How To: Use of Hit Factor in Your Stage Plan

[StefVanHauwe]

How To: Use of Hit Factor in Your Stage Plan

Video of a presentation that explains the IPSC -USPSA Hit Factor (HF), my approach on a pragmatic integration into the stage plan, overall HF strategy, time value of mike's/no shoots, if and when to do follow-up shots. Let me know in the Comments below what your HF-strategies are and how you use them in your training or matches!

 

 

[rowdyb]

Hf over five I accept more C hits, below five I'm more conscious of points.

 

Make up shots always take extra time so I do everything I can to avoid them.

[StefVanHauwe]

2 hours ago, rowdyb said:

Hf over five I accept more C hits, below five I'm more conscious of points.

 

Make up shots always take extra time so I do everything I can to avoid them.

Thanks for sharing.

[IVC]

A point is worth 1/HF in seconds, so between 5 and 10 HF it goes from 0.2 seconds to 0.1 seconds. That is not much time. Even if you lose a point on each of 15 targets, that's only between 1.5 and 3 seconds penalty, but it can allow you to move much faster and more than make it up. Just one better entry/exit and one array on the move make it a wash. I would say that C-s are acceptable and necessary, or you'll be going too slow. This is shooting major.

 

If you shoot minor, the penalty is double so you will want to take a bit more time to avoid C-s. It seems that about 5 HF and below, where each C costs you 0.4s, you reach the threshold of taking your time to ensure A-s since 0.4 seconds is a lot of time to aim. And, it's *extra* time to aim, not total time. The calculation changes quite a bit shooting major, so similarly skilled Open and CO shooters will have different distribution of A/C. 

[StefVanHauwe]

3 hours ago, IVC said:

A point is worth 1/HF in seconds, so between 5 and 10 HF it goes from 0.2 seconds to 0.1 seconds. That is not much time. Even if you lose a point on each of 15 targets, that's only between 1.5 and 3 seconds penalty, but it can allow you to move much faster and more than make it up. Just one better entry/exit and one array on the move make it a wash. I would say that C-s are acceptable and necessary, or you'll be going too slow. This is shooting major.

 

If you shoot minor, the penalty is double so you will want to take a bit more time to avoid C-s. It seems that about 5 HF and below, where each C costs you 0.4s, you reach the threshold of taking your time to ensure A-s since 0.4 seconds is a lot of time to aim. And, it's *extra* time to aim, not total time. The calculation changes quite a bit shooting major, so similarly skilled Open and CO shooters will have different distribution of A/C. 

Thanks for sharing!

[RH39]

On 3/3/2021 at 12:23 AM, IVC said:

A point is worth 1/HF in seconds, so between 5 and 10 HF it goes from 0.2 seconds to 0.1 seconds. That is not much time. Even if you lose a point on each of 15 targets, that's only between 1.5 and 3 seconds penalty, but it can allow you to move much faster and more than make it up. Just one better entry/exit and one array on the move make it a wash. I would say that C-s are acceptable and necessary, or you'll be going too slow. This is shooting major.

 

If you shoot minor, the penalty is double so you will want to take a bit more time to avoid C-s. It seems that about 5 HF and below, where each C costs you 0.4s, you reach the threshold of taking your time to ensure A-s since 0.4 seconds is a lot of time to aim. And, it's *extra* time to aim, not total time. The calculation changes quite a bit shooting major, so similarly skilled Open and CO shooters will have different distribution of A/C. 

That’s a good way to explain it.  Thank you! It’s a technical aspect I just haven’t gotten down yet.  

[UpYoursPal]

How much are extra steps worth on low, medium, and high HF stages?
 

 

[CHA-LEE]

6 minutes ago, UpYoursPal said:

How much are extra steps worth on low, medium, and high HF stages?
 

 

 

Don't make it too complicated. Extra steps always take extra time and will in turn lower your hit factor. Using a strategy of minimizing or eliminating extra steps is always a good plan regardless of the stage HF.

[UpYoursPal]

1 minute ago, CHA-LEE said:

 

Don't make it too complicated. Extra steps always take extra time and will in turn lower your hit factor. Using a strategy of minimizing or eliminating extra steps is always a good plan regardless of the stage HF.

Fair point

[Eric802]

How do you determine what the HF "should" be for a stage?  Rowdy mentions above or below 5 being a demarcation, but how do you arrive at the HF?

[StefVanHauwe]

1 hour ago, Eric802 said:

How do you determine what the HF "should" be for a stage?  Rowdy mentions above or below 5 being a demarcation, but how do you arrive at the HF?

I explain this in my video: please go to timestamp 03:28

 

[HesedTech]

1 hour ago, Eric802 said:

How do you determine what the HF "should" be for a stage?  Rowdy mentions above or below 5 being a demarcation, but how do you arrive at the HF?

How many targets and how difficult is the stage?

 

Personally to me the whole idea of using hit factor as a measure of how I will shoot the stage just doesn't seem reasonable. Am I going to be sloppier with my hits in one verses the other? Of course not. 

 

Three general rules for the average shooter from Steve Anderson:

1. Shoot what you see.

2. Aim for the center of the "brown."

3. Do everything sooner.

 

Follow these and I believe for most people the HF won't matter.

 

BTW the math of make-up shots is really simple. If I know I hit a no-shoot or mike, make it up. Going to war on steel will crush my score. Dropping points and adding penalties hurts my score. Making up a C for an A probably not worth it.

 

[HesedTech]

4 minutes ago, StefVanHauwe said:

I explain this in my video: please go to timestamp 03:28

 

Stef

 

I'll be honest with you, it's too complicated. 

 

I believe you would serve your viewers better by demonstrating how to plan a stage to shoot and move more quickly to the next array. 

 

No matter what, thank you for making your videos and encouraging others to excel in the sport.

[StefVanHauwe]

4 minutes ago, HesedTech said:

Stef

 

I'll be honest with you, it's too complicated. 

 

I believe you would serve your viewers better by demonstrating how to plan a stage to shoot and move more quickly to the next array. 

 

No matter what, thank you for making your videos and encouraging others to excel in the sport.

Did you already check out my "How To" playlist? There are multiple videos on transition, movement and shooting flow. DVC

[MikeBurgess]

2 hours ago, CHA-LEE said:

 

Don't make it too complicated. Extra steps always take extra time and will in turn lower your hit factor. Using a strategy of minimizing or eliminating extra steps is always a good plan regardless of the stage HF.

Don't make it too simple either, time shot to shot is all that matters, what is the fastest way to get from shot to shot, this may not be the shortest number of steps.

 

I regularly see shooters take the shortest route in steps through a stage but have to enter multiple shooting positions in awkward positions and directions, where taking the long way around can be done faster and more aggressively.  

 

Another thing I see shooters do is take longer, slower, riskier, shots to save movement where making the movement and making closer easier faster lower risk shots takes less time. 

[HesedTech]

1 minute ago, StefVanHauwe said:

Did you already check out my "How To" playlist? 

I did watch the one on the basic shooting position. I'll check out the rest.

 

Thank you for the link.

 

This is a great sport and we need more people like you showing us what works for them.

 

If you haven't done so, check out Charlie Perez ,Cha-Lee  https://bigpandaperformance.com, he is one of the best instructors for shooters who want to learn how to play the game. For those in the USA who have access to his classes, just do it.

[StefVanHauwe]

1 minute ago, HesedTech said:

I did watch the one on the basic shooting position. I'll check out the rest.

 

Thank you for the link.

 

This is a great sport and we need more people like you showing us what works for them.

 

If you haven't done so, check out Charlie Perez ,Cha-Lee  https://bigpandaperformance.com, he is one of the best instructors for shooters who want to learn how to play the game. For those in the USA who have access to his classes, just do it.

Thanks!

[HesedTech]

5 minutes ago, MikeBurgess said:

I regularly see shooters take the shortest route in steps through a stage but have to enter multiple shooting positions in awkward positions and directions, where taking the long way around can be done faster and more aggressively.  

 

Another thing I see shooters do is take longer, slower, riskier, shots to save movement where making the movement and making closer easier faster lower risk shots takes less time. 

And this is what makes this a fun sport, stages where more than one solution can be found to shoot them.

 

 

[Eric802]

25 minutes ago, StefVanHauwe said:

I explain this in my video: please go to timestamp 03:28

 

Watched it over lunch and I see what you're saying. 

[rowdyb]

4 hours ago, MikeBurgess said:

time shot to shot is all that matters,

This is what I refer to as "dwell time". Where I assess why am I in this particular spot for this length of time and can I do anything about it. keeping in mind I'll be linking this spot likely to others.

[rowdyb]

4 hours ago, HesedTech said:

stages where more than one solution can be found to shoot them.

For example at a recent match I shot:

 

[rowdyb]

6 hours ago, Eric802 said:

Rowdy mentions above or below 5 being a demarcation,

I like this because it also makes the math very easy.

 

And how do you figure the hit factor of stages you haven't shot? Look at the results from the day before. Look at the pad from the shooters before. Ask the RO what they've seen. Or have practiced enough and used a timer enough you know what it takes you to do most actions and you can figure it out roughly on your own.

 

The fastest person doesn't always win and the most accurate person doesn't always win. There is a continuum we fall on and knowing the hf of a stage and your particular strengths can be helpful in how you shoot a stage.

[CHA-LEE]

6 hours ago, MikeBurgess said:

Don't make it too simple either, time shot to shot is all that matters, what is the fastest way to get from shot to shot, this may not be the shortest number of steps.

 

I regularly see shooters take the shortest route in steps through a stage but have to enter multiple shooting positions in awkward positions and directions, where taking the long way around can be done faster and more aggressively.  

 

Another thing I see shooters do is take longer, slower, riskier, shots to save movement where making the movement and making closer easier faster lower risk shots takes less time. 

 

I totally agree with what you are saying. Anything can be taken out of context and deployed in an ineffective manner. My favorite comment about stage strategy is "Every stage gives you the opportunity to make the wrong decision. Decide wisely!!!".

 

In all seriousness, the easiest tools to use in figuring out effective stage strategy is a stop watch and dry firing the stage at a realistic pace. If you dry fire two competing strategies at a realistic pace and time each one with a stop watch, then the answer to which strategy is "Better" will be obvious. If the two strategies have very similar times, then the decision on which one to use should come down to which way could you execute more consistently.

 

Figuring out the potential hit factor for a stage is only needed in very rare scenarios like deciding to blow off a disappearing target, or intentionally eating a mike or deltas on purpose by eliminating a position or reload. In my tenure of this game since 2008 I have seen MAYBE 10-15 total stages where figuring out the potential hit factor was a requirement to deciding on the proper strategy. I have also attended a metric crap ton of matches over the years all over the nation as well. All told I have probably shot over 6000 different stages in matches over the years. 

 

Here is the sobering truth that a lot of people don't want to accept. The potential high hit factor for a stage really doesn't matter from a strategy perspective. Regardless of the potential hit factor, your task is still to shoot as many points as possible in the least amount of time. There will always be someone who can shoot the stage in a higher hit factor for whatever reason. All you can do is perform the stage run to your current skill level and the hit factor is going to be whatever its going to be. Thinking about what the potential hit factor could be is nothing more than a mental distraction which WILL cause you to perform worse. We have all seen one competitor tell another "This is a 10 Hit Factor stage, you have to BURN IT DOWN!!!" then the other competitor shoots the stage with a total rage blasting speed focus and their points are crap because they felt there wasn't any time to see their sights. That is a perfect example of a mental distraction which leads to a worse performance.

[rowdyb]

10 minutes ago, CHA-LEE said:

nothing more than a mental distraction which WILL cause you to perform worse. We have all seen one competitor tell another "This is a 10 Hit Factor stage, you have to BURN IT DOWN!!!" then the other competitor shoots the stage with a total rage blasting speed focus and their points are crap because they felt there wasn't any time to see their sights. That is a perfect example of a mental distraction which leads to a worse performance.

Once again, totally right. Thank you for being transparent and truthful. You've helped me get back on track more than once.

[CHA-LEE]

2 minutes ago, rowdyb said:

Once again, totally right. Thank you for being transparent and truthful. You've helped me get back on track more than once.

Hopefully my post isn't pooping on your thread or video. What you provided is good stuff for people to think about and understand. Having more information and objective solutions to tackle issues is a good thing.