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View Full Version : Poll: new training gizmo



YVK
10-27-2012, 07:24 PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v466/Heartachedoc/IMG_6709.jpg

Doing fry-fire drills while balancing on this thing:

- will not affect gunhandling skills at all

- will make them better

- will make them worse

- this thing is retarded

P.S. Intended use is balance in position as shown on real photo, not on the box.

taadski
10-27-2012, 08:42 PM
I'm an admitted fitness and training geek. I've spent hours and hours of time working on the balance skill set. Specifically slacklining, rock climbing, skiing, voodoo boards, fit-ball squats and various other balance/fitness/circus antics.

On one hand, I'll say that I think learning to be centered through balance exercises is a GREAT thing for general atheleticism and for some sports specifically. I'm not sure I feel that it has made a huge difference in the shooting sports for me though. I don't think it has necessarily hurt, that's for sure, but I'll say that my shooting coach (a well established GM) has noted that a non-biased, centered, upright standing position (like one used to balance on a wire or a fit ball) is in fact too neutral for good recoil management during fast strings. It's something I've found myself fighting some because of years conditioning myself into standing that way.

So, do I think standing on your exercise device and dry practicing will promote better kinesthetics/proprioception, more advanced multitasking and pure concentration skill? For sure. Is it going to help you make a huge jump in practical shooting ability? I"m going to lean toward no. Sure is a fun skill set to mess around with though.


Personal photo added for thread enhancement purposes... :-P



http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo324/taadski/slacker.jpg

VolGrad
10-28-2012, 09:10 AM
One of the stages at yesterdays IDPA GA state champ match involved walking across a swinging bridge while engaging 3 targets, two of which were partially covered by non-threats. I can't recall of top of my head if each target required 2 or 3 hits. It made more sense to take all head shots on these targets though due to the NTs.

I'd say something like this would help prepare for such a scenario. The scenario was intended to simulate a moving subway/train car.

YVK
10-29-2012, 02:44 PM
Personal photo added for thread enhancement purposes... :-P



I'd consider the thread quite strongly enhanced now.

JHC
10-29-2012, 02:51 PM
I'd consider the thread quite strongly enhanced now.

+1 That is just crazy! I trust hope that cord on the wrist tethers you to the tight rope!

cclaxton
10-29-2012, 04:19 PM
First, there is a difference between gun-handling skills and competition shooting skills.
There are some exercises that don't contribute to gun-handling but are useful as general body-conditioning for competition and practicing certain kinds of moves for competition. This things may fall into the general body-conditioning category, but not really much benefit for competition because I have never had to stand on one in competition.

Because shooting sports use low-cover for stages, it is a good idea to practice moving to low cover quickly, knee placement, leg balancing, leaning, etc. I use a couple of spongy pads to protect my knees when I practice.

I did shoot a stage with a "wobbly bridge" scenario where a wooden platform is suspended with four chains from a frame and you had to shoot a "bear" target moving diagonally towards you. That was hard and I can see finding a way to practice that.

I just shot a stage at the Shoothouse in Moyock, NC where you had to shoot underneath a table to get to a target and you had to stoop or go to low cover or maybe use weak hand and use the door as cover. I could see practicing with a door and going to low cover.

But those are rare COF and I find things like this gizmo pretty useless.

If you wanna spend your money on something to help your gun-handling, buy Captains of Crush hand exercisers and their finger exercisers as well and/or Laserlyte in-chamber laser practice modules. They show you where you would hit a target with a pulse of laser....now that is worth it.

CC

YVK
10-29-2012, 05:05 PM
I never thought of simulating swinging bridge, and didn't misspeak when I said "gun handling".
If one observed the best gun handlers, they have no extraneous movements. Drawing the gun involves hands only, nothing else moves. So is doing reloads. My thought was that if one assumed a stable position on this balance device, drew a gun and had to readjust the balance because of a draw, then he/she is moving body parts that don't suppose to move during the draw. Or reload.