how do you guys go in stone cold and not trash your first stage?

[kmanick]

I just shot another Steel challenge today and actually knocked another 15 seconds off of my total time from last month,

but I don't get to shoot everyday, sometimes It's a week between range visits and when I start these matches (or just a "regular" USPSA

match my first 2 stages always kill my total overall score. I came in fifth today and if I could've started as well as I finished I could've knocked

off another 8-10 seconds off my total time. It seems like I always have to warm up and by the time I get to stage 3 of whatever match I'm shooting , I'm

in my "zone" but by that time I've already placed my self down lower than I could be placing if I could start hot.

any pointers to routines you guys can suggest that would allow me to start off stronger?

Edited July 30, 2018 by kmanick

[uewpew]

Is it a "shake the rust off" thing?  if so try some dry fire at home or at the safety table before the match.  

 

Or is it a Mental thing:  you're anxious, nervous, amped up, jitters, etc...

If this is the case you're just going to have to find your happy place before the first stage.  I get the jitters and reminding myself to just see my sights and shoot the targets helps me get through.  

 

 

 

[kmanick]

it's a rust thing. I find even when I just go to the range it take sme 15-20 rounds to dial in my grip /sighting /trigger pull etc.

I may have to get up a bit earlier on match days and do some dry firing and draw practice before I head out

thanks

Edited July 30, 2018 by kmanick

[Smithcity]

Can you get to the match early and squeeze off some rounds? This is allowable at one of the clubs I go to, I've found it helpful. Another option might be a SIRT pistol, get to the match early and run a few transition drills, next closest thing to live fire.

 

I've found myself making most of my mistakes on the first stage, I assume everyone else is running "cold", would hope it would even the playing field, some guys are so consistent it doesn't seem to matter for them.

[Hi-Power Jack]

8 hours ago, uewpew said:

 try some dry fire at home or at the safety table before the match.  

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^   This      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     

[kmanick]

6 hours ago, Smithcity said:

Can you get to the match early and squeeze off some rounds? This is allowable at one of the clubs I go to, I've found it helpful. Another option might be a SIRT pistol, get to the match early and run a few transition drills, next closest thing to live fire.

 

I've found myself making most of my mistakes on the first stage, I assume everyone else is running "cold", would hope it would even the playing field, some guys are so consistent it doesn't seem to matter for them.

I believe I may be able to warm up on the inside range at the steel challenge course, I'll have to check for that. At the USPSA matches there is nothing available.

We have our safety meetings and we get going. 

[tanks]

14 hours ago, kmanick said:

 

I may have to get up a bit earlier on match days and do some dry firing and draw practice before I head out

thanks

 

^^^ This.

After trashing my first stage or so I started doing about 20 minutes of dry practice covering draw, reloads and transitions before I go to the range. Then, I spend about 5 minutes at the safety table once there (I have an hour drive to go to the matches). Have not had an issue since I started doing this. 

[Hunter91]

Run 2 miles the morning before the match, helps with blood flow! 

[Stuey]

Doing dry fire helps me. This gets me into a little of routine and not where I haven’t handled my gun between matches.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Max It]

hmmm, same problem at GSSF matches. Now they have a plate rack $5 for 10 shots. Gets pricy but I hid my lunch money in my sock and skipped lunch for while.

[CTJer]

I live fire 2x/week and I'll do a hand full of draws at the safe table.

 

One match I go to, I also set up the day before and get to shoot a stage or at least get some reps in.   That helps big time, since I'm back at the range only 12-13hrs later.

[Boudreaux78]

One of the things that I find interesting is very few people actually do a physical warm up before a match. Try doing a light jog, moving stretches and then dry fire draws at a safe table the morning of the match. This might help

[stick]

Warming up for Steel challenge is easy!

For steel challenge, The day of the match get up a few minutes early and dry fire using the Steel shoot banners or the Hopkins drill.  

Since I'm using the Shoot steel banners, I have an exact replica of the stages and since I dry fire a minimum of 5 days a week, warm up is easy.

[lee blackman]

Wake up early, eat breakfast, and show up early enough to help set up.  This puts you at a state of being awake, warmed up physically.  The next and probably most important thing is remaining calm on your first stage.  I blame adrenaline dumps on the failure of many stages, especially for new shooters.  You see a guy perfectly calm one minute, then tell him make ready and his hands go all shaky.  You can tell the adrenaline already kicked in, his heart rate is elevated beyond where it needs to be, blood is pulling to the bodies core, and the loss of fine motor skill occurs. Following this, my first stage at the local match is often my best.  Now I just fight fatigue, old age, being out of shape and summer heat.  

[SweetToof]

Getting up early with a good workout is the best way to start every day, especially days when you need to do something critical. Not only have you shaken off the fog of waking up but I find it also calms your nerves substantially. I like some pushusp/pullups/body squats maybe a 2 mile run but nothing crazy, no weights or anything that's going to have you feeling muscle fatigue when you have to shoot for a few hours.

 

Workout, shower, eat a good breakfast and then dry fire for 15 minutes and you will be shooting at the best of your abilities.

 

Being a steel shooter myself, I also don't try to push too hard on the first stage, just make sure to shoot it clean. I've set new classifiers more than once doing so on the first stage of the day.  

[usmc1974]

On 7/29/2018 at 8:43 PM, uewpew said:

 try some dry fire at home or at the safety table before the match.  

 

 

 

 

 

At home and at the safety table before the match. Lots of it.

[brianhansen]

3 hours ago, usmc1974 said:

At home and at the safety table before the match. Lots of it.

^^^This

[MrPan]

If you have a indoor range close by wake up early before the match and do a 50 round warm up. I find that helped me get warm. If you don't have the facilities dry fire is the way.

[motosapiens]

On 8/28/2018 at 7:20 AM, SweetToof said:

Being a steel shooter myself, I also don't try to push too hard on the first stage, just make sure to shoot it clean. I've set new classifiers more than once doing so on the first stage of the day.  

 

There may be something to this strategy.  When I felt like I needed to rush, try and hurry on the first stage, it often was either slow or marred by penalties. Once I realized that all stages are the same, and that my sights will tell me when to pull the trigger, and all i need to do is watch what they tell me, my first stages started being pretty consistent with the other stages.

[nitrohuck]

I feel you, when I was at nationals, my entire first DAY was a bomb. Was so nervous/hyped up that I shot the worst I'd ever shot in my life. Day 2 and  3 went much much different after I really thought about why I was blowing it. Adding in mental prep techniques should not be overlooked, I have a few (probably weird to some) mindset queues that I run through in my head before a stage now, it helped me really chill out and not be so amped before I start a stage, be it local matches or higher. 

[highhope]

Dry fire at safety table. Draw 50-100 times, press the trigger, do some target transition..

[rowdyb]

Dry fire in hotel or garage for a good 15 mins before you leave. I use the Steel Shoot Banners and love them. And then visualize in the car the whole drive to the match, saying positive things to myself. I do only a few draws in safety area, not really "work" there, just 3 or 4 times to help settle nerves. Then some deep breathing and little stretching/warm up. No way am I going in totally cold.

[htd1]

Same here, it takes me a couple of stages to be on the mood shooting only one category.   I was thinking to do some push ups to warm up.

I will try to do some light running and dry fire the last at home before going.

[tdp88]

When I have time I like to take breaks during practice to avoid getting too warmed up. I might bring some lunch with me or spend some time dragging out steel. I think it helps me simulate a match a little better and helps with that first go. When I go straight through and shoot 500 rounds in 2 hours I’m warmed up and shooting at a higher level. Most of the time I can’t waste 30 minutes between drills and just go non stop, but taking breaks helps with a cold start or going first to last in order on stages.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Darby10]

Dry fire practice evening before match, or a trip to range works for me the day before.