Visual Flow

“Don’t tell people your plans, show them your results.” -Unknown

PART 1
Shoot one-shot draws on an 8″ plate at 15 yards, with the goal on the first shot—to hit the plate as quickly as possible. Repeat 15 – 20 times, and remember your average time for a one-shot hit.

DO NOT READ THE REST OF THIS until you have completed Part 1. Resist the urge to continue reading, and you will increase the impact of Part 2.

Print this and take it to the range, or read it on your phone.

PART 2
In Part 2, the emphasis shifts from what you are doing to what you will see. 

Repeat the drill, but with a visual goal: At the start buzzer, as quickly as possible, produce a stopped perfect sight picture on the center of the plate.

Just before the start buzzer, look at the center of the target. At the buzzer, bring your focus back to where the sights will appear when they stop on the target. When done properly, the front sight will be in perfect focus the instant it stops on the center of the target.

With your attention purely visual, the shot fires itself with an uncanny sense of certainty; there will be no doubt it was a hit. 

The top 16 at the Steel Challenge. My best guess… 1981.

Next, continue with the same visual flow, but move the target to 12 yards—do 15 or so one-shot hits—then repeat at 10 yards, and finally at 7 yards. 

What I learned from that was revolutionary, because I realized I could precisely call any shot on any target faster than I could just sling a “hoper” at the target. Ponder that for the rest of your shooting life.

After that experiment, I no longer began any stage without a detailed visual flow for every shot in the stage.

Eliminate unconscious sabotage. Begin every stage with a visual plan that is perfectly tailored for that stage.

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Comments are welcome, and all question will be answered.

I’ll post a new topic each Friday afternoon, in one of two categories. One will be on shooting, and the other will be on living. Or: how I learned to live from what I learned by competing.

Thanks for coming in.