Ask The Instructor: Pre-Shot Part 1

Question: Everybody talks about a pre-shot. What exactly is it and what should it be? It seems like the articles out there all say something a little different

Answer:  What should we, as competitors, do prior to stepping into the shooting stand and calling for our first pair, and then for each subsequent pair we are to engage? This process should rightfully be divided into two very distinct elements: “pre-shot planning” and “pre-shot routine”. The purpose of the pre-shot planning sequence is to develop a detailed and tested plan for successfully breaking the pairs we are soon to engage. The purpose of the pre-shot routine is to prepare your body and mind to execute your plan. The pre-shot planning process involves Observing, Planning and Testing your plan (O-P-T). In planning, you must answer six critical questions about the pair: 1) Where are the traps? 2)  What do the target trajectories (target lines) look like? 3) Where are my breakpoints? (not break zone), 4) What are the targets doing at the breakpoints? (angle, speed and distance), 5) How will I engage each target? (technique for achieving lead). 6) Where are my holdpoints? 7) How will I move the gun from my holdpoint(s) to my breakpoints? I sometimes refer to steps 3 and 6 collectively as “establishing your Z”; plotting your holdpoints and breakpoints and thus the movement of the muzzle from holdpoint #1 to Breakpoint #1 to Holdpoint #2 to Breakpoint #2.

These three straight-line moves between these four points forms a Z. Landmarking and committing your movement to “your Z” will greatly improve your consistency. You then test your shot plan by moving the hand and arm of your non-shooting shoulder as you would your gun, adjusting your plan as necessary. With your plan solidified, it is time to step into the stand and engage the pair. The moment you step into the shooting stand, your pre-shot planning ends and your routine begins. While the pre-shot planning process is highly analytical engaging those parts of the brain necessary to solve “the puzzle” of the upcoming pair, the pre-shot routine is intended to prepare your mind and body for a coordinated execution of the pair. We will cover this in the next issue.