Shooting for A class

[shooterbenedetto]

Work on field courses and let the BIG MATCHES bump you up in class by winning you class!!!!

[shooting for M]

I agree with Jake's idea of going out on a skills assessment - I think that's good for everyone to know about their shooting. Once specific weaknesses are identified, drills can be done to help improve things, obviously.

As far as specific classifiers to work on general skills (as opposed to which ones are do-able with the intention of moving up), here are some off the top of my head that should be easy to set up w/ a minimum of props:

99-10 - Times Two (some movement, good distance on the targets - add a reload in between, if you want to practice the blastoff reload...)

99-11 - El Pres (well known, turning draw, wrists above shoulders, reload, good distance)

99-39 - Off Balance Blast (odd positions, a reload, relaxed at sides start)

99-41 - Works For Me or 99-42 Fast and Furious (back and forth to steel, reload, odd draw position, leans)

03-08 - Madness (tight shots, reload, wrists above shoulders)

03-14 - Baseball Standards (hint, 100% is 120 points - a hard one, but good practice)

You might consider adding in 06-03 Can You Count as a trigger manipulation and relaxation exercise. It doesn't hurt at the A level to know something about the kind of focus and attention it takes to shoot at warp speed up close....

Great thread lots of good info, thanks. I shot the baseball standards today for the first time. WOW, what a PITA. Great classifier to use as a practice drill.

Jason

[davidball]

I have heard and read a lot of "complaints" (may not be the right word) about Baseball Standards. I like Baseball Standards. It not only requires a broad variety of shooting skills, but the competitor must also know his own abilities and limitations in deciding what to do AND be aware of how the scoring rules will impact the results. Flex discussed this somewhere (big surprise - what HASN'T Flex discussed somewhere). I think this would be an excellent classifier to include in any training regime, especially as a benchmark of progress.

[XRe]

Here are some classifiers you can get higher scores than normal in my experience,

I think you missed the point, Bill.... She wanted some classifiers to run as drills to improve her abilities, not to grandbag....

[XRe]

What I like about classifiers as practice tools? They're basically "slightly more complex drills", in that I can set them up the same way every time, and I have scores I can benchmark against - just like doing various practice drills, etc...

Personally, unless I'm practicing a specific drill, I try to avoid dragging out lots of props in order to maximize practice time... sometimes you have to do that, but you can get a lot done with just a few targets and a couple of boxes... Thus the ones I suggested above

Really, any of the long range standards are good practice - not as "the only thing you do", but more as benchmarks for your current skill level... Long Range Standards is the only course you will probably ever see with a prone reload, so...

[Calamity Jane]

Now that I've got a cup of coffee in my hand instead of a wine glass...let me add some insight to the motivation of shooting classifiers to be an A class shooter on paper. I share this for the newer shooters out there. I don't want to lead anyone astray! After all I'm quite responsible when not experimenting with "wine therapy" ANYWAY...

All that has been said in this thread is correct.

You should:

Evaluate your skills and record what you can do so you know where you are.

Movement is a HUGE time eater and working on it is absolutely necessary to shave off time so that you can compete at a higher level.

Practicing classifiers so that you can nail them and move up (letter behind your name) doesn't necessarily mean that you will be able to compete at that level. Therefore, it is necessary to improve your overall game in addition to your classifier game.

I have been training and working at becoming a better shooter for the last 2 years. AND I don't mean casually. I mean X's on the calendar for days that I've trained, formal goals, and written plans to get there. I have improved as an overall shooter! The trouble is...I don't have anything to show for it. I struggle with "nailing" classifiers. Do I have the skills? Yep. Therefore it must be mental which in my case I believe to be true. SO I am specifically training on classifiers so that I can clean up my mental attitude towards them...and to get some sort of accomplishment behind my name. Also...one of the things I need to do is record specific times and trends of draws, reloads, transitions etc....using the classifers to practice is just the vehicle to do this. I just needed some structure.

Thank you all for posting....please continue to do so. I'm going to take a look at your suggestions and then post the 6 that I'm going to use.

[38supPat]

One of the reasons I like Partial People Eaters is it teaches discipline. The times are good and you have to know what ou can hit in the time given...or slow down when needed

[vrmn1]

Mini mart is a good one 99-21

Fluffy's Revenge I and II are also good if you have pooper to practice with. 06-04 and 06-05

El Prez of course. 99-11

If you have the plates to use Steel Challenge courses are great practice for stand and deliver stages.

Triple Choice is a good one I think It has drawing and SHO and WHO. 99-47

I could list a few more but they have probably already been listed.

And here is a BIG thing that has helped me, "I think?" DRYFIRE!!!!!!!!

You have to nail your reloads! You have to nail your draw! I KNOW the hours and hours I have spent in my shop practicing my draws and reloads until my hand hurt and would bleed has helped.

Good luck.

[BSeevers]

Here are some classifiers you can get higher scores than normal in my experience,

I think you missed the point, Bill.... She wanted some classifiers to run as drills to improve her abilities, not to grandbag....

From Jane

"I want to be an A class shooter on paper. Yep you heard me right. A CLASS ON PAPER!!!! "

I take that as I want to be a paper A or in other words, How can I do it faster without just letting it happen or grandbag. I don't think this is out of context.

I also forgot to tell her that reshooting classifiers will help get you over classed also

[xdrocker]

The trouble is...I don't have anything to show for it. I struggle with "nailing" classifiers. Do I have the skills? Yep. Therefore it must be mental which in my case I believe to be true.

Mentality on classifiers are the key in my book. Some weekends I concentrate on points and don't worry about the times. I look at the results and then try to figure out where I could make up the time and make the changes during practice before the next match. Now I just treat classifiers as any other stage in a match. I go for it. I fly straight or I crash hard. I only have 5 in open ranging from 45% to 87%. The 45 -55's were when I was trying to "nail" it and the 75%-87% were when I thought "it's just another stage" I need to take to win the match. Just don't over amp yourself before the stage. After I LAMR and reholster, while my hand is on the grip, I take a deep breath and say to myself "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast". You say you have the skills, just relax, don't over think it and just execute the movement.

[Catfish]

why limit yourself to A class.

[Ron Ankeny]

If you truly have the stand and deliver skill set required for A class, all you need to do is to remain focused and shoot A's as quickly as possible. There is no need to actually set up a classifier for practice. Your time would probably be better spent working on dry fire, working on traditional drills like those in Saul's book, and working on the mental aspects of the game. I might be in the minority, but I think actually shooting classifiers might be counter productive.

[joseywales]

You might try checking this thread for a few easy ones...Easiest Classifiers

Edited September 22, 2007 by joseywales

[Catfish]

If you truly have the stand and deliver skill set required for A class, all you need to do is to remain focused and shoot A's as quickly as possible. There is no need to actually set up a classifier for practice. Your time would probably be better spent working on dry fire, working on traditional drills like those in Saul's book, and working on the mental aspects of the game. I might be in the minority, but I think actually shooting classifiers might be counter productive.

+1

[Calamity Jane]

Keep it coming boys...you're only adding fuel to my fire

**special note for XRE......Bow Wow!

[Steve Anderson]

Don't neglect your transitions. You should be able to fire 6 shots on 3 targets (evenly spaced) as fast as you can fire 6 on one.

(assuming a max distance of 5 ft or so between them)

And your draws and reloads must be automatically, subconsciously stellar.

SA

[Ron Ankeny]

Don't neglect your transitions. You should be able to fire 6 shots on 3 targets (evenly spaced) as fast as you can fire 6 on one.

A lofty goal and worth pursuing especially if the targets are set at a meaningful distance.

[Calamity Jane]

OK Fellas..here is the list I'm going to work on. I chose these because I liked the areas that they target to train, I had all the props, and they are pretty easy to set up.

1. CM99-10 Times Two (great box to box movement)

2. CM99-11 El Prez ( a classic must)

3. Cm99-42 Fast-n-Furious (barricade and steel)

4. CM03-08 Madness (nothing like shooting into a sea of white!)

5. CM99-40 Partial People Eaters (distance/hard cover/fixed time/SH/WH..all good stuff)

6. CM99-62 Bang and Clang (no one picked this one, but I need practice with pure raw aggression towards steel!)

I'm going to work on these for the next month. I plan on posting November 1st and sharing what I learned from the experience.

Thank you to all who contributed by sharing classifiers.

[Chris Keen]

4. CM03-08 Madness (nothing like shooting into a sea of white!)

\

... and doing it very quickly! That really is MADNESS!

[uscbigdawg]

Jane,

Bang 'n' Clang is a personal favorite. One thing as a training drill is to alternate it from left to right and right to left. Record the times and see which you do faster. And, the one that's slower (i.e. for me right to left)....gets practiced more to bring up closer to your strong side.

Other than that, I'm with Ron. Just shoot A's and be smooth and you'll be surprised at where you'll be. I'm the perpetual 'B' shooter that finishes in the Top 10-20 at majors (beating a lot of paper A's, M's and GM's along the way). My problem is dropping way too many points, eating way too many penalties, target to target transitions are a little slow and my mental game is off. However, I have a solid sub .9 draw, my reloads are solid and clean, I can disect stages all day and footwork/positioning are on point.

Point is to not just get bogged with the classification system. Take more from solid performances than just meaningless classifications. You've shot long enough to know when you've shot a stage well, poorly or "good" but could have done better. Figure out those places where you have done better and then work on those. I think you'll find you get more out of your training that way that just standing ankle deep in brass.

Rich

[Chris Keen]

Well said Rich. I am a strong believer in not trying to burn down every stage you come to ....... just shooting solid points, and consistently be only 1 or 2 seconds behind the fastest shooter and you will be surprised how well you can finish.

+ 2

[uscbigdawg]

Thanks Chris. Just trying to get up to speed with y'all in Ohio. I have to be able to keep up if I'm going to visit you guys in '08 or '09.

That said, I've been watching the video of 05 Open Nat's and in more than a few cases, there are instances where someone will be a little slower, but due to better points win the stage OR finish in say the top 3-5. This sells the point on visual patience and just shooting A's. We need to not drop points and let the sights dictate our speed. From there, everything else is easy to work on (comparatively).

Rich

[Chris Keen]

I honestly believe that when you watch the sights, and focus on getting your points - you will inevitably "float the gun" like Brian always says. You will realize you are "in the zone" and before you know what is happening you end up winning a stage.

[uscbigdawg]

Ah...the magical "float". I did a private class with Mike Voigt and that was a huge portion of what we were working on (along with target transitions). These are probably the two hardest things I've had to learn and will still be working on them when I get back to shooting regularly.

The crappy part is that it's so simple. Watch the sights, execute the shots, transition. In the float it's read the sights on target, get your "acceptable" sight picture, execute and transition. Simple but hard to sink in. Once you do though it's awesome how fast and moreso accurately we can shoot.

Rich

[JFD]

I used to concentrate on practicing classifiers. I hate to say this was the biggest waste of time and ammo for me.

While good for accuracy and transitions, most of them don't cover the skills needed for the majority of stages we shoot. Economy of motion, movement, shooting on the move and getting into and out of positions is what separates B class shooters like me from A class shooters. When practicing classifiers I found I was totally prepared for (in local matches) 1 stage out of 5, and usually the lowest point stage at that.

Of course I'm also one of the few who shoots stages in practice, incorporating the basics, as well as anything I want to especially work on that day. I'll usually start with 2 pairs of targets on either side of the range obscured with no-shoots/hardcover for 180 degree transitions and a classifier "feel", engage a few targets at 25 yards from the starting box as well for accuracy work at speed, then will always include shooting on the move from both right and left, and after that wil have set up something nasty involving walls, odd angles, and getting into and out of as many positions as possible.

I find that what I do in practice directly translates into what I do at matches, and this has worked really well for me and my wife. It's also a lot of work, but 10 times more fun. When I get to matches, I find that my practice stages are usually much more difficult (I have a knack for difficult stages), so it's easy to relax and just perform.

10% of my practice days do involve shooting classifiers, or classifier-type stages since I found I was treating classifiers as low point stages (they aren't all low point stages) where I was more interested in protecting my match position instead of increasing what lead (over a handful of people anyway...) I might have at the time. Another 10% is spent on the plate rack at 20 yards or so because the plates don't have scoring zones, won't fall unless you hit them, and can sometimes tell you awful truths about yourself.

While I'm droning on, I may as well point out that I think worrying about how many people you can beat in a match, especially those you have "targeted for destruction" is much more productive than any time spent thinking about what class you may be.

Unfortunately, the lack of more original body parts (knees, hips) has kept me from proving my practice ideas are the best way to sponsorship and world domination Your mileage may vary...