Transition Drills

[ES13Raven]

What drills do you recommend for improving transitions?

My splits are fast, but my transitions need work. I find myself moving my sights to the next target, rather than moving my eyes to the target first.

I have Ben's books, and plan on doing the drills in there but was just curious what drills have helped you improve?

Thanks

[Nimitz]

you have what you need to improve your transitions .... there are plenty of drills from various instructors that work but i would focus on mastering the ones in Ben's book, then you can move on to others if necessary ...

[motosapiens]

This is something you'll be working for a long time, but I have found it helpful to do some of the drills a little slower at first, and really pay attention to snapping my eyes, then letting the gun follow. Like any drill, you have to pay attention to it alot at first, then it gradually starts to feel natural and you start to do it without thinking, but you'll still have to revisit it often and keep building on it.

I like to setup 5 or 6 targets and just keep going all the way across, then back. sometimes I'll do that for a minute or two, without even worrying about the draw, just snapping my eyes to center of the a-zone, bringing the sights to that point, then snapping my eyes to the center of the next a-zone. Aim small, miss small.

[CZinZA]

I use the Hopkins drill in Ben's book. I put small round stickers on my bedroom cupboards and stand really close - so the transitions are wide

[johniac7078]

I like the Blake Drill.

[shooterDrew]

I'm sure the drill has a name, but I can't think of it right now or who came up with it- wasn't me (anyone feel free to chime in if you can)..

Set 5 targets up in a line about 2-3' apart and at whatever distance you choose, obviously up close you will find yourself doing some very wide transitions. The drill is to start on target #1 and then move down the line and back to #1 while going back to 1 between each new target.

Example of shooting sequence: 1,2,1,3,1,4,1,5,1,4,1,3,1,2,1

15 shots total and as you can see lots of transitions. Throw in downloaded mags (10 or 5rnd) and the difficulty jumps up if ur really pushing speed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[b1gcountry]

Shooting steel will also help you with transitions

[BeerBaron]

have a look at Jerry Miculek doing the "V drill" on youtube. He does it with an AR15 but it works just fine with pistol.

There is also brian's transition drill part 1 and 2 as posted on this forum.

I think this is a point most shooters hit as they progress.

We get pretty decent at draws, reloads, movement, stage planning, accuracy is ok, trigger speed is ok (20 splits or better on the fast stuff) but we end up leaving time on the table with transitions. is one of the harder skills to improve hence one often people leave to last.

Even El Prez is a good transition drill. if you can run the drill with 20 splits but say 50 transitions you know something is wrong. One thing I've found helps improve my transitions is trying to shoot to a cadence. initially splits will be slowed down to match the transitoins but as you work at it your transitions will speed up to match the splits. it's a good way to get from 50 transitions to 30 transitions. from there is all about seeing fast. get those eyes moving!!

[evilbeef54]

I'm sure the drill has a name, but I can't think of it right now or who came up with it- wasn't me (anyone feel free to chime in if you can)..

Set 5 targets up in a line about 2-3' apart and at whatever distance you choose, obviously up close you will find yourself doing some very wide transitions. The drill is to start on target #1 and then move down the line and back to #1 while going back to 1 between each new target.

Example of shooting sequence: 1,2,1,3,1,4,1,5,1,4,1,3,1,2,1

15 shots total and as you can see lots of transitions. Throw in downloaded mags (10 or 5rnd) and the difficulty jumps up if ur really pushing speed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

exactally what i was gonna recommend, we run it all the time at work, we just call it the "focal shift drill" lol. If you ride your sights instead of shifting your focus wit your eyes you will sweep too far and hit off center. Best drill i have run to help on target shifting

[benos]

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=109493

[FTDMFR]

Does anyone else here do transition drills with a metronome? It seems to be helping my transitions a lot.

I set up 3 scaled targets in the IDPA classifier formation and dry fire on those. 3-3-3, 2-2-2, and tactical sequence, L to R and R to L, using freestyle, SHO, and WHO.

Edited May 11, 2015 by FTDMFR

[evilbeef54]

I'm sure the drill has a name, but I can't think of it right now or who came up with it- wasn't me (anyone feel free to chime in if you can)..

Set 5 targets up in a line about 2-3' apart and at whatever distance you choose, obviously up close you will find yourself doing some very wide transitions. The drill is to start on target #1 and then move down the line and back to #1 while going back to 1 between each new target.

Example of shooting sequence: 1,2,1,3,1,4,1,5,1,4,1,3,1,2,1

15 shots total and as you can see lots of transitions. Throw in downloaded mags (10 or 5rnd) and the difficulty jumps up if ur really pushing speed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ran this last night with a new twist, started off with a 200yd sprint in boots, duty belt, body armor with plates and helmet. Ran it with the rifle first, then right away with pistol... that sucked, but everyone's shots were great even while sucking wind. Taking your brain (and oxygen) out of the equation really helps, lol

[shooterDrew]

I'm sure the drill has a name, but I can't think of it right now or who came up with it- wasn't me (anyone feel free to chime in if you can)..

Set 5 targets up in a line about 2-3' apart and at whatever distance you choose, obviously up close you will find yourself doing some very wide transitions. The drill is to start on target #1 and then move down the line and back to #1 while going back to 1 between each new target.

Example of shooting sequence: 1,2,1,3,1,4,1,5,1,4,1,3,1,2,1

15 shots total and as you can see lots of transitions. Throw in downloaded mags (10 or 5rnd) and the difficulty jumps up if ur really pushing speed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ran this last night with a new twist, started off with a 200yd sprint in boots, duty belt, body armor with plates and helmet. Ran it with the rifle first, then right away with pistol... that sucked, but everyone's shots were great even while sucking wind. Taking your brain (and oxygen) out of the equation really helps, lol

Sounds like a solid way to run that. Getting physically taxed and then shooting is a whole new ball game. Not to mention adding plates.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[evilbeef54]

I'm sure the drill has a name, but I can't think of it right now or who came up with it- wasn't me (anyone feel free to chime in if you can)..

Set 5 targets up in a line about 2-3' apart and at whatever distance you choose, obviously up close you will find yourself doing some very wide transitions. The drill is to start on target #1 and then move down the line and back to #1 while going back to 1 between each new target.

Example of shooting sequence: 1,2,1,3,1,4,1,5,1,4,1,3,1,2,1

15 shots total and as you can see lots of transitions. Throw in downloaded mags (10 or 5rnd) and the difficulty jumps up if ur really pushing speed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ran this last night with a new twist, started off with a 200yd sprint in boots, duty belt, body armor with plates and helmet. Ran it with the rifle first, then right away with pistol... that sucked, but everyone's shots were great even while sucking wind. Taking your brain (and oxygen) out of the equation really helps, lol

Sounds like a solid way to run that. Getting physically taxed and then shooting is a whole new ball game. Not to mention adding plates.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It definitely is a game changer, we tend to do things like that a lot, ladder drills with two shot engagements, sled drags, sprints, etc. Makes it challenging and fun, and gets your heart up

[US1]

Shooting steel will also help you with transition

+1

Also, snapping my head to the next target, then bring my sights to my line of vision speeds up my transitions.

[BoyGlock]

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=109493

This is where I started and still do. Dry and live.

[ES13Raven]

Does anyone else here do transition drills with a metronome? It seems to be helping my transitions a lot.

Interesting. What beats per minute do you use?

[smokewagon]

Shooting steel will also help you with transitions

This. Shooting steel teaches you to lead with your eyes first real quick. Eyes on target, gun will follow. If you lead with the gun you will be slow and/or inaccurate.

[FTDMFR]

Does anyone else here do transition drills with a metronome? It seems to be helping my transitions a lot.

Interesting. What beats per minute do you use?

I have a piece of paper taped to the back of my metronome that shows the bpm equivalents for splits between 1.00 and .05 seconds, in .05 second increments.

My metronome is capped at 240 bpm, so once I get below .25 splits, I have to start pulling the trigger in double- or triple-time. In theory, at least. I haven't gotten that fast in dry fire (although for some reason I can get down to .20-.15 in live fire).

I'll usually start at .75 splits (80 bpm). Slow enough so that there's plenty of time to very deliberately call my last shot on a target, snap my eyes to the next target, align the sights on the next target, and call my first shot on the next target, all within one beat.

After I've warmed up on that for a while, I'll start decreasing the splits by .05 or .10 every ten reps or so. As the splits get faster and faster, all those above steps get smeared together, sort of like how a draw stroke will eventually turn from 4 (or whatever) distinct steps into one single action. I'll keep decreasing the splits until I can no longer make the transition within one beat.

Some people will say metronome drills are bad because it forces you to shoot in a cadence, but at least for me, it's less about making my transitions match my splits, and more about forcing myself to make the transition in a set amount of time. The metronome is basically just acting as a par timer with a really short beep duration.

Edited May 28, 2015 by FTDMFR

[Nimitz]

i have a metranome app for my Ipad ... it works very well. i use it as part of an overall dryfire program, it helps you feel what .25, .2 & .18 splits & transitions actually feel like since until you actually experience something you'll have little chance of accomplishing it ....

[Gunnar]

Finally, I can use that metronome sitting around for decoration for something.

[bigboy69]

You can use a plate rack and shoot, 1/6, 2/5, 3/4.

The closer you are the wider the transitions and vise versa.

[Moltke]

Set 2 generous targets 90 degrees apart, preferably non-falling steel at 7-10 yards.

Something easy because the focus here is on the transition, not accuracy

Draw, and one hit each as fast as you can.

Mix dry fire and high speed par timed live fire for the best results

The more you do it, the more your speed will increase and your inefficiencies will break down

***Remember to snap your head to the next target and the gun will follow

[inkballedtarget]

Does anyone else here do transition drills with a metronome? It seems to be helping my transitions a lot.

Interesting. What beats per minute do you use?

I have a piece of paper taped to the back of my metronome that shows the bpm equivalents for splits between 1.00 and .05 seconds, in .05 second increments.

My metronome is capped at 240 bpm, so once I get below .25 splits, I have to start pulling the trigger in double- or triple-time. In theory, at least. I haven't gotten that fast in dry fire (although for some reason I can get down to .20-.15 in live fire).

I'll usually start at .75 splits (80 bpm). Slow enough so that there's plenty of time to very deliberately call my last shot on a target, snap my eyes to the next target, align the sights on the next target, and call my first shot on the next target, all within one beat.

After I've warmed up on that for a while, I'll start decreasing the splits by .05 or .10 every ten reps or so. As the splits get faster and faster, all those above steps get smeared together, sort of like how a draw stroke will eventually turn from 4 (or whatever) distinct steps into one single action. I'll keep decreasing the splits until I can no longer make the transition within one beat.

Some people will say metronome drills are bad because it forces you to shoot in a cadence, but at least for me, it's less about making my transitions match my splits, and more about forcing myself to make the transition in a set amount of time. The metronome is basically just acting as a par timer with a really short beep duration.

This is very interesting. I have downloaded a metronome app and will give this a go tonight.

Thanks for the insitght.

[GunBugBit]

In my very short competitive shooting career I have yet to do a transition exercise better than shooting a Steel Challenge match. My future transition drills will be better advised having been exposed to that type of match.