Watching The Sights - Calling Shots

[benos]

Watching the sights doesn't mean being careful. Calling shots doesn't mean waiting to see a stopped sight picture.

Of course, in the beginning when we're learning, that's how we do it. Line everything up nice and carefully for the first shot, then wait to see a stopped sight picture for each successive shot. "Stop and go" shooting, we could call it. For many stages, what do you remember seeing? Do you visually remember a stage as a succession of "saw everything all at once" images? One stopped (or fairly stopped) sight picture after another? Most of us progress to this phase naturally because we start shooting like this initially.

If you want to kick your vision up to a new level, when practicing transitions, ask yourself this: For each target, when do I remember first seeing the sights (or dot)? When they were on the target? Or as they were coming into the target? Learn to see each target "outside" of your sights or dot. Find the target before your sights get there, and know you did that.

After a while, you'll discover the subtle meaning of watching the sights and calling the shots. It's an active, never-ending, dynamic process. It'll feel like you're just baaareely keeping up with everything. It's like your eye is a video camera, and from it you're witnessing the movie of the stage. You're reading the gun while the gun is always moving. Gun coming from the left - the shot broke on the C/D line (you didn't find the center of the target) - you remember seeing the front sight closed out to the right - you know the shot was a C, and you keep hammering away without hesitation.

be

[carinab]

I got chills reading that. I don't get near enough hammer time to be able to read it consistently. Actually, I can't remember being that dialed in anytime recently. But when that focus does happen, it's like a slow motion movie and I see everything. It's a rush and the thing that keeps me addicted to this sport. New goal for the steel match this weekend....

[mark dye]

Great post Brian. I finally read Beyond Fundamentals last winter. What I got most from the book was the differing levels of focus necessary to call shots on various types of targets. The vast majoriy of my practice this year was an experiment in the relationship of sight picture to calling the shot. In other words, what do I NEED to see in order to make a shot on a given target. Lately, I find myself totally unconcerned with speed, either fast or slow. In the past, other shooters would tell me to slow down to make my shots...I just missed slower. Once I began calling shots above all else, speed takes care of itself. While I may plan a more aggressive stage plan or move my feet faster, I can only call shots as quickly as my current ability allows. As a result of all this, my shooting ability and my ability to perform at a match (very different things) are improving considerably. I finally have an "M" beside my name after 4 years as an "A". My goals for next year will be a continuation of this years...to call shots faster, and to improve my ability to perform at my peak ability in a match situation.

Mark Dye

[Rikarin]

Oh my god, it almost sounds like you witness what happened to me last week!

...And I remember that I only remmeber the shots which I mseed up. Like, when I went " bang bang" even when my FS is behind the RS. Or, finding the target and waiting almost forever to find the FS and then lining them up.

The shots I don't remember are either I hit A or nearly A, or my eye went to next target before I called shots. Either way I felt its ok...that I "felt" I called shots.

So, I can not recall the stage like video camera tayping. Brian, you are very visual person I think. Do you think I should work on so that I can remember each shots?

[benos]

. Do you think I should work on so that I can remember each shots?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From reading your post, I think I may have confused you a little. For most stages, I "remember them" just like you do. I remember what went wrong. In rare cases, however, I remember every detail of what I saw. (The video thing.) Which probably comes from a combination of experience and having your mind in the right place at the right time.

Programming specific "types of remembering" is probably best left for practice. Like when you program with the question: Did I remember seeing the target before the sights got there?

Maybe Robbie's way of programming and shooting is a good one for you: "I'm gonna see everything I need to see to shoot that target, then the next target, and so on."

be

[Clay1]

Brian, I always appreciate your paragraph or two of insight dropped into the fray. Like wonderful chucks of gold falling where a common guy can pick them up.

In my log from my last two outings, I stressed the point that I need to continue my visual patience. Sometimes the trigger finger goes when I am not seeing what I need to see. I seem to have the video player recall and ask myslef why did that shot break there? Visual patience is big on the personal goal list. Thanks again for the wonderful morsels of nourishment.

Rick

[benos]

  Visual patience is big on the personal goal list.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The visual patience concept hit me like a landslide. But practicing it was always difficult.

Thanks Rick.

be

[standles]

Brian, I always appreciate your paragraph or two of insight dropped into the fray.  Like wonderful chucks of gold falling where a common guy can pick them up. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Somebody has been attending a creative writing class

[Clay1]

Standles, it's good for the soul to express yourself. I just have to get better at expressing myself with lead.

Rick