Staying Low

[Jake Di Vita]

I've been doing a lot of thinking on this lately, so this post is likely to come out in a mess of thoughts in no coherant order.

Whenever I watch the pros (in video or in person) there is one really important thing about their shooting that mostly goes un-noticed. The fact that they are always low to the ground. Another big thing is they don't stand up when coming into position.

Look at the person who is the best at shooting on the move...Chris Tilley. While shooting on the move, he is way lower to the ground than anyone else gets. Almost to the point where he is walking in a squatted position. It almost seems that your proficiency while shooting on the move is directly related to how low you get to the ground. (Taking nothing away from CT of course).

Then you can also look at Sevigny. While he is shooting, his elevation just about never changes through the entire course of the stage.

I always thought I stayed decently close to the ground. Then I actually watch videos of myself shooting and I'm really not down and behind the gun very much at all. That is something that I will be continually working on this season. Staying low to the ground at all times and keeping my body more compacted during shooting....(no short jokes ).

It almost seems like the more upright you are shooting, the less control over the gun you have. Regardless of whether you are moving or static.

It also seems that if you think you are low enough....chances are you aren't. Video can really help diagnose this.

What I do know is that everything we do in this sport, even in the .01's of a second, add up.

Thoughts?

[dcarter]

This is all true. Those shooters are using there legs as shock absorbers, rolling the feet from back to front. It takes practice but it keeps the upper body static. Watch videos of a SWAT team moving and you will see what I mean.

[gunny]

When analyzing video of myself shooting on the move. I had my feet spread too far apart to move fast enough, and from that wide foot stance it is hard to gain burst speed to zip to the next target array.

Consequently, I have focused on moving with my feet closer together and body slightly higher.

I've noticed some super fast shooters and it seems that their body is always on "top" of their feet.

[Matt Cheely]

That's about the first thing I though after seeing video of myself from Wisconsin. Every time I stop moving I stand up. Definetly something to work on.

[XRe]

Thoughts?

100% true, IME...

I still remember the first time I felt like I was getting lower as I entered a position - a light clicked on for me there... Moving into a position where I had to lean out to the strong side to get to a target, and I was much more stable and controlled feeling - but was quick at the same time. Its tough to be low when you're flat out running - ie, when not shooting on the move - but as you decelerate into position, you naturally tend to get lower, as well - the trick is, stay there, don't stand up...

Been watching the same thing in video of myself - and been getting lower over the past year, and my shoot on the move shows it...

[Flyin40]

I started working on this last yr. While at Nationals I watched Chris Tilley shoot Stage 18 at Nationals and then started calling it the "Tilly Shuffle". Without doing anything else other than just watching him shoot that stage and then watch it some more on video has improved my shooting on the move quite alot. It just clicked in my head about getting low and staying low. He is low while shooting but the main thing I noticed was his feet never stopped moving. I think Brad Balsley was within .5 secs of him but and maybe JJ if I remember right but everyone else was aleast 1 sec behind and by the time it got to 8th place it was 2 secs behind and he had good points. I know that I need to stay low while shooting but it seems than I end up getting back up high sometimes. I think is going to take some practice to make it automatic while shooting.

I think I tend to stand up more coming into positions more than anywhere else. I broke out the 22 yesterday and set up a drill practicing this exact thing. I set up 5 targets at 10, 15, 16, 20 and 30 yds. The first 4 were in a straight line and the last were straight in front at 30yds. I stayed about 5yds to the right of the targets. I started 10yds from the first target. I just worked on coming to the first target and staying low coming into and low through out. I noticed that if there is some distance between targets I tend to raise up some and have a habit of not getting low again for the next target. I put the targets far enough apart so it would require some running between targets. The last target was about 10yds away from the fault line so that I would finish coming in low and shooting it entering the last position. I didn't want it so close that I could hit it easily if I didn't come into the position right. It was far enough away that if I wasn't low I would end up with a C.

If I put the targets closer to each other it was easier to get low and stay low throughout.

If I stood up at all I seemed to always get a A/C, if I stayed low I always had an A/A and I noticed the gun was much more stable.

I have really been thinking about this for awhile now, like Jake said all the top guys do it

Flyin

Edited April 28, 2007 by Flyin40

[ChuckS]

As Todd Jarret put it: Move like a tank...

[shred]

Standing up in a position is usually a big loser, but most everybody does it-- I watched the SS at the Steel Nationals shoot Outer Limits and very few of them stood up any in the center box, even with 35 yard targets and no need to leave that position.

[Airic]

Tilley Shuffle

I noticed his technique also. His upper body almost looks parallel to the ground.

He is low while shooting but the main thing I noticed was his feet never stopped moving.

Anyone here ever play football in school? I have noticed a lot of things from other sports that deal with balance and center of gravity apply well to this sport. IMO, you almost have to exaggerate it to the point to where you feel uncomfortable. It feels weird to get that low while shooting at first, but I have also noticed that it helps a lot with stability while shooting on the move. As for the feet always moving part, I think smaller, quick steps send less shock wave up the body to your arms/gun.

[Flatland Shooter]

Tilley Shuffle

I noticed his technique also. His upper body almost looks parallel to the ground.

Wow, the Tilley Shuffle!

I only have one clip of myself shooting and moving. The only thing that bobs up and down more than me is one of those dogs with a spring loaded bouncing head.

Get low and stay low. Officially added to my "to learn" list.

Thanks.

Bill

[pjb45]

I was talking with Taran Butler the other day about shooting through ports, he emphasized over and over again that he lowers his center of gravity when he starts to get closer to the port.

The other day I was at a local match ROing so good shooters. I tried to keep up with them on the movement stages but I really concentrated on keeping my knees bent and staying lower to the ground while I was moving. I was happy that I could keep up with guys 25-30 years younger than me.

Edited May 2, 2007 by pjb45

[Irate]

This is all true. Those shooters are using there legs as shock absorbers, rolling the feet from back to front. It takes practice but it keeps the upper body static. Watch videos of a SWAT team moving and you will see what I mean.

Yup, if the professionals use it, it's good enough for me. Staying low and getting a good flow is without a doubt the secret to accurate and quick fire on the move. I practice with "engineer tape rooms" in my backyard. Room entry drills may not have anything to do with competition, but I have noticed that I shot a lot better on the move in my last match since doing the room entry drills.

Irate