Don't Be Triggered

Trigger Control

              Trigger control needs to be maintained throughout the firing sequence, which can be especially challenging with pistols. Pistols are harder to shoot than rifles because the shorter sight radius and the trigger to weight weapon ratio. 

              A good grip is important to have trigger control. After establishing a good grip, find the best place for you to put your finger on the trigger of the gun. Each person will have a different place and each gun will have one as well. When the gun is comfortably in your hand, you will have much better recoil management and better trigger control.You need to apply consistent pressure to the trigger until the shot brakes. 

              In order to have an accurate shot you must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. This is why you shouldn't concentrate on one specific thing. A open mind when shooting is important, an order to take in all the external stimuli and adjust yourself as needed in reaction. 

              Make sure you keep the second joint of your trigger finger pointed straight at your targets you press the trigger. If you do this, it will almost impossible to push or pull the shot with your trigger finger. When shooting a heavy gun with a light trigger, you should push with the tip of the finger. With a a heavy trigger you're likely to pull shots when trying to balance the tip of your finger on the trigger. 

             As you press back, make sure the pressure on the trigger is only coming from the trigger finger. In order for this to happen, you need to have a good grip and not let any part of your trigger finger drag along the frame of the gun. Some tend to squeeze the trigger with their entire hand which will cause movement in the gun. 

Steps to Trigger Control:

1. A good grip

2. Let your finger land naturally on the trigger

3. Consider moving the finger lower on the face of the trigger

4. Keep the middle knuckle of your finger lower on the face of the trigger

5. Pull the trigger with your eyes

6. Smooth

7. Keep finger in contact with the trigger

              I was shooting a Smith & Wenson M&P, which was much more heavier compared to the other guns I have used. Initially I was intimidated using the gun, but realized that the recoil was much softer and I eventually grew comfortable using it. Using the steps for control, helped me to achieve accurate shots. What are your opinions on guns in general?

Sajong, Chris. How to shoot like a navy seal: Combat marksmanship fundamentals. San Diego, CA: Center Mass Group, LCC, 2013. Print.

Sight What You Shoot

Sight Picture

              Sight picture is taking the perfect alignment and aiming it at the target. It is not as simple as point and shoot as  many movies may show it to be. Proper sight picture is when you take your sight and overlay it on the target. It is key to remember that the sight picture can be anywhere on the target, as long as it is nothing but the target you are going to shoot. 

Sight Alignment 

              Sight alignment is centering the front sight in the rear sight, it considered to be more important than sight picture, because sight alignment will affect angular and parallel shift errors. If your slight alignment is correct than you will be able to shoot anywhere into that visual tube and hit the target. Though if your sight alignment is off by even a little, it is likely that you will completely miss the target. 

Shaky/Small Targets

              Some people are nervous shooters and may shake when they shoot. To prevent the shaking from affecting your shoot, put your sights center mass on your target and pull the trigger. When aiming at a smaller target you should divide the target into four and aim at the center. 

              In the video, I am shooting a Glock g17. This gun is the most widely used law enforcement pistol worldwide. While shooting, I worked on both my grip and sighting in order to get more consistent results. 

  

             My results were generally all in the same area, definitely much more accurate and precise than the past times. Where you ever nervous when shooting a gun? How did it affect your results in the end?

              

Sajong, Chris. How to shoot like a navy seal: Combat marksmanship fundamentals. San Diego, CA: Center Mass Group, LCC, 2013. Print.

Track; implications of speed

                                                           Blog number 4

 When you leave the blocks you accelerate and try to get to your maximum speed. "The success of the reaction phase is determined by the speed of reaction to the gun and the subsequent force exerted against the blocks. After leaving the blocks, the athlete enters the acceleration phase of the sprint(187, Jeffreys). Once you complete the acceleration phase, you should try to maintain your current speed you have and not try to keep accelerating.

"Athletes who have a longer acceleration phase to top speed have an advantage in this phase because they have been required to hold maximum speed for a shorter distance... In considering the 200 and 400 meter sprints, the acceleration stage is lengthened. Unlike the 100 meters, where in most case the athletes aim to accelerate maximally to achieve top speed as soon as possible (188, Jeffreys).  For shorter distances you try to make your acceleration  phase faster so you can get up to your maximum speed before the finish line. But for longer distances like the 200  meter your accelertaio phase typically ends once you turn the curve, so you have a little more time to reach maximum speed

How long do you think the acceleration phase is?

Jeffreys, Ian. Developing Speed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2013. Print.                         

Track speed; using blocks to increase acceleration

                                                                    Blog number 3

Unlike other sports where speed is just one of the components, in track sprinting is the main thing that you do consistently. In rack it is crucial that before a race you start in blocks. Blocks are used in track to hold the athletes feet at the start of a race so the athlete can push of and accelerate at a faster rate. Blocks can increase your time by 1/10th of a second. One tenth of a second might not seem like a lot, but when it comes to your time it can determine of you were 1st or 2nd in the race.





"Block clearance is the first component of the acceleration phase. in the response to the starter's pistol, athletes must clear the blocks to begin their acceleration. When in set position, an athlete's front knee should at least be 90 degrees, and rear knee angle should be at least 120 degrees."(187, Jeffreys)

If you were a track runner would you consider using blocks?

Jeffreys, Ian. Developing Speed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2013. Print.                         

Get A Grip

            Get A Grip

              Having a strong grip is extremely crucial component no matter what the weapon of choice may be. A loose grip will allow the gun to move every time you squeeze the trigger causing stray bullets. A good grip plays a major role in consistency when shooting.


In this video I was shooting Cz cz-75 SP01 9mm, parts of the gun is made out of plastic making it extremely light. You should always start off with a heavier gun though. Guns with more weight tend to be more stable, lighter guns have a stronger recoil which caused me to flinch before shooting. My grip was not strong enough to give me consistent results.

 Pistol

           
            Guns come in various sizes and shapes, that is the same with hands. When first starting off, it is better to find a gun that fits your hands better rather than adjusting your grip in order to hold the gun. The gun should rest well in your hand while the forearm of the firing arm is directly behind the pistol. Your trigger finger should be able to reach the trigger of the gun without having to move too much.

             When holding the gun, the forearm of the dominant hand is aligned with the barrel of the pistol. Your hand needs to be as far up on the gun as possible as to allow the webbing of your hand to be compressed against the beavertail. Some designs do not include a beavertail safety grip, so just press against the back of the gun as high as possible. If your hand sits too low it could negatively affect your shots and increase the risk of jamming your gun because the gun does not have a solid recoil support.


             Using a two-handed technique which is highly recommended. The support hand/reaction hand should be placed with the palm of the hand filling the space left behind the dominant hand. Be sure that there is no space between the two hands. The pressure of the grip should be equal from both hands. While the thumbs are staked on top of each other, both pointing in the direction of the target.

Here is a visual example of how you should be holding a pistol. How have you been holding a gun or how did you think people held a gun?

Sajong, Chris. How to shoot like a navy seal: Combat marksmanship fundamentals. San Diego, CA: Center Mass Group, LCC, 2013. Print.

Simple Soccer Tricks: The Rainbow Flick

Simple Soccer Tricks: The Rainbow Flick 

The rainbow flick is just a fun trick to learn that is used to flick the soccer ball up behind you and over your head. You can actually incorporate this trick to an actual move in the game. Mostly professionals use this because, well they are professionals. When you start off you want to have the ball in between your legs and touching the insides of your ankles. Professional soccer juggler Sean D'Arcy suggests, " Grip the ball so tightly you can jump around and the ball doesn't fall out"(28). the next step is to roll the ball up on the inside of your leg with your dominant foot. Practice this as until you get comfortable with the motion. Flick the ball up over your head with the heel of your other foot. 

When you are doing this final movement you should be hopping in the air to elevate the ball higher along with your body. You are doing the rainbow flick correctly if the ball goes over your head and lands in front of you. Sean D'Arcy says a common problem with this trick is that the ball seems to stick to your legs and goes nowhere (30). Make sure to keep your knee in the air when you hop to prevent this from happening. 

Can you use this in a game when running full speed?

Sean D'Arcy. Freestyle Soccer Tricks: tricks, flick-ups, catches. Buffalo, New York: Firefly Books Inc., 2015. Print.

Basketball speed mechanics

                                                                   Blog number 2

The four components of sprint mechanics important to basketball are arm action, hip action, body lean, and running stride effectiveness. The athlete should bend their elbows at a 90-to 105- degree angle and swings the arm from the shoulder, focusing on moving the arms forward ad back in a straight line.  The faster an athlete can swing their arms efficiently, the faster the legs will move. Athletes who improve their speed give themselves a distinct advantage in terms of enhancing the quality of their play.

By improving your running mechanics athletes can improve their half-court running time by .1 to .2 seconds. While you are running keep your shoulders down and relaxed. Proper body lean can also maximize your speed.

What type of drills do you think can improve your speed?

Jeffreys, Ian. Developing Speed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2013. Print

How to Juggle in Soccer

How to Juggle in Soccer

Soccer is a sport that requires great touch. The meaning of touch is the way you control the ball. Juggling is a great way to improve your touch. Not only is it a great way to practice your touch but is also fun to do. It is not hard to do after you practice enough. World renowned soccer juggler Sean D'Arcy says "To get started drop the ball and let it bounce once, then kick it back up into your hands"(2). After you do this repetitively it will become natural for you to do, practicing this will make a difference on the field even you won't be juggling 24/7 in games.  As you juggle make sure you don't kick the ball too high. Kick the ball to knee level or below, unless you are using your thighs, chest, or head. I never really practiced juggling on a consistent basis but after awhile it comes naturally.

While you are juggling make sure to try and notice mistakes that are messing you up so that you know what to fix. For example while you are juggling hit the ball in between your tarsals and metatarsals while kicking it with the right amount of strength. Sean D'Arcy says a good way for someone to start off learning is to kick the ball up with your stronger foot let it bounce and then kick it back up with your weaker foot(2). Because when you are juggling it is important to learn how to use both feet. It can become a bad habit to focus on just your stronger foot when you need to use both so you aren't handicapped on your opposite foot.

How do you think a player can progress their touch without juggling?

Sean D'Arcy. Freestyle Soccer Tricks: tricks, flick-ups, catches. Buffalo, New York: Firefly Books Inc., 2015. Print.

Just Give It a Shot

         We all know that the zombie apocalypse is going to happen someday and you don't want to be that guy stuck with the baseball bat, trying to defend himself by whacking the living dead. No, you rather be the guy with the gun and has no problem defending himself from a long distance.

         Shooting traces back all the way to ancient times when target times, such as spear throwing and archery in Europe and Asia. In the Middle Ages, became the most trending social sport which first appeared in the 1200s in Europe. In the 1500s these club matches became public celebrations and were often held on holidays. More often than not, the winner's prize would be gold. Through the years, as firearms improved, the matches became more formal. During the 1800s, thousands of spectatrors would come to watch and cash prizes up to $25,000 were awarded. Today, rifle, shotgun, and pistol matches continue to thrive in popularity and are events in the Olympic Games.

The gun used in the video is a full size 9 millimeter Beretta. Glasses and earplugs/earmuffs are required at the range for the shooters protection. As shown in the video, the shells come flying back and on multiple accounts it hit me. Though it doesn't hurt, it will hurt if it hits your eye so eye protection it greatly stressed.

     


         It is required at the range for shooters to always wear proper safety gear, because many flying objects at the range are potential hazards such as the shells. Glasses can also improve performance by reducing glare. Earplugs/earmuffs protect a shooter's hearing from strong gun blasts.

     

The targets I used where Target Man and a gray scaled regular target. This being my first time ever handling and shooting a gun, I was pretty satisfied with the result of my current ability to shot a gun. I was surprised to find that the gun was quite heavy and the powerful kick of firing the gun. My goal though over the course of this project is to increase both my accuracy and precision. I would like to know, what was your first experience with a gun and did it have a positive or negative impact on you?

Steier, David. Guns 101: A Beginner's Guide to Buying and Owning Firearms. New York: Skyhorse Pub., 2011. Print.
        Kevin, Brian. Gun Sports. Minneapolis: ABDO Pub., 2012. Print.