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Quality Practice – Structure and Guidelines Powered by Dillon Precision

Quality Practice – Structure and Guidelines Powered by Dillon Precision

Quality Practice – Structure and Guidelines

By Christian Sailer, 2022 IPSC World Champion, Dillon Precision’s Sponsored Shooter

 

 

The only way to improve your shooting ability is to practice. How fast you improve is directly correlated with the quality of your practice. We have all fallen victim to going to the range without a plan, shooting a bunch of rounds and not learning or improving. Let’s discuss how we can ensure that each practice is a quality practice that takes steps forward rather than back in our shooting progression.

Where we’re at in the season dictates the focus of each practice session, but the core outline stays the same. Each of my practice sessions are comprised of a dryfire warm up, cold start, fundamentals check, and then 1-3 drills or scenarios. Let’s break it down.

The dryfire warm up is essential to every practice session. You never see baseball or basketball players skipping a warm up, so why should you? IPSC is a dynamic sport requiring athletic performance on demand, and you should treat your body and practice like a high-level athlete. This dryfire warm up should be structured and done before matches, home dryfire sessions, and the dryfire warm up before practice. I always start mine with light dynamic stretching. A few of the exercises include squats, arm circles, hip circles, plank walk outs, lunge torso twists, and hugs into chest expansion. Now that the body is ready to start training, I work into my shortened dryfire routine. This starts with building the grip without a draw from the holster and slapping the trigger to the rear. This checks that the grip I have will keep the sights aligned in the center of the target with the grip pressure I’m applying throughout an aggressive trigger pull. I then work this into my draw, ensuring I build up a grip conducive to shooting points at a high rate of speed from the holster. Grip is essential to this game and will build confidence as you improve it.

Next, I work on target transitions, getting the eyes warmed up to picking a spot in the center of each target and waiting until the red dot or iron sights meet what I’m looking at. I usually have an array of targets up, but while warming up at a safety table, I pick out spots on the wall or flowers/shrubs in the berm. Keep working draws, target transitions, trigger pulls and other gun handling skills until you feel confident and have a good feel for your vision and manipulation. This isn’t the time to go for your fastest reload, just focus on the process, and let your subconscious training take over.

Now it is time to load your gun up with live rounds! I have complete confidence in my ammunition, as I personally load it all on my Dillon Precision Reloader. But wait, don’t just jump right into the drills you’ve planned, let’s take advantage of the “cold start.” Many people are nervous about their first or “cold” stage, as in not hot or warmed up yet from shooting rounds. This is like the first stage we face in competitions, and let’s treat it as such. Whatever drill you’re shooting that day, plan a little run on it, maybe multiple positions, visualize and walk the stage like a match and shoot it as such. This is a great evaluation of where your skills are at on demand and can help shape your next practice session if it exposes any weaknesses.

After the cold start, evaluate how it felt. Was my grip feeling good out of the holster? Were my eyes picking up the center of each target? Was I shooting subconsciously, and did I shoot the plan?  Where did I think my shots went, and more importantly, where did they actually go? Use this as data for a future training session.

Now we have completed our dryfire warm up and cold start. Depending on where we’re at in the season, I’ll do a short fundamentals check. Shooting a few pairs at different distances assures I am shooting at sights pace and my grip is producing a linear sight path. On a day that focuses on movement, using poor fundamentals could reinforce bad habits. This is the reason behind a fundamentals check. Shooting a few magazines to make sure everything is locked in is worth it. It’s now time for the meat of my practice session.

As a match approaches, I will simulate mini stages and practice executing on demand. Each run I’ll pick and memorize a different sequence to shoot. Outside of simulated scenarios before a big match, I primarily focus on single- and multiple-target engagements along with movement. I’ll pick a few various drills or short courses that focus on a particular skill to improve upon. For single-target engagements, I’ll pick drills that focus on grip/stance, trigger control, or vision, focusing on this heavily early in the season’s progression. Multiple-target engagements focus on engaging arrays with accuracy and efficiency. Changing the distance and difficulty of targets and snapping from the center of each use what I learned on single-target engagements to hit the center. For movement, I focus on how to enter and exit positions and cover the distance in between. I’ll use cones or barricades to simulate positions. This is also a good time to practice shooting on the move. That’s a basic outline of some of the “meat” of a practice session and days could be spent talking about drills and skills for this, but there are many qualified instructors, series of books, and online series that provide greater detail.

After completing the main portion of my training, I’ll always end with right- and left-hand only (strong- and weak-hand) training. I leave 3–4 magazines to dedicate for this training at the end of my practice. Since we shoot 99.99 percent of our shots with both hands, we often neglect training our single-hand shots. Baking this into each practice ensures this skill receives attention and can help separate oneself in the match. I suggest keeping a journal to recap the training session, what was worked on, how many rounds were shot on what gun, and notes for the next practice session. Last, but not least, I’ll sweep and pick up my brass to clean and get loaded on my Dillon Precision RL1100. During this time, I think about my upcoming matches and goals for the year.

Now that we’ve covered the overall structure, it’s important to discuss some guidelines and advice for your training. Practice things harder than what you’ll see in a match. Practice what you failed on in your last match. Practice what scares you and shakes your confidence. Shooting at 10 yards and hosing rounds across the range may feel great, but doesn’t help you get better. Constantly pushing your boundaries and working outside your comfort zone is essential for growth. You should prepare for everything you’ll encounter in a match. Practice small steel at distance, prone position, unloaded starts, and you’ll find an edge.

Each practice must have a purpose, and you must come with a plan. Practice sessions that lack a plan often turn into 10-yard hosing practice, which will stunt your growth. Similarly, every round fired in your practice must have a purpose. After shooting them, you must assess how it felt and what you called (meaning where were the sights on the target when the bullet left the barrel and the sights lifted). Before a training session, make sure to come prepared. Make sure your gear is cleaned and magazines are loaded. I preload all my magazines before I arrive to maximize my time on the range and focus on the training. I keep of list of accessories and gear to bring to make sure I have everything. Leaving a stapler or target stands at home always makes for a tough practice session.

Video analysis has been helpful for my development. If you train with a partner, have them record runs. If you’re shooting solo, a tripod works great. Finding a good training partner (or partners) is great to help keep you accountable, develop range comradery, and share ideas. I’ve been very lucky to train with a group of great people and a few GMs starting out, and now I primarily shoot solo or with a good LE friend of mine. We balance catching up and overall camaraderie, while still pushing each other and getting great training.

Training is fun and exciting, but it’s also a grind and won’t always be fun when you’re trying to improve. Failing and making mistakes will happen, but if you aren’t, you aren’t pushing hard enough. Set goals and create an action plan to reach them. Nothing is better than reaching your shooting goals through dedicated practices and looking back with a smile at your progress. The entire crew at Dillon Precision and I would like to wish you the best in your upcoming training and matches. Make it happen and see you on the range!

ITA’s July monthly webinar is dedicated to “What is Doping? The 11 rules explained”.

ITA’s July monthly webinar is dedicated to “What is Doping? The 11 rules explained”.

Dear AIMS Members, Observers & ITA Partners,

ITA’s July monthly webinar is dedicated to “What is Doping? The 11 rules explained”.

A Doping violation is commonly thought of as an athlete testing positive after an analysis of their urine or blood sample. Whilst this counts for the majority of doping cases, did you know that there are additional 10 conducts which could be considered as an anti-doping rule violation in the World Anti-Doping Code?

It is important that all athletes and athlete support personnel understand these rules and how they apply to them. Join us as we discuss each one, breaking down the legal language and asking questions such as:

  • What does it mean to receive notification of a positive test?
  • What are some examples of evading or refusing doping control?
  • What conduct can constitute “tampering”?
  • What is prohibited association and how can you protect yourself?
  • What does possessing a prohibited substance mean for coaches who have a legitimate medical requirement?

Taking you through all of this, and more is this month’s expert guest Ayesha Talpade, Senior Legal Counsel for the ITA, who will also answer your questions live at the end of the session.

As always, ITA is pleased to deliver these webinars in English with simultaneous translation to four additional languages – Arabic (العربية), Spanish (español), French (français) and Russian (русский).

Attached are three banners that you can use for social media promotion. As a reminder, the attached banner (ITA_webinar_7_st) is a tailor-made visual for an Instagram or Facebook story. The white rectangle highlights where you can insert the https://ita.sport/news/what-is-doping-the-11-rules-explained/ to the dedicated registration page on the ITA website.

Topic: What is Doping? The 11 rules explained

Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Jf8bwfjKRO2Ghb9YELv6XQ#/registration

Event date: Wednesday 26 July, 14:00 – 15:00 CEST

Panellist: Ayesha Talpade, ITA Senior Legal Counsel

Moderator: Mairi Irvine, ITA Education Team

Feel free to share these posts on LinkedInFacebookInstagram and Twitter. You are also encouraged to share this information with your communications team, add it to your website, newsletters or distribute in any other way amongst your sporting communities.

As always, thank you for your support of our clean sport education efforts!

Kind regards,

AIMS on behalf of ITA

IPSC Israel is officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports (Israel).

IPSC Israel is officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports (Israel).

IPSC Israel has been officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports as a separate Directorate representing IPSC sports in Israel.

“We successfully received the written recognition from the Ministry of Culture and Sports, approving our new directorate as the sole representative of IPSC sport in Israel. I would like to thank IPSC President and IPSC Executive Council members for continuous support and guidance.

I take this opportunity to thank sincerely and warmly the Israeli Shooting Federation for their continued cooperation and for helping IPSC Israel to become what it is now.

We are still facing a long way to dealing with our regulators. In the coming days, we will have mutual work groups with the division of firearms licensing and we hope to conclude all necessary changes in the nearest future.

In our long journey to independence we had 100% of Israeli IPSC clubs support, but most of the hard work was done by a selected crew – Riki Hollander, Rony Korem, Yaniv Botvinik, Said Haddad and Nahum Zarzif. Without their dedication, professionalism and belief, we wouldn’t have made it. I thank you all!”
– Mr. Itzik Ellenbogen, Regional Director of IPSC Israel, said.

IPSC supports the Alliance of Original IPSC Accessories Manufacturers

IPSC supports the Alliance of Original IPSC Accessories Manufacturers

IPSC supports the Alliance of Original IPSC Accessories Manufacturers.

To combat and prevent the use of unsafe and illegal counterfeited accessories, some of the most important and notable IPSC sponsors and manufacturers of original equipment have joined forces to create the Alliance of Original IPSC Accessories Manufacturers.

At IPSC, we fully support our Partners and Sponsors that have contributed to the development of our beloved sport and emphatically condemn the use of unsafe counterfeits. Not only does this represent a dangerous situation to athletes, officials and the public, but also causes profound damage to the legitimate businesses that invest considerable resources into research, development and commercialization of reliable products and accessories.

Say NO to counterfeiting, support legitimate and reputable IPSC Partners and Sponsors.

#ipsc #dvc #misia #iroa #buyipscoriginal #saynotocounterfeit #saynotopiracy

IPSC Executive Council Report – June 2023

IPSC Executive Council Report – June 2023

La versión en español está abajo. 

Dear Regional Directors,

I would like to share some news from the recent Executive Council meeting:

1)    Preliminary Financial report was presented to the meeting. After the audit it will be presented to the Regional Directors.

2)    A Constitution Committee report was presented to the meeting. The Constitution Committee has been considering the items which had been requested by the Regions.

3)    The Rules Committee presented items which are currently being discussed. The final proposal will be submitted to the next Executive Council meeting and then distributed to the Regions 60 days before the General Assembly.

4)    The bid for the Action Air World Shoot from the Philippines was discussed at the meeting. It will be added to the agenda of the IPSC General Assembly.

5)    Voting results on the possibility of participation of RUS/BLR athletes and officials in Level III-V matches were presented at the meeting. The results can be seen here: https://secure.electionbuddy.com/results/TC8C3VJ5MQSG

Next step is to approve with leading organizations: AIMS and IOC as well as discuss it with ISSF according to agreement of tight collaboration made on June 1, 2023 during the online meeting.

6)    IROA report on EHC preparation was presented to the meeting.

7)    Application from Armenia to join IPSC was accepted by the Executive Council. It will be added to the agenda of the IPSC General Assembly.

Dear Regional Directors, please pay attention that this information will be published in the official IPSC Facebook page 18 hours after this letter is sent.

You can share this information with your Board members, but please don’t publish it before the official announcement in IPSC Facebook page.

IPSC President
Vitaly Kryuchin
Ipsc.org

ESPAÑOL

Estimados Directores Regionales,

Me gustaría compartir algunas noticias de la reciente reunión del Consejo Ejecutivo:

1)    Se presentó a la reunión el informe financiero preliminar. Después de la auditoría se presentará a los Directores Regionales.

2)    Se presentó a la reunión el informe del Comité de Constitución. La Comisión de Constitución ha estado examinando los puntos solicitados por las Regiones.

3)    El Comité de Reglas presentó los temas que se están debatiendo actualmente. La propuesta final se presentará a la próxima reunión del Consejo Ejecutivo y luego se distribuirá a las Regiones 60 días antes de la Asamblea General.

4)    La oferta para el Action Air World Shoot de Filipinas se discutió en la reunión. Se añadirá al orden del día de la Asamblea General de la IPSC.

5)    En la reunión se presentaron los resultados de la votación sobre la posibilidad de participación de atletas y oficiales de RUS/BLR en competencias de Nivel III-V. Los resultados se pueden ver aquí: https://secure.electionbuddy.com/results/TC8C3VJ5MQSG

El siguiente paso es aprobar con las principales organizaciones: AIMS y COI, así como discutirlo con ISSF de acuerdo con el acuerdo de estrecha colaboración que se realizó el 1 de junio de 2023 durante la reunión en línea.

6)    El informe de IROA sobre la preparación del EHC fue presentado en la reunión.

7)    El Consejo Ejecutivo aceptó la solicitud de adhesión de Armenia a IPSC. Se añadirá al orden del día de la Asamblea General de la IPSC.

Estimados Directores Regionales, por favor presten atención a que esta información será publicada en la página oficial de Facebook de IPSC 18 horas después de que se envíe esta carta.

Puede compartir esta información con los miembros de su Junta, pero no la publique antes del anuncio oficial en la página de Facebook de IPSC.

Vitaly Kryuchin
Presidente de IPSC
Ipsc.org