Bart Solo Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Do new shooters follow a typical improvement pattern or is every shooter different? If there is a pattern is it episodic or is it gradual over time. By that I mean will a typical new shooter shoot at one level for a while and then suddenly have his or her time drop to a new level or will he or she simply gain a second here and second there coming down slowly, but steadily? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Now mind ya, I ain't an expert... and nobody, and I mean NOBODY comes to me for shootin' advice... but in answer to your questions, I've observed the following. Nope. Yep. One or the other, or sometimes both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deuce Stevens SASS#55996 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Totally depends on the shooter. Many underestimate the amount of time that you need to put in to this game if you want to improve. Depending on what level you want to get to it can be exhausting. And frankly most just don't care enough to devote the time required. I will say you can't buy it,there is no majic pill or recipe. It just flat out takes a lot of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August West, SASS #45079 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 You won't like this answer. Heck, I don't like this answer. But, it is the right answer. Improvement is a linear and continuous function of amount of practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 You won't like this answer. Heck, I don't like this answer. But, it is the right answer. Improvement is a linear and continuous function of amount of practice. Pretty much. There may be plateaus encountered. These are usually overcome when the shooter realizes a change or refining in technique is necessary, such as focusing on transitions for awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Pretty much. There may be plateaus encountered. These are usually overcome when the shooter realizes a change or refining in technique is necessary, such as focusing on transitions for awhile. That's been my observation. Folks will work on one aspect, get fairly steady improvement with much practice, then hit a wall, then find another aspect to work on, typically transitions, the shotgun, etc, and improve some more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 It's asymptotic. Deuce's and Bud's asymptotes are a lot faster than mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T W T Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Like Deuce said, much depends on the shooter. From what I have observed, as new shooters get their equipment dialed in times improve. As more match experience is attained the times get better. Practice plays a big part, but just as much as the practice is the mental game. You have to go in with the right attitude as much as anything. Some shooters are in it for the fun so it doesn't matter. Those who want to do well have to be committed. TWT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe West, SASS#1532 L Regulator Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Once you work on and eliminate your malfunctions, penalties for not following the procedures and rules, misses, and wasted motion you'll be doing pretty good if you still have a functioning body. If from start to finish you enjoy the people and the game it'll be worth the trip no matter what. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Houston # 35508 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Well........I shot in the 50's for about 7 years, then I moved to NE Texas where the people were willing to help others learn. I started listening to a couple of World Champs and actually doing what they taught, but just shooting with them, watching them, and learning to "think a stage through" has me in the 20's now shooting Duelist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Bane, SASS 13557 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Strongly suggest you read the late akido master George Leonard's classic MASTERY (http://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Keys-Success-Long-Term-Fulfillment/dp/0452267560/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303689911&sr=1-1). It is unequvocally the best description of how people learn. Heaven knows I hate to say it, but you have to learn to love the journey or you will fail... Wolf Bane SASS13557 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rance - SASS # 54090 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I'm not a shooter that can readily shoot a stage in the teens.. I'm normally in the mid 20's and on a good stage I can get in the low 20's.. have hit the teens a few times but not consistent there.. why? lack of practice.. Through shooting matches in my early years I found that I could shoot my pistols, rifle and shotgun right up there with most.. but hit a wall.. I took off the most time dry firing in the basement with a timer with a par time setting.. Doing that you find out where you lose the time.. Mine was transitions.. going from one gun to another.. I took one winter in the basement dryfiring.. on par time.. I picked up maybe 3-5 seconds on transistions and loading just with the shotgun SxS.. that's huge when you take it time 5 or 6 stages at a local match or 10-12 stages at large matches.. As others have said.. You will only get out of this game with what you want to put into it... Can I get faster? probably if I want to put in the extra time.. Rance Thinkin' I'd like to be faster.. but afraid I got comfortable where I'm at Still need practice, practice, practice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Shapiro Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 What Duece said. You get out of it what you put in it. If you don't put anything in, you won't improve. That said, if you're working hard at improving, it goes in fits and starts. Lots of improvement early, and then the gains come slower. Sometimes you don't see any gain for months and then there's a large sudden improvement. And also I agree with Wolfbane. If you don't love it, then you won't put in the work. The best shooters really enjoy what it and so put in a tremendous amount of time and effort. Course, this all assumes you're working on the right stuff in the right way.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rance - SASS # 54090 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 What Duece said. You get out of it what you put in it. If you don't put anything in, you won't improve. That said, if you're working hard at improving, it goes in fits and starts. Lots of improvement early, and then the gains come slower. Sometimes you don't see any gain for months and then there's a large sudden improvement. And also I agree with Wolfbane. If you don't love it, then you won't put in the work. The best shooters really enjoy what it and so put in a tremendous amount of time and effort. Course, this all assumes you're working on the right stuff in the right way.... Doc glad you came on to address this thread.. Doc has a downloadable file on just what ya need.. I downloaded it a couple years ago when I was on the wire asking kinda the same thing you are.. Sorry I don't know the link . Doc pointed out the link and believe me it's loaded with good info for a newer shooter wanting to get better.. Rance Thinkin' he needs the link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrimstoneJerome Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 jspublications.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap'n Highpockets Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Doc Shapiro's free info on his website is a great source to improve your technique. Beyond that I'd say that dryfiring as mentioned earlier is the most cost efficient way to reduce your times. I know it worked for me but then I'm an old coot who didn't get into this game until I was 65 and I couildn't shoot a 20 sec. stage if my life depended on it. Cap'n Highpockets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Solo Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 I am lucky to be in a club where people share. KC Colt and Hondo Tucker among several others, have been really taken an interest in helping me learn. I have been told that the best way to consistently improve my time is to work on gun to gun transitions and to think about how to make each stage a fluid movement from one gun to another. That seems to be especially true for an old guy like me. That is what I work on between matches. There seems to be a certain, what I would have called in another life, zen quality to the process. There is a lot to learn. I guess you are never too old to be a grasshopper. Wolfbane, I only shoot because I love to learn. Anyway, I have just been wondering what others have to say about the process of learning to be the best cowboy shooter a pard can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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