Best use of Training Time (Free Pistol)

[TimC]

I have 3 hours a day on the weekend and 2.5 hours a day during the week to devote to training. I live in a large city where travel time back and forth to the range subtracts 1 hour from my time allocated to training. (1/2 hour each way). Thus during the week I do almost have enough time to fire a whole match. 1 1/2 hours gives a pretty good match, although the traffic stress is sometimes hard to alleviate.

My question is this: During the week, how many times should I be heading to the range? Would I be better off using 2.5 hours for Dry Firing? or driving down to the range and firing a match? Every Day? 3 days a week? 2 days a week (Monday-Friday)

I fire at least a complete match on the weekend days and usually spend the rest of the time on the weekend doing other drills. (Weekend travel time is much shorter)

Thanks for your time in advance!

TimC
PHX,AZ

[Chris]

I think you should spend a min of 20 mins a day for dry firing. If you were to dry fire you FP at least 5 days a week for 20 mins a day your scores should reflect your hard work and training. You still need to have some goals for your training session so you are not just going through the motions.

I wish I had that much time to shoot each week. I only get to spend about 30 mins a day and I dry fire and rarely go to the range to train. Last year heading into the NRA sectional I was shooting some air pistol and and no FP. My scores reflected it. This year about 2 months before the sectional I started to dry fire my Toz for 20-30 mins a day. I ended up shooting 545 and was only a few points from a PR. If I had not been dry firing I would not have been able to shoot as well as I did.

Good luck...

[RobStubbs]

I would suggest doing mainly dry firing, certainly between major matches. As you approach a large match, increase the actual live shooting, but I'd suggest only up to about 3 times per week - still dry fire, for example, on alternate days.

Rob.

[Richard H]

I would suggest doing mainly dry firing, certainly between major matches. As you approach a large match, increase the actual live shooting, but I'd suggest only up to about 3 times per week - still dry fire, for example, on alternate days.

Rob.

There are a number of things that can be done to make the most out of your time. Dry firing, as suggested, is very good, and inexpensive training. If you have the room at home you could set up a 10m AP range, although not exactly the same as FP it is very close and the skills are definately transferable. There are also electronic trainer that can be used to suppliment your range time. Also make sure you have a plan prior to going to the range, so that you know what your going to work on.

Those times that you indicated, is that the time available for shooting only or does this include time for physical training too?

[Steve Swartz]

Tim:

A couple of us have posted fairly detailed training plans in the past; other resources are available to help you build your own. If you want detailed help feel free to contact me at leslieswartz@verizon.net.

In general, I have found it useful to "divvy up" your training time among

- Physical Conditioning
- Skills Development (drills) and
- Match Management

In each of these areas it is important to know what you are trying to achieve by spending time working on that aspect, and how performance in that area affects the process of shooting.

It is also important to spend at least a "useful" amount of minimum time in each area even if you are achieving yoiur performance goals in that area.

While the "default" answer may be to spend an approximately equal amount of time in each area, it might actually be more useful to spend the most amount of time in that area that will have the greatest impact on your performance. Kind of like the "Theory of Constraints" where you focus on that resource insufficiency that holds back the performance of the entire system.

Typically though, you should find great benefit from spending the most amount of time on the skill development- and the least amount of time on the match management after/in between matches, and spend increasingly more time on match management as you get closer to the match until the time spent on each is about equal.

Anyhow

Your Mileage Will Vary!

Steve Swartz

[TimC]

I don't include physical development in my total training time. I'd probably be
shocked if I added up all that time. I also don't add in match time which again
would double shock me (moreso my wife :) )

I spend an hour a day in the gym and probably 8-12 hours a week in matches.

I do have specific training items that I work on when I go to the range. But was
kind of wondering if I should back off of the range and spend some of those days
dry firing / doing planning and stuff like that rather than wasting a hour driving to
the range.

I have a AP range (Kind of), that I use some, not so much now that I'm concentrating
on Free pistol for the upcoming match in GA. I'm not a contender by any means
but I'm giving it a honest try.

Thanks for everbody's time
TimC

[Steve Swartz]

Assuming you are primarily live firing at the range, and generally don't conduct skill development drills there, then I would say you should probably be spending around 25%-33% max of your time at the range.

My limited experience suggests that developing shooters* spend way too much time at the range engaged in "Practice" instead of "Training."

Rapid Pistol, of course, and even Center Fire/Standard do require a lot more range time than say AP or FP. But I think the general observation applies- time spent "at the range" tends to devolve into "Capping Rounds" by default unless a very organized, managed approach to range time is implemented with coaching.

But maybe that's just my own personal bias/impression.

Steve


*defined as "shooters who are working seriously at improving their performance" not necessarily tyros or newbies

[Richard H]

8-12 hours /week in matches?

That's 4-7 matches a week?

Or are you counting travel time and hanging around time? If so don't because that contributes nothing to your development.

I agree with Steve regarding the use of range time and the lack of skills development. I've played many sports in my life and shooting is one of th eonly ones that I have participated in where people think going to the range and shooting a 60 shot match over and over again is going to change their performance. I believe that is the definition of insanity "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different resullts".

[TimC]

8-12 hours a week in matches is pretty easy for a Bullseye Shooter
(I also shoot bullseye) I average a 2700 a week, (At least during the winter)
and I shoot a week league, and some weeks two leagues. So 5 @ 900's and 1 @ 600s Yeah around 8-12 hours. Although I'm starting to wind down the Bullseye matches as I concentrate more and more on Free Pistol.

Those comments on Range time are valuable. I sometimes find myself
mentally wandering, probably not the best use of my time. going from
a training mentality to a practice mentality. Good discussion this is
exactly the kind of comments I was looking for.

Thanks everybody!
TimC
phx,az

[edster99]

Hi all

I'm looking for a development plan... I have been getting better over the last few months (282/300) but need to start putting some proper structure on my shooting or it will devolve into blasting not improving. I've been putting together a list of
Objectives / Elements / Criteria / Evaluation Methods / Drills

e.g.

Perfect Alignment / Focus / Crisp ForeSight / Sight / Blank/Card Dry Fire

but it is difficult to come up with specific drills for each of the elements. (Please see attached xl). Any ideas for the drills to improve each behaviour, gratefully accepted!

cheers

Ed

[Freepistol]

Those comments on Range time are valuable. I sometimes find myself
mentally wandering, probably not the best use of my time. going from
a training mentality to a practice mentality. Good discussion this is
exactly the kind of comments I was looking for.

Thanks everybody!
TimC
phx,az

I have a 50 meter range in my back yard, but in the winter I have to drive to a club to shoot indoors. I did all kinds of experimenting on my back yard range, but found myself trying to shoot a good score when I was indoors and there were other shooters there. I guess that helped me handle match pressure, but my goal for the day was not that. I find I can experiment more when alone and not worry about poor shooting in front of an audience. I never had a personal coach, but I am sure I wouldn't mind screwing up in front of one.
Now I have an air pistol and a 10 meter range in by basement so I can screw up in complete privacy all year round!
Ben