CRITICAL TECHNICAL

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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING

• General
• Natural Point of Aim
• Recoil
• Prone
• Standing
• Balance
• Follow-Through
• Kneeling
• Types of Training
• Coachs Duties
• Annual Training Plan
• Three Phases
• Microcycles
• Drills

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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
General From the shooters point of view, either
an outer or inner position can be used for
analyzation. From the coachs point of view,
only the outer position can be readily used. The
coach should use recoil for prone and kneeling
and the amount of sway for standing.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
General--Natural Point of Aim There are two
natural points of aim (NPA)- horizontal and
vertical. Horizontal NPA is established through
proper body alignment. Shifting your lateral NPA
requires moving your base. Lateral NPA is
controlled by rifle adjustments and breathing.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
General--Recoil Many forces can change the
muzzle jump during recoil. If the rifle does not
recoil the same, the strike of the bullet will
change. The movement of the rifle describes the
position and shot. Learn to use and understand
what happens as the rifle recoils. If mistakes
are to be made, a change in the recoil will show
up as a warning sign.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Prone First, provide stability with minimum
tension on the shooters muscular
system. Second, provide sufficient body comfort
to permit the shooter to remain in the same
position for an extended period of time.
Third, provide a proper head position to allow
proper functioning of the eyes while aiming.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Standing--Balance Sway is an excellent way to
predict shot outcome. If the shooter executes
the shot during a lull, the shot is normally a
good shot. If the muzzle is moving during the
shot, the shot will normally be shot in the
direction the muzzle was moving. Tens come in
three ways--shooting while the hold is still,
shooting just prior to still but moving only
slightly, and within the 9 ring but moving
towards the 10 ring. The shooter achieves their
good performance by control, hold, and timing.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Standing--Follow-Through First-release the shot
without movement. Second-watching recoil.
Seeing the movement of the muzzle during the
execution of a shot is critical in analyzing the
shot. Third-watching the sight picture after the
shot. The position of the rifle after the shot
is just as important in any analysis as the
movement of the rifle during the shot. After the
shot is fired, the front sight should return to
exactly the same position it was in when the
trigger was released.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Kneeling The shooter must first distribute the
weight of his body onto the support points so the
left leg supports the least amount of
weight. Second, the shooter must render the
flexible parts of his body rigid with little
tension in the muscular system. Third, must
ensure a comfortable head position to provide for
proper conditions for the eyes. Many problems
in kneeling arise because the upper body does not
recover the same from shot to shot. The shooter
must constantly check NPA.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Types of Training To keep up a good technical
level, the training should consist of three
stages. First stage is skill training that
first develops and creates individual
skills. Second stage is training that repeats
and reinforces the skills that were
developed. Third stage is testing the skills
that were learned.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Coachs Duties Depending on the level of
shooter, depends on the amount of coach
involvement. The USAMU International Rifle Team
is divided into three levels. First--Elite
shooters. They are the top shooters in the world
and have won medals in major ISSF
competitions. Second--Intermediate shooters.
They have medaled in National Championships and
have averaged scores which would make ISSF World
Cup Finals. Third--Developmental shooters. They
are still top U.S shooters but may have just
recently joined the team or have not maintained
their previous performance levels.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Annual Training Plan The annual plan is an
excellent tool used by the coach to direct and
guide training over a training year. The annual
plan is developed by the coach. It is based on
the concept of periodization and the principles
of training. The primary purpose of the annual
plan is to develop the shooter to reach their
peak performance during a given competition.
The annual plan is divided into three phases
preparatory, competitive, and transition phase.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Three Phases The preparatory phase builds the
foundation for the competitive year. It develops
and builds the technical skills, the physical
skills and the mental skills to carry over into
the competitive season. The competitive phase
begins the main competition season. The season
may start with some tune-up matches prior to the
main competition for the year. The competitive
phase culminates at the major competition of the
year. The transition phase is typically after
the main competition and allows the competitor a
period of rest. The Periodization Plan is as
follows
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Microcycles The microcycles have very specific
objectives and they are derived from the
periodization plan. A sample microcycle used
by the team during the first week in October is
as follows. This microcycle is during the teams
preparatory phase. It is one of foundation
building.
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
Drills Drills are one of the best ways to
develop and reinforce skills. Drills typically
focus on one skill at a time. By working on one
skill, the shooter has the capability to learn
that skill. Examples of drills are as follows
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CRITICAL TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RIFLE SHOOTING
CONTACT
RICHARD HAWKINS INTL RIFLE SECTION USAMU FORT
BENNING, GEORGIA 31905 USA Ph
706-545-2343 Fax [phone] email
richard.hawkins_at_usaac.army.mil