Ben Stoeger

[Steve Moneypenny]

Ok.. back to training.

Looking over the nationals stages.. I see lots of movers, and some distance standards. I will have to work on all that stuff.

Looking over my shooting for the year, I feel like I am a bit lazy in my shooting at Major Matches. I just am not as aggressive as I need to be. I really need to change that.

My practice (henceforth) will be all about shooting every run as well as possible. I need to be aggressve as hell. In practice I usually shoot a 9 second stage in 9.5.. then 9.. then 8.5 as the day goes on. I need to start rocking them at 8.3 every single time if I want to do well at nationals. So, every single run on every single drill will be treated just like a stage at nationals.

In website notes:

I am working on an article about modulating your aggression level

I posted a "Stage breakdown" a few days ago

And I just posted an "interacting with ROs" article

Im gonna go practice now.

I think your wrong on that you need to run it in 9.0 every time for your best nationals performance with perfect technique.. atleast for the first couple of days. then see where things stand etc. If you try to go all out every time you'll have some super runs and stage wins but crash at some point.. not saying that won't be good enough for top 10 but not top 3 that your probabally capable of getting into.

lol i have to check out the "interacting with RO's article... knowing you your better at interacting with card board than you are people.

Running a stage/drill etc once your warm multipe times they allllways get faster as you do them. that doesn't mean you cna go have a cold one and walk back out and pick up at the best time either. for nationals your basically shooting a stage per hour so your stretched out and "warm" but what i would still consider cold in the aspect of getting super smokin runs to happen.

[Ben Stoeger]

Running a stage/drill etc once your warm multipe times they allllways get faster as you do them. that doesn't mean you can go have a cold one and walk back out and pick up at the best time either.

See... the way this works is, you tell me I can't do something, then I go learn how to do it anyway. =)

[davecutts]

See... the way this works is, you tell me I can't do something, then I go learn how to do it anyway. =)

The more I read his stuff the more I like this guy.

[Franklin D Wolverton]

Just read your article on your website about interacting with RO's.

1. As I have stated earlier. I don't think you were an a-hole at the match. You handled yourself just fine.

2. Just because we don't agree doesn't mean that one or the other holds a grudge. Or that "I must have an ax to grind." As for "wanting to cut you down to size." sorry, but no. I had no idea who you were until I saw your diary on the forums AFTER the match.

As for "bringing the whole incident up," and "tracking you down"... if I remember correctly, I was not the first person to mention the "mike". That would have been:

Did it give him an advantage?? I don't know. I really don't care but I know his shooting dropped off a tiny bit after Stage 4 and he didn't have the best luck on Stage 6 when he suffered a mike(don't start Ben!).

This is what I responded to.

I will end this by saying the following. All well reasoned people are allowed to disagree from time to time. That is one of the greatest things about living in this great country of ours. I still am highly and fully impressed with your shooting ability, and look forward to seeing you shoot in the future. While you didn't act like and a-hole at the range, you have begun to here and on your website. Accusing someone of "wanting to cut you down to size" because they don't agree with your position is rather short sighted.

This post is the end of my commentary on this, and will not be responded to further in any way.

[Ben Stoeger]

Just read your article on your website about interacting with RO's.

1. As I have stated earlier. I don't think you were an a-hole at the match. You handled yourself just fine.

2. Just because we don't agree doesn't mean that one or the other holds a grudge. Or that "I must have an ax to grind." As for "wanting to cut you down to size." sorry, but no. I had no idea who you were until I saw your diary on the forums AFTER the match.

As for "bringing the whole incident up," and "tracking you down"... if I remember correctly, I was not the first person to mention the "mike". That would have been:

Did it give him an advantage?? I don't know. I really don't care but I know his shooting dropped off a tiny bit after Stage 4 and he didn't have the best luck on Stage 6 when he suffered a mike(don't start Ben!).

This is what I responded to.

I will end this by saying the following. All well reasoned people are allowed to disagree from time to time. That is one of the greatest things about living in this great country of ours. I still am highly and fully impressed with your shooting ability, and look forward to seeing you shoot in the future. While you didn't act like and a-hole at the range, you have begun to here and on your website. Accusing someone of "wanting to cut you down to size" because they don't agree with your position is rather short sighted.

This post is the end of my commentary on this, and will not be responded to further in any way.

If you didn't know who I was at the match, Shawn wouldn't have posted enough information about the incident for you to identify me. It didn't require a response from you. In case you couldn't tell from Shawn’s very subtle "Don't start", he was trying to avoid conflict on here.

You came on here, and stirred shit up.

If you have a problem with this line " I can’t help but feel that after this whole thing, this person has some sort of ax to grind with me.", well that’s tough. Your behavior makes me feel that way.

In any event, I think you missed the point. I don’t want to fight with you. The thesis of my article was that it isn't worth it. I think after all these posts... yeah that has been shown to be correct.

[Ben Stoeger]

Ok... back once again to shooting stuff.

I had a great practice last night, and I feel like I really made some progress. I will have more to say about it when I get a chance.

I am headed out tonight, perhaps with the Caspers to do some more practice.

[Z32MadMan]

Ben what belt and mag pouches are you running?

[Ben Stoeger]

Ben what belt and mag pouches are you running?

CR Speed belt with Speed Comp pouches.

[Ben Stoeger]

I just got back in from more practice.

I have been pushing really hard the last few days, and I am pretty sore and used up. I am going to take it a little easy the rest of the day. Learning has been really fast lately. I will put something on the website later.

[Ben Stoeger]

Ok, I just took care of some reader requests.

Hopefully, Homie will let me post his video review for everyone.

I did post something on shot calling in the technique section, and 2 new things in the articles section. Check it out.

Overall, today was good for me, I shot in the morning then just took it easy. I should be in good shape for some hard trainging tomorrow or the next day. Untill then, I am just going to have to do static drills. My legs are chewed up.

[Ben Stoeger]

I am feeling pretty good these days about training.

Watching the Olympics has been interesting. I haven't seen any sport even come close to the diversity that USPSA offers. The nearest thing is "All Around" Gymnastics. That consists of 6 rotations (stages) that are unchanging. I am not knocking Olympic sports, but I am glad that I get to shoot USPSA, that is for sure.

[Ben Stoeger]

Really good practice today with hooper.

He is finally starting to put things together, that is good to see.

I spent my time working on being ready to shoot asap. I was working around Wall sections on mini steel. The goal was to hit the mini popper while still almost at a flat run coming around the wall. Tough practice, but lots of fun. I feel like I have recovered well (finally). For the first time in well over a week my legs aren't sore.

[Ben Stoeger]

I had a super practice today. I set up a 10 factor stage (8 seconds/80 pts ) with lots of movement and shot it a bunch. My first run was almost as good as my best run. I was happy with that.

Looking ahead, I need to continue to refine my skills. I am starting to get frustrated with my gun handling these days. I have too many blown runs due to a slow reload or a crappy pickup off a table. I need to make my dry fire harder.

Website update: I have posted a new stage breakdown on my page.

[Ben Stoeger]

I had another decent practice today.

I didn't shoot nearly as well as I did yesterday.

The stage I set up consisted of 16 rounds on targets from 3-20 yards. There was about 15 yards of movement. I was disappointed that I was able to cut nearly a second off my first run with my best run.

I made a strategy error the way I decided to shoot the stage first. That was annoying, but I did learn from it. I cut .5 seconds off my shooting it a different way.

The other half second I cut off was being more aggressive. The way the stage was set up I needed to take partial targets (10 yards) at a run coming into position. I was able to do it, but I really had to coax myself into it. I need to work harder on more challenges like this.

[XRe]

I haven't seen any sport even come close to the diversity that USPSA offers. The nearest thing is "All Around" Gymnastics.

Modern Pentathlon - its the same events each time, but its a wide range of "military-like" skills, including shooting and fencing, plus horseback riding (jumping) on a random horse, running, and swimming Of course, you don't get to see it on TV... Our games are definitely diverse in terms of the challenges presented - the only thing we don't really test is something like the winter biathlon where you have to shoot with precision while you're heart rate is way up, and all that...

[XRe]

I was able to do it, but I really had to coax myself into it. I need to work harder on more challenges like this.

In part, practice is about breaking eggs, man. You have to break 'em before you can make an omelet, ya know? Be aggressive in practice - determine what you can actually do, and push on it. That's the only way to build new levels of skill....

[Ben Stoeger]

I started hitting the standards for nationals yesterday. It looks like that is going to be TOUGH. I will for sure pick up a few Ds and maybe a no penalty miss on that bad boy.

I am still training hard, and having fun.

[Shawn Knight]

I started hitting the standards for nationals yesterday. It looks like that is going to be TOUGH. I will for sure pick up a few Ds and maybe a no penalty miss on that bad boy.

I am still training hard, and having fun.

Saying that will get you Ds. Go big or go home!!!

[JThompson]

I started hitting the standards for nationals yesterday. It looks like that is going to be TOUGH. I will for sure pick up a few Ds and maybe a no penalty miss on that bad boy.

I am still training hard, and having fun.

If you "think" you will shoot some Ds/mikes you will.

[Ben Stoeger]

I started hitting the standards for nationals yesterday. It looks like that is going to be TOUGH. I will for sure pick up a few Ds and maybe a no penalty miss on that bad boy.

I am still training hard, and having fun.

If you "think" you will shoot some Ds/mikes you will.

I can promise you that you will see the legends of this game shooting Ds on this stage. It is designed to push people. I am not giving up, or being negative, just telling you what is going to happen.

[JThompson]

I started hitting the standards for nationals yesterday. It looks like that is going to be TOUGH. I will for sure pick up a few Ds and maybe a no penalty miss on that bad boy.

I am still training hard, and having fun.

If you "think" you will shoot some Ds/mikes you will.

I can promise you that you will see the legends of this game shooting Ds on this stage. It is designed to push people. I am not giving up, or being negative, just telling you what is going to happen.

You said you find a way... If that's so you can find one here too. I'm not being an a_-hole here, I just think you can do it clean and to do thta you don't need to be giving up Ds or Mikes before the shooting starts.

[Ben Stoeger]

I am off to a local match today. It should be fun.

This will be my last tune up before nationals.

[waxman]

Hey Ben I

will be seeing you today, but if you want to shoot another match, before nationals, we shoot in pine Island every Wed at 6. usually 3 fast stages, about 90-100 Rnds. Alot of Fun, and Great practice. Should not be that Far for you to drive either. I know Duanne Eggers Drives from over your way to attend.

[Jake Di Vita]

Ben,

I'm betting on you shooting 106 - 110 points on those standards. You're gonna kill it.

[Bryan W]

a 110 on those standards in production would be an almost unbelievable run - I don't think there will be more than 3 shooters that will break the 100pt mark in production.