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Lifting Head While Shooting

10K views 16 replies 16 participants last post by  birdogs 
#1 ·
I am the Head Coach for a Youth Trap Team in Auburn Ca i have a shooter that when he shoots lifts his head. I have a few ideas on how to stop but i want to see what ideas you fellow shooters have.
 
#2 ·
Negative practice sometimes helps. This may sound absurd, but think of getting the behavior under cognitive control. Works well with those particularly young, that is under say, 21 to be arbitrary. Ask him to shoot a post or two with consciously lifting his head. Then ask him to do the same with head on the stock hard. This way, he (or she) will learn the difference and feel the difference more readily. I feel it is a subtle thing; sometimes I find myself missing targets by not "cheeking" my gun hard enough; not so hard I get bruised, but with a poorly disiplined mere touch of cheek to the stock and not a firm touch/push.

The method of "negative practice" has been very helpful for students/youngsters who tend to reverse numerals and letters when learning to print. Also, for myself, typing errors...I'll practice the error, rapidly, then quickly practice doing it correctly. This way, I get a kinesthetic "red flag" when I am doing something wrong.

This may, and I emphasize, may help, but very much worth a try. Any psychologists out there, particularly sports psychologists? I do hope you try this method. It's simple and usually quite effective.

(By the way, I spend approx. 2/3rds of my time in Los Angeles and 1/3rd at Pollock Pines near Auburn TC. I hope to get out there one day; stopped there, and looked around, but was sans trapgun. Beautiful place. Wife and I try to spend 10+ days a month at Pollock Pines at our cabin and hope to move to the area one day when committments in So-Cal abate. Hope to see you there one day...)
 
#4 ·
This could be as simple as gun fit, the stock maybe to low and he/she maybe be peaking up to see the target over the back of the receiver, OR, the gun be slapping him/her in the lip or cheek, they're pulling their head away to prevent getting bit.

I would say step one would be to make sure the gun fits, and he/she can see the target well.
 
#5 ·
BuddyTrapChamp, could be a couple things. First, I'd suspect an ill fit stock for the kid. That alone can lead to him/her having to raise the head "looking" for the target once the body and gun is moving toward the target and the gun blocks their vision!!

Even experienced shooters will raise their head sometimes even though they have a fitted stock if they lose sight of an angled target with their master eye!!

Hap

Edited; meant to say Nutso is spot on also!
 
#6 ·
I have a Blaser F3 unsingle. the pin that secures the bridge of the rib keeps coming loose. should I just use a Nail Punch or add lock tight? This is on a new barrel and rib,however the pi was coming out on that rib also? I would appreciate any suggestions! I guess the O,D. For the pin is to wide?
 
#8 ·
What we have our kids do in 4H Shooting Sports is after they shoot (even on a miss) the target they need to follow a piece of the bird to the ground. It teaches them to keep their head glued to the stock before, during and after the shot as well as it teaches them follow through.

Paul
 
#10 ·
A while back I started to lift my head off the comb when I shot. I missed the target just about every time, recently I have developed a "Mantra" I believe it is called. Prior to mounting the gun I tell myself" head down, bead up and hold it like you love it" since January I have been to 4 ATA shoots, tied for first in singles once, won the other 3 outright. In the last 3 weeks at my home club I have shot 2 95's and a 99 in singles, an old dog can be taught new tricks, I will be 73 in a couple months. Believe it or not. I guess it could be called CONCENTRATION. Woody
 
#12 ·
I think head lifting is one of the things the add on ribs will fix. I have cured myself by adding a rib to my trap gun and it has worked well for me and they seem to be gaining in popularity. check out some of the previous posts about the ribs and see what you think.
randy
 
#15 ·
This is my biggest problem. Telling myself to push hard enough down on the comb with my cheek so my bone feels it helps. Making sure I point the end of my barrel at the target forces me to follow through on the shot. For a young person with problems you could use some lighter 7/8th ounce loads and make sure they're happy with the recoil pad on the gun. The advice of one of the other posters to lean a little more forward into your stance is good advice also. Jim
 
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