Top 5

[PaulW]

Ok so there is a handful of news guy that want DP and me to go out and help them. Some have a fews years experience while others are pretty green. I was thinking about what to work on with them and I thought about the top 5 areas I would think are important. Now we'll assume they all pretty much can shoot decent groups and have acceptable grips.

1 - Movement; This goes for everyone, new or advanced. So much of our sport we spend doing everything but shooting. This is, in my opinion, the number 1 area to help improve your match performance.

2 - Stage Breakdown; Know where your strengths and weakness are. Breakdown a stage and shoot it just like you broke down. Be able to weigh to risk vs. rewards.

3 - The Draw; To me this is really important. Not so much the speed but a consistant draw. I have found that if I start with a crappie draw things usually don't get better.

4 - Transitions; Important because transitions also encompass calling your shots and having the proper sight picture for the type of target you are shooting.

5 - Reload; They can make or break a good time/score on any stage. A blown reload can easily cost you 2 seconds or more.

Ok what do ya'll think?

[Jake Di Vita]

I know you said 5 but it's hard for me to label them like that...so here are 7.

1 - Calling the shot - If they can't call their shots, they need to work on that exclusively. Everything else is dust in the wind without that one ability.

2 - Stance, Grip, Draw, Reload, Positioning of equipment - Basic mechanics and reasons for technique of your stance, grip, draws, and reloads. Make sure equipment is positioned correctly for each individual person.

3 - Transitions, Presentation to target - Leading with the eyes, acceptable sight picture, defining what the target is.

4 - Stage Breakdown - Most efficient way to negotiate a stage. Target engagement order and why. Common traps, timing activators, rehearsing and moving through the stage without hesitation.

5 - Movement - Most efficient way of entering and leaving a position. Easy set ups and hard set ups and when to use them.

6 - Equipment Care - If your shit doesn't run, everything you do in practice is pointless...trust me on this one.

7 - Shooting on the move - Can probably be put into one of the other sections, but I gave it it's own because it truly is a dynamic skill. While shooting on the move you do certain things that you don't do any other time in IPSC. Address staying as low as possible, and really aiming hard...it's ok to have slower splits here.

[Matt Cheely]

I'd add match consistency. Without it, even a good shooter can't win.

[Jake Di Vita]

Match consistency goes without saying. When you are training someone, you aren't training them to miss, but are trying to teach them how to hit the target as quickly as possible.

Match consistency is part of every step that's listed...it just goes without saying.

[dirtypool40]

Great thread, but jeez, what angle to approach this from.

I'd say something like:

1.) Good foundation. Solid basics. Grip, stance, sights, trigger, shot calling, how you are going to move in and out. Mantras like "Easy on the trigger, Hard on the sights", "SHOOT THE FRIGGIN' POINTS" and "Shoot slow, do everything else fast" are good reinforcers. When you OWN the basics, you believe in them and yourself and they (with you on their back) don't fall apart in the crucible of competition. It's easier to be a consistent scientist, than artist. Freewheeling and running like a raped ape may get it done at the local level, under no pressure when it's all shitz and giggles, but if you think that will hold up against "the boys" at an Area or Nats, you're in for a rude one.

2.) Make less excuses, other than "I did the best I could at the beep." The whole Moku Mozo thing. You ain't better than you put up at the beep.

3.) Be able to view your perormances, (good and bad), and your game (strengths and weaknesses) as objectively as possible. Yes, this is sort of an extension of #2. But now I mean in your training. Don't practice what is easy or you're good at. Turn into your weaknesses and make them strengths. Practice hard, win easy. There's a million tough guy quotes for this one. The best I heard was something about the iron ore wonders why it is tortured so, the forged steel blade looks back at the furnace and smiles with confidence. Pretty tough, huh? Yeah, I know.

4.) Put the time in or don't bitch. You can't lose 20#, earn a black belt, or get a college degree in one day. Don't expect to master practical shooting, or any other worthwhile endeavor, overnight. If I haven't put in months of consistent practice, I know better than to expect a good showing on match day. Some guys can, not me. Sometimes it's frustrating, I'm a competitive guy, and if we are keeping score I want my name up top, but I want to earn that spot with a solid performance, not back in because I am the only one in the division or class.

5.) Avoid small pond syndrome. Don't limit yourself by setting your sights too low. Quit worrying about sandbagging your way to another 3rd "C" plaque and just shoot. Shoot to win OVERALL. Not your class or high lady revolver shooting weak hand minor on stage 3. Don't look for reasons your "pretty good" was better than it was.

I'd rather shoot great and get beat than back in sideways winning against malfunctions or a weaker class I didn't belong in. GO FIND GUYS WHO CAN BEAT YOU. If you are undefeated you are not facing strong enough opposition.

[PaulW]

Jake, Matt, DP....great input guys, thank you.

[Slowhand]

Thanks for taking the time an sharing your experience.

This is good timing for me. I have been shooting comp. for the last year with several 2nds shooting L10 at the local level. This fall I plan to shoot the state championship for the reasons stated by DP40. Hopefully I can shoot enough classifiers by October to replace my "U". Then I can go get that dose of humility that will surely motivate me.

[KGentry]

What great information we have here from shooters who really know what they are talking about. Thanks guys!

I think one of the hardest things to find for shooters wanting to improve is that someone that is highly skilled actually taking the time at the range to work with them. I know allot of shooters qualified and willing but have a hard time finding the "time" to help.

[PaulW]

And again like DP said, none of it comes without a lot of hard work. I bet the practice time Matt, DP, Jake and I have would reach in the thousands of hours. I don't practice like I use to, but still find time to dryfire each week, even if it's only for a few minutes.

[konkapot]

Dirtypool's ideas were GREAT, particularly #4, but Jake's "Calling the Shot" really is what it gets boiled down to.

FY42385

[Loves2Shoot]

Dirtypool's ideas were GREAT, particularly #4, but Jake's "Calling the Shot" really is what it gets boiled down to.

FY42385

+1, and controlling the shot.

The more I shoot, the more it seems like all that really matters is getting the bullets where they need to be on each target without hesitation.

This AM we were shooting 3 Zebras with no shoots at 10 yards and it started off well, then I thought I should be faster, so I lost control of where the bullets were going and started getting edger no shoots. I backed of just a hair (.2-3 sec over 6 shots) and I was able to control putting the bullets where the needed to go.

Shooting out of control is a big temptation and trap for a lot of folks. Shooting in control, precisely, and without hesitation may be a bit boring, but wins matches.

[BSeevers]

I would add that after mastering the fundamentals that the "mental" side of the game is one of the the biggest factors in winning or not.

Don't try, Do. Keep it positive. Trust. Maku Mozo. Taco Bell. Stuff like that.

Edited May 4, 2007 by BSeevers

[Flexmoney]

Off the top of my head...without reading thru the thread yet...

Calling the shot.

Awareness of what they are looking at (and what they should be looking at). Paying attention. Visual awareness. Sensory awareness.

Presenting the gun. Underclassmen probably need to learn to present the gun from the high-ready...mostly straight out to the target. They need to learn to do this as the final part of the draw...reload...entering position...taking the gun off a table...after opening a door...whatever and always.

Grip and stance. The basics, as needed. I also like to see shooters squared up to the target, somewhat aggressive...knees bents, etc. You can get a 10lbs medicine ball from Wal-mart (looks like a basketball) for cheap. Throw that at them and have them return it back to you..squared up. Conveys the idea of recoil.

Draw and reload? eehhh...maybe. If they are really off or missing something. Some of that goes back to awareness..what are they paying attention to...what can they tell you they noticed after they shot a drill. You can usually give an underclassmen a few tenths on either by getting their weak-hand moving.

[PaulW]

FLex, the draw to me is so important to set the stage to success. If I fumble or miss a draw the rest of the stage seems to suffer. I don't mean pure speed, heck I'd rather have a consistent 1.5 sec draw than bobble one during a match.

[Flexmoney]

Not so much for me. I do get what you are saying though.

That reminds me...

Brian has "the fundamentals" on his main web page. That really is the foundation we ought to build off of, I think.

[dirtypool40]

The thing that slowly emerges as I read through this whole thread, is that we all all saying the same things, from our individual perspectives. (Which should provide some consistency for new guys).

It's all about the visual discipline needed to slow down enough to place the boowlets where they need to be. Everything else is just the process of movin' yo ass and the gun into position to do so.

Recently I finally got to see the video from the match back in Jan where things clicked a little and I shot pretty solid. Which was rare for me on no practice. Know what? It didn't look like anything special, in fact the things I noticed were that there was a slight but definite pause before the first shot (PaulW & TJ), I seemed to move more aggressively than I normaly did, and shoot a hair slower. Jeez if I could bottle that.

Also like Flex and others have said (Paul and I had this talk Sunday) Dry fire is good for skill speed initially, but once you have it, that is an area, at least for me, that doens't degrade nearly as quickly as others. When I make my re-entry into the sport here soon, I'll hit some dry fire, but there's diminishing returns there, and it can lead you down the speed path.

The guys Paul is talking about cornered me at the last match and asked when we could start, and what we would practice. Points and Movement, boys that's about all there is. Shoot at small targets as fast as you can be sure you are getting the hit. Move so you are shooting a quality shot as early as possible (applies both to entry echnique and speed). Twist it around, shake it up, avoid ruts, and practice the hard stuff. When it's easy, find something else hard. Any time you catch yourself sleepwalking through practice, you are wasting ammo. Find a way to make it tough again.

When I come back, I'm gonna start with pure slow fire step back drills, bianchi plates and movement drills. I gotta have that stuff down to BORING before I move on. Check back a year ago when last I "started over" and there's lots of posts in the "headshot 21" step back drill. I also have a little build up drill I do on partials.

[fasteddy]

Match consistency goes without saying. When you are training someone, you aren't training them to miss, but are trying to teach them how to hit the target as quickly as possible.

Match consistency is part of every step that's listed...it just goes without saying.

This is what I used to win and broke my grade from B to A in less than a year.." Match Consistency " is the magic word.I was re-graded from B to A over the weekend Level III match..thanks guys this forum helps me a lot in acquiring this progress..

DVC

Edited May 18, 2010 by fasteddy

[Neomet]

I can only add this as I like what has been put up already and I give it with the distinct caveat that I just clawed my way into B so am no expert. That said, it has been the single biggest help to me at matches.

Forget the stage you just shot by the time you get back to your range bag. I've pissed away multiple stages at big matches while I berated myself for a mistake(s) I had made on a stage.

Not only do I enjoy myself at matches so much more now, my results have improved noticeably.

[CocoBolo]

Shooters are a lot like hunting dogs. I had a pair of pointers that were well trained hunters but the only way I could get them to hunt was to throw them out of the truck about a mile from where we were going to hunt and let them run off all the excess energy.

At the beginning any local match is way keyed up over time the home club gets more relaxed given enough time you start to feel a little relaxed at a major match.

Along with visual patience or as a part there of its mental dicipline to calm down and do what you need to do.

[Graham Smith]

Speaking as one of the guys that needs a lot of work, I have a pretty good idea where I need work.

1. Consistent, reliable, trigger control. More than anything else, this is what plagues me.

2. Calling your shot. This is joined at the hip with #1.

3. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. I need to have that tattooed on the inside of my eyelids so I can study it while I sleep.

4. Off-axis and off-angle shooting. How often do you actually shoot standing square to the target in a perfect stance and position?

5. The mental game. Learning to think and plan out a course of fire so that you know exactly what you are going to do in what sequence. Then just relax and shoot it.

[benos]

I know you said 5 but it's hard for me to label them like that...so here are 7.

1 - Calling the shot - If they can't call their shots, they need to work on that exclusively. Everything else is dust in the wind without that one ability.

2 - Stance, Grip, Draw, Reload, Positioning of equipment - Basic mechanics and reasons for technique of your stance, grip, draws, and reloads. Make sure equipment is positioned correctly for each individual person.

3 - Transitions, Presentation to target - Leading with the eyes, acceptable sight picture, defining what the target is.

4 - Stage Breakdown - Most efficient way to negotiate a stage. Target engagement order and why. Common traps, timing activators, rehearsing and moving through the stage without hesitation.

5 - Movement - Most efficient way of entering and leaving a position. Easy set ups and hard set ups and when to use them.

6 - Equipment Care - If your shit doesn't run, everything you do in practice is pointless...trust me on this one.

7 - Shooting on the move - Can probably be put into one of the other sections, but I gave it it's own because it truly is a dynamic skill. While shooting on the move you do certain things that you don't do any other time in IPSC. Address staying as low as possible, and really aiming hard...it's ok to have slower splits here.

That's a great outline to expand upon in a book.

[pjb45]

I remember Taran's first assessment of my shooting " WE got all kinds of things to fix here!"

Here is my list:

1. Draw-gun presentation (even from a table, etc)

2. Accuracy - no substitution for the lower class shooters

3. Trigger Control - WOW - this is critical and related to # 2

4. Movement - something to always be improving

5. Practice perfect technique - no training scars

[Jake Di Vita]

That's a great outline to expand upon in a book.

Thanks Brian, I've actually had the rough draft written for about 3 years now.

Come to think of it, I'd like to go back and read it again now to see how my opinions may have changed.

[benos]

Thanks Brian, I've actually had the rough draft written for about 3 years now.

I wondered about something like that. Seemed well thought out to be off the cuff.

be

[spursguy10]

I would totally agree that grip is a very important factor when dealing with top 5 issues with handguns period. Especially with IDPA and USPSA shooting!