Sequence

1. Draw & Run
2. Run-to-Lean (Left)
   • Cross-Step-Ahead
   • Reverse-Lean-Arrest
3. Lean-In Double, Transition & Preload-Leg-Exit (feels slow)
   • alternative 1: same lean-in, but drop step (never worked well for me)
   • alternative 2: shoot steel first, lean-out T1 preload leg soft exit (hard, haven't tried)
4. Pre-Aim Through Wall (good habit)
5. Drive-By-Blake
6. Run-to-Lean (Right)
   • Cross-Step-Ahead
   • Reverse-Lean-Arrest
7. Lean-In Double & Transition

Execution

1. Draw & Run
   • reacting to start of the beep - GOOD
   • Shootin Platform is up in 1.14s, before feet are in final position or target is available - GOOD
2. Run-to-Lean (Left)
   • right foot cross-stepping ahead
   • center of gravity is behind, trailing foot swing is capturing the inertia - GOOD
   • remaining inertia is captured by changing reverse-lean into left lean - GOOD
   • smooth stop, comfortable position, wide stance. Result - good draw time and setup for the exit - GOOD
3. Lean-In Double & Transition, Preload-Leg-Exit
   • double - no issues? Don't remember the hits on T1
   • transition had an error, but there was no hesitation - which means Cone of accuracy (GM26) was applied correctly - GOOD
   • transition error likely due to not fully formed / recognized pattern - need more pattern-targeted practice
     • including live-fire - for recoil effect on transition in the lean
   • subconscious follow-ups - GOOD
4. Pre-Aim Through Wall
   • minimal drop of Shooting Platform (SP) - GOOD
5. Drive-By-Blake
   • kept moving, so no time lost on acceleration nor deceleration
   • confidence in acceptable accuracy - GOOD
   • didn't outrun the Shooting Platform (SP) - GOOD
   • 4C - not enough accuracy, close to unacceptable
     • not enough suspension, not low enough ("Get Low & Stay Low")
     • need more "Bucket Blake Drive-By"
6. Run-to-Lean (Right)
   • Shooting Platform dropped for too long - BAD
   • Suboptimal movement, which resulted in falling out of the position
     • mini sidehop instead of Cross-Step-Ahead. Close to the ground, but some inertia remaining.
     • left heel not planted fully when shooting
     • fortunetely it didn't result in significant point loss or need to return to the shooting area - "SP is faster than Movement"
     • possible reason: getting feet tangled in the middle array
     • possible reason: not enough experience in 100% lateral movement, left lean was easier, since run to it was diagonal
   • need more dryfire for this with [Subjective Slow-Mo, Debugging/Programming (Coming Soon)][0]
7. Lean-In Double & Transition - no issues
   • right lean is easier and I might practice it more
   • need practice more left lean
   • possibly learned the pattern in left lean and reproduced it well

Splits

Quick non-comparative analysis of the splits from the PS Competitor App. I can't analyze movement splits without comparing them to someone else, what I can do is to compare left/right/middle array splits & transitions, getting insight into my mindset, and skill irregularities.

Steel Transitions

Both transitions to steel were .27, one resulted in mike and 2 follow-ups (one of which wasn't necessary, but subconscious called first hit as questionable off the visual input, and sent third anyway), one didn't.

Since I was using the cone-of-accuracy approach, (where I believe that no matter how fast I shoot - it will result in acceptable accuracy) error in the left transition didn't affect the right one. In fact I've executed both exactly the same - that is the input signal to the skill neural pathways / network was identical.

The difference in the results came either from right-lean pathways being more efficient/optimized or from the optimization/fix that happened due to the error in the left transition. Or simply because of luck / margin of error/noise being close in hit-vs-mike.

Paper Splits

Middle Array splits were 0.19 0.17 .18. Very similar, but nevertheless - quickest split was on the partial target. I don't think it was a result of recklessness or confidence in the approach, but rather an additional contrast, that allowed subconscious to call vertical position of the dot faster.

Or, alternatively, due to increased tension on harder penalty target, increased focus and/or grip strength, which resulted in faster sights recovery.

Unlike middle papers, left and right had splits .22 & .23, pretty much the same and noticeably slower than the middle array.
My bet is on the diagonal nature of movement in the lean and thus increased load on the Processing Platform (PP).

Paper Transitions

.21 on both transitions between paper targets. Could be faster, but considering one of these is to a partial and both are done on the move - I would deem these as acceptable levels of blake drill speed.

Only unacceptable part is the accuracy, which should be improved with more practice (neural pathway optimization) and deliberate increase in depth of Non-Shooting-Platform(NSP) and thus more suspension and less disturbance from NSP to SP.

Most Important

Here's a list of things that I think are more important for good performance on this classifier.

1. Tension Control & Confidence
2. Keep Shooting Platform Engaged & Extended at ALL TIMES
3. [A-class and above] Foot Loose, Constant Movement
   • reduces time wasted on acceleration and deceleration
4. Deny Any and All hesitations.
   • what are you being careful about? It's only 7yd
5. [GM score requirement] Aim-Ambiguity reduction using Proprioception
   • Red Dot visuals will gives you vertical-ish line/streak, which defines where the shot MAY land.
   • Proprioception lets you "feel" in which part of that line it WILL land.
   • Irons shooters here have to rely on bright fiber optic rod (having fresh one on a sunny day helps A LOT) and/or more practice hours (yes, it means you progress slower with irons).
6. Don't overrun your Shooting Platform (SP)
   • let SP dictate NSP speed in the middle array
   • avoid falling out from leans
   • avoid drop-steps, they feel fast, but take up additional time and destabilize SP
7. Use the Cone-of-Accuracy (GM26 method)
   • ask yourself: "If you could always have acceptable accuracy, how fast would you shoot?"
   • what if I tell you, that even if you slowdown to 50% - you still will have mistakes and the same accuracy? Try it, it's true.
   • so if slowing down doesn't increase your accuracy, why going faster should decrease it?
   • accuracy isn't the opposite of speed, it's a result of correct sequence/execution
   • your brain doesn't have the ability to precisely measure nor even correctly perceive time on its own
   • additionaly - your brain and body have a number of tools at their disposal that make it perceive time slower or faster depending on your needs and condition.
   • So...
     • If you could always have acceptable accuracy... How fast would you shoot?

What I practiced before shooting 20-01

I've been practicing drive-by blakes with vertical safety a lot.One of the most used dry-fire target setups in my living room looks like this:

There's 2 ft wide, full-height wall to the left side of it, separating my kitchen and living room, and I do a lot of left-right lateral movements around this array.

Also lately I've been working on fully utilizing Cone-of-Accuracy approach, pushing speed and letting Shooting Platform execute completely subconsciously.
This might've contributed to the increased confidence in the middle array on the classifier.

I haven't been doing a lot of leans and run to leans, but they were practiced as well.

Homework

Fundamentals-wise this classifier demands very little. Fully open targets at 7yd, big poppers at 10, one partial with enough alpha zone to blake drill it with same splits as open.
Movement, comfort and confidence in ability to execute these basics are much more important here.
So I would recommend spending minimal time in grip & recoil, zeros, doubles, bill & blake drills and go to dynamic drills ASAP.

• If you can split .24 on a partial and open at 7 yds - your recoil control is good enough
• Blake Drill until your transitions are within 20% of your splits (e.g. .21 transition and .18 split)
• There's no need to split faster than .18 on this classifier for ANY division nor ANY classification - if you can split .18 or faster - you can slowdown your splits in Blake and make your transitions absolutely the same as your splits
• Play with Transition-by-Turret vs Transition-by-Lean around walls. No More than 2 targets directly behind the wall is required. There will be difference in live- vs dry-fire here even with minor loads, but it's not as important as diagonal transition path, that you can learn in dry-fire. Start in dry-fire and then fix whatever left in live.
• Use USPSA Movement Basics - Bucket Drill, Leans Practice to get started with movement practice.
• To learn reverse-lean-arrest - simply start running, then cross-step in front off your center of gravity, leaning away from direction you're running into. Make sure you have enough traction before you go full speed on this. Let inertia ride your trailing foot into position, set it in place and arrest by changing the reverse lean into upright position.
• To improve middle array performance - start with Blake drill and add movement to it. Drive-By-Blake is moving one way in crane steps, while your upper body is twisted 90 degrees and executing a blake drill.
  • "Vertical Safety" is simply making one or more targets partials, covering part of the lower A-zone. No-Shoots, Hard-Cover or even a Separate Target can be used for this equally.

Video

This post is also available in Video Format on my Youtube: