TargetTalk

I understand the reason for lifting an AP above your aiming area, engaging different muscle groups, finer control, but I’m not sure just how you need to lift to attain those benefits. Seems it would be a foolish waste of energy to go higher than necessary 60 times. For myself I have had surgery to repair shoulder impingement and (still) have a very small rotator cuff tear, so lifting higher and higher overhead is not a good thing. How high is high enough to activate the benefit of raising over the target.

I only go as high as I need to in order to get my sights well above the black (but still on the target), so I can get them lined up & in focus before I drop down into my "hold". I don't understand the exaggerated lift some people use, and there are some clubs where they will throw you out for aiming about the target.

I think a lot of it is the common pitfall of "If doing something is beneficially, then doing it more should be better."

I don't have Gwhite's long experience, but I use the action of raising the gun up to also straighten my back when I'm at my highest point. So I leave my body at its most upright when I come back down to address the target. It works as a benefit to me, at least.

In international competition, it seems partly to be the result of national coaching style. In this 2018 Changwon video, all the Koreans have a huge rise, with the Russians about half as high, and the remainder only raising the pistol slightly above the black.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwrh8TigM3A

For me right now it's a higher lift to settle the rest of my body, then a not-slow drop to above the target to set my upper body, confirm sights, and bring in eye focus, then a lower into the target area to find hold and release. If I lift straight to just above the black, I find that too much is going on at once in my body and head, so I split it up somewhat. High hold probably 2-3 seconds, lower and pause 3-4, then maybe two seconds into the hold area with an optimum time of 5 seconds or so before I (should) cancel.

As I understand it muscles are stronger and more stable when lowering than raising.

For this reason you're better off releasing the shot as you lower than when you're trying to remain level.

Lower lower lower lower looowwwwwwer release

works an awful lot better than

Lower, too far - raise, too high - lower, too high too low too high too arrgh bang

Its not how people are taught to shoot though, the better shooters come to this realisation

To answer your question, try this...
Lift to the bottom of the target, Pause and Hold.
Focus on front sight.
Then very slow lift up to target centre.
Note feel of fine motor musle control (may feel a little strain and twitch).
Rest.
Now try again but lift to top of target or higher, (not above the top of backstop).
Pause and hold, focus, then very slowly lower to target centre.
You will find that the fine slow mussle control is better lowering than lifting.

Whatever works for you is fine. Don't worry about it.