Tips on Pistol Shooting

[brihacharan]

Hi All,
(hvj / tirpassion, jitu / agn / atul)

I’ve been following this very interesting thread and by default throwing in my 2 bits! However one blistering thought struck me….

1.The match shooting AP is a well designed contraption, manufactured to exacting precision to provide the best accuracy.
2.On its own it cannot give the shooter a perfect 10 – meaning, left alone it will just lay there, unless it is handled for its intended purpose.
3.My point is “It’s YOU” the shooter who has to put it to use, to get the best advantage out of it.
4. Simply put “If YOU” the shooter get yourself prepared & ready - body, mind & soul to score that “Perfect 10”, then all the points which the ‘gurus’ has listed will fall into place – just like the ‘automatic gear shift’ in an automobile.
Eg: As the gears shift automatically to adjust to the terrain / gradient etc. the ‘TIPS’ for perfect shooting will automatically fall into place, without YOU being conscious of it.

The mantra therefore is to get “Yourself Fit as a Fiddle” – the rest is 10, 10, 10, 10, 10………!!!

Benefits of Pranayam / Meditation

• Physiological

1. It lowers oxygen consumption.
2. It decreases respiratory rate.
3. It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
4. Increases exercise tolerance.
5. Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation
6. Lowers high blood pressure
7. Reduces anxiety by lowering the levels of blood lactate
8. Decreases muscle tension
9. Enhances the immune system
10. Reduces emotional distress
11. Enhances energy, strength and vigor.
12. Reduction of free radicals & less tissue damage
13. Lowers risk of cardiovascular disease.
14. Improves flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
15. Decreases the aging process
16. Makes you sweat less
17. Cure headaches & migraines
18. Lessens energy waste
19. Relaxes your nervous system

• Psychological
20. Produce lasting beneficial changes in brain electrical activity
21. Builds self-confidence.
22. Increases serotonin level, +ve influence on mood and behavior.
23. Resolve phobias & fears
24. Helps with focus & concentration
25. Increases emotional stability.
26. Develops will power
27. Helps make more accurate judgments
28. Brings body, mind, and spirit in harmony
29. Helps maintain focus
30. Leads to enlightenment – Nirvana!

Happy Shooting!
Briha

[tirpassion]

Again a big thanks / hats off to Brihaji!!!!!
You have humbled us all. Your analysis is absolutely correct. As Guruji says 'Let the mule go on it's own and you the monk, yourself, just keep the balance and enjoy the ride'.

You have done a good job jitu.
- Carry on with the figure 8 exercise.
- It is time for trigger control box drill. Your shot should break within 3 to 5 seconds. If it does not, abort and restart.
- When the shot goes off in 3 to 5 seconds, tick, if not cross.
- Pay full attention to your trigger squeeze, squeeze without fear. As soon as I see my perfect SA image in my confidence zone, I squeeze the trigger without any second thought. Tell something similar to yourself before lifting the AP or command the actions in your mind simultaneously.
- Do not care where the pellet has landed (initially) because if you have worked correctly, it would land in the right place.
- Do not bother about any bad shots or points because you are working solely on tuning your trigger control and feed the data to all the muscles needed to achieve it. So your attention is to work correctly and thereby programme your muscle memory.
- If you are not able to keep at bay the temptation to count the score,
a) shoot all the shots on one single target or at least 25 shots on one target. It will make counting impossible.
b) shoot 7 shots x 8 cards = 56 shots. Do your box drill on 56 shots.
- Be happy with the % you will achieve and the quality of your work.
- Appreciate good shots (good trigger control work) and take a second's time to savour it. It will make you happy and fuel the fire in you which in turn will increase your self esteem.

best regards
tirpassion

[brihacharan]

Hello tirpassion,

tirpassion-quote:
As soon as I see my perfect SA image in my confidence zone, I squeeze the trigger without any second thought. Tell something similar to yourself before lifting the AP or
Do not care where the pellet has landed (initially) because if you have worked correctly, it would land in the right place.

> "It's all about "Auto Suggestion"
> The language of the mind is after all music to the soul - appeal to it and it will respond in equal measure!
> Have a great week end - Happy Shooting!
Briha

[tirpassion]

Dear Atul,

Frankly, I am also perplexed as I do not know what to tell you. It is simply because I have never bothered to plan things in such minute and meticulous details. However, there are a few things which I can humbly tell you.

- First of all, the shot cycle should ideally be of 30 seconds maximum. So it is far far away from your 90 seconds and your further plan of reducing it to 75 seconds. When Guriji (hvj1) told us about the 30 seconds shot cycle time, my first reaction was IMPOSSIBLE, he is just kidding. So I reconfirmed with him. He told again that it could be brought down to 20 seconds. With my little knowledge (dangerous thing, mind you ), I said 'Phew'. But I started to work as per his instructions. I kept on reducing the time and one fine day, I shot 42 shots in 35 minutes including 8 minutes of break. I acknowledged the fact that the shot cycle could be brought down to 30 seconds or less. I am working on it. That is the final assembly work of many elements which I am tuning and fine tuning for myself one by one.

- I do not find any need to planify the time in advance. What is needed is to note the real time when you are shooting, the timing of each element. Once you have noted it, you can work on it to reduce it. You should know how fast you run 100m first before setting your ideal time to achieve . Please keep in mind also that our goal is to reduce the time as the sprinters. So know where you stand first.

- Plan for a month the macro goal and the micro goals on a weekly basis or even daily basis. For example,
I will get my SA fixed in one month (macro goal). For that I need to
- Get my natural alignment of the weapon fixed definitely. One day micro goal. If more time is needed because of grip alterations add the days accordingly and follow it. Plan to get someone knowledgable enough to correct your stance (head position) which affects the natural alignment greatly.
- work on my stance (correct head position) and hold the weapon for verification of natural alignment and work on my wrist lock. Two days micro goal. My full attention is on the feeling of my stance (eyes closed), my hold (natural SA) and on my wrist lock.
- Figure 8 exercise (40 reps) to begin with. 20 each hand. Hold on blank card to work on the above mentioned point. 2 days micro goal
- Figure 8 exercise (40 reps). 20 each hand. SA hold box drill on blank card for 10 seconds, 40 holds. % calculation. Work till I achieve 100%
The macro goal of SA hold was fixed for a month. I will respect my plan/goal and I will achieve 100% in 40 holds in 1 month.

While doing so, it is not necessary to time each and every element. You will do it once you have a certain grip on the whole subject.

Having said all these, please remember also that Shooting is a pleasure. You should have ample pleasure from it. You need not sacrifice the live shooting. You can do it once a week for your pure pleasure. Appreciate your own shooting and try not to count your score. For that, shoot odd number of shots. 6 shots x 7 cards for example.

Go easy man!!! we are in the pleasure zone

best regards
tirpassion

[jitu sati]

ok tir
will start my box drill for trigger control. let me see how i progress

[atulgupta1]

Dear Tir,

Thank you for taking out so much time to guide me. I really appreciate it.

- First of all, the shot cycle should ideally be of 30 seconds maximum. So it is far far away from your 90 seconds and your further plan of reducing it to 75 seconds. When Guriji (hvj1) told us about the 30 seconds shot cycle time, my first reaction was IMPOSSIBLE, he is just kidding. So I reconfirmed with him. He told again that it could be brought down to 20 seconds. With my little knowledge (dangerous thing, mind you ), I said 'Phew'. But I started to work as per his instructions. I kept on reducing the time and one fine day, I shot 42 shots in 35 minutes including 8 minutes of break. I acknowledged the fact that the shot cycle could be brought down to 30 seconds or less. I am working on it. That is the final assembly work of many elements which I am tuning and fine tuning for myself one by one.

Tir, I think you can do it in less than 30 seconds is because you are way ahead in the game.
I being a novice, want to finish the match of 40 shots in a little under an hour, without compromising on shooting quality at my level, while trying to take maximum advantage of rests in between shot cycles.

I think with constant practice, I will be able to do it in 30 seconds.

- I do not find any need to planify the time in advance. What is needed is to note the real time when you are shooting, the timing of each element. Once you have noted it, you can work on it to reduce it.

Good point. I will try to do this.

- Plan for a month the macro goal and the micro goals on a weekly basis or even daily basis. For example,
I will get my SA fixed in one month (macro goal). For that I need to
- Get my natural alignment of the weapon fixed definitely. One day micro goal. If more time is needed because of grip alterations add the days accordingly and follow it. Plan to get someone knowledgable enough to correct your stance (head position) which affects the natural alignment greatly.
- work on my stance (correct head position) and hold the weapon for verification of natural alignment and work on my wrist lock. Two days micro goal. My full attention is on the feeling of my stance (eyes closed), my hold (natural SA) and on my wrist lock.
- Figure 8 exercise (40 reps) to begin with. 20 each hand. Hold on blank card to work on the above mentioned point. 2 days micro goal
- Figure 8 exercise (40 reps). 20 each hand. SA hold box drill on blank card for 10 seconds, 40 holds. % calculation. Work till I achieve 100%
The macro goal of SA hold was fixed for a month. I will respect my plan/goal and I will achieve 100% in 40 holds in 1 month.

Yes. I will do this.

Having said all these, please remember also that Shooting is a pleasure. You should have ample pleasure from it. You need not sacrifice the live shooting. You can do it once a week for your pure pleasure. Appreciate your own shooting and try not to count your score. For that, shoot odd number of shots. 6 shots x 7 cards for example.

Yes. Thanks.

best regards

Atul

[tirpassion]

Dear Atul,

Tir, I think you can do it in less than 30 seconds is because you are way ahead in the game.
I being a novice, want to finish the match of 40 shots in a little under an hour, without compromising on shooting quality at my level, while trying to take maximum advantage of rests in between shot cycles.

You are wrong in your approach. Please do not mind my statement. You do not know as yet what is your level of shooting and you are underestimating yourself by whatever you have written. I believe that you can reach 370 in 3 months time if you really want to . I repeat, if you really want to. There you will play the mental game (Will power) which is the main element of shooting sport. Get the inspiration out of your own meticulous organised nature, use it properly and intelligently and you have done it. Let yourself be guided by Guruji's lessons and discover yourself. Be true to your own self. Achieve what you commit to yourself (Read: achieve what you plan in your shooting diary).

I have given you a brief outline of a training schedule of One month with objectives and goals to be achieved. It was an example with a hint for you to adopt the same . It will surely not do any bad to you. I would suggest you to take 6 weeks to achieve the macro goal. You can do the exercises even at home on an adapted blank target (1.7cm x 1.7cm for 1m distance, 3.4cm x 3.4cm for 2m distance and so on) fixed at a height of 1.4m. In between, when you shoot live once a week, apply whatever you have practised as much as you can but PLEASURE should prime over everything. It means that you must ignore any bad shot which might occur and more importantly do not linger on it.
Be happy with the number of 10's you would have shot (count them and keep a track of them after every live shooting session. There you will also see your progress) and accept with pleasure the 9's. But please do not count the score.

Hope to hear from you soon positively.

best regards
tirpassion

[atulgupta1]

Thanks for your guidance Tir

Here are my goals for the next 3 months -

Goals To Be Achieved
NPA position - 100% accurate within 20 seconds
Standing position, feet, body alignment - 100% accurate
Head alignment - 100% natural, upright
Arm & pistol alignment - 100% aligned while raising the pistol
Pistol grip - 100% same each time
Trigger finger position - 100% accurate & same each time
Wrist lock - 100% perfectly locked
Raising the pistol with breathing - 100% synchronized
Sight picture - 100% accurate imprinted in mind
Sight alignment (SA) - 100% accurate even for 20 seconds
Front sight focus - 100% accurate & voluntary
Aiming area / hold - 100% steady, minimum arc movement for 10 sec
Trigger squeeze operation - 100% smooth, automatic, within 5 seconds
Follow-through - 100% involuntary for 5 seconds
Sequence of action (SOA) - 100% involuntary
Dry-firing practice - 100% as per expectations
Live-firing practice – Once a week. Target score - 363/400 or 545/600 in 3 months

Let me know what you think about this plan. Am I on the right track?

I have prepared a full, customized diary with all practice areas, box-drill formats etc. and am determined to practice with a focused approach.

Regards,

Atul

[jitu sati]

hey atul
nice to see your confidence. i wish you my best to achieve your goals

[jitu sati]

hey agn and all those who are participating in GFG at Pune, best of luck and happy shooting.
tir, i carried out the 40 shot box drill for 4 sec trigger op. it was surprisingly ok. the % set wise was. 90,100,90,90. did it on one single card. at the end. i counted the No of 8s and they turned out pretty high. a total of ten 8s. that is more than two 8s per set. all were at the left of the 9 ring. so i guess i have been pulling with a wrong finger position on the trigger or have been jerking it. advice pl. is the high % of 8s because of lack of prac in 4 sec drill? how do i overcome this.

[tirpassion]

Dear jitu,
to answer to your question, I will only repeat what I had written down earlier with a part in bold characters.

- Pay full attention to your trigger squeeze, squeeze without fear. As soon as I see my perfect SA image in my confidence zone, I squeeze the trigger without any second thought. Tell something similar to yourself before lifting the AP or command the actions in your mind simultaneously.
- Do not care where the pellet has landed (initially) because if you have worked correctly, it would land in the right place.
- Do not bother about any bad shots or points because you are working solely on tuning your trigger control and feed the data to all the muscles needed to achieve it. So your attention is to work correctly and thereby programme your muscle memory.

Hope you will find the answer . Forget the 8s and no not count anything. If you have jerked, put yourself a 'X' in the box, which means that it was an error.

best regards
tirpassion

[dev]

Hi,you trigger happy lot. The tragedy is that while all the tournaments will be in Delhi this year, I just haven't been able to train. No more than a little dry practice, that also no more than once or twice a week.
Can't shoot pellets at home as the sound startles my little girl, the darn Steyr cracks too much.

Hope you guys are getting ready for the war. The Delhi state is prolly end of the month. And here I sit on my hands and wring them instead. Might as well pick up a beer and light up a few, won't regret missing it all then.

Regards,

Dev

[tirpassion]

Dear Atul,

I will be straight forward with you this time with an example. It is for your benefit in the shooting sport.
I will start with myself, the person, I know best till date yet I am still lightyears away to know him fully.

I am shooting since November 2006 and I am doing a serious effort to erase the accumulated errors recorded in my subconscious mind since last one and a half years now. So I wish that no one trains incorrectly and keep on recording errors.

- I am still working on my gripping. I have not achieved 100% as yet
- I am still working on my stance. I have not achieved 100% as yet. I am discovering the importance of the actions of the muscles to hold the skeletal structure in place during the position
- I am discovering the importance of the position of the head while in shooting stance and i HAVE UNDERSTAOOD THAT IT HAS TO BE VERIFIED REGULARLY by a competent person.

They are all constant processes which are to be worked on regularly. You can only get them fixed, tuned and fine tuned.

I will humbly request you to please simplify things. Your meticulous nature, which is a very strong point, can also be nefast if there is an overdose. I am afraid that you are going towards an excess and you might end up messing up everything.
I would suggest/request you to erase all the points of goals / objectives you have enumerated in your post from your diary and from your mind because there are errors in them which can only be discussed out face to face (two way communication simultaneously) but hardly done by writing (one way communication). Present yourself to your own inner self with a clean slate/board where things can be written with a permanent ink. Since things will be written with a permanent ink, you must be very careful about what to write. You will have to understand, feel, experience, judge, evaluate and then only you can write.

I have given you a 6 weeks macro plan which is simple. I would rather love to read that you have already started the exercises and that you have fixed your natural alignment and that you have got your head position and your stance verified by a knowledgeable person etc.

Hope I am clear

Best regards
tirpassion

[tirpassion]

Hello dev, how are you Sir???
A small suggestion is to start slowly in the beginning. Do not shoot. A few holds (with both hands) to bring the muscles back to form. A bit of time everyday for physical tuning will be very helpful before shooting.

How is your little angel? My daughter has started to go to school since last week. Yes, she is already 3+. God! how fast the time is passing by...
Amazing first day in school, no tears, no crying, a little hug and she just said bye. I told to myself 'Father's girl!!!' because she repeated my first day feat in school (I did not cry either).

take care!
tirpassion

[dev]

Hi Tir,

Been a while amigo. My lil gal was a bit under the weather, she is also teething. Has six teeth now, she also sits up and claps...new stunt. She is perpetually trying to stand up.
Was running short bursts in level 8 and 9, then the work stress and viral got me. But am still fitter than I used to be.
Will try running in a few days. Good part is that all else is good, just a matter of getting my strength back.

Delhi State is on the 27 th if I'm not mistaken. Will see if I can get somewhere by another week or so. Thanks for the tips.

Regards,

Dev