Feedback on USPSA Match

[Rez805]

Greetings,

I'm prepping for Area 1 and wondered if you could let me know where you think I can improve. I want to do as well as possible (not just at Area 1, but in USPSA in general) so please be honest.



My thoughts about each stage in the order I shot them:
Stage 3
This wasn't recorded, but it was a classifier: "Times Two".
A: 5 B: 3 C: 3 D: 1 M: 0 NS: 0
Time: 9.17
HF: 4.7983
Percentage (Per AZ Calc): 53.17%
I always suck at classifiers. Believe me, I want to get out of C Class. I have no idea why I can't. I used to lookup the HF's before each classifier--that didn't help. I changed that mentality at the beginning of the year. I now try to treat classifiers as "just another stage". At least this might get me out of the mid-40% range where I currently reside LOL. Sadly, I can't think of an easier classifier to help me move up. What a waste.

Stage 4
Not bad. 1 miss on the center steel. I made it up as quickly as I could--can't really recall how hard I looked at the front sight on the makeup. I decided to engage the open targets at the last position before the targets that were obscured with the no shoot. I felt that I could slap fast, transition hard, then "confirm hard" on the targets with the no-shoot. Setups like that are usually my downfall.

"confirm hard" is my way of saying "Slow down with a purpose".

Stage 5
Missed the 2nd position a bit which resulted in shuffling. Also messed up my plan a bit. I wanted to this sequence:
Hard cover, popper/activator, two open targets, clamshell, hardcover target on the left.
The dash across the field was decent, but I started the "slow-down" a bit late. This lead to more unnecessary shuffling at the end.

Stage 6
2 make-up shots on the partially covered Texas Star (I actually took a makeup shot on a paper target while waiting for the last plate to re-appear.
The Mike came at the very end (the "hardcover top"). Very close to the border between the black and the A zone. That's actually why I paused while removing my mag. I'll definitely refrain from dropping the mag too early.

Stage 1
Miss was in the first position. Bottom left target. The extra shot in that array was not directed at the bottom left target as I couldn't tell that I missed it at the time.
A bit slow getting to the final position.

Stage 2
Awkward pause on the left steel array was awkward. I flinched hard and (fortunately) didn't pull the trigger. 2 makeup shots on the right steel array. Forgot to confirm hard.

Standing reload at the end was unavoidable due to the way that the stage was setup so I made the reload where I thought it would make sense.

Thank you for your time and feedback. See you at Area 1 and/or Golden Bullet Championship

[rmatt]

I need the link to the Practiscore match results. Video only tells me so much with your numbers. I need to see where you are in comparison to other shooters.

Just watching casually, I wouldn't have guessed you're a C class shooter. So to me, that means you should probably focus on your hits. Whatever action you need for you to get more A's at the end of an entire match.

[rmatt]

https://practiscore.com/results/new/32757?q_result=0&q_division=6

Justin, you were in a shallow pool for Production that match, only 7 shooters and none higher than C class. If this is how it is normally for you, you need to stop comparing yourself to people you beat by 50%. It may feel good but it will limit you.

Your total raw time has you in a good place looking at the people who beat you that match. Your arriving and setting up very well for a C, let alone A, Prod shooter. But you absolutely must not have any M, NS or even D hits at a local from now on.

It's a short time till A1, see you there if you have to shoot Th/Fr like I do, so change nothing your game but only pull the trigger on things you know are an A without slowing down at all.

[rmatt]

Finally, remember to shoot the whole match. Shoot to win stages and you have a large variance in how well you do. Shoot to win the match and you're more consistent.

This consistency pays a bigger dividend than shooting each stage like you're trying to win it. Being third place every stage is better than being 1st, 10th, 2nd, 5th, 1st, 12th, ect.

[hambam105]

Shooting fast and shooting straight always works for me.

Ah...yes. The boy in the purple and green shirt, you have a question?

Now I suppose someone wants to argue that shooting straight and fast is over-rated, again.

[tanks]

Shooting fast and shooting straight always works for me.

Ah...yes. The boy in the purple and green shirt, you have a question?

Now I suppose someone wants to argue that shooting straight and fast is over-rated, again.

How do these comments help the OP?

[smoothy8500]

How do these comments help the OP? It's like asking a Highpower shooter for tips on improving offhand technique. "Keep your shots in the black, your score will improve"....

[tanks]

The OP asked about specific areas for improvement based on the video and scores he linked. So, based on his request a flippant response was not really called for.

Then again, I guess expecting people to be respectful on the Internet is futile .

[smoothy8500]

I don't shoot much IDPA or Action Pistol anymore, but you have some good self analysis. As rmatt stated, strive for consistency. I always concentrated on "Slow and smooth is fast". Oh, and don't forget "shoot fast and shoot straight, your scores will improve".

[dwalker]

I don't shoot much IDPA or Action Pistol anymore, but you have some good self analysis. As rmatt stated, strive for consistency. I always concentrated on "Slow and smooth is fast". Oh, and don't forget "shoot fast and shoot straight, your scores will improve".

In racing the clubbies have a saying- "slow in and fast out beats fast in and no out" in reference to corner speed.
I am of the opinion that slow is slow, regardless of whether it is smooth, jerky, etc. I am slow. I am slow for many reasons, many of which have to do with me overthinking what I am doing and just not moving fast enough. But I am smooth, not that it helps while being slow.

I spent the past two weeks shooting withwith some of the best in the game. Miculek (all of them), Nelson, etc. and while Jerry never looks like he is going fast he IS moving fast. Its amazing how purposeful and efficient his movements are. Oh and he does not miss much, and when he does the follow up is on the money. Brian Nelson is just plain fast. This is because he spends an exceedingly large amount of time with guns, of all types, and he takes the game very seriously.

[hambam105]

I am sure Jerry and Mr. Nelson appreciate the kinds words.

So how does their shooting ability help the OP? That is what I thought.

Shoot fast, shoot straight still stands if you want to shoot better.

[tanks]

I think it is a balance between speed and accuracy. You are shooting production which is less forgiving. Let's take Stage 5 for example.

17As, 6Cs, and 2 Ds in 18.35 secs for a hit factor of 5.7721.

Let's say you took an extra tenth of a second on those Ds and scored As. That is gaining 8 additional points in an extra .20 seconds of time, bringing your hit factor up to 6.0916.

With only couple of weeks to Area 1 there is not much technique changes one can make, stage planning will matter more. I looked at the drawings of stages, they are designed to challenge the shooter for sure.

[Rez805]

Thanks, all.

rmatt,
Yeah, when the production pool is shallow I try to keep pace with the Limited and Open shooters--and PCC as well.

I'll be heading down to Piru for one last USPSA tune-up. The pool is deeper there.

Thanks for the reminder regarding the length of the match. I'll be shooting Friday PM/Sat AM/Sun PM.

Key Takeaway
Consistency. A single stage win won't exactly win you the match--I'm not saying that I'm in contention for the Production Division . . . it's more of a statement on mindset. I think the 2015 Production National Match was won without a single stage win.

Consistency in mindset is also something I should keep in mind (i.e., how to manage a poor stage performance). The fastest way for me to sink myself is getting frustrated with a stage performance. If/when I have a hiccup on a stage: leave the frustration on that bay. Move on.

hambam105
Hit Factor scoring. That's where the speed and efficiency during the "non-shooting" portions of each stage come into play--which is what dwalker was alluding to.

A perfect example came in stage 5. That was me pushing my movement a bit faster than usual. I wouldn't say that was the fastest that I could possibly go. Just testing the waters. This resulted in the hard stop on the right end which required me to reset my position. I'd say that while it was fast (for me anyway), it probably wasn't the most efficient.

Key Takeaway
"Shoot fast, shoot straight". Don't drop points. I gave up a couple of Deltas and Mikes.

Tanks
Indeed. I keep looking at Stage 5 as the stage where I pushed the speed a bit harder than usual. Sadly, I didn't really pick-up on where the Delta's were. I'll have to work on shot calling at my next range trip. I do recall the Delta in Stage 1 coming on the left array (the bottom-left of the 3 target array) as I was slowing down. I saw it, but I didn't make it up.

I will definitely have an opportunity to work on stage planning and execution down in Piru.

Thanks again

[dwalker]

Have you read With Winning In Mind?

Also listen to this podcast when you have a moment.

http://3gunshow.com/2016/03/22/66-how-to-breakdown-stages-classroom-instruction-from-the-tpc/

Keep in mind that you are playing a game, a game that has several ways of winning. working someone elses stage plan or attempting to execute an iffy plan is often worse than just executing the plan that fits your abilities.

ETA:
I recently ran my PCC in a USPSA match where I was squaded with several shooters of vastly greater ability. I kept watching them run the PCC far faster than what I felt I was capable of, and then on the last stage I figured wth, lets just see where this goes, and ran the PCC way way faster than I normally would on the first array, expecting several mikes and D hits. On the contrary, those shots, where I just ran the crap out of the gun were A's and close C's, where the shots I took later in the stage at my "normal pace" did have a couple of mikes and D's. I put this down to overthinking. You know how to shoot and your subconscious knows when the sights and targets align, so if you just let your subconscious take over the shooting part and reduce the mental workload into just running the stage, then that helps.

[Rez805]

Have you read With Winning In Mind?

Also listen to this podcast when you have a moment.

http://3gunshow.com/2016/03/22/66-how-to-breakdown-stages-classroom-instruction-from-the-tpc/

Keep in mind that you are playing a game, a game that has several ways of winning. working someone elses stage plan or attempting to execute an iffy plan is often worse than just executing the plan that fits your abilities.

ETA:
I recently ran my PCC in a USPSA match where I was squaded with several shooters of vastly greater ability. I kept watching them run the PCC far faster than what I felt I was capable of, and then on the last stage I figured wth, lets just see where this goes, and ran the PCC way way faster than I normally would on the first array, expecting several mikes and D hits. On the contrary, those shots, where I just ran the crap out of the gun were A's and close C's, where the shots I took later in the stage at my "normal pace" did have a couple of mikes and D's. I put this down to overthinking. You know how to shoot and your subconscious knows when the sights and targets align, so if you just let your subconscious take over the shooting part and reduce the mental workload into just running the stage, then that helps.

Negative, I have not read it--yet.

Thanks for that podcast link. 30 minutes in and I'm hearing some great stuff that I'll have to practice/integrate.