Coaching Corner

[David M]

Looks like only two count....
Sight Picture
Trigger Control

[MDK]

both are important, but trigger control will save a lot more points

[yana]

Just follow the training course:
1/ Stance
2/ Body posture
3/ Natural Point of Aim
4/ Grip
5/ Breathing
6/ Aiming
7/ Trigger technique
8/ Follow through

They're all important.

[David M]

Just follow the training course:
1/ Stance
2/ Body posture
3/ Natural Point of Aim
4/ Grip
5/ Breathing
6/ Aiming
7/ Trigger technique
8/ Follow through

They're all important.

I don't believe how hard it is to get a Coaching discussion going, maybe you are all top grade shooters shooting 570+.

1/ Stance, well I have to stand up because they won't let me go prone.
2/ Body Posture, well you have to look good on the line, so no slouching or leaning on things.
3/ Natural Point of Aim, down range, RO's don't like being in line of sight.
4/ Grip, I have to hold on to it as a Ranson rest is out of the question.
5/ Breathing, well if I don't breath.......you die.
6/ Aiming, go back to 3, RO's want you to point down range at the target if possible.
7/ Trigger technique, how to jerk a shot clean off the target.
8/ Follow through, moaning and complaining at the result's board, then off to the bar.

So let's put the basics in order of importance, also put a % on each.
1/ Trigger control, most important at 85 %.
.......

[thirdwheel]

Ok here is my tuppence worth David.

There are three parts of a triad that are equally important, and intrinsically support each other without each one done properly it all collapses.

Sight alignment (not sight picture as you really don't look at the target)
Smooth subconscious motored release (you do not think about the trigger action at all)
Follow through (getting this right makes you do the others correctly) Follow through is the big one!

If I had to choose a dominant task it would be follow through, real follow though aiming and controlling not just standing there passively waving the pistol in the direction of the card.

The rest are just to support the pistol in the point of aim area as calmly as possible and are quickly learned and easy to master quite well.

Oh and ignoring your score outcome and only concentrate on how well you did the triad, and that internal feeling you get when it went correctly.

[atomicgale]

JUST GO TO A MATCH!!!

(All these other "steps" will completely fall apart on their own - with or without over-thinking it.)


Sign up here:
https://ct.thecmp.org/app/v1/index.php? ... atch=18930

"DIXIE DOUBLE" NEXT WEEKEND!

Civilian Marksmanship Program in Anniston Alabama.

[B Lafferty]

FWIMBW regarding stance, last night I watched the ISSF channel on YouTube, the Rio World Cup from last month. In the women's air pistol final all of the women, but one, had their stance set with feet apart at approximately shoulder width. That one had her feet spread considerably wider than her shoulders. I tried that this afternoon. I did feel a bit more stable and over 60 shots noticed a slight scoring difference upward. Whether or not that related to stance, a good day, better medication uptake, type of morning coffee, etc. only time will tell.

Oh, the shooter in question was Olena Kostevych.

[Tangohammerli]

I started out with a wider than shoulders stance and have gradually come to a just less than shoulder width stance. As with most things......your mileage may vary.....

[Irishshooter]

The majority of people list aiming then trigger control, is it not a case that you are putting pressure on the trigger before you have your sights centred on the target?
In my opinion aiming and trigger control are way more inter linked, so its more aiming/trigger control, not 2 separate acts.
Of course list them separately for instruction and explanation to students, but marry them together in the sequence of firing a shot.

[Gwhite]

I view trigger control as the most important piece. Aiming is kind of pointless if you are going to disturb your sight alignment in firing the shot.

[Elmas]

" Let's kick off a coaching discussion for new shooters. "



Stillness of body and mind .

[Tycho]

Wrist stability and grip. Trigger "control" (if there's something like that) will follow automatically. Wrist stability is the thing that gives confidence and a repeatable muscle memory. Everything else is more or less individual (although I agree there are things that will work for a larger number of people) and will change over time, but nobody ever hit anything in competition without wrist stability.

[David Levene]

Align the sights and don't mess it up with the trigger.

[Rover]

I did a search on stance: Great info plus some peripheral notes.

search.php?keywords=stance&terms=all&au ... mit=Search

[Mike M.]

The big problem is that we're playing whack-a-mole. About the time you get one thing under control, something else goes wrong.

[Elmas]

The big problem is that we're playing whack-a-mole. About the time you get one thing under control, something else goes wrong.

That's me all right .

[deadeyedick]

Align the sights and don't mess it up with the trigger.

This is probably the secret to scoring well.

[Elmas]

Align the sights and don't mess it up with the trigger.

This is probably the secret to scoring well.

Unlike computers our brains cannot 'multitask' . We cannot truly concentrate on two things at once.
One always has precedence.
Keeping concentration on the sights not straying and the grip remaining locked , you cannot also concentrate on the trigger squeeze . That's why we get bad shots.

[deadeyedick]

In my experience a lot of pistol shooters problems are caused by trying to focus on multiple tasks as you have mentioned Elmas.

I believe that the primary focus should be on sight picture alignment and trigger release which should be an automatic subconscious and progressive response that through correct training should almost surprise the shooter.

When Coaching I try to introduce new shooters to a world of muscle memory that has been created by correct training and void of as many conscious thoughts as possible.

Sight alignment and steadiness of hold to the best of ones ability, followed by a subconscious trigger release needs to be executed in a manner that can be repeated over and over again.

It goes without saying that Stance, Grip, breathing and follow through also need to be practised until automated in order for all the parts to fit together and be as repeatable with as little conscious input as possible.

[kevinweiho]

Unlike computers our brains cannot 'multitask' . We cannot truly concentrate on two things at once. One always has precedence.

Train yourself to become a Supertasker...

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/arti ... er-taskers

https://ideas.ted.com/whats-one-of-the- ... m=business