WTB Criticism

[Rob D]

Anything you guys could point out for me to work on would be greatly appreciated. Videos are from OKC Gun Club 7/4/09

- This was a great stage for me.

- This was my worst stage of the day. On the Second port, I spend way too many rounds trying to knock over a pepper popper while wrapped up in some weird position. Next time I'll shift my feet and knock it down BEFORE sending the extra rounds down range.

As always, thanks in advance.

[wide45]

Vid 1

Instead of shooting the first target of the next position as soon as you see it, reload while you move closer. You will get better points faster, from being closer to the target, and won't need to reload in the middle of the array.

Edited July 5, 2009 by wide45

[Catfish]

video 1 - snap your transitions - you need to get the gun off the target as soon as you call the shot. Are you calling the shot??

video 2 - same thing. SNAP when you're transitioning. There's no urgency on your transitions at all. Gun drops a little more than I like to see in between the 2nd and 3rd port on your reload. It looked like you could have spent more time planning where to set your feet for each position, you seem to try and hunt for the best spot when you got to the 1st port in particular.

Why did you stay in the starting position for the 2nd target? Did the COF say so? If not, you should have been shooting that on the move.

[mhop]

first video why are you doing flat footed reloads, an idea on the way to shoot it would be take the first 3 targets and reload and then the next 3 targets and reload and then the last 5, it will save the time where you are doing 2 flat footed reloads

Edited July 5, 2009 by mhop

[jkrispies]

#1. Interesting little hop there right before the first shot! Probably didn't hurt, but it's fun to watch! Nice moving reload. The number one thing I could suggest for improvement is to get the gun from one target to the next as fast as possible. Look at the last target you shot: the movement wasn't huge, but it took awhile to get there.

#2. I'm looking at your thumb position on that diamond shaped window that you were having problems with (actually, right from the draw-- compare your strong thumb in the first video to that of the second video: it's two different grips). It looks to me like you were missing because your grip wasn't correct in that bad window; it probably would have saved you time/misses to have just re-adjusted and gotten the hits. Having said that, good job in recovering psychologically after that FUBARed window and doing well on the last part of that stage.

[MemphisMechanic]

It looks like you could have taken one of the targets in the middle port from your final position, instead of through the middle port. Find somewhere else to move 2 more rounds, and you wouldn't have eaten a standing reload. There's not enough wide-angle footage of the stage to get a feel for the angles, so that might not have been possible.

Edited July 6, 2009 by MemphisMechanic

[Flexmoney]

You were in an uncomfortable position where you were having troubles on the diamond window in the 2nd video. (Which you corrected after the reload.)

That is something you will need to look at if you shoot stages like that much (and I assume your local stage designers will have you seeing that again).

On top of that, your positioning in those ports are vital considerations. One, you need to be in a stance that allows your to shoot comfortably (or practice shooting from those uncomfortable positions). Two, you want to minimize how many shifts you have to make in your stance while at those positions. Each shift...call that adding a half a second to the time.

[MemphisMechanic]

That is one nice thing about cutting my teeth in IDPA and moving over here. It's nothing *but* uncomfortable positions. Granted, USPSA occasionally hands you a really wacked one... But in IDPA, if you're shooting comfortably, someone is in the process of sucking in the wind to bellow "COVER!" behind you.

Edited July 7, 2009 by MemphisMechanic

[Rob D]

Thanks for the comments. I now have two specific areas to focus on for the next few months - Setting up in ports, and snapping my transitions. Thanks for the advice on the ports Flex. I think I'm going to cut a hole in some plywood and practice that with my airsoft gun. Wide 45's Comment about moving closer before reloading made sense too. Does anybody know a specific drill that really pushes you to snap transitions? Maybe I should just do my normal drills but with a specific focus on transitions.

[CHA-LEE]

Stage one – Looks decent. What’s up with the standing reloads? You could have optimized your reload strategy to perform an extra reload as you hauled ass to the final shooting position and then planted to mow down all the targets. If you are going to shoot on the move, make it worth the extra time it takes to perform the shots. You could have easily hauled ass to the 3rd and 4th positions and planted to shoot faster.

Stage Two – You should have advanced towards the left side target at the start as you engaged it. You could have been half way to the first port by the time you finished with the target if you did that. In the second port, why were you going to war on that popper? Slinging shots at it? Also for the ports, its best to pick a single footing position and move your upper body around to gain access to the targets. Of course if there are extremely positioned targets you have to shift around, but try to keep it to a minimum. It also looked like some of the targets were accessible from multiple ports. When I run into this I try to pick one main port to do all of the work from and then just limit the other ports to engage the targets that can only be accessed from those single positions. If you don’t have to “Dig Into” every port it saves time.

[jkrispies]

Does anybody know a specific drill that really pushes you to snap transitions?

Do you have a nearby club that does Steel Challenge matches? That's a minimum of 200 rounds of nothing but transitioning from one target to the next.

[Rob D]

Does anybody know a specific drill that really pushes you to snap transitions?

Do you have a nearby club that does Steel Challenge matches? That's a minimum of 200 rounds of nothing but transitioning from one target to the next.

A couple actually. That's a great idea. I've been wanting to shoot steel challenge, but have been saving my weekends off for USPSA matches.

[jkrispies]

Does anybody know a specific drill that really pushes you to snap transitions?

Do you have a nearby club that does Steel Challenge matches? That's a minimum of 200 rounds of nothing but transitioning from one target to the next.

A couple actually. That's a great idea. I've been wanting to shoot steel challenge, but have been saving my weekends off for USPSA matches.

I'd highly recommend it, as shooting steel is a great skill builder. Think of it as practice on steroids.

[MemphisMechanic]

The airsoft drill:

Cut two ports in a sheet of cardboard or plywood (or hang a tarp w/ holes, which is easier to fold up and store).

I'd put two airsoft targets waaay off to the right, and two waaay off to the left (a pair of targets on each stand, one above the other). Plant your feet and position yourself to shoot one right and one left target. Move over to the other port and take the other target on each side, making another wide transition. That's probably what I'd do first. Make it weird and uncomfortable to shoot.

Transitions? How about a group of 5 or 6 steel targets for the airsoft gun. Make them big, and shoot them close, so your time will be less dependent on accuracy, and more dependent on getting to all the targets NOW.... You are using a timer for airsoft, right? My CED7000 picks up airsoft if it's right next to the gun.

Increase the distance gradually once the technique solidifies to bring accuracy back into the equation. Basically, make your own airsoft steel challenge stages.

Focus primarily on speed from target to target. I've also done drills on paper airsoft targets where I shot everything once, went back, and shot everything once again. Same number of holes, with double the transitions.

Edited July 8, 2009 by MemphisMechanic

[Rob D]

The airsoft drill:

Cut two ports in a sheet of cardboard or plywood (or hang a tarp w/ holes, which is easier to fold up and store).

I'd put two airsoft targets waaay off to the right, and two waaay off to the left (a pair of targets on each stand, one above the other). Plant your feet and position yourself to shoot one right and one left target. Move over to the other port and take the other target on each side, making another wide transition. That's probably what I'd do first. Make it weird and uncomfortable to shoot.

Transitions? How about a group of 5 or 6 steel targets for the airsoft gun. Make them big, and shoot them close, so your time will be less dependent on accuracy, and more dependent on getting to all the targets NOW.... You are using a timer for airsoft, right? My CED7000 picks up airsoft if it's right next to the gun.

Increase the distance gradually once the technique solidifies to bring accuracy back into the equation. Basically, make your own airsoft steel challenge stages.

Focus primarily on speed from target to target. I've also done drills on paper airsoft targets where I shot everything once, went back, and shot everything once again. Same number of holes, with double the transitions.

That's an awesome idea. I'll set up the port drill after work today and run it for a while. I have a plate rack for my airsoft made out of circles I cut out of the cheapest white cutting board that walmart sells. I used a plate with an electical switch built in to run my timer. It has to be pretty close to pick up shots, but if I use the remote switch, I can shoot any course of fire for time as long as I put the plate last.

[Flexmoney]

I think Saul Kirsch had some nice port drills in his first book (Perfect Practice) ? Brain probably sells it...

Yep: http://www.brianenos.com/pages/reviews.html#kirsch

[little_kahuna]

Does anybody know a specific drill that really pushes you to snap transitions?

Do you have a nearby club that does Steel Challenge matches? That's a minimum of 200 rounds of nothing but transitioning from one target to the next.

A couple actually. That's a great idea. I've been wanting to shoot steel challenge, but have been saving my weekends off for USPSA matches.

I'd highly recommend it, as shooting steel is a great skill builder. Think of it as practice on steroids.

Shoot Smoke 'N Hope about 5000 times.

In video 2 (mostly), i saw you were hunched over, kind of leaning forward to get down to the ports. Try squatting at the knees really agressively, and keeping your back more straight. It doesn't look like you have a problem with recoil, so that shouldn't be a problem (shooting with your back/shoulders/neck upright).

That should help you to get into and out of ports faster, by simply extending your knees and standing up, as opposed to having to stand up as well as straighten your back at the same time.

[mike cyrwus]

My suggestion is to take lessons from the RO; not only does he look sharp, but he has a nice set of legs...

seriously though,

uncomfortable shooting positions look like they take their toll on you, especially on steel.

Do some dryifire from a half squat position, and build up the legs a little if you feel weak in that position.

Your movement while shooiting is a nice pace, but practice picking up the page while reloading, like on stage 1.

You are shooting well.

Your pops got any video of me?

[Rob D]

Shoot Smoke 'N Hope about 5000 times.

In video 2 (mostly), i saw you were hunched over, kind of leaning forward to get down to the ports. Try squatting at the knees really agressively, and keeping your back more straight. It doesn't look like you have a problem with recoil, so that shouldn't be a problem (shooting with your back/shoulders/neck upright).

That should help you to get into and out of ports faster, by simply extending your knees and standing up, as opposed to having to stand up as well as straighten your back at the same time.

I'm definitely going to start shooting some steel challenge. It looks like a blast and now you guys are saying it's good for me too? I'm there. I'll try squatting more at the knee. That would make it more like an actual squat position, and that would probably be better for me. Thanks Nick.

My suggestion is to take lessons from the RO; not only does he look sharp, but he has a nice set of legs...

seriously though,

uncomfortable shooting positions look like they take their toll on you, especially on steel.

Do some dryifire from a half squat position, and build up the legs a little if you feel weak in that position.

Your movement while shooiting is a nice pace, but practice picking up the page while reloading, like on stage 1.

You are shooting well.

Your pops got any video of me?

Lessons? Who do you think told me to come to brianenos.com and buy Steve Anderson's book last August? Thanks a ton man.

Uncomfortable positions have been a weak place for me for a while now that you mention it. I've been working on my legs for a few months, but I've never thought of dry firing in a squat. I'm definitely going to do some of that. I'll also work on speeding up while reloading.

We didn't get any video of you, but I'm going to start bringing that camera to every match and trying to film all the stages, so we can definitely get some next time.

Edited July 12, 2009 by Rob D