Visual Acuity

[rmatt]

What have you done to increase your visual acuity? How quickly you "see"?

[rmatt]

First drill-Look at something arms length away, in focus. Shift your eyes to something at least 15 feet away and focus. Increase your speed and distance between objects as this gets easier.

Second drill-Look upper left and then lower right repeatedly. Then the opposite, upper right and lower left. Close your eyes and rest them inbetween sets.

Third drill. Hold something in your hand at arms length, focus on it. Slowly bring the item in your hand closer to yourself until you can no longer focus on it and then back it out and start over.

More to come if you want.

[ZombieTactics]

I like Paul Howe's philosophy or target identification. You need to see/observe the face, hands and belt line as quickly as possible in order to perceive a threat. This is something you can practice in daily life just walking around, just don't get weird about it.

[rmatt]

Yep, Situational Awareness is heavily dependent on one's vision.

I'm thinking more for the competitors, what do you do for where 90% of your information is input to be processed?

[HighLander51]

What does Taran see that you don't? The next target....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dstFMC3UqM0

[enzo357]

He is crazy fast.

[rmatt]

He sees the next target because of proper mechanics/technique but also because he performs the actions related to vision faster/better than you and I.

You can train your eyes to perform better.

I like to think it is comparable to rock climbing in a way, getting better at my shooting currently. As you rock climb you are always leapfrogging strength and technique.

At the beginning you can climb things just due to your strength. Then you get some technique and you start climbing higher grades. But now you need more strength to hit the next level. Back and forth, back and forth.

For myself, vision is what is currently lagging. The ability to see what I need to see at the speed at which I can move, move the gun and so on. I'm working on bringing the speed of the process at which I "see" up to the speed at which I do other aspects of competitive shooting.

So my original question, does anyone do anything to help their vision as it relates to competitive shooting?

[naeco81]

Yep. Brian Enos talks quite a bit about visual acuity and mentions similar drills in his book titled Practical Shooting.

[rmatt]

Yeah, having read that book twice and talking to friends who are professional motorcycle racers about "seeing" and performance. As well as some self monitoring and video analysis has lead me to this spot.

Vision is where I need my next big breakthrough.

But no one seems to be sharing what they do about it..... I've actually made a Dr appointment with an eye guy just for a sports vision assessment and program.

[speedrrracer]

There are some good video drills you can do to improve your eyesight transition.
If you search the benos forum, you'll find them posted.

Might give you a bit of a headache the first coupla times.

Imo, practice is still better than abstract drills. Lotta sight transition drills, such as those in Steve Anderson's dry fire book and Ben Stoeger's dry fire book.

Also, are you sure vision is where you need your next breakthrough? How do you know? In which metric(s) are you measurably weak?

[HighLander51]

Vision is where I need my next big breakthrough.

But no one seems to be sharing what they do about it..... I've actually made a Dr appointment

By vision, do you mean focus? as in the front sight has to be razor sharp, or seeing transititions?