TargetTalk

Hi

What is the minimum width I can cut my translucent occluder down to for 10 metre air pistol please?

The minimum is 0.
The maximum is 30mm.

Hope this helps

I cut mine down to approx 9mm wide. It is the narrowest that is effective as a blinder and provides the maximum visual input to the vestibular apparatus (organ of balance).
Gort

Thanks for replies, I was thinking after I asked that some people don't use one at all - but 9mm sounds ok with me

Tom

It had never occurred to me that "less is more" in this context. The fact that I had never seen any top contenders using narrow occluders might contribute to this.

Something to consider, anyway.

It doesn't really matter how wide mine is; I shut my eye.

(That is not a coaching tip, but it worked for me)

Visual input to the brain and vestibular apparatus is important. Try closing both eyes and see how balance degrades. The more visual horizon input is transmitted to the brain the better balance is. When we have visual fixation on the sights (as it should be) and a large blinder we have little visual horizon input to the brain and again balance degrades. I have found the more panoramic view I have the better balance (steadiness) is. Narrow blinders help.
Gort

PS I have seen some tiny blinders on ISSF TV lately.

I never had any problem with balance. I just found, and still find, that concentrating on very fine objects is easier with one eye shut.

As I say, it worked for me but I wouldn't offer it as a coaching tip.

There are times when personal preference, and the peace of mind that brings, outweigh accepted wisdom. The best shooters are the ones who listen to "the best way" and modify it to suit themselves.

I'm not sure what is going on, but someone edited my post, and it wasn't me. Here is my original post:
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Most of the students on the team I coach wear safety glasses, and we recommend a small piece of frosted tape on the non-aiming lens as an occluder. Despite this instruction, many students insist on covering the entire lens with tape. We had one student last year who reported he was actually getting dizzy until I convinced him to drastically reduce the amount of tape he used. Problem solved....
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When I looked for any responses, I found only this:

Despite this instruction, many students insist on covering the entire lens with tape.
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I don't know what rules you shoot under, but if it's ISSF that would certainly not be allowed under the last part of 6.7.8.4:-

Front Blinders to cover the non-aiming eye that are more than 30mm wide are not permitted
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The above two lines were from someone else, and in the process, they blew away part of my post.

In any event, the excess tape problem only occurs with new shooters. By the time they are ready to compete, we've taken care of it.

David Levene wrote:It doesn't really matter how wide mine is; I shut my eye.

(That is not a coaching tip, but it worked for me)

if I shut both, will I then shoot twice as good?

Gwhite wrote:I'm not sure what is going on, but someone edited my post, and it wasn't me.

Mea culpa

That must have been be hitting the "edit" button instead of "quote"

I can only apologise to you and the rest of the forum members.

David

Gort wrote:Visual input to the brain and vestibular apparatus is important. Try closing both eyes and see how balance degrades. The more visual horizon input is transmitted to the brain the better balance is. When we have visual fixation on the sights (as it should be) and a large blinder we have little visual horizon input to the brain and again balance degrades. I have found the more panoramic view I have the better balance (steadiness) is. Narrow blinders help.
Gort

PS I have seen some tiny blinders on ISSF TV lately.

The occluder I have is an old 'massive' one, I was advised during last comp' to cut it down or get a new more up to date one. I didn't give any thought to balance, maybe I was 'making do' with the little bit of area I could see through the gaps around the edges of the occluder. During my army days when I mainly fired rifle we were told to leave non shooting eye open as closing it will degrade visual acuity of shooting eye. I found that didn't really matter with rifle though as the sights were close to the eye. I have tried shooting with no occluder with pistol but leaving left eye open while shooting with right eye causes me double vision issues.

Good replies, thanks

A number of years ago, I think shortly before the 2002 World Championships, the ISSF changed the rule for maximum blinder width down to (I think) 20mm, because reasons. So everybody cut their blinders down PDQ so as not to have to do it in Equipment Control at WCH.

I don't think that rule lasted much more than a year, but I've kept mine at that narrow width just because I can't be bothered to buy a new blinder.

john bickar wrote:A number of years ago, I think shortly before the 2002 World Championships, the ISSF changed the rule for maximum blinder width down to (I think) 20mm, because reasons.

Good memory John; actually 20/04/2002 in preparation for Lahti.