TargetTalk

You know, I guess I’m the worst shooter (airpistol 10meter) ever. When you see my cards everybody is thinking of a Parkinson patient with a whimsical machinegun.
But, the advantage of this is that it only can go better. (I hope).
I read so many things and received so many advice I don’t know anymore what is important and what isn’t. Yesterday at the club I heard I was standing in a totally wrong position. When shooting, the wrist must be in such an angle so the arm, the wrist and the thumb would be form one line, the feet has to be in that position, the knees a little bit of this, the back a little bit backwards…. I was wondering how important all those positions are, as I came back from training with pain in every muscle and the question how it was possible to hit everything except those black centres. So my question, beginning with the feet, how do I have to stand to have a good position?

Start with the AMU Pistol Manual. http://www.bullseyepistol.com/chapter1.htm addresses stance and some other things.

Firstly remember shooting is meant to be enjoyable. You need to be comfortable to shoot effectively and so as to be able to sustain a course of fire (a 1 3/4 hour match for example) - don't worry about that just yet though <g>.

I would suggest you start off standing either 45 degrees or 90 degrees to the target - whichever feels more comfortable, with feet shoulder width apart. Now come onto aim and then shut your eyes. Move the gun up and down a few times and finish where you think the target is. Don't worry about height but if you're too far left or right shuffle your feet so that you are pointing to the right place. This is a good thing to do every time you start shooting.

There are optimal positions etc but I would start off simply and adjust things as you go (ideally under the supervision of a coach).

Rob.

Marcel,
There are two fundamentals in pistol shooting. One is sight alignment and the other is a smooth increasing pressure on the trigger. If you do those two things correctly you will shoot good shots. If you don't do one or both of those things correctly you will shoot bad shots no matter what else you do.
Every other technique such as stance, grip, position etc... is only to help you perform the two fundamentals. As you progress as a shooter you will become aware of things that did not seem important before. As you become aware of these things, make the changes necessary and move on. Don't get involved in trying to make everything perfect unless you are at the level where you are almost achieving perfection.
As Rob said, shooting should be enjoyable. Have a good time and concentrate on the fundamentals.

Doug in Virginia

Most foot position advice talks of the feet first. I suggest the purpose of the shooter is to align, support, and control the pistol in front of the eye without regard to the target. Using the feet to point the body and pistol onto the aim area should be done last.

Read all you can. Enjoy, take your time, relax, breath, make notes and do one thing at a time with each session.

This is a process and it will take time. It is worth it...the study and the resulting 10's feel great!

Thanks, appreciate it. Interesting information on that site.

GOVTMODEL wrote:Start with the AMU Pistol Manual. http://www.bullseyepistol.com/chapter1.htm addresses stance and some other things.

jackh wrote:Most foot position advice talks of the feet first. I suggest the purpose of the shooter is to align, support, and control the pistol in front of the eye without regard to the target. Using the feet to point the body and pistol onto the aim area should be done last.

Not if you talk to most coaches it doesn't. You want to find a naturally stable (and comfortable) position and if you don't you will induce muscle stress. Perhaps not immediately but it is more likely than if you don't. You will also end up using more muscles correcting for aiming errors which is exactly what you're trying to avoid.

Rob.

RobStubbs wrote:

jackh wrote:Most foot position advice talks of the feet first. I suggest the purpose of the shooter is to align, support, and control the pistol in front of the eye without regard to the target. Using the feet to point the body and pistol onto the aim area should be done last.

Not if you talk to most coaches it doesn't. You want to find a naturally stable (and comfortable) position and if you don't you will induce muscle stress. Perhaps not immediately but it is more likely than if you don't. You will also end up using more muscles correcting for aiming errors which is exactly what you're trying to avoid.

Rob.

Perhaps I should say I establish (try to anyway) that natural, stable, and comfortable arm angle first with the pistol naturally aligned with my eye on the sight. If the target is seen off to either side, I shift my feet last. I certainly don't want to make any compensations with my arm or wrist when a mere foot movement will align me and my pistol with the target. Sometimes I throw a group of shots left a ring or two. Even though the shots looked to be on call, they go left a bit. I check my grip and trigger finger, but usually a foot shift takes care of the problem.