Study Day Lectures

 

How Much Time Do You Need

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

January 20, 2007

 

By:  Skip Gochenour

 

 

 

I.                   If you must shoot, you must make the shot!

 

A.        Making a shot is a matter of discipline and self-control.

 

1.         You must have the D&S to engage in sufficient meaningful practice to be able to make the specifically required shot.

2.         You must have the D&S to apply the amount of integrated skill sets to make the specifically required shot.

 

a.      See what you need to see to make the shot.

b.      Apply the necessary amount of finesse to the trigger to make the shot.

c.       Know the amount of time required for you to make the shot.

 

B.        If you must make a shot, the amount of time required to make the shot is not relevant to the need to make the shot.

 

1.         If you must make the shot, you must have sufficient D&S to take the time needed for you to make the shot.

2.         If you do not have the time to make the shot you need to do something other than make the shot.  Hence, the shot may be more a matter of prudence than necessity.

 

C.        Upon establishing skill sets A., 2., a. & b., you must know how much time you need to make the required shot.

 

1.         Target acquisition, which may include weapon presentation, must be considered as part of the time requirements.

2.         There is a time component associated with assuring sufficient accuracy to make the required shot.

3.         There is a time component associated with transitioning, as needed, to alternate or additional targets.

4.         You must know the amounts of time associated with each of these components and have the D&S required to apply the time to the need to complete A., 2., a. & b.

 

D.        You must engage in practice regimens that force the practice of these integrated skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

 

January 20, 2007

 

Target Focus Drill

 

 

Pit 3

 

Props:  (1) IDPA target with ATSA CT scoring zones.  Electronic timer.

 

Purpose:  To allow the Practitioner to find the speed at which he can execute multiple hits in the CT scoring area while maintaining a target focus.

 

Process:  The target is placed at a distance of 2 yards from the Practitioner.  Practitioner begins by coming to engage ready with the pistol in a collapsed two-handed hold.  The Practitioner focuses on a location within the CT.  On the signal “gun” the practitioner fires two shots as rapidly as possible that allow all hits to be maintained in the CT zone.  The process is repeated (5) times.  The Practitioner pushes to reduce the split times from shot to shot.  Times are recorded.

 

The Practitioner repeats the same drill with the exception that the drill is done one-handed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

 

January 20, 2007

 

Transition Drill

 

 

Pit 2

 

Props:  (2) IDPA targets with ATSA CT scoring zones.  (2) 8” steel plates.  Electronic timer.

 

Purpose:  To allow the Practitioner to learn the amount of time he requires to transition from target to target and the discipline needed to adjust from large target areas to precise target areas.

 

Process:  The IDPA targets are place at 3 yards forward of the Practitioners position, one to his right ad one to his left.  The targets are set at a 45 degree angle to the Practitioner.  The two steel plates are set on posts at a distance of 15 yards.  The plates are 1 yard apart.  The exercise is repeated (3) times.

 

On the signal “gun” the Practitioner does a presentation from the holster and engages one of the IDPA targets with (2) rounds into the CT scoring zone.  The Practitioner then transitions to the plate closest to the IDPA target just engaged and knock the plate from the post.  The Practitioner then engages the second IDPA target with (2) rounds to the CT scoring zone and transitions to the remaining steel plate and knocks that plate from its post.

 

Total time for the run is recorded along with the split times for each shot fired and the time required for the presentation.

 

 

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

 

January 20, 2007

 

Loops

 

 

Pit 6

 

Props:  (3) IDPA targets with ATSA CT scoring zones.  Electronic timer.

 

Purpose:  To allow the Practitioner to practice target transition and the discipline of adjusting speed to target size.

 

Process:  Targets are set with one at each distance of 3 yards, 6 yards and 9 yards from the Practitioner.  On the signal “gun” the Practitioner does a presentation from the holster and engages the 3 yard target with two rounds to the body, the 6 yard target with 1 round to the head, the 9 yard target with two rounds to the body followed by 1 round to the head, the 6 yard target with two rounds to the body and the 3 yard target with 1 round to the head.  Practitioner is tasked with keeping the gun operational until all required rounds are fired.

 

The exercise is repeated (3) times.  The total time is recorded along with the presentation time and the split time between each shot fired.  Hits outside the CT zones add (5) seconds to the time of the specific run.  Misses ad (7) seconds to the total time of the specific run in which the miss occurred.

 

 

 

 

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

 

January 20, 2007

 

FoF

 

 

Pit:  Indoor Range

 

Props:  Sims weapons and drone knives.

 

Purpose:  To allow the practitioner to practice speed, accuracy and target transition.

 

Process:  The Practitioner is assigned a role player for whom he is morally and legally responsible.  A confrontation occurs where the role player who is assigned to the Practitioner is separated from him and taken hostage by two hostile role players who begin a violent and life threatening assault with contact weapons.  A third hostile role player serves as a lay-off man armed with a Sims weapon.