Tips for improving transitions

[George Post]

That's pretty much how I plan to do it. But since the paper won't react, I think I'll use some brown cardboard for a backer, if nothing else, it will help me keep track of misses.

George

[ericdesouza]

1. Paper Introduction: Always have an introduction which introduces what topics the paper will be covering.

2. Section Summaries: Always include a short summary statement of what you covered for each major section of your paper. This provides a smooth transition to the next section of the paper.

3. Paragraph transition statements: When moving to a new thought in a new paragraph make sure last sentence of previous paragraph makes a transition possible to a new thought.

4. Paper Conclusion: Always have a conclusion which summarizes the main points on each of the topics covered in the paper and lists the conclusions the reader can walk away with after reading this paper In your conclusion but try to avoid saying the redundant comment such as: Conclusions, which can be drawn as in the following sample conclusion section.

[benos]

From my previous post in this Topic:

The above made me think of this... On a Bianchi Plate Rack at 25 yards, draw, shoot the left plate, then holster. And repeat for the next 5 plates. Then let me know if you noticed anything "interesting."

I'll wait until some have tried it and posted before I post was was interesting for me.

be

Anyone try that yet?

be

[Jake Di Vita]

It's been a long time, but I did many drills like this. I remember that the sights really seemed to find the center of the plate quickly and directly. I also remember noticing that I shifted my feet a hair between each draw (without planning on doing it).

[MemphisMechanic]

That's interesting. You wouldn't think you'd need (even subconsciously) to shift your feet for targets that closely packed at that range.

Hmm...

[benos]

It's been a long time, but I did many drills like this. I remember that the sights really seemed to find the center of the plate quickly and directly. I also remember noticing that I shifted my feet a hair between each draw (without planning on doing it).

That's what I was looking for. If you're Index is "fully developed," at that distance, you'll adjust your feet slightly before each draw.

be

[George Post]

I was able to get to the range today and set up my paper plate rack.

I must not have a well developed index. I didn't feel a real need to move my feet.

If I hadn't been following this topic, I would have indexed on the center of the plate rack and turned my center line to the plate I was drawing on.

George

[benos]

Practicing one shot draws, the goal should be able to hit the target with your eyes closed. You'll have almost no chance of doing that until your index is perfectly developed.

You don't have to shoot to practice that.

Practice dry drawing until you can draw to a perfect sight alighment every time with your eyes closed.

Then do the same thing until you can draw to a perfect, centered aligmnent on a nickel sized target at 15 feet, then increase the distance. Move and reposition your feet between each draw. Face away from the target a bit, then hold your hands in position and line up on the target. Close your eyes then draw then open your eyes and note where the sights are aligned. Using what you see as your guide, keep practicing.

be

[George Post]

Ok, I'll make that a new major goal in my dry fire routine.

I know it won't be easy, in the past when trying to find my index and natural point of aim, it wasn't pretty. Rear sights higher then front sights, pointed off to the d zone at 10 feet. I couldn't come to rest on the a zone with my eyes closed unless I bladed my body with my strong side way back.

Thanks George

[Jake Di Vita]

Progress in this (index refinement) should usually be measured in weeks/months rather than day to day.

[eric nielsen]

Few years back I watched Smitty shoot a stage just crazy fast. He came off the line & told me he couldn't remember firing so many shots off of index before - well outside of his comfort zone. He's grinning and shaking his head at the same time.

About 3 hours later he was officially the Area 6 Limited Champion.

[benos]

Progress in this (index refinement) should usually be measured in weeks/months rather than day to day.

Definitely by months, perhaps years.

To supplement dry drawing, whenever possible, have your blaster nearby. Pick it up, close your eyes, extend and open your eyes to check sight alignment. Repeat forever. That's what the TGO is still doing after 30 years.

be

[George Post]

Brian and Jake,

Thanks, your words of wisdom struck a cord. I tried the eyes closed drills for a few days last month and didn't see any progess. In fact maybe got worse. Now hearing that it's some thing that might not show improvement in days, made me relax. Being relaxed and spending a few minutes on this over the last two days, I've seen improvement.

George

[TWHaz]

Think of your body from the waist up as a tank's turret. That's how it should move.

be

This is the youtube video I was looking for. Watch Matt at the 12 to 14 second part of the video.

[RocketCity1911]

Below is a link to a hat cam video I shot while shooting Steel Challenge. The stage was Smoke & Hope. It's a really fast stage and the world record is something like 1.80 seconds. I did one run (3.11 seconds) where I was really tracking my sights through the transitions (especially going to the stop plate), which is considerably slower and not always accurate when you're trying to go fast. My faster run (2.30 seconds) illustrates the idea of letting your eyes snap to the next target just after you feel the recoil and/or called your shot. Shooting steel has helped me improve transitions and my draw. The hat cam (ContourHD) has also made a big difference in "seeing" what I know or didn't know I was doing wrong. It's taken me a while to develop this skill and I still have a ways to go. Hopefully, the video shows what I'm talking about.

I'm right handed and shoot the stage right to left, which is different than most folks. I'm right eye dominant, but my left eye likes to creep in a little bit. I've found that I can turn that weakness to an advantage by shooting so that my left eye is leading the transition. This method works on all of the Steel Challenge stages expect 5 to Go. Anyway, just a side note for those of you who may have similar wiring.

Youtube:

[PINMAN44]

get two targets

put them on opposing ends maybe 10 yards apart

on one target draw a set of boobs

Those eyes will snap quicker

[Jake Di Vita]

The sad thing is I don't know whether you are serious or joking...

[PINMAN44]

It definitely would be more difficult calling shots.

[Matt Griffin]

I was working on transitions the other day and this is the trick that worked for me: mentally I'm pointing my chest at the target. I've tried thinking/training knees, waist, legs, etc. and it never seems to work, but if I train bang-move your chest! it works very well for me.

Another thing I noticed is that my fastest transitions start out with everything moving together, rather than any sort of eye/body separation. My eyes move faster and pick up the target before my chest gets there, but everything starts at the same time, which is logical if you think about it. There's no reason for the platform to be pointing at the old target if the eyes don't need to look at it.

H.

[hopalong]

Matt,

NO practing allowed !!!!!

HOP

[Matt Griffin]

I'm too stupid to keep my gun running, so I have to make up for it with practice.

H.

[benos]

I was working on transitions the other day and this is the trick that worked for me: mentally I'm pointing my chest at the target. I've tried thinking/training knees, waist, legs, etc. and it never seems to work, but if I train bang-move your chest! it works very well for me.

A long time ago, during one of my best shotgun shooting days ever, it felt as if the shotgun was actually coming out of the middle of my chest. I remembered that feeling and applied it to shooting a pistol - and it transferred. At times I felt like the pistol was on the end of a rod that came out of the center of my chest. Super turret-like feeling.

be

[CrankyCrash]

Check out the DVD 3GM 2 -- very good section on transitions..

[Matt Griffin]

I was working on transitions the other day and this is the trick that worked for me: mentally I'm pointing my chest at the target. I've tried thinking/training knees, waist, legs, etc. and it never seems to work, but if I train bang-move your chest! it works very well for me.

A long time ago, during one of my best shotgun shooting days ever, it felt as if the shotgun was actually coming out of the middle of my chest. I remembered that feeling and applied it to shooting a pistol - and it transferred. At times I felt like the pistol was on the end of a rod that came out of the center of my chest. Super turret-like feeling.

be

I get that feeling on small transitions like 5 to go, but on big ones I can feel the arm triangle sway a bit in acceleration when I take off, but it sways back by the time my chest gets there, and the hands haven't shifted. This method also prevents me from tracking the sight rather than leaving it, because the explosion from static is enough to tear apart the picture and let my eyes go to the next logical point, the target.

H.