Analyzing Max Michel's Footwork

[robot]

I got to meet Max at the USPSA Open Nationals in Florida and had the pleasure to watch him shoot a few stages. Max is such a friendly person and exudes professionalism. True mark of a champion. He even entertained my fanboyism by taking a selfie with me.

While watching him shoot, I noticed that he uses an interesting movement technique and I thought I'd share it with you. Let me know what you think.

[Clay1]

I have many things to work on, but I really think my movement would be a big step in the right direction. When I look at about 50 seconds into the video and watch that stop on the closest target to the cameraman, I would note how the stop is really done with the right foot / leg and that the heel technique is just a little balancing act on the fault line. Also notice that Pekiti take off foot work coming out of that position. I love how low he sat down coming into that position and as you noted how he fired two full shots before he really stopped.

It's one thing for me to look and say, yes, that's what he did - it's a whole different thing to be able to execute those same actions.

Thanks for sharing, cool beans.

[LittleLebowski]

Another reason why I will never excel at competition...."coordination."

Thanks for posting this.

[rsa-otc]

Max has posted a couple of YouTube videos where he has said that there is little difference in raw shooting skill from upper A up to GM. It's the ability to plan a stage and move into and out of positions that separates the Super Squad from the upper mid pack.

[Peally]

Another reason why I will never excel at competition...."coordination."

Thanks for posting this.

Never at a national level. At a local level if you can pull a trigger back half decently you'll look like a god to 90% of your competition

[Clusterfrack]

Excellent topic. I thought exactly the same thing when I saw Max shoot at Production Nationals. His movement was noticeably different from the other super squad shooters. I wonder if he would use the same footwork on gravel?

[JRCHolsters]

Max is a great guy. My daughter Casey got to spend several hours training with him at the MGM Junior Shooter Camp. He really stressed movement and knowing when sight picture was good enough to take the shot. He does make it look easy, though he trains like crazy. He also gave a really good talk to all the kids one evening about sportsmanship. Max is a true class act.

[Mr_White]

Max has posted a couple of YouTube videos where he has said that there is little difference in raw shooting skill from upper A up to GM. It's the ability to plan a stage and move into and out of positions that separates the Super Squad from the upper mid pack.

That's very intriguing coming from him. I haven't seen those videos - got a link?

I've heard that statement before, and quite honestly it sounds like something a less good shooter would say to conjure an equivalency with a better shooter. So I'm intrigued if MM said it, because he certainly seems to be one of the very best shooters.

From what I've seen, and that is surely less than MM has seen, I think the difference from A to GM is being better across the board. The GM shoots more accurately and faster, more consistently, integrates shooting efficiently with movement, physical barriers, and pressure, and plans and executes stages better than an A. It's being better at all the things measured in USPSA.

Since Classifiers contain little movement and virtually no stage planning, it would probably be pretty easy to go look at the classifier records of a bunch of A, M, and GM shooters and see if there was little difference in their scores and levels of consistency. If there were more than a little difference in their classifier records, then I think that would argue against the difference between those shooters being mostly in stage planning and movement. It's probably also fair to say that people do vary as individuals and I bet different people do well in USPSA through different combinations of what it takes to do well - some from their strong shooting, some from their strong movement and athleticism, etc.

[robot]

From what I've seen, and that is surely less than MM has seen, I think the difference from A to GM is being better across the board. The GM shoots more accurately and faster, more consistently, integrates shooting efficiently with movement, physical barriers, and pressure, and plans and executes stages better than an A. It's being better at all the things measured in USPSA.

Totally agree. They can do more stuff consistently to the point that nothing is really difficult. As you know too, the winner of the match is the person who gets 2nd place for every stage.

[Sal Picante]

I think the difference from A to GM is being better across the board. The GM shoots more accurately and faster, more consistently, integrates shooting efficiently with movement, physical barriers, and pressure, and plans and executes stages better than an A. It's being better at all the things measured in USPSA.

This. Totally.

It is really a lot of (good) "performance on demand" at that level...

Someone in A-class might be able to split and transition just as well as any GM, most of the time, but being able to do it all the time with boring consistency is where it is at.