The more things change, the more they remain the same, Long but worth the read

[kraigwy]

The More Things Change, the More they Remain the Same

By Dave Johnson
National Rifle Coach

The more things change, the more they remain the same
How to develop true confidence in your shooting

Our rifle sport is saturated (some would say cursed) with a limitless supply of gadgets, stock variations, buttplate styles, jackets, sights, sighting systems, and you name it. This article directly addresses the issue of how to make and evaluate technical changes, why or why not to make them, and most importantly, where does confidence fit in.

First, some caveats, mea culpas, and assorted premises:

--You should pursue improvement (the key is when and how)
--Some new things can advance your output (when coupled with skill building)
--Simple is almost always better
--I've never seen a change made right before a meaningful competition result in a true improvement.
--You can shoot a "bad" position very, very well
--You can shoot a "good" position very poorly if you haven't mastered it
--There is no magic wand! Position changes take multiple training sessions to take a positive effect.
-- Most quality competition firearms can outshoot their owner right out of the box. This is particularly true in airgun.
--Most shooters "turn the wrench" when their results don?t meet expectations
--These same shooters almost always go in adjustment circles, and they often end up where they started.


Try-Master-Test

Our sport of shooting is not much different than other sports at the nuts and bolts training level. A big difference can be found, however, in the execution of good training principles. Because shooting is so numbers oriented and completely personal, most fail to do the simple three-part concept listed above. In fact, if we are honest about it, most shooting athletes and coaches tend to skip to "Testing" and stay there. Consider the following next time you decide to try something new:

The Try phase: write o¬n your calendar a specific window of time to try a new position, gadget, tool, or technique. Break the time into training sessions. Example; Next week I have 3 hours of range time; I will try a new hand position in standing for those three hours. The KEY here is to set a limited window for experimentation.

The Master phase: this is where to put your time in. I suggest a ratio of at least 5-1 in relation to the "Try" phase. If you give yourself 3 hours to try a new technique, you should spend at least 15 hours using repetitive drills and other training to master what you settled o¬n in the "Try" phase. The "master" phase is not a place to keep trying different versions of what you just evaluated as a technique with promise. You cannot make a sound judgment o¬n whether or not something works for you until you have spent the time overcoming old and sometimes opposite habits.

The Test phase: scored exercises, often matches or record days, should simulate match conditions. This should be the shortest phase. It should o¬nly occur after the first two phases are completed. The test phase is the most abused and misused phase. Think about it--what is the first thing most athletes do after making minor or major technique changes--they shoot a score to see how it is working?! Often, a change will result in an instant apparent improvement o¬nly to fail to deliver in the next real match. The reason is pretty simple: the new technique was never mastered, no confidence was truly established, a fragile blend of something new and match anxiety collide, and the results are almost always below expectations.

Confidence Confidential:
I am asked how to create, inspire, improve, confidence in a shooting athlete at least twice a week by parents, athletes, and coaches. My answer to this critical question has evolved quite a bit over the last few years of working full time with beginning, intermediate and very advance shooting athletes. To help create true confidence, DO the following:

a. Apply Try - Master - Test strictly
b. Plan when to start these phases properly, my guidance is no closer than two months prior to goal matches should anyone be fooling with their positions.
c. Stop the swirl around your athletes--parents, coaches, and athletes are guilty! How many times have we witnessed or participated in the following at a major competition: "Gee, son/daughter/athlete, your stuff is not the same as shooter "x" who is shooting really good? We need to go and buy that or try this or ask another coach." I realize the intent is often honest and well meaning. We want to take away a painful experience had by the athlete by creating an excuse for them. You might as well have screamed into a megaphone "you can't do this, you (or your equipment) are substandard!!!".
d. Allow yourself (or your athlete) to be human. o¬ne reason positions feel different session to session is that we are physically a little different every day. Sleep quality, exertion, diet, stress, rest, and a whole list of factors vary daily. Rifle positions put strains, contortions, and other abnormal stresses o¬n our bodies. Why would sling adjustment "X" and buttplate adjustment "Y" feel exactly the same session to session? I promote learning to shoot your position no matter what, no matter when, no matter where. If the shooter turns a wrench in constant reaction to their daily human differences, they will never learn to simply execute what they have o¬n a given day. Can you guarantee exactly how your body will feel at the JORC's, Nationals, or even the Olympic Games? The o¬nly thing you can guarantee is your ability to consistently execute what you have, so make yourself see a position consistently over multiple sessions, and master it in all its normal variations.

Consider Some Examples:

Raymond Debevec, Slovenia (2000 Olympic 3P Champion; WR holder, multiple World Cup Medalist)
I first met and competed against Raymond in the mid 1980's in Europe. He had two standout characteristics: (1) His positions defied any book principal or common opinion; and (2) he was winning consistently. The same statement could be made every year since through the current day. How unusual are his positions? Try having the trailing foot shoe sole in standing angled off the ground or the bent knee in kneeling not touching the pavement. The other thing about this champion is that in the 18 years I have known him, he hasn't changed his basic positions. He has truly mastered his technique through consistency and repetition, not by change.

Ms. Cruz, Cuba (2003 Pan Am Games Champion, both women's events).
Ms. Cruz simply hammered the competition, including our team, using:
-1980's era 1807 Anschutz standard rifle with a welded o¬n hook buttplate
-1990's era Pneumatic FWB 600 Air Rifle
-Eeek! NON custom shooting clothes, multiple years old and certainly handed down through their team.
-Bullets borrowed at the competition
My opinion is that she performed well by appreciating the opportunity she had, sticking to basic positions well trained, and by avoiding the "swirl" of constant change. She simply could not change. I doubt that her coach made an issue of the fact that most of her competitors had "better" stuff.

Final Proof: If you are reading this article, and believe that your constant wrench turning is improving your technique, take the following challenge:

Record every change you make, every session, by date and adjustment. Include a note as to why you did it and if it made a difference. Do this for at least two months or 20 training sessions. At the end of two months, compare your latest adjustments with your first series. I'll bet you will find a circular pattern. You can even compare out to a longer time frame. Most find that instead of moving forward, they are just moving, or worse yet, going in a circle.

Try-Master-Test!

[kraigwy]

Bump............needs reposting

[Ian0351]

Definitely a good read. I find the same can be said of the cult of 'techno-hunters' in $300 camouflage suits driving $50,000 RVs and camp trailers who seem to have forgotten that grandpa and great grandpa took plenty of deer in their day wearing flannel shirts and wool trousers... with sporterized 1903s!

[GlockJockey]

Some good points raised here. I once read that the definition of a Master in any discipline is someone who has finally grasped the basics. Fits in nicely with this, I think.

Cheers.