How do you develop 'control'

[Flexmoney]

There is an article in American Rifleman. The author (Wiley Clapp), recalls what his father taught him, "There's not a reason in the world to shoot unless you intend to hit..."

Decided...DESIRE to hit the Alpha. Make that the one and only goal.

[Chris iliff]

B.E. said on another thread(can't remember thread) that he use to tell himself something to the effect, "I don't hurry, I do things quickly." That just stuck with me and maybe that will help, it helped me. As you groove all these new found skills in they will become more subconcious, alas you'll just find something that needs to improve and then have to start again on some little aspect of the game. But, the "process" of grooving a skill in will be streamlined by all the previous learning. This sport is great and it's all good, good luck in your developement.

[Nik Habicht]

BTW...I was just going to type one word (with regards to getting your hits)...

Desire.

Hmmmm -----

why not: Decide?

Desire = Want?

Decide = Alphas?

[lugnut]

Interesting comments that I think apply to all of us.

Donna- just be careful. After "Desire" comes "Obsession"!

[Duane Thomas]

After which comes....Master.

[kimmie]

After which comes....Master.

Oh yeah!!!! When that happens, ammo's on me for year for each and every one of you

[Duane Thomas]

Well, I won't hold you to that.

[Flexmoney]

I had to look up your sig line.

Issha Zetsumei" is a Japanese phrase whose image provides a masterful foundation for the art of pistol shooting. When translated to English it means literally "one shot and expire." The saying conjures the image of the last act of a dying man - a shooter summarizing his entire life with a single shot. In other words, the goal is to establish in your mind that you have no other purpose or concern in life than to properly execute the current shot.

[Duane Thomas]

That is an excellent concept.

[Matt P.]

I don't care what my time will be, I'm just going to relax and let the sights tell me when to shoot.

be

The true secret to a great stage!

[kimmie]

I had to look up your sig line.

Issha Zetsumei" is a Japanese phrase whose image provides a masterful foundation for the art of pistol shooting. When translated to English it means literally "one shot and expire." The saying conjures the image of the last act of a dying man - a shooter summarizing his entire life with a single shot. In other words, the goal is to establish in your mind that you have no other purpose or concern in life than to properly execute the current shot.

I got that from here -http://www.bullseyepistol.com/issha.htm. But who says something like it's easier to think things than actually do them? Brian? Sooooooo true.

[Dan Sierpina]

I'm probably not qualified to give advice, given the accomplishments of other posters, particularly Brian. However, Donna, I notice that you're dwelling on what went wrong, rather than examining what you did right, then apply it to other situations. You drill the steel.....why? Of course, you had a good sight picture, then a good squeeze. You used to pull the magazine out of the gun for a reload, do you still, or did you practice enough to make it natural to reach for another mag while pressing the mag release.

[G-ManBart]

There are some excellent posts in this thread!

While I won't disagree with anything said so far, I'm not sure that anybody has gotten to the causal factor yet. Desire is great and will make you want to work for the A's and working on your index is great and will help you get those A's easier, but I think it's even simpler than those two.

You say you drill the steel and get a solid sight picture and good trigger press for those targets. You know why that is and why you're not doing it on paper? It's because you are expecting to make just one shot on the steel. The disconnect happens when you go to put two shots on paper. Since you know you have two shots to make on the paper you mentally lump those two together as one entity. Instead, you want to make one shot, two times on paper....it boils down to shot calling and we all struggle with it at times, but that's where the problem creeps in.

I would suggest a visualization process that seems to help me. When you do a walk through look at each target and say "pop, pop" or "bang, bang" (quietly) and try to visualize the sights lifting and returning each time....mentally call two shots on each paper target (and one on each steel) as you walk along. I even find that I pause a different amount of time between the two "pops" for close targets, medium targets and tight/long targets...pretty much in the ballpark of how hard a focus I'm going to need for that shot. If you have a 20yd target with partial no-shoot you're going to be more deliberate, so make your visualization coincide with what you're going to do for real....don't just look at each paper target and quickly go "pop-pop" and move on....see the sights in your mind.

Now that I think about it, I actually say "pop, pop" for paper and "ping" for steel....no idea why, but it makes it clear in my mind what I'm engaging. It also probably sounds funny and provides a humorous sideshow for the other folks on the squad

Edited September 27, 2009 by G-ManBart

[kimmie]

G-Man - yes indeed, there are some really excellent posts here! And every one of them has opened my eyes to something and pointed me in the right direction. But I've always know that when I have a question, this is the place to come to. I'm always overwhelmed at the outpouring of help you guys are so willing to give.

Your post makes sense too. Because it's addressing the 'mental' part of the game that I was talking about earlier. And I think that deep down, I know a lot of my issues are 'mental'. Steel is little, you HAVE to aim. Paper is big. If my gun is pointed in the general direction and I see the target in front of my gun - I'm going to hit something, somewhere on that target. (accepting c's and d's!) (Lugnut, when you figure out how to burn those sights on your eyeballs, can you share the secret with me?????)

Duane, I had a match today. What I realized part way through was I just wasn't looking at my front sight! I was looking at the target when I was shooting paper. But I sure saw my front sights on the poppers and plates. And even though I 'forget' anyone else is there when I'm shooting, so there's no 'stage fright' per se, subconciously I still know I'm at a match and that 'gotta shoot em fast' mentality takes over. And what I realized too was that you know folks are watching and THEY know when you miss the steel and I sure don't want to stand there and empty a mag on one popper! But paper - different story. I wonder, too, sometimes, if being one of the only women at my matches in a male dominated sport has something to do with me feeling the need to perform better???? To prove my 'worth'? Anyway, I printed out your post and did some practicing like you suggested, after the match. My indexing was pretty good. Eyes closed and opened. Front sight coming right back to where it should. Out to 50 feet 2 shots, A's, side by side Did some bill drills. Body and head shots. Didn't time myself, but it was rapid fire. All in the A zone. Why? No pressure to perform. No one there but me. Went from head to body, 2 head, 2 body, 2 head, 2 body. No problem. The mental discipline was there. Now, I just need to learn to keep it.

Ah duh - my signature line. I keep forgetting Yes, give EACH shot the attention it derves!

And Dan - what did I do right? I didn't pull the mag out! I actually got complimented on my reloads! I didn't do any 'dances' today! My grip was good. My draw was smooth. And I came in 5th out of 16!!!! Woo hooo!

Edited September 27, 2009 by kimmie

[Duane Thomas]

In practice, and at the next match, try this:

As you draw and begin to drive the gun out toward the target, have your front sight slightly elevated i.e. the gun is pointed slightly above horizontal. This allows you to pick up the front sight early. As your arms reach full extension, the front sight will naturally settle into the rear notch, perfectly aligned. All you care about is picking up the front sight early, and staying on it for every shot thereafter. The problem a lot of people have with "not seeing the front sight", I think, is that, well, they never see the front sight. IOW they never pick it up clearly during the draw. When you already have a front sight focus, well before you've even fully drawn the gun, however, it gets a lot easier.

Sit back and watch what the front sight does. It's just out there, bouncing up and down like a little bouncy ball. That is all you care about. Let everything else go, take every bit of conscious thought you have and, in a relaxed fashion, put it into watching the front sight. Everything else, grip, stance, trigger control, etc., etc, can take care of itself. Your only job is to monitor that little bouncy thing. See what happens when you do that.

[lugnut]

Sit back and watch what the front sight does. It's just out there, bouncing up and down like a little bouncy ball. That is all you care about. Let everything else go, take every bit of conscious thought you have and, in a relaxed fashion, put it into watching the front sight. Everything else, grip, stance, trigger control, etc., etc, can take care of itself. Your only job is to monitor that little bouncy thing. See what happens when you do that.

I love this! LOL Seriously though- when I'm doinng what I'm supposed to be doing this is EXACTLY what I'm doing. It's about the only thing I'm noticing.

WRT pressure Donna- yeah- we all feel pressure (at least I do)... but it's usually only before the buzzer goes off. After that- it "just happens". I've watched others shoot stages and thought to myself- wow that was a good run- I'm not sure I can come close to that. But when my turn came, and the buzzler goes off you don't and CAN'T think of anything- EXCEPT that bouncy thing. Of course there is movement, reloads, etc... but hopefully you've mentally rehursed that in your head and it also... "just happens". I'm emphasizing the "just happens" thing because it's something you shouldn't think about during the run.

[G-ManBart]

One thing that I'm starting to do a little bit of long-term research on involves the average woman's ability to multi-task at a far higher level than the average man. This is pretty well documented as fact from a scientific standpoint. I'm wondering if this isn't actually a negative when it comes to shooting because we want to shoot subconsiously, not using the conscious mind. If you're shooting and thinking about four different things at the same time, it's never going to be as smooth and fast as if you're not thinking about anything and really just being aware/focused on what the front sight is doing (which may just be easier for the average man to do...not sure).

To put this in perspective, one struggling female shooter we had said that when she was shooting she was thinking about how she felt the uniform pants made her look fat and all the instructors were behind her...kinda hard to shoot well if you've got that background noise going on. Anyway, it's something I'm looking at and have been soliciting feedback from female shooters as I get the opportunity to pick their brains a little.

Needless to say, it could also apply to those guys that happen to be among the few that are better at multi-tasking than the average guy. R,

[kimmie]

G-man - that is most definately an AHA moment! One of the first responders to my post noticed how many different things I was addressing. And another talked about the overflowing 'cup of skills'! Yes, that's me, woman, cook the bacon, clean the house, fix my grip, concentrate on my arms, R.O. wait a minute-let me wipe that ketchup off of your face - omg -my a### looks fat from behind - don't video me from that angle!!!!!! (Which is the first thing I notice when I see a video of myself - then I look at how I'm shooting!)

I'm sure it's a gender thing. But I'm also sure it's a 'me' thing too. And not all women get bogged down by it - or we wouldn't have Julie's and Kay's and Lisa's. Or, they've just learned to 'control' it. Men, well, they can 'tune out' at will. And that's pretty well documented too. Could this be why there are so few GM women? Are they anomilies? Or are we equally represented with GM's by the percentage of us in the sport?

So, maybe a starting point for me is to learn to tune out and shut off that incessant tape that keeps playing in my head.

Hmmmmmm.

[G-ManBart]

G-man - that is most definately an AHA moment! One of the first responders to my post noticed how many different things I was addressing. And another talked about the overflowing 'cup of skills'! Yes, that's me, woman, cook the bacon, clean the house, fix my grip, concentrate on my arms, R.O. wait a minute-let me wipe that ketchup off of your face - omg -my a### looks fat from behind - don't video me from that angle!!!!!! (Which is the first thing I notice when I see a video of myself - then I look at how I'm shooting!)

I'm sure it's a gender thing. But I'm also sure it's a 'me' thing too. And not all women get bogged down by it - or we wouldn't have Julie's and Kay's and Lisa's. Or, they've just learned to 'control' it. Men, well, they can 'tune out' at will. And that's pretty well documented too. Could this be why there are so few GM women? Are they anomilies? Or are we equally represented with GM's by the percentage of us in the sport?

So, maybe a starting point for me is to learn to tune out and shut off that incessant tape that keeps playing in my head.

Hmmmmmm.

Well, I don't really have any answers to your questions, but this is something that I just really started to get my brain around and I think it's worth looking at. When I see a struggling shooter I really want to help so I've spent a lot of time talking to those folks that were interested in hashing it out. The nice thing is that the women are almost universally willing to talk about it and the guys...well, not so much

If I ever get to instruct full time I'm going to try and put together an organized study and really see what I can learn about this. It's not exactly a male/female thing, but it does play out along those lines more often than not. Ultimately maybe we can come up with a "test" (for lack of a better term) to figure out if people are more/less likely to be engaged in the multi-task thought stream while shooting and then correlate that with their average performance. Then, maybe we can search for ways to redirect their focus/awareness to where it needs to be. Yeah, it's a little deep, but I think it really would be an interesting project and might help a lot of shooters.

Now, if Duane or one of the other smart guys here steals my idea I'm gonna put them on the No-Fly list just out of spite (just kidding)

[rwebb37]

I'm new to USPSA and would like to thank you guys for posting great tips and drills, especially the ones that can be done at home. I have only been able to do a "practice/training/introduction" session and I had the same speed problem. With the steel I would take my time b/c everyone knows if you hit it or not; however, paper looks/sounds the same from a distance so I wasn't as worried about it. I will definitely be annoying my fiance in the next few days trying to get my sight picture corrected. Thanks.

Rwebb

[Duane Thomas]

Could this be why there are so few GM women?

I wasn't aware there were any female GMs. Are there now? I was willing to bet money on Lisa being the first female GM. Was she?

[G-ManBart]

Could this be why there are so few GM women?

I wasn't aware there were any female GMs. Are there now? I was willing to bet money on Lisa being the first female GM. Was she?

As of the last update she was still an M in Open and Limited and an A in L10 and SS. R,

[Duane Thomas]

Anyone else?

[kimmie]

Could this be why there are so few GM women?

I wasn't aware there were any female GMs. Are there now? I was willing to bet money on Lisa being the first female GM. Was she?

So - I guess that's a new question! - I thought Lisa (and maybe Julie) were. No female GM's? How come??????

[kimmie]

Quote ----

Using an S&J Custom GLOCK 24 in the Limited division, Jessie Abbate repeated as ladies national champion with a 50th place finish, 20th Master at 77.04%. Abbate defeated Lisa Munson, the only other Master class ranked woman in USPSA, by 115 match points and won 7 of 15 stages in the ladies category.