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What's Your Best Tip For The Standing Position?

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chasdicapua

Member
Jun 3, 2015
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Massachusetts, United States
I thought I would begin a thread where we could share what works for us as a way to help folks (me included!) improve their scores in the standing lanes. 

One thing that I've been coming around to more and more, is putting attention on the feet and being sure your base is as solid as possible, and as consistent as possible so you can settle into the same sense of a stable platform without having to wiggle around. This includes being very aware of the ratio of weight on the front and back leg. 

How about you guys, what do you have to share about this position?

Chas
 
On the foot issue. Once in position and stable, if your point of aim is off target left or right try using your toe and heels to move your body instead of your waist and shoulders. As for elevation you can use your hips/waist to move the gun up or down.

As for non specific advise always remember to try and have as much bone to bone contact for supporting structure. Also try to engage the large muscle groups as well. Support/smaller muscles tire quickly and will lead to more wobble/shake than necessary. 
 
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I once watched World Field Target shooter Ron Carlson in a shoot-off at Western Wayne Michigan World Championship. The shoot-off was standing shots. Ron was shooting against a gentleman from U.K. Ron took steady aim and then decided to abort the shot and restart his mental and physical routine before the shot. I learned from this. I had never considered to abort shots in competition. But it is one more technique that can be beneficial.
 
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Age bad knees and being over weight make kneeling a non-option. As such I shoot all forced position shots standing. Bad news is I’m terrible at standing. I devote a fair amount of my practice time to standing but don’t see much improvement (start shaking like a dog s#!\t!ng peach pits after a few minutes). I’ve read that using a sling helps. Has anyone found that using a single point attached sling made standing / offhand shooting easier? Uj
 
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The vast majority of unsteadiness for me is mental...not my actual hold.

Try your hold looking at a fairly blank wall or something. Do not try to put the crosshair anywhere. Just look through the scope and hold still. You will probably see that you don’t move around much at all.

Now try to move your aim point to something specific on the wall. You will likely see your normal wobble begin. My wobble is due to my body constantly making corrections and over corrections based on where my eye is looking.

If I am always looking at where I want up put the crosshair....my muscles will keep up the over correction process. If I simply look only through the center of the crosshair at all times, I can use my peripheral to make the foot adjustments and slowly move the crosshairs to where they should be. The main problem for me is that once I get close to the KZ, it is very difficult not to shift my gaze and start the wobble process. It has taken a lot of practice...but it is the single biggest improvement I have made by probably an order of magnitude.


Mike 
 
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Mike, that is great advice and well explained. I find the same problem and constantly try to achieve that relaxed position where the crosshair hover where you want them to. A shift of focus starts the earthquake.

I had the same experience on a stand up paddle board. My legs were correcting so much that the shaking was crazy. Actually spoke out loud to myself to relax and stand up like I have been doing for many years. Instant calm. Allowing the body to do things without a lot of thought is so important in many activities.
 
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I have shoot metallic silhouettes for years. I am not in the upper class but shoot acceptable. Just like Mike said you have to be in a relaxed position. If I have to contort my neck to look thru the scope. Im done. The more bone on bone contact you can make the better. Long arm thin people can achieve this best. I am not that. A thick forearm rifle is easier for me to hold. Picture Wolverine vs Huntsman. If I turn my scope down I shoot better!! The same amount of wobble is there on any power but at 30X It looks like an earth quake is happening and then I start jerking the trigger. An example for my shooting. I have a 5th scale chicken on a swinger I shoot almost everyday sometimes only 1 magazine. I turn the scope to 8ish power. For me coming into my target makes a difference. If I choose to come up on my target I shake worse. I think its because I am using muscle so I come into my target from one side trying to keep my horizontal crosshair on the center of the target. On a good day I start my trigger squeeze as my vertical crosshair touches the target. I try to call my shot break. Where my crosshairs were when the trigger broke. Some days I am a jerk. I have shot a match where that was very effective for awhile. Jerking or snap shooting develops bad habits for me and then it goes down from there. In the end there is no shortcut practice. Offhand shooting is my favorite / not the most rewarding if you want to count hits. thats my .02 cents. Probably worth what you paid for it. Ha!
 
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If I may add more. Finding a comfortable repeatable hold is key as well. It makes things much easier when acquiring a target. For example I approach the target by drawing down. This makes settling into position easier for me. With this approach and a repeatable stance I know how place my body, when facing the target. This helps to catch some of the faceplate or target base once looking through the scope. The same can be said for any shooting position. 
 
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Other things to add are;

Dial the magnification down enough so the wobble doesn't appear so anerving.

Don't try to perform a perfect shot dead center in the middle of the KZ, just watch the crosshair and touch the trigger when it's reasonably centered.

Always start the shot sequence over again if you start to run out of breath or get tired - this includes resting, I sit down on my bucket and rest the gun over my legs holding it with my trigger hand so my support arm is fully relaxing the whole time.

Lean back some and if all possible rest on your arm on your body somewhere, this works best for girls and guys with big hips - not so much for me.

I've been lazy and got out of using slings which has cost me points, especially since I'm getting older and losing strength. This year I'm practicing offhand with a sling and coat. 

Some rifles don't work well for some shooters bodies. I'm in this situation, my rifle is super front heavy which brings the shaking early on, but not much I can do about that at this point in my finances, except lift weights I guess. I tried a guys match rifle, a Thomas carbine with Rowen rizer, and was astounded at how steady I could hold that thing!!!! 

Oh, and use exaggerated follow through. Don't drop the rifle during the shot which is a common mistake. 
 
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A lot of people posting on this are on the right track. They have discovered by trial and error a few good things. Here is how I was taught many years ago by a prominent shooting coach.



Get into your most comfortable aiming position with your eyes closed. Open your eyes. See where you are aiming and move your rear foot to correct your POA. Close your eyes reset and aim again. Repeat till you are aiming comfortably and aiming at the target. You will find you will not be shaking as you are not trying to force your muscles to do something. Starting out you might have to repeat this process multiple times.

Once you are able to comfortably settle on target with your eyes closed, close your eyes one more time like a long blink. When you open them you will still be on target and steady, don't hold very long, squeeze the trigger slowly but with confidence. Keep aiming after the shot till you see where the projectile printed, then mentally try to recall the shot and where the gun was aiming when the trigger broke. You will eventually be able to " call your shot" my favorite part.

the first several times you do try this it may take awhile. After a period of days your body will understand how to position your feet to get in position sooner.

Oh oh and by the way, practice makes perfect, is BULL S&!t! Perfect practice makes perfect!

best of luck, most people don't have the patience to do this.




 
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Follow through - keep aiming after pulling the trigger. You will be able or try to call your shots. Try not to use your muscles. You can rotate your either foot to correct left or right aim at the target. Balance the weight of the rifle over your support hand. Try different support hand positions until you find the most comfortable and repeatable. You can practice not shooting but holding at a dot on a wall for the longest amount of time to build up a repeatable standing position. Balance point of the rifle helps. I prefer the weight closer to my body so my support arm is more vertical.
 
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Some good advice there particularly about the practice makes perfect. I have been shooting a lot lately without really seeing any improvement then recently I had an epiphany. Rather then just sling lead downrange I realized that I needed to shoot less but shoot better. Slow down, work on my technique and breathing and really try to make every shot count.

I'll never be a threat to anybody on the course but my goal is to be the best shot that I can be and a good part of that is improving on those standing shots.

Very helpful advice from many sources. 
 
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