Effective Plate Rack Training

[boo radley]

I've had a rare chance, lately, to do some live fire at a "real" range, with a plate rack.

I'm coming to believe that more than anything, the skills required to shoot a plate-rack quickly are those I need to work on.

So I'll get up to it, and think -- "ok...pretend this is a match...must shoot it smoothly and clean...," but part of my brain is also thinking, "wow! wouldn't it be great if you established a cold-run time of ***". So I'll draw, shoot it, and miss a plate. I'll spend the next few runs getting progressively more angry, with no clean runs.

Finally, I'll get disgusted, and exaggerate the aim on each plate, shoot it clean a few times, then go work on another drill or two. When I come back, (now after ~200 rounds) I'll get my better runs in on the rack, but still only shooting it clean about 50% of the time, and my times are -- if I'm honest -- around 4 seconds. Sometimes 3.8. Draw is about 1.5, 1.6.

I would dearly love to be able to shoot the rack clean, on demand, in the mid 3's.

So shoot w/out the timer for a while? Forget setting a par time in dry-fire? (I have some circles on the wall in my garage for a fake plate rack -- I shoot those no problem in 4.0).

Stay at a level where I'm always at 50/50 of success, aiming more/less deliberately as needed to maintain that pace?

signed,

"plated" in NC

[dirtypool40]

Boo, just one guy's opinion but...

Plate rack work outs are one of my favorites, and it's an evolution.

I started chasing that 10y number like you. I wanted a 2.5, at any cost. HAD to see that 2.5. I stood there, run after run at 10y, working towards a sub 3.0 average and a 2.5 best.

Well, after probably a month, that I now consider almost a waste, I got what I paid for, a 2.5 best and the inability to see anything required for shooting paper outside 10 FEET!!

Although I haven't practiced much lately, when I get time and start again I am hitting the plate rack, but for control and patience. I got great results from these two last year.

My two favorites;

COLD Far, Near, Far, alternating sides. Bianchi par times. ONLY FIRE SIX SHOTS. A miss is a miss. You'll learn to slow down, see what you need AND cuss all in one drill. Cool, huh?

Start at 25yards - 9 seconds, 20y/8s, 15y/7s, 10y/6s, 10y/6s, 15y/7s, 20y/8s, 25y/9s

On the way in, start on the left plate. Alternate, going 1,6,2,5,3,4 I like to beat the par times by about 2 seconds but still really "cinch" the plate. At 25 I am a little further ahead, and at 10y, I tend to get too careful and scrape 4 sec.

On the way back out, start on the right plate. Alternate going 6,1,5,2,4,3.

I like this drill because it starts you off with a high pressure shot cold, gets easier and then builds again as you try to close out a clean run.

My other favorite drill is to set up a box or barricade at 10 or 15y, and practice position entry. Gun, loaded / holstered, at the beep, move to the position, enter "properly" and shoot one plate. Or alternate, 6,1,5 etc etc. The idea here is learning what you need to see on that first shot. Good first move, gun up early, patience, prep aaaaaaand break.

I work around the box / barricade / port in a semi circle so I get used to entering from different angles.

When I was really working these two, I saw some real improvement in patience / discipline, points shot, and timing in position entry.

Lemmee know...

Edited April 20, 2007 by dirtypool40

[boo radley]

Boo, just one guy's opinion but...

Plate rack work outs are one of my favorites, and it's an evolution.

I started chasing that 10y number like you. I wanted a 2.5, at any cost. HAD to see that 2.5. I stood there, run after run at 10y, working towards a sub 3.0 average and a 2.5 best.

Well, after probably a month, that I now consider almost a waste, I got what I paid for, a 2.5 best and the inability to see anything required for shooting paper outside 10 FEET!!

Although I haven't practiced much lately, when I get time and start again I am hitting the plate rack, but for control and patience. I got great results from these two last year.

My two favorites: [....]

Eric -- tagged to disk. Thx, man -- I hadn't thought about alternating sides during a single string, or trying it against a fixed par time. Will give these drills a shot ASAP.

I like the idea of moving into a barricade and shooting a plate, too, since how many matches have you running to the corner of something, leaning around, and shooting a popper? Like...all of them, seems as if.

[dirtypool40]

Happy to help Boo.

The "entry drill" is just a great, "no alibi" way to practice getting that 1st A. And not just around, but practice entering a box, or set up a port, two barricades to form a "doorway" or anything that makes you hit a certain spot, at speed, ready to grab some Alphas.

I use that drill when I am working with someone on movement, myself included . When I first take a buddy who's a B/C shooter, and put them on this. Let's say I shoot one plate in 2.5, if they take 3.5 they are thinking it's pretty good. But, after the first ten runs where I don't point anything out, I am 10 SECONDS ahead.

After we work on the "first move", getting the gun up early, and proper entry and they start ripping off 2.7's one after another, I feel like a fool and they look at me grinning like I just gave away the candy store.

Right now, or when I start again I should say, I am trying to learn to finish targets, but still snap out to the next one. Alternating sides on the modified Bianchi run is good for that, but still disciplining yourself to take the time you need to be SURE before you loose that shot.

Let me know if you have any quesitons, and how it goes.

Edited April 20, 2007 by dirtypool40

[Flexmoney]

I would dearly love to be able to shoot the rack clean, on demand, in the mid 3's.

Who is that guy in the mirror that keeps trying to bull shit you ?

It sure sounds like you are asking your body to give it to you fast, but hope it's clean.

BE had a method for shooting drills. Crap...I forget what he called it....

But, anyway, the method was real simple. You pick a PAR time for the drill...one that allows you to shoot clean, but...and here is the kicker...you can only count the drill as a success if you don't go UNDER the par time. That is right...you can' shoot faster.

The idea is to get as close to the time you pick as possible...without going under it.

Try it out, and pay attention to what you see/feel/notice. Let us know how it goes.

[driver8M3]

I like the idea of moving into a barricade and shooting a plate, too, since how many matches have you running to the corner of something, leaning around, and shooting a popper? Like...all of them, seems as if.

i think this is the most effective shooting-on-the-move there is. often when you have even wide open targets that can be shot on the move they're too far away (for me) to really shoot while moving. in such cases i've seen the supers split it...1/2 will stand and shoot, 1/2 will move slowly and shoot. other targets are so close that even i can shoot them while moving (meaning just about anyone can).

but where the supers really separate themselves from the rest of us, is shooting while moving into a position, as you've described above. if you watch the super squad on a stage with position like that, almost all of them are shooting before they get their feet set. meanwhile, the rest of us wait til our feet are set, then raise the gun, then get a sight picture, then start shooting. lots of valuable time is lost here. this year i've been making a conscious effort to improve in this area. i think your idea of practicing on a plate while entering a position is a great idea.

[G-ManBart]

I would dearly love to be able to shoot the rack clean, on demand, in the mid 3's.

Who is that guy in the mirror that keeps trying to bull shit you ?

It sure sounds like you are asking your body to give it to you fast, but hope it's clean.

BE had a method for shooting drills. Crap...I forget what he called it....

But, anyway, the method was real simple. You pick a PAR time for the drill...one that allows you to shoot clean, but...and here is the kicker...you can only count the drill as a success if you don't go UNDER the par time. That is right...you can' shoot faster.

The idea is to get as close to the time you pick as possible...without going under it.

Try it out, and pay attention to what you see/feel/notice. Let us know how it goes.

That was the "Breakout" game he played with TGO when getting ready for the Steel Challenge.

Bart

[dirtypool40]

i think your idea of practicing on a plate while entering a position is a great idea.

Thanks. I actually do a work up to where the final stage is shooting plates or partials on the move.

I set up the barricade or fault line, draw sprint, and begin shooting once you pass the fault line, but keep moving, then at the last shot, sprint again.

That way you get a good soft entry, sight focus on every shot, shooting on the move, lots of goodies. When I get to the point I am practicing that phase of the drill, I'm doin' pretty good.

[Steve Anderson]

Plate racks are awesome training, esp. with some movement thrown in...

It's cool to run the same drill comstock and virginia to get a good feel for the shot calling.

For the noobs, comstock you would make up your misses shooting til all plates are down, virginia you get one shot per plate and record your misses.

SA

[boo radley]

[Who is that guy in the mirror that keeps trying to bull shit you ?

It sure sounds like you are asking your body to give it to you fast, but hope it's clean.

Flex, I'm not sure I know what 'clean' means, or will ever really know.

I was looking something up, and saw my first USPSA match was 4/05 -- so I've been doing this for about 2 years. Had a class with Garcia, and another with Tilley, have averaged about 2 local matches a month, 6 majors, and spent a small fortune in ammo.

Not once have I shot a match without at least one -- probably two -- penalties, and often many more.

It ain't hard to get discouraged. Hell, last summer, when I only shooting 1/2-heartedly, and doing a lot more fishing and other things, I was *better*, than I am now, and since January, I've been dry-firing and live-firing regularly. <grumble>

So I shot the plates again Friday night, at a range, with a friend. Couldn't buy a clean run, hardly, and never broke 4.0. DP -- I did try your drill, and THAT'S a lot of fun -- went 2,4,5,6,5,3,3,? I think 1 or 2 at the end. Too disgusted to record it. Part of this is getting used to a new gun (which has solved zero problems, but created some), and part is just...focus, I guess.

Just venting. I'll get those %$*# circles THIS week.

[Flexmoney]

"ok...pretend this is a match...must shoot it smoothly and clean...," but part of my brain is also thinking, "wow! wouldn't it be great if you established a cold-run time of ***".

Right. You brain hears one and only one command...and your subconscious delivers just what you ask for...speed, not control. And you get...

So I'll draw, shoot it, and miss a plate.

I'll spend the next few runs getting progressively more angry, with no clean runs.

Sure, you never really ask for clean...so there is no way to get clean. The focus is on the outcome of fast, not the execution of hitting the targets.

Finally, I'll get disgusted, and exaggerate the aim on each plate, shoot it clean a few times, then go work on another drill or two.

Instead of exploring what is working...and reinforcing the hitting of the plates...you go shoot something else.

You, apparently can hit them clean, but you don't think you like what it takes to do so ?

When I come back, (now after ~200 rounds) I'll get my better runs in on the rack, but still only shooting it clean about 50% of the time, and my times are -- if I'm honest -- around 4 seconds. Sometimes 3.8. Draw is about 1.5, 1.6.

You might want to try putting a big piece of tape over the time display on your timer. Use it as a start beep...and only focus on shooting the plates clean. Clean is the goal. Find a way to meet it...then speed all day in clean runs. Explore how that feels and looks.

Don't "go slow" to hit the plates...just hit the plates.

Don't let yourself practice missing. You've done more than enough work on building a self-image of a shooter that misses plates half the time.

Build the self image of hitting plates all the time...every time.

I'm coming to believe that more than anything, the skills required to shoot a plate-rack quickly are those I need to work on.

Drop that. It's not working. It is a focus on speed. If you are in a hole, quit digging.

Flex, I'm not sure I know what 'clean' means, or will ever really know.

You won't know unless you make shooting clean the focus...your one and only goal.

Not once have I shot a match without at least one -- probably two -- penalties, and often many more.

Where is the focus ?

Being focused on the outcome distracts from the execution...and leads to frustration. Focus on the execution and the outcome takes care of itself.

You can do this, it just might take a shift in mindset.

[Jake Di Vita]

Everyone here should re-read Kyle's post at least 3 times.

[DarkSmileyX]

Everyone here should re-read Kyle's post at least 3 times.

And which one would that be?

[Jake Di Vita]

Kyle = Flexmoney

[aerosigns]

Jake,

Thanks again for RO'ing the other day at the WI.

I read Flex's post 3 times like you said, and I agreed with him everytime I read it.

If you take care of the accuracy part, the bullet will take care of the scoring part. Would you guys agree that until you have accuracy, nothing else matters. I often tell students "your missing as fast as you can", with that mentality.

[Jake Di Vita]

I wouldn't go as far as saying nothing else matters....but hitting the target is definetely a pre requisite.

[Al Capizzo]

They have recently added a plate rack at the range where I practice.

One drill I've been working lately is a paper on each side of the plates.

Shoot two on paper, hit a plate, then two on the remaining paper. You can vary distance of targets, order of engagement, etc. Amuses the heck out of me!