to the plan. Half the time the "new" way to run the course is for open or limited and I'm running production

[Onagoth]

I've screwed up many a stages by changing my plan minutes before I'm up

[CZinSC]

Unless you figure out you were forgetting a target or shaving a considerable amount of time off your plan with the new plan, stick with what you have. Odds are you are going to have a dumpster fire changing plans that late.

Also, FWIW, an RO should not be doing that. Especially at a Sectional match. They can answer your direct questions about stage procedures, but they should not be giving advice. At a level 2 match, RO's will generally see what the trend has been and see what has worked best. But they should be keeping that information to themselves. If a competitor like you comes along and they offer advice about the best way to shoot the stage, they've just given you an unfair advantage that others have not been privy to.

[Sarge]

I love telling shooters a better way to shoot a stage AFTER they have shot it. Nothing quite like the look on their face that says , "son if a b!t<h, I could have cut my time in half!"

And even if your plan sucks, don't change it at the last second.

[BillChunn]

And even if your plan sucks, don't change it at the last second.

^^^ THIS!!

BC

[Mk18]

Plan your shoot, shoot your plan.

I too have felt the urge to change up last minute, never works out the way you want.

[Chris iliff]

Inevitably changing does not work. IMHO never change, in fact, kick the person who tells you in the last minutes to change, right in the jimmies.

[Ultimo-Hombre]

Once I have rehearsed my plan I see it as I'm stuck with it. I may listen to others so I can learn but save what I learned for another stage

[jriera]

How do you learn then??

I'm known to 'test' what does not work at local matches so I don't do it at Level II and above matches.

I couldn't care less to finish last at local matches as long as I learn something every time ...

[Mk18]

A way to pick up new things at club matches is to identify other shooters who are better than you, then try and squad with them. Walk the stage your way, then ask them if they see anything different. Take some of what they see and try and incorporate it into your plan, don't change your whole run, just tweak it. Small little changes in the way you see/shoot a stage can make a huge difference when you run it full speed.

Edited September 7, 2013 by Mk18

[jualdeaux]

I can only remember one time that I changed my plan on purpose. I saw a guy do something that made much more sense than the way I had planned. Luckily, he was a few shooters in front of me so I had plenty of time to rework my plan and get it burned in my brain. I think I may have won that stage in my division. But, that is the only time I can remember changing it after the walk through.

When I am making my plan my goals are to play up my "strengths" as much as possible while trying as best as possible to minimize my long list of weaknesses. And, I try to not make the plan complicated. I have seen way too many shooters crash and burn after making a very complicated plan.

[Nimitz]

_{using local matches to experiment is a bad idea because you're building bad match habits. Much better to just find shooters in your division and squad with them and get advise that way ... and never, ever change your plan the last minute, you're much better off executing a less than perfect plan perfectly then shooting a 'great' plan badly ...}

[Ultimo-Hombre]

How do you learn then??

I'm known to 'test' what does not work at local matches so I don't do it at Level II and above matches.

I couldn't care less to finish last at local matches as long as I learn something every time ...

Shooting my plan as efficiently and quickly as possible is better for me than shooting someone else's plan.

I learn what other guys do then try to apply that bit on my own to the next applicable situation. I don't like to shoot a stage "color by numbers"

If I use matches as a learning experience then I can't get out of that mode when I want to. Be that a bigger match or when I just want to win.

I like to play the game thusly.... When I put on my cool jersey for a match, I am shooting for the championship of the universe

[Ultimo-Hombre]

This got me to thinking....

I remember when I was a little grommet I was in to golf. I remember the first book on golf I read was by Jack Nicklaus. He said, make every ball you hit count no matter what. Treat each and every shot like it is the only one you will ever get to hit.

Sounds familiar....

I am starting to get it.

[johnnybravo]

I've rarely had good results changing my game plan right before the buzzer, so I avoid it. I'd rather stick with my clunky old plan that I planned, and apply what I learned at a later time.

Another thing I've noticed is, It's not always the guy with the best plans that wins. It's the guy that makes the Fewest Mistakes with the plans he uses.

[kevin c]

How do you learn then??

I'm known to 'test' what does not work at local matches so I don't do it at Level II and above matches.

I couldn't care less to finish last at local matches as long as I learn something every time ...

My thoughts: If you follow the common belief here that you perform best when your subconscious does the work, with your conscious mind not interfering, then it follows that last minute consciously applied changes to the plan are unlikely to result in a good performance, and you won't see that that particular plan working for you.

If you have time to groove it in in advance, so that your subconscious can execute it flawlessly, then you will be able to see differences in performance related to the technique or plan, not differences coming out of a different level of execution.

Edited October 4, 2013 by kevin c

[toothandnail]

And even if your plan sucks, don't change it at the last second.

^^^ THIS!!

BC

OR you could do what I do and PLAN as you shoot. . . . . . .

well that's the way it seems anyhow

[GuildSF4]

And even if your plan sucks, don't change it at the last second.

^^^ THIS!!

BC

OR you could do what I do and PLAN as you shoot. . . . . . .

well that's the way it seems anyhow

That's called walk-thru, plan, forget... BTDT

My best results happen when I commit to a plan, rehearse it and let the sub-concious execute it.

[Cavy]

Watching better shooters is a good way to see how to shoot a stage, but many times your ability and speed determine the best way for you to shoot it. the timing and speed of poppers and swingers vs your ability make a huge difference in the "best" way to shoot a stage. I hate following a really good shooter who has a different plan and makes it look easy. Then you are standing there all conflicted when the buzzer goes off.

[Stephen7942]

I try to get my plan down during walk thru and about two shooters before I go I turn my ears off and run thru the stage in my head with my eyes closed. Try not to talk to anyone during that time so it won't mess up my head.

[benos]

It has been my experience - once I have a plan burned in... Even if it's Todd Jarrett that is trying to convince me that there is a "better way," it's best to stick with the original plan.

[peacemaker25]

I've known a few people to share a plan at a strategic moment. If the sharee gets upset, they have a perfect defense ready. "I was only trying to help!"

[CC712400]

I don't like changing a plan once I'm on deck. Unless I have at least one shooter between me and the buzzer, I'm not doing any tweaking. I've had way too many last minute switches that turned into train wrecks because I forgot to incorporate a reload, or forgot to make sure a target is engaged from a particular spot.

I find it helps to have a rule for how long before (no more changing once I'm called on deck, in the hole, etc), keeps me from spontaneously deciding that I actually "have enough time."

[alonzo98]

I never change my plan on a course of fire , at least if I screwed a stage I can only blame myself.