See what you need to see training Phase 2

[ssb]

Based on previous discussion about matching your pace to your vision, I incorporated draws to the upper A mixed in with the faster SWNTS pace for a lower A/close C. So, for example, if I’m shooting for 1.2s dry at 7 yards to a lower A, I did a PAR of 1.5s for an upper A. I found that right now, 1.4s seems to be about the sweet spot for the amount of refinement I need for an honest upper A headshot at my scaled 7 yard target.

What I have for a dry fire setup right now is two 1/3 USPSA targets I made as well as a 1/6 USPSA. This allows for simulated 3yd, 7yd, 10yd, and ~18yd shots with the space I have available. The 1/3 USPSAs are one full target width apart; the 1/6 is between them, simulating a shot further downrange. I probably ought to make another 1/6 target for good measure.

Transitioning between the two 1/3 targets at 7 yards with a 1.8s PAR was doable dry. As I transition I’m darting my eyes to where I want the dot to land and that is helping prevent overswinging. At the 7yd pace, the shots still felt like 1-2…3-4. I don’t know that I can quite get my transition down to .2s for those, not with the distance between the two targets, but the transition’s probably in the neighborhood of .3-.35. My simulated 10 yard pace is more like 1-2-3-4, which tells me that’s probably correct. For a PAR here I did 2.1s — a little less than halfway between the 7 and 15 yard PARs.

I’ll need to make up some proper targets for this drill. Tonight was just improvising on the fly with what I had for transitions. Right now it feels pretty natural, but the proof will be in the live fire.

[JCN]

@ssb you know how we did the 3 yard draw and split to take the doubt and hesitation out of what you thought you couldn’t do….

That’s why the phase 2 initial is close transition… so there are no excuses or doubt.

If you can’t do it in an even split… then there’s a technical fudge there in addition to the extra transition time.

Does that make sense?

Pick the simplest, cleanest scenario and nail that before wondering where you’re losing time in the wider transition.

(a 0.30 transition would be either a precision shot or a wiiiiiide target).

So clean up the base transition and build upon it. Yes?

I do appreciate that you’re experimenting on your own and you should!

But continue to pound fundamentals to lock down your key visual modes.

[Clusterfrack]

Another great drill, @JCN. I used it today as part of my practice session, then finished up with the CM09-01 Six in Six Challenge classifier because it requires some comparable skills. Here are my observations:

7 yd string:
I was too focused on the white circles, and that slowed down my transitions by quite a bit (and splits by a little).




Pushing to match transition to a 0.16-18 split speed yielded some issues--note the drag-on hit on the left target.




Backing off the splits a bit allowed the transitions to be more responsible.


15 yd string:

Shooting this at a cadence felt much easier than the on the 7yd string. My right-to-left transitions were noticeably more precise than my left-to-right transitions. Most of the paster hits were on the first shot of each string.




I like "cadence" drills because it's a good way to force faster transitions. Of course, not all transitions should be equal to splits outside of these drills, and a cadence is usually not a helpful way to shoot matches.

[JCN]

I like "cadence" drills because it's a good way to force faster transitions. Of course, not all transitions should be equal to splits outside of these drills, and a cadence is usually not a helpful way to shoot matches.

Great points and the reason for close targets. Technically the phase 2 if using USPSA targets would be overlapping C zones (two sheets of copy paper spaced 2 inches apart) that will make the transition easier.

The goal is to force fast and precise close transitions as a base. Like the 3 yard draw. Knowing what you can do at max functional speed and then adding time as needed for vision with longer transitions or more precise shots.

[JCS]

Still doing this consistently. One thing I"m observing is that the 3 yard string I'm getting a more solid grip than a few weeks ago. Sure I was sneaking in under 1s but the grip was not conducive to proper recoil control. Fast forward three weeks and my fine motor skills are getting more refined at speed.

[JCN]

Still doing this consistently. One thing I"m observing is that the 3 yard string I'm getting a more solid grip than a few weeks ago. Sure I was sneaking in under 1s but the grip was not conducive to proper recoil control. Fast forward three weeks and my fine motor skills are getting more refined at speed.

That’s exactly the point of the 3 yard string!

Good job!

Also notice how it didn’t improve without a specific drill that pushed speed but also supplied appropriate feedback.

This is one of those skills that doesn’t get better without this kind of training.

[JCN]

I was asked about reloads and this is how I break it down.

Using a 3 yard SWYNTS as a baseline for mechanics at speed.

I can incorporate in a reload in dry and subtract out the fixed time I know it takes for my SWYNTS and doubles.

For me, if it's a 0.70 draw and 0.15 split and terminal 0.15 split... then a 2.0 second par gives me a 1.0 second reload in dry fire.



When I do it live, it's faithful because I know what my base mechanics are.

If I need to do it to a farther, harder target then I use SWYNTS 7 yard timing and vision or 15 yard or whatever.

But how do I break down the reload to work on it?



These are common break down points published out there in the gaming world. Nothing earth shattering.

But I found that pouncing on the mag release as soon as the shot breaks is an important source of shaving time. It's like getting to the gun on the draw explosively.

And slapping down to the mag pouch aggressively.

Then the next step is the Burkett vision to the magwell and bring mag up at the proper angle.

Then the last step is seat and back on target.

You can work each part at full speed and pause in between in practice then blend them together.

Feel free to add this on to your training if you like. The 4 aces close up is one of my go to drills in dry and live for this reason.

[JCS]

I was asked about reloads and this is how I break it down.

Using a 3 yard SWYNTS as a baseline for mechanics at speed.

I can incorporate in a reload in dry and subtract out the fixed time I know it takes for my SWYNTS and doubles.

For me, if it's a 0.70 draw and 0.15 split and terminal 0.15 split... then a 2.0 second par gives me a 1.0 second reload in dry fire.



When I do it live, it's faithful because I know what my base mechanics are.

If I need to do it to a farther, harder target then I use SWYNTS 7 yard timing and vision or 15 yard or whatever.

But how do I break down the reload to work on it?



These are common break down points published out there in the gaming world. Nothing earth shattering.

But I found that pouncing on the mag release as soon as the shot breaks is an important source of shaving time. It's like getting to the gun on the draw explosively.

And slapping down to the mag pouch aggressively.

Then the next step is the Burkett vision to the magwell and bring mag up at the proper angle.

Then the last step is seat and back on target.

You can work each part at full speed and pause in between in practice then blend them together.

Feel free to add this on to your training if you like. The 4 aces close up is one of my go to drills in dry and live for this reason.

This is good thank you!

I have been doing something very similar to this applying the learning principles of the design of SWYNTS. Similar to what I mention on the 3 yard draw how I'm now getting a better grip, on 4 aces I'm also learning to see more on the reload. Max talks about seeing the first 2-3 rounds going into the gun to visually verifiy the reload before shifting vision. Working at a 1s par this is not something I've been able to process visually. However, I'm starting to see more on reloads including finding a spot on the Magwell and seeing the mag go into the gun.

2 big things I've learned is:
1) what you mentioned about getting to the button faster. Videoing my reloads showed me I was waiting way longer than I perceived. This has helped shave a couple tenths on my reload.
2) Seeing what I need to on reloads in reference to the sights. On 3 yard baseline speed reloads I was using a 15 yard dot stability before pulling the trigger. Using appropriate target vision also helped cut down my reload speed.

[Risto]

OK, I’ve dry fired this about 20 times this month and it is feeling pretty good. I’m getting close to the par times. I can definitely tell after my thumb injury that my trigger press has diminished and I need to rebuild that strength and finesse.

Maybe I am over analyzing it, but are we pressing as we come to the circle or are we driving hard with a hard stop on the circle then letting the shot break? At 3 yards this isn’t sticking out as much to me but at 15 I am wondering how this will play out in live fire. Maybe I’m overthinking it. I still don’t have the equal cadence reliably yet.

I still like doing phase 1 of the drill and it has helped my index so much. Actually, it has helped everything.

[JCN]

I still like doing phase 1 of the drill and it has helped my index so much. Actually, it has helped everything.

This makes me happy and is the intended outcome of working this as a drill.

OK, I’ve dry fired this about 20 times this month and it is feeling pretty good. I’m getting close to the par times. I can definitely tell after my thumb injury that my trigger press has diminished and I need to rebuild that strength and finesse.

Maybe I am over analyzing it, but are we pressing as we come to the circle or are we driving hard with a hard stop on the circle then letting the shot break? At 3 yards this isn’t sticking out as much to me but at 15 I am wondering how this will play out in live fire. Maybe I’m overthinking it. I still don’t have the equal cadence reliably yet.

It’s a sport like any other and it takes strength, coordination and endurance which is where dry practice can help.

For the circle, it’ll depend on how large of a circle and how much time you have.

If I’m trying to do a 0.6 second draw I’m breaking the shot as I come to the circle. If I’m trying for a more precise target and I have the time to spend, it’ll be a hard stop.

So it depends on what physically you can do and what time wise you need to do.