GTA
Target Shooting Matches, Discussion & Events => Target Shooting Discussion Gate => Topic started by: ac12 on February 03, 2017, 07:46:43 PM
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I've talked about American and European stance before but I seem to have lost the pix.
This pix that I just got from the CMP, of the European Marksmanship championships shows what I mean.
- The lady in the red jacket, 4th shooter from left, is using a variant of the American stance. Legs spread evenly, and weight distributed 50/50 on both legs. Although she is spreading her legs rather wide. The usual feet spread is about shoulder width or a bit wider.
- The lady to the right of her in the blue/white jacket, is using the European stance, with a more vertical front leg. You can see how straight vertical her front leg is. Most of the weight is on the front leg.
By looking at the position of the shooters feet relative to the blue and white lines, you get an idea of the different feet spread. BTW, the lady with the red jacket has her front foot ON the white line, I think it is supposed to be BEHIND the line, at least that is where the others shooters have their front foot.
As I've said before, neither stance is better than the other, just different.
YOU have to find which stance works for YOU. Give it a good try before you abandon one for the other. It will take time to get use to a stance, so don't give up on it too early. I would give it at least 6 months of regular shooting before making the decision to switch. I think I made my switch after about a year.
The books "Ways of the Rifle" and "Air Rifle Shooting" are both German books, so the stance they show is naturally the European stance.
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Good examples to point out.
I found I shot better with about a 70-30% split with most of my weight on my front leg and a judicious left twist of my spine * to 'lock up' * similar to the woman third from the right but with a bit more hip thrust toward the line and far more 'twist'.
I'm fairly certain I was NOT a pretty sight ...
It worked for me...but then...I am no gold medalist :-)
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While I instinctively use the European stance. I never knew it had a name, or a American stance variation.
I might give it a try more 50/50. Thanks!
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I just call it the European stance, as the material I read shows that particular stance more popular in Europe than the US.
When I was coached for AR, both of my coaches taught me the 50/50 stance.
The main thing is stability.
Use the stance that gives you the most stability, and matches your body.
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Target Shooters Handbook may be of interest.
https://www.legion.org/documents/legion/pdf/jssp_student_handbook.pdf (https://www.legion.org/documents/legion/pdf/jssp_student_handbook.pdf)
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Thanks for that Tom!
I had heard of the Handbook but did not know it was available in PDF.
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NHG
I would be careful of the twist.
With a heavy target rifle, the twist can be hard on your lower back.
I have a bad lower back, so I have to stand with an open stance; aligned slightly to the left of the target, so that I do no have to twist my back.
I have heard coaches on TargetTalk talking about NOT twisting the back, to reduce cumulative back injury.
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AC,
Just got my order off this morning to CSS for Air Rifle Shooting book. Thanks for pointing it out. Learning a stance is going to be interesting for me being a BRK amputee.
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Pat,
Don't hurt yourself.
There is a handicap shooting program where the shooters shoot from wheel chairs.
The wheel chair will limit how you can position your body, but you can still shoot.
Posture in the chair will be very important.
Gud Luk
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AC,
Just got my order off this morning to CSS for Air Rifle Shooting book. Thanks for pointing it out. Learning a stance is going to be interesting for me being a BRK amputee.
Pat,
This may be of interest to you.
http://www.usashooting.org/about/paralympicshooting (http://www.usashooting.org/about/paralympicshooting)
Jim
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AC,
Just got my order off this morning to CSS for Air Rifle Shooting book. Thanks for pointing it out. Learning a stance is going to be interesting for me being a BRK amputee.
Pat,
This may be of interest to you.
http://www.usashooting.org/about/paralympicshooting (http://www.usashooting.org/about/paralympicshooting)
Jim
Jim,
Thanks for the link which I find very interesting. I do hope though that I haven't mislead anyone here. If I have I do apologize. I am quite ambulant, even for my age ;) . I started to get involved with this group in hopes of improving my off hand shooting skills and the camaraderie that maybe found with others of like interest. It's a bit late for me to think about learning to be competitive at a level that is other than just fun to do, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy watching others excel and follow their improvement.
Anyway, learning about things I find myself interested in is at least as much fun as learning to do it.
Thanks again.