MilkMyDuds Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 I kept forgetting some targets in matches... I just did it twice in a sanctioned match. In both cases I was the first or second shooter. It seems I don't have enough time to visualize the whole thing before the beeper goes off. If I am the middle or near the end of the line, I don't have that problem. Any tips how to prevent this from happening in the future (assuming the squad rotates the first shooters always)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davsco Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 count how many targets are in each array or shooting position (eg, 2, 5, 3, 4) and don't leave that array/position until you shoot that #. also if you're first or second on the next stage, you can sneak over and watch a few folk in the squad ahead of you shoot it (of course not shirking your pasting and resetting duties). and also you can get to the match early and watch how others are doing their prelim walkthrough's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glock26Toter Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Take your stage walkthroughs very seriously and count your shots. The fist couple times going through, count the shots and get all of them by the end. Once you are sure you have them, get even more serious. Don't do that half-assed... "I'm gonna go over her and shoot stuff.... then shoot those..." as you stroll through. Hold your hands exactly as you do with a proper grip. ONLY move your trigger finger and actually place each shot while visualizing your sights on every shot. With speed you know you can achieve. Programming bro! Not a stroll with a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DagoRed Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I have a hard time remembering everything too in this situation, I try to watch the squad ahead of me if I can. I think only having 8rds in the mag helps because I plan my magazine drops accordingly, I can remember the 3 or 4 places I plan to drop a mag usually and that will remind me if I shot enough targets. does that make sense? I get thrown off big time though when they make them with arrays that have more than 8 rounds or there's a lot of 6 rounds with movement between (I'd rather leave 2 rounds on the ground and slap a fresh one while moving than switch mid-series). I'm still pretty new though so find it difficult when there's a lot of targets. Red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gng4life Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Good advice so far...the key here is to run your plan through your mind until you are literally sick of it. Don't waste any time, when you get up there, start your walk-through and maximize your time. The thing that helped me the most was looking at the WSB and ensuring I found all the targets. Know how many to take from each position and go with it. At first, it's going to feel like you are going in slow motion but after you get use to it, you start flying through it. Since you are not doing this at the end of the line-up tells me your prep when you get to the stage is lacking. Make sure not to joke around and socialize, spend every second analyzing the COF. Also, here is a good post from a month ago that has some good suggestions: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=211228&hl= Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmob50 Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Good advice so far...the key here is to run your plan through your mind until you are literally sick of it. Don't waste any time, when you get up there, start your walk-through and maximize your time. The thing that helped me the most was looking at the WSB and ensuring I found all the targets. Know how many to take from each position and go with it. At first, it's going to feel like you are going in slow motion but after you get use to it, you start flying through it. Since you are not doing this at the end of the line-up tells me your prep when you get to the stage is lacking. Make sure not to joke around and socialize, spend every second analyzing the COF. Also, here is a good post from a month ago that has some good suggestions: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=211228&hl= Good luck good post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BitchinCamaro Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 (edited) In addition to a lot of what GnG posted I started counting out loud after the beep, especially with shotgun stages. Everyone with electronic muffs laughs when I shoot! Edited May 17, 2015 by BitchinCamaro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Don't wait to figure out what your stage plan is until you arrive at the stage and only have your 5 min walk-thru to get ready ... nobody is very good with only 5 mins to get ready ... When i arrive at a stage I'm already ready to shoot it since I've already determined what my stage plan is because I've already walked the stage the day (or several days) before or before the match started. Even if I'm the 1st shooter 5 mins is plenty of time to visualize the stage 10-15 times to be ready. Do whatever you have to so you are not seeing the stage for the 1st time when your squad arrives at the stage ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Once you "remember" all the targets, you'll also find that you are shooting the stages much more smoothly, and faster. No more "looking around" for the next target - you KNOW where it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
explosivewhale Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 this happened to me quite some times when i was newer to the sport. you just gotta walk it as many times as you can and planning your reloads helps too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevoWood123 Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Also, take a note from me. If you have taken the time to plan your route and how you intend to execute a stage, DO NOT ALTER IT!!! I made this horrible mistake at an ICORE match. I was in a squad with guys that have more experience in competitive shooting than I have been alive and thought I could change my route and did what they did. Afterwards a couple of the guys came and talked to me and asked if I had planned to do that. I admitted I didn't and they told me what I did wrong, how to plan stages better, and certain things to look for/be aware of when planning my attack on a stage. Of course at the end of the match they all gave me a good bit of hassle over it, but I have learned from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my00wrx1 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Don't wait to figure out what your stage plan is until you arrive at the stage and only have your 5 min walk-thru to get ready ... nobody is very good with only 5 mins to get ready ... When i arrive at a stage I'm already ready to shoot it since I've already determined what my stage plan is because I've already walked the stage the day (or several days) before or before the match started. Even if I'm the 1st shooter 5 mins is plenty of time to visualize the stage 10-15 times to be ready. Do whatever you have to so you are not seeing the stage for the 1st time when your squad arrives at the stage ... As I understand it, for IPSC you are not allowed on a stage until your squad is doing its walk through, typically 3 minutes. You can view the stage from behind the firing line or via a match booklet but not walk it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinZA Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 That's right Sent by Jedi mind control Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Don't wait to figure out what your stage plan is until you arrive at the stage and only have your 5 min walk-thru to get ready ... nobody is very good with only 5 mins to get ready ... When i arrive at a stage I'm already ready to shoot it since I've already determined what my stage plan is because I've already walked the stage the day (or several days) before or before the match started. Even if I'm the 1st shooter 5 mins is plenty of time to visualize the stage 10-15 times to be ready. Do whatever you have to so you are not seeing the stage for the 1st time when your squad arrives at the stage ... As I understand it, for IPSC you are not allowed on a stage until your squad is doing its walk through, typically 3 minutes. You can view the stage from behind the firing line or via a match booklet but not walk it. ok but the OP didn't say he was shooting IPSC. I only shoot USPSA where it is compeltely legal to do as I described ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfiddy Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I have this problem late in huge day. I need to stay focused, and not let my 'good enough is good enough' syndrome rear its ugly head Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincerama Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 The best way, if you aren't the first shooter ... help tape the targets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunBugBit Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 I try to not have tunnel vision on the target array. I kicked myself two matches in a row for leaving steel standing so I'll see if I can keep my run going of not doing that. Getting as familiar as possible with the target array through taping/resetting and mental rehearsal does help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPatton Posted September 9, 2015 Share Posted September 9, 2015 For those of you who are left handed, show up for the big matches the day before to walk the stages. I found that waking up for a 5 minute walk through on a stage that had optional lateral movement was a goo-goo cluster. I was always going against the flow making it impossible to "get my mind right" as when everyone else was going right and I was going left. Look for the traps. Targets which can only be seen from a sweet spot that you must hit AFTER you have shot other multiple targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunBugBit Posted September 9, 2015 Share Posted September 9, 2015 My execution of the "Tight Shots" stage was negatively affected by nerves at last Sunday's USPSA match. I had many good looks at the stage through resetting, scoring and watching others shoot it. I arrived early and formed a plan in my mind before the match started, and felt good that some of the better shooters were running the same plan. It's a pretty straightforward stage so the plan seemed obvious enough to me. Anyway, I botched my execution by breezing right past the narrow window after engaging the targets to the far left. I didn't realize it until I was halfway over to the far right, so I went back to engage the targets that could only be shot through that narrow window, all fumbly and twitchy. From there I was rattled for the rest of the stage. I had just enough nerves for this first stage of the day that the resulting brain fart was quite pronounced. I recovered and shot a couple of the other stages quite well (for me). I shot the classifier stage third out of the six stages, which fortunately marked my peak stage performance for the day. I should be a 'C' soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrockD Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Pasting targets let's you see the stage from the target area so you know which targets show up in multiple shooting areas. We have all put 4 shots on a target with is just a waste of time and ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimitri Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Also, take a note from me. If you have taken the time to plan your route and how you intend to execute a stage, DO NOT ALTER IT!!! I made this horrible mistake at an ICORE match. I was in a squad with guys that have more experience in competitive shooting than I have been alive and thought I could change my route and did what they did. Afterwards a couple of the guys came and talked to me and asked if I had planned to do that. I admitted I didn't and they told me what I did wrong, how to plan stages better, and certain things to look for/be aware of when planning my attack on a stage. Of course at the end of the match they all gave me a good bit of hassle over it, but I have learned from it. I would second that. I've fallen into this trap twice. I had my plan, I was visualizing it and then I saw another (far more experienced shooter) do something slightly different, which I though was nice and I could modify my plan. The result was that I totally missed and array and almost zeroed the stage (I think that stage dropped me 3-4 places in overall). The second time I altered my plan, but since I din not have enough mental preparation before shooting, I messed the whole stage (I think I shot twice as many shots as required). So I totally agree.. DO NOT ALTER IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooster Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Sometimes counting targets isn't enough. I've counted the same target twice, thus coming up with the correct number of rounds but still missing a target. On arrays that are complicated I will try and shoot the targets in an order that doesn't skip any. Such as starting on the far right and shooting in sequence to the left. It's slower but I don't skip anything that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 If you are the first or second shooter, then you don't have the time to walk the stage several times and refine your plan. You may just have to set a general sequence in your mind then slow down a bit and pay attention. A few seconds slower beats a FTE hands down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHAVEGAS Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I can't explain why, but it gets easier. I'm about the third year into shooting USPSA and the second year into shooting multiple matches per month. First two years this made me crazy. This year so far I have missed one target & that was because I was overconfident about my plan and did not count targets. Perhaps part of the why is that I recognize the problem and now try to give myself a minimum of an hour to walk through a six stage local match. Usually the full hour is not needed unless the designer has gone crazy with memory stages, but it is nice to be very relaxed about things. On bigger matches, more walk through and maybe bring your own lunch so you are reviewing the afternoon stages instead of waiting in a line for food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imeyers78 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I third the motion! I'm a newer shooter (2 years USPSA) and ALWAYS found myself second guessing my original plan or watching the previous shooter (sometimes an inexperienced shooter), saw how he shot that stage, thought it was better, ultimately changing my original plan only to either miss/forget targets and look like a chicken with his head cut off with a gun in his hand... My buddy (GM shooter) told me, "plan your shoot and shoot your plan"! Words I shoot by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now