TargetTalk

Does anybody have any idea if in the standing position you're supposed to kick your hips a little bit, a lot, or not all? Or is it just personal preference?

Levi Bergren wrote:Does anybody have any idea if in the standing position you're supposed to kick your hips a little bit, a lot, or not all? Or is it just personal preference?

What do you mean by "kick your hips"?

My understanding is that your feet should be placed perpendicular to the line of fire and that you should then swivel your upper body more towards the target. This creates a sort of tension in the body which helps keep you steady, sort of like a rope... if you twist it first it would stand up straighter. Untwisted and it won't stand at all. Of course all the positions need to be tweaked for individual body types and personal preferences.

you should then swivel your upper body more towards the target.

Please don't!

Upper body twist went out years ago because it causes long term back problems.

Tilting the hips is sometimes done, but is not ideal. You want to keep good balance, with approximately equal pressure on both feet. Some who tilt the hip upward may as well shoot standing on one foot, as they get too much pressure on the front foot.

Try walking away from the shooting line, and when returning just stand as if you were going to talk to someone. That's your comfort spot, and a good beginning. You may have to widen or narrow the stance a little bit, depending on body confirmation and target height. Put your arms out to shoulder height, and "slide" the upper torso away from the target (keeping the shoulders and hips level). This should allow you to get the center of gravity of the rifle back over your stance.

No one can tell you what is best for you; take it all with a grain of salt. None of us are built alike. You have to experiment with the how open you stand to the target, foot width, foot angles, body twist, hip level, weight over your feet, head angle and position, sight position, support hand and elbow placement, how you use your hand as the rifle rest, rifle cant and balance, knee lock, right shoulder position, boots... It has to be steady, relaxed, and have a repeatable natural point of aim. Get a copy of "Ways of the RIfle" and study the variations. All have some amount of hip kick to balance the weight of the rifle. Often the weight goes straight down from your elbow to the hip. We called it bone on bone years ago, but for me it is more letting the weight hang straight down off my shoulder. Practice without a coat; don't use it as a crutch. Shooting a heavy Ballard helped my sporter technique. Frequently check for muscles that are too involved. After years of shooting offhand one night I discovered a tense back muscle I had never noticed. Change one thing at a time and don't rule it out too quickly. And if you can find a coach...

Mark

I do have the book, Ways Of The Rifle, and that is what was causing confusion! Because one of my coaches said to kick your hips out as much as you can, then another one said, "No, no, no, no, no! You must keep a symmetrical position!" Then the book said to kick your hips a little bit! So that's why I was wondering if one is better over another or if it's personal preference.

Usually one will follow along with what your coach tells you to do.
Your problem is you have 2 coaches, each teaching a different stance, and that just does not work. Because you have the situation you are in now, where you are confused.

To me the book "ways of the rifle," shows what I call a European stance, which has the forward leg generally vertical, and thus your hip is more forward, and most of the weight of the rifle goes down the front leg. This is what your first coach sounds like he was taking about. However, from what I read, the front leg is VERTICAL, you do NOT push your hips forward so much that the front leg is leaning towards the target, as that creates tension in the muscles/tendons of my front leg when I try it.

What I call the American stance, as taught to me by my coach, has the legs evenly angled, and the hip positioned between the feet, so the weight of the rifle is evenly supported by both legs. This is what your second coach sounds like he was talking about. And what Pat McCoy above is talking about.

As the book title says, WAYS of the rifle. There isn't ONE way, but MANY different ways, based on different schools of thought and individuals. And you will see both stances and variations of them, at the Olympics (both past and present).

I was taught the American stance, then later changed to the European stance. Don't ask me how or why, but the European stance just felt better FOR ME, and I shot better with it.

On a related note. As Pat mentioned about back problems. I have a lower back injury, so I CANNOT shoot with my hip pointed to the target and rotate my shoulder to the left to hold the rifle. I have to shoot in an "open" position, feet, hip and shoulder aligned and to the left of the target, so that my back is not twisted.

Have a look at the olympic gallery to see lots of good examples: http://www.issf-sports.org/photoplayer. ... 1664-11013

Okay, thanks guys. That helped.