Practice - It's not enough to talk about it - Page 2

g.willikers · July 27, 2013, 04:30 PM

Since we're back on the subject of breathing,
Paying attention to how we breath depends on what kind of shooting we're doing, doesn't it?
For range work, bullseye or Olympic competition, breathing is important and something to practice.
For the kinds of shooting where there's something far more important going on, and rapidly, is how we're breathing going to be even a consideration?

SgtLumpy · July 27, 2013, 07:05 PM

Quote:

For the kinds of shooting where there's something far more important going on, and rapidly, is how we're breathing going to be even a consideration?

I was taught...

Breathe deliberately. When it's time to squeeze, stop breathing deliberately.

In other words, don't wait till the end of a breath cycle. Interrupt the cycle you're currently in with a stop, squeeze, start breathing again. Interestingly enough, START breathing again after a critical shot is something a lot of people don't do well.

Sgt Lumpy

kraigwy · July 27, 2013, 07:58 PM

Quote:

I was taught...

Breathe deliberately. When it's time to squeeze, stop breathing deliberately.

In other words, don't wait till the end of a breath cycle. Interrupt the cycle you're currently in with a stop, squeeze, start breathing again. Interestingly enough, START breathing again after a critical shot is something a lot of people don't do well.

That's old school, too much to think about, where as you naturally stop breathing at the end of the breathing cycle.

When I was really heavy into High Power, while coaching the AK NG Rifle team, I shot rapid fire fairly fast, We had 60 seconds to get into position, fire two rounds, reload and fire 8 (200 yard setting). I'd shoot it in about 45 seconds. Even then I'd check the spotting scope after the first to rounds to see if I needed an adjustment, sometimes I did and would make the sight change.

I was at the Wilson Matches (National Guard Championship) and after firing a string the guy scoring for me asked how I breathed while shooting so fast.

I didn't know. So the next string I tried to think about my breathing so I could relate how I breathed. Worse Setting Rapid Fire string I ever shot.

The next day he ask his coach to watch me regarding my breathing. His state coach said I breathed in, out, fired, breathed in, out and fired. I had no idea, it just came natural. If I tried to think about it, I'd screw up.

The more natural an act is, the more constant you'll be, the less you think about something, the less chance you have of screwing up.

SgtLumpy · July 27, 2013, 08:48 PM

Kraig, it's almost as if you didn't read my post. The previous poster asked "where there's something more important going on". I presume that to mean when someone's shooting at you.

So again, don't wait till the end of the breathing cycle. STOP breathing whenever and wherever necessary to take the shot. Then START breathing again.

Deliberately stopping and starting is the point. Not waiting till the breath tells you to shoot. Controlling the stop and perhaps more importantly the re-start when the SHOT tells you to.

Martial artists, tennis players, all ball players use the conscious kee-up, grunt or whatever their particular sport calls it. They are deliberately controlling their breathing to "make the shot" when the shot needs to be made, ball needs to be hit or whatever the sport requires.

Being deliberate about breath does not mean losing focus on target or anything else. It's not "thinking about" anything. It's just the opposite, to me at least. It means staying IN focus. Trigger squeeze is not a "think about" process. Neither is breathing.

Like everything else in shooting, that's simply the method the I was taught. Others may have different approaches. It's probably important to have SOME approach. And it's probably important that that approach works for each individual shooter.

Sgt Lumpy

daddyo · August 13, 2013, 09:41 PM

Knowing the LCP its likely that long hard trigger that is the culprit here. The solution of course is the recommended dry fire practice. I have a secret weapon now........I purchased a laser ammo laser bullet. Now I can see exactly where I would have hit had a real bullet been used. I used my laser ammo laser bullet to dry fire my way to hand gun hits single handed with both strong and weak hand at 50 yards standing.

breakingcontact · August 13, 2013, 10:17 PM

Skills degrade quickly but come back quickly I've found. 2012 I was getting pretty good with my pistols. Then I didn't shoot for about 6 months and I thought my sights were off!

Shot again and was better. Third time out I started getting good again.

Good not great mind you. I do think I need to dry fire more and I might buy one of those laser targets.

July 27, 2013, 04:30 PM	#26
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Since we're back on the subject of breathing, Paying attention to how we breath depends on what kind of shooting we're doing, doesn't it? For range work, bullseye or Olympic competition, breathing is important and something to practice. For the kinds of shooting where there's something far more important going on, and rapidly, is how we're breathing going to be even a consideration? __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

August 13, 2013, 10:17 PM	#31
breakingcontact Junior member Join Date: October 25, 2012 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 736	Re: Practice - It's not enough to talk about it Skills degrade quickly but come back quickly I've found. 2012 I was getting pretty good with my pistols. Then I didn't shoot for about 6 months and I thought my sights were off! Shot again and was better. Third time out I started getting good again. Good not great mind you. I do think I need to dry fire more and I might buy one of those laser targets.

July 27, 2013, 08:48 PM	#29
SgtLumpy Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2013 Posts: 779	Kraig, it's almost as if you didn't read my post. The previous poster asked "where there's something more important going on". I presume that to mean when someone's shooting at you. So again, don't wait till the end of the breathing cycle. STOP breathing whenever and wherever necessary to take the shot. Then START breathing again. Deliberately stopping and starting is the point. Not waiting till the breath tells you to shoot. Controlling the stop and perhaps more importantly the re-start when the SHOT tells you to. Martial artists, tennis players, all ball players use the conscious kee-up, grunt or whatever their particular sport calls it. They are deliberately controlling their breathing to "make the shot" when the shot needs to be made, ball needs to be hit or whatever the sport requires. Being deliberate about breath does not mean losing focus on target or anything else. It's not "thinking about" anything. It's just the opposite, to me at least. It means staying IN focus. Trigger squeeze is not a "think about" process. Neither is breathing. Like everything else in shooting, that's simply the method the I was taught. Others may have different approaches. It's probably important to have SOME approach. And it's probably important that that approach works for each individual shooter. Sgt Lumpy

August 13, 2013, 09:41 PM	#30
daddyo Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2013 Posts: 112	Knowing the LCP its likely that long hard trigger that is the culprit here. The solution of course is the recommended dry fire practice. I have a secret weapon now........I purchased a laser ammo laser bullet. Now I can see exactly where I would have hit had a real bullet been used. I used my laser ammo laser bullet to dry fire my way to hand gun hits single handed with both strong and weak hand at 50 yards standing.