TargetTalk

emre-nur wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 6:23 pm Hi to all,

We also see many top athletes leaning a bit backwards.

Yet, many instructive materials just talk about distributing weight equally on both foot, implying that this will give the best balance. For me, this hardly seems to be the case when I am holding a pistol with 90 degrees angle to my body. I tend to lean back too, which gives me a better alignment with the target (might be something to do with one's height) and more steady hold.

As a newbie, the question is how much to lean back and more importantly am I picking up something wrong?

BobGee wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 8:58 pm A tried and trusted method of finding your “correct” stance is to adopt your preferred stance, raise your pistol to your aiming point, close your eyes for a count of 5 or 10, open your eyes and if not still on aim, alter your stance to bring the pistol back on aim. This is done by moving your rear foot towards where your pistol was pointing. Then repeat until a consistent aim is achieved. Remember this position - some use chalk marks on the floor when shooting a match.

Some call this your Natural Point of Aim - NPA. I don’t like that term as I believe it will change over time.

Bob

emre-nur wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 6:23 pm Hi to all,

We also see many top athletes leaning a bit backwards.

Yet, many instructive materials just talk about distributing weight equally on both foot, implying that this will give the best balance. For me, this hardly seems to be the case when I am holding a pistol with 90 degrees angle to my body. I tend to lean back too, which gives me a better alignment with the target (might be something to do with one's height) and more steady hold.

As a newbie, the question is how much to lean back and more importantly am I picking up something wrong?

emre-nur wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:25 am
A further leaning-like problem is whether more on the heels or the toes. Again, advised to distribute equally. However, in your natural standing, it is almost never equal. For me, being on the heels renders one very static, maybe stable at first but not able to respond to the wobble as the operation progresses .

As a newbie, these are so far my impressions. Maybe, some shoes help bringing one to the optimal stance. I have been using flat shoes.

Gwhite wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:11 pm Which is precisely why the chalk routine is counterproductive. During the course of a match, your muscles will tire & stretch, and your NPA will shift. I always enjoy competing against the chalk guys because I know their NPA will be off by the end of a match...

JonPersson wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 5:38 am.
Weight lifting shoes are good.

emre-nur wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:08 am Maybe, we should compile a book from these views, advises and feedback ...:)

emre-nur wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:08 am

Gwhite wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:11 pm Which is precisely why the chalk routine is counterproductive. During the course of a match, your muscles will tire & stretch, and your NPA will shift. I always enjoy competing against the chalk guys because I know their NPA will be off by the end of a match...

Thanks Gwhite

It is pretty obvious even for a beginner that a fixed point wont work.
Yet, this is usually overlooked in the instructive materials.

Maybe, we should compile a book from these views, advises and feedback ...:)

I volunteer to be your assistant Gwihte, if you have not authored one already.
Perhaps, we can apply for a fund !

Gwhite wrote: ↑Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:16 am The worst coaches in the world are the ones that claim theirs is the ONLY right way to do things. Every shooter is different, and what works for one may not work well at all for another. That's why studying videos and slavishly mimicking the latest gold medal Olympic shooter too closely is a waste of time.

David Levene wrote: ↑Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:41 am

Gwhite wrote: ↑Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:16 am The worst coaches in the world are the ones that claim theirs is the ONLY right way to do things. Every shooter is different, and what works for one may not work well at all for another. That's why studying videos and slavishly mimicking the latest gold medal Olympic shooter too closely is a waste of time.

It is also why ex-elite shooters do not (always) make good coaches.

They might (think that they) know what worked for them, but need to be able to recognise that other techniques, or just small tweaks, would be better for other shooters.