This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Fundamentally,


the positions


must depend upon the bones, ligaments, and where appropri- ate, the sling. Muscles and ten- dons should be removed from the equation as much as pos- sible. (Well trained rifl e athletes often discover that they need almost no muscle to stand still.)


Often, athletes will have


positions that are contorted or twisted, which are very “springy” and full of movement. Sometimes this is due to lack of knowledge and other times it is due to a belief that this is what is needed for that athlete. We are constantly told that


“everyone is different” and that is used to justify sometimes odd and counterproductive positions and techniques. Are we different? Of course! Are we the same? Before answer- ing, think about the similarities. When, as a middle-aged male, I stand next to a petite teenage girl, and ask if we are different or the same, the group laughs because the answer is obvious: we are very different. Then we discover that she and I have one head, two eyes, two hands, two legs, and so forth. For all our differences, we share many similarities.


While not every athlete has or should end up with a “textbook” position, that is the common starting point. Start


with sound fundamentals, then understand when and why to “break the rules” before doing so. Too often we just change things with no sound reason. Another important aspect is the effect of the position on the athlete’s long term health. Too many rifl e athletes complain of lower back problems. In many cases, this is due to a position that is contorted more than it should be or it is due to body core weakness. Frequently, both factors are at work. Coaches must look carefully at each athlete and work with them to establish sound positions that are not damaging. For example, many standing rifl e athletes use a position with way too much twist, bend, and slouch in the mistaken belief that this helps their steadiness. Quite the op- posite is true.


Inner position is something only the athlete can sense. Feelings of and awareness of balance and steadiness, and sensations of muscle tension or relaxation are all compo- nents of the inner position. An athlete can develop their awareness of these cues and use them to great advantage to establish exactly the same position and balance for each shot or series. These seemingly subtle differences have a huge effect on performance for the elite athlete.


The physical aspects of


the game seem obvious. Yet we overlook the importance of actually being fi t and fl exible. More importantly, we overlook the negative impact on perfor- mance when we do nothing in the physical area. Seek out good reference materials and local experts. Your physical fi tness and your


positions will benefi t. Links


High Performance Olympic Target Shooting blog http://jpoconnor.wordpress.com/ On The Firing Line article series and additional resources http://www.pilkguns.com/jpar- ticles/jpcontents.htm


about this series This series of On The Firing Line articles began 13 years


ago and ran for 54 installments through 2011. After a three- year break, the series resumes with this 55th installment. Parts of the series have been adapted for archery as “On the Shooting Line” published by USA Archery and many articles have been translated into Japanese and published by their Olympic shooting national governing body. Olympic Coach Magazine, published by the US Olympic Committee, the National Association of Soccer Coaches, and others, have referenced or reprinted selected articles. Readers are encouraged to review the archive of previous articles for many ideas on how to improve their performance and results. Based in the Atlanta, Ga., area, JP O’Connor is involved in shooting as a competitor, offi cial, and coach. He is a former Assistant National Coach – USA Paralympics Shooting Team and ISSF Judge, serves on the National Coach Development Staff in both rifl e & pistol, and is Coach Emeritus of the rifl e and pistol teams at the University of North Georgia. He enjoys working with a number of pistol and rifl e athletes and junior club teams from around the country, ranging from beginners to the highly advanced, in training sessions, clinics, and one- on-one private coaching. Previous installments of this series, additional resources, and book suggestions may be found at http://www.pilkguns.com/jparticles/jpcontents.htm and via the blog.


March 2014 | USA Shooting News 37


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68