Ask The Instructor: Pull-Away Problems

Question:  I use the pull-away technique a lot, but lately its not been working well for me. I’m not as comfortable with sustained lead because I tend to measure but, should I change techniques?

Answer: Just because you might have encountered a slight roadblock with a certain technique is no reason to abandon the technique, particularly if it was previously effective for you,. Shooters who report having trouble with consistently executing a pull-away move usually have one of three issues going on, or a combination of two or more.

1) Sloppy technique - One of the most powerful aspects of the pull-away technique is that, for a brief moment prior to separating from the target, you are matching the target’s line and speed and transmitting extremely powerful information to the brain. This information allows your subconscious to execute the shot at precisely the right lead. As such, you need to be very intentional about inserting the gun to the target, rather than somewhere in front or behind the target. By “cleaning up” your insertion, and being more consistent in the way in which you insert your gun onto the target, you will dramatically improve the effectiveness of your move.

2) Wrong technique for the target - While I’m a fan of the pull-away for flat-trajectory targets, there are some presentations for which a different technique might be more effective. During pre-shot planning, it is critical to closely observe the trajectory of the target at your chosen breakpoint. If, for example, a crossing target is losing its line (i.e. transitioning) at the breakpoint, a pull-away move is more likely to result in a miss over the top. In this example, depending on the presentation, an intercept move might be a better option.

3) Visually disconnecting from the target - As you separate (i.e. pull-away) from the target, it is critical that your acute focus remain on the target through shot execution. Shooters will often separate from the target with their eyes as they pull-away from the target with the gun. This will visually disconnect the shooter from the target and a miss behind is more likely.

Properly executed, the pull-away is a very effective technique for certain target presentations.