I bookmarked
this thread when I was researching transitions last year, posts 12 and 13 in particular really helped me understand where the movement should be (and should not be). Still got a long way to go. Recently I've found "point with your hips" to be a useful cue.
HERE IS THE QUOTE FROM ENOS
[quote name="benos" post="142261" timestamp="1079735004"]
It's easy to over think this kind of stuff.
While shooting a string of fire, the ONLY time your head should ever move is if the upcoming target lies OUTSIDE your peripheral vision. This rarely happens. So, almost always, once your gun has reached your index, nothing above the waist should move as you acquire targets, EXCEPT YOUR EYES.
Then, without shooting, it's easy to figure out the rest of the mechanics. Stand upright (feet approx in shooting position), looking straight ahead, with arms normally at sides. Then, on cue, as quickly as possible, find and focus on an object on the right edge of your peripheral vision. Repeat many times while becoming sensitive to how your body, from the waist down, naturally responds to the "intent" provided by your vision. It happens to quick to think about. Working in harmony, your feet, knees, legs, and hips rotate together to find the object of desire.
I often save Word docs of common or good questions; I dug a few up and pasted them in here, so we can get 'em all in one place...
be
05.03
The key to quick transitions lies in SEEING EVERYTHING. Your gun will move quickly to the next target only if you called the shot perfectly on the target you just shot. Think about it. If you "shoot at" a target, but don't know, at the instant the shot fired, if the shot was acceptable, (meaning hit the intended target, whether it was a steel plate or the A box), your mind is functioning in doubt, not certainty. So your gun moves in a half-ass, leisurely manner to the next target. On the other hand, if see the site lift and know instantly and for certain that the shot was acceptable, your eye will locate the next target without hesitation and your pistol will follow decisively.
01.03
Transition speed is influenced by two factors:
1) IMMEDIATE, instantaneous, calling of the shot;
2) Simultaneous visual acquisition of the next target (either centrally or peripherally).
When you understand transition speed properly, there's really no "speed" involved. Moving quickly (to the next target) is the result of your INTENTION to shoot the next target as quickly as possible, and is manifested by the occurrence of the previous two conditions.
10.03
Disragarding skill in index, two factors determine split times.
1) How quickly you
see the next target.
2) The precision of your call, on the pervious target.
Of the two, number two is about twice as important as number one.
Or, how you leave is more important than where you go.
Only if you know for certain as the shot is fired that it is acceptable, will you move toward the next target decisively. Hesitation, no matter how slight, always loses.
12.03
Perhaps one answer is that, when we snap our eyes to the next target* to lead the gun, we are simply snapping to brown, or to the whole plate. We aren't snapping to the center of the Alpha, or the center of the plate. We are letting our eyes get lazy. Thus, we drive the sights onto a vague area, as opposed to driving the gun to the center of the scoring area.
That's what most do, and it's a big fat huge loser. Not only will your gun not move decisively to the next target's maximum scoring area, you'll waste time finding it when you both finally commune there.
We seldom see what we need to see because we're always in a hurry. And if you didn't enjoy hurrying you’d be shooting Bullseye. So as is often true, what's most innate is a source of problems. Because of this, the real challenge is often more akin to interrupting a compulsive response. Looking like this may help unravel a problem without even looking at the specifics of the problem itself. Examine specific scenarios with the filter - In this situation, what do I typically do, and is it the most appropriate or effective response. It's a big topic.
Calling and transitioning quickly is determined by how you apply your vision.
Your focus must be flexible and constantly in motion, not stuck on any one thing.
You must see just enough of what must be seen for you to know that what you want to happen is happening as it is happening. (Holy crap, that sentence is cracking me up.)
Let go of the speedy transitions idea and experiment with how you find targets.
Find and see a plate as a clearly recognized round object - before your gun gets there – every single time.
Find the A box as clearly recognized rectangle (if you can see the scoring lines) - before the gun gets there. (For every target.)
Even when finding targets as above, keep your vision "soft," so you never lose track of the sights. (That's a tricky one.)
Learn how you need to see each upcoming target to hit the maximum scoring area as quickly as possible.
If you can see the A box – then see it. But as soon as you have "bring in the sights." You’ll find they’ll go right to the middle of what you found, if you took the time to find it.
If the targets is at 50 yards, look right at the dead center of it until your gun breaks into your peripheral vision.
Think of how the principle of calling extends beyond just the shot.
Stick with it,
be
one more thought:
Don't get sloppy and just shoot without seeing enough, and be wary of trying to see too much.
Make it as simple as possible. First you need to clearly locate the target you intend to hit; whether it's a nickel, a playing card, an A box, or an 18 x 24" steel rectangle at 7 yds. Then you need to see enough of the gun to KNOW you are hitting the target as the gun is firing. That's all there is to it.
Originally Posted by Les Pepperoni
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