tips for a better training

[mloch]

Hi Saul,

would you mind to tell us if you have got a certain practice regime you follow when you go to the range?

Do you practice special drills - if yes, could you share them with us?

Best regards,

Marijan

[saul]

Hi Marijan,

nice to see you here...

Sure - I think it is very important that you come to the range with a firm idea of what you want to practice. Don't just come and say "what do I feel like shooting today" Cause that way you will waste time in your practice, and you will often end up practicing only stuff you enjoy = stuff you are good at.. You should try to work on your weak points too, which is always less fun...

I will usually shoot 500-600 rounds in a practice. The first 200 I shoot are always the same: from 25m at one target. That is the longest distance I have, if I had more, I would use it. In these first 200 rounds I shoot groups for precision practice. I do that free-style as well as strong hand and weak hand. Then I shoot High ready - 1 and 2 shots, and then from the holster. After that I do some "20 alpha drills" were I shoot on par times which I predetermine, based on what I am doing. The idea in a 20 alpha drill is that you shoot 20 rounds at the target before patching it - and only 20/20 in the A zone is a passing score. 19 A's and 1 C, is failure!. I do things like 5 shots from the draw - to practice tracking my sights. or, reloads, or strong hand or whatever. I don't push the speed to much - but slow enough to get all A's... 20/20 is HARD, but it is good quality practice.

After that, I go on to practice what I came to do. Perhaps shooting on the move, or barricades or whatever. but I keep it VERY simple - never build complex stages... I just use some boxes, some fault lines and some targets. Shoot a lot on steel plates that do not fall - to save time.

I could go on and on.. but.. well, this is the kind of thing to discuss in more detail in a course, or practice...

Here's a little "preview": I am currently working on a book about IPSC shooting, which will include a lot about training. Should be available by the Europeans next year.. if all goes well....

Good shooting!

[mloch]

Hi Saul,

thanks for your insights. Your tips are always much appreciated and I`m really anxious to get a copy of your book.

In order to while away the time untill your book is released could you please name a drill to practice "shooting on the move"?

Take care,

Marijan

[saul]

Marijan,

one of the best ways I know to improve you shooting on the move skills is to use a laser pointer. It doesn't have to be a 150 euro sight, which I believe are not legal in Germany anyway (!?). Just get hold of a small 10 euro laser pointer, and tape it to the side or top of your slide, so that is pointing in the right direction (forward that is ). then, move around your range, and try to keep that laser dot on the A zone of a target. that dot will represent the sight movement very correctly, and you will be able to play with your technique and look for improvements.

A nice live fire dill I like to do I call "the big square drill": Set up a big square on the floor, perhaps 3-4m each side. Start at one corner, and move around the square as you shoot 4-8 rounds on each side: say 6 shots moving forward, 6 shot moving across the front of the square, 6 shots moving back, and then 6 shot moving across the back of the box. You can shoot all at one target, or use multiple. This practice will allow you to move in all direction in one drill, and it a good practice to improve your ability to "feel" where you are on a stage. It's tough to do well, but it is good practice. See you in Düsseldorf!

Saul

[wahrsager]

In Antwort auf:

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Just get hold of a small 10 euro laser pointer, and tape it to the side or top of your slide

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that would make the tape an "illegal object".

according to geman gun laws, a device to mount lasers or lights on guns is illegal.

[saul]

Ok fine. We dont want to break any laws. Well then do this practice without your gun - just hold the laser. Or better yet, tape the laser to toy gun, so you can at least feel you are holding a gun... or is that ilegal too?

[wahrsager]

In Antwort auf:

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tape the laser to toy gun, so you can at least feel you are holding a gun... or is that ilegal too?

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airsoft - illegal

amorces - legal

but true...

[clausi]

In Antwort auf:

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Ok fine. We dont want to break any laws. Well then do this practice without your gun - just hold the laser. Or better yet, tape the laser to toy gun, so you can at least feel you are holding a gun... or is that ilegal too?

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Well, that is certainly legal - as long as the toy gun is not considered to be a weapon under German gun law (which might be the case if it fires objects with an energy exceeding a certain limit ).

However, there are laser adjustment devices that are to be placed INSIDE the chamber/barrel. The smallest of these just look like a live round. As they prevent the gun from actually being fired, they are perfectly legal in Germany. Upside: Easy to install, even in Production / Standard guns, pointing to precisely where the bullet would go. Downside: Quite expensive and a little bit hard to get hold of in Germany. (Hey Saul, looks like a business opportunity, doesn't it? )

[saul]

Hi Clausi,

Yes, I do know of those laser pointers that fit in the barrel. They are made in SA - but are expensive... Not sure if they would sell here.. Would have to cost about 100 euro, or slightly more.. do you think there would be a market for it? it would be the perfect tool for the practice I am suggestion - but $$$$

off to Israel for 10 days guys, catch you later.

[clausi]

Hi Saul

In Antwort auf:

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Yes, I do know of those laser pointers that fit in the barrel. They are made in SA - but are expensive... Not sure if they would sell here.. Would have to cost about 100 euro, or slightly more.. do you think there would be a market for it?

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Well, I suppose 100 EUR is a pretty steep price. However, there has to be a cheaper solution. I know of a lot of compact laser pointers with an outside diameter of 11 mm. As the laser itself is smaller than that, there might be a compact laser pointer somewhere out there with a diameter of 9 mm or slightly less. I'm not sure if the precision would be sufficient but IF there's a device like this on the market, you should be able to buy it for 20 or 30 EUR which leaves some comfortable room for margin and would still be way cheaper than the existing product.

In Antwort auf:

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off to Israel for 10 days guys, catch you later.

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Have fun and take care!

[saul]

I am working on the laser thing...

stay tuned.

Thanks - weather is great here in Israel - sunshine and 26 degrees...

[Isegrim]

Hello Saul,

can you tell me where i get your shooting tips 1 - 5?? I cann`t find them on your homepage.

DVC

Isegrim

[saul]

Hi Isegrim,

Well, sorry, I can't help you with tips 1-5... you see in January this 2003 I lost all my computers at once - 2 harddrives on my PC and my drive on the laptop. So those tips are gone for ever.... Sorry. They will eventually be repeated again as new tips, so check back to the site.

[Isegrim]

Hello Saul,

You never will write a book about IPSC-Shooting if you don`t safe your Tips ! Thank you i will look at your Web-Side.

DVC

ISE

[Isegrim]

look and see there is a book about training IPSC "Perfect practice"

DVC

Ise