TonytheTiger Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Just curious if anyone does anything special to keep there hands flexible outside of actual shotgun loading. Reason I ask is I recently took a job that has me choking a steering wheel most of the day and after a week of that my smooth fumble free 5.5-6 second weak hand caddy loads turned into 8 seconds of anger followed by the pick up shells game. Of course I do what any stubborn guy would do, I spend the next hour trying to force something that's just not happening, with lots of cursing for the duration and maybe some crying afterwards. Feels just like my hand is made out of soft lead. Anyone else run into such problems or have any special magic tricks to keep your hands working? Kurtm, your on deck here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan 45 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I'd try one of those hand exercising things that have a different springloaded button for each finger. You could use it kind like playing a guitar. I have dueiling banjos running through my head just thinking about it. I don't do this, nor have I tried, but sounds like it would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Sounds like something changed in your grab, or hand placement more than the steering wheel problem. I drive a lot, both from and to work about once a month.....18 hours one way. I have gone right from work to matches 2000 miles away without any more trouble than usual. I did over practice for the first World shoot and my hand was sore for the first couple of days...I loaded slow because of it, won't make that mistake again. And while we are on the practice thing, I only load 10x loads of 8 and then quit for the day. Hours and hours of loading can be frustrating, can enforce bad habits that have been creeping in, and can make your hand sore which KILLS loading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 Yeah I developed my practice regimen based on your wisdom Kurt, I try not to do more than 15 minutes at a time and every time I've hit a speed bump before I could go through the fundamentals in my head, diagnose my problem, practice loading slow with my re booted system till my bad habit went away and then I was back to my old self again. This time I can't seem to understand what I'm doing different, just that my hand isn't doing what I thought I had programmed into it. I got so pissed after three days of frustration that I haven't touched my caddies in a few days, maybe I'll pick it up tonight and it'll all just work again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
openclassterror Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I'd try one of those hand exercising things that have a different springloaded button for each finger. You could use it kind like playing a guitar. I have dueiling banjos running through my head just thinking about it. I don't do this, nor have I tried, but sounds like it would work. I use one of these. Bought it 20 years ago because I play Bass Guitar, and didn't always have opportunity to practice enough. Bass strings are thick and use a great deal more tension than guitar strings, so if I didn't keep my hand strength up my fingers would cramp up during concerts. Quit using it for probably 5 or 6 years, then went back to using it when I started doing the weak hand reloads. Don't need it any more because I do quads now, unless I am shooting open with speedloaders. For me, the biggest benefit of going to quads is that it requires so much LESS dexterity that I need less practice to stay proficient. If I didn't practice at least twice a week, my weak hand loads suffered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 Maybe I will give one a whirl, can't hurt anyhow. And I'm pretty dead set on staying with weak hand, I've put a lot of time into getting 8 shells in 5 seconds flat on a good day (Not everyday), I don't care to buy all new equipment and most importantly I like keeping the gun shouldered, I have on occasion had to break a shot mid load. Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with my new line of work, my last 8 years have been spent with a hammer, drill or rope with all my weight on it in one or both of my hands. Sure seems like something really changed at the same time though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquaticvisions Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Hand strength and dexterity are 2 different, yet related things. If you're going for strength, stay balanced by working both extensors AND flexors; squeeze a squishy ball then put a rubber band around your fingertips and expand. For dexterity, simple manipulation exercises are effective. Check this: https://www.handhealth.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dewberry Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Something I highly reccomend that I haven't seen mentioned yet. When I practice reloads my first 2 or three reloads are always at about half speed. This helps build confidence and get your muscles loose/warm. Also it would avoid you messing up the first load and being extremely frustrated about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
openclassterror Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 I do it different. I do my reloads at half speed during MATCHES, and attempt to throw as many shells on the ground as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Thanks for the ideas guys. I ended up giving up on fast loading entirely, started all over going really slow like I was just learning all over again. Worked back up to speed slowly over the last few days and I'm back to normal, or so it seems. I got a match tomorrow with an all shotgun 35+ round stage so we'll see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOOM Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 More of a mussel memory than strength (Kurts demonstration on you tube) .He speaks of keeping your weak hand thumb in the loading port pushing the lifter up between each shell makes it does make it smoother = faster .You'll also see the way Kurt holds the shells in his weak hand. Practices Practices. You'll see the difference right away when you pull the thumb out between each shell Thanks Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 I have a demo on you-tube??? If it is there I didn't put it there...I don't got no U-Toob account. Is this the one done by 3GN??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOOM Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 That's the ONE, with you showing how its done correctly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter115 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Kurt Miller........the reluctant superstar Go over to YouTube and do a search for Kurt Miller. You'r number 1 and 2 buddy. Though I don't see the loading tutorial you did for 3GN until I added loading to the search.....then.....Viola! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Eh, can't access You-Tube from work, and don't have the time when home. I'm glad they did put the 3GN one out there, it was short and to the point and covers the main things that can go wrong. I'm glad it helped someone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stlhead Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 I wonder what other video (or film) of Kurt might be floating around out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sterling White Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Little things I noticed - - hot pistol going into a holster! - blacky - 3 flippers going down and clays going airborne Beast mode "on" http://youtu.be/EAQ8RnjC7lU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stlhead Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Is that high temperature coating on that gun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoky Bear Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 (edited) The one comment "excellent, big shooter" I think he called you fat. At least he did not call you old. Edited October 6, 2014 by Smoky Bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Don't you have a dry lake to patrol or something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoky Bear Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Well played. Well played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 (edited) Yup, my weak hand loading career started with the 3gn/kurtm video awhile back. I understand how it's done and I can usually troubleshoot any issues I run into, I still don't know what caused my problem but apparently starting over solved it. BTW I got 8th fastest time out of 54 shooters in all classes on the all shotgun 30 target stage, I was really happy with that for my 2nd real 3g match. Unfortunately I also got my first DQ so my time doesn't appear on the scoreboard so I can't prove my claim. Oh well, live and learn. Edited October 7, 2014 by TonytheTiger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Great job Tony!!.....Uh not the D.Q. thing but the shooting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 Everyone was cool about it so it stung a little less at least. I was told there's two kinds of shooters, those who've had a DQ and those who are going to. Next time I'm hauling through small ports my front sight will not be getting snagged on anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sterling White Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Have you tried giving dexterity balls a workout? This could help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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