Just recent started in PRS style .22 comps. Really enjoy this but I’m looking to improve. How does everyone go about training for these events? Timed stages? Bench time? What about cardio or stretching? Just wanting to get better. Thanks.
How do you train for competition?
- Thread starter BLJ
- Start date
Hi BLJ, I came from PRS matches and a 6.5 Creedmoor with plenty of recoil. Here are some of my thoughts:
- If you are normally using a heavier caliber, get used to not holding the rifle so tightly. There is NO recoil on that 22LR and the tighter you hold the rifle the more "all over the place" your groups will be.
- With (1) above, make sure your rifle is BALANCED. I can't stress this enough. If you watch the really good shooters, it looks like they are barely holding the rifle (1 above again), but that's because they are balancing it perfectly so they don't have to fight front or back heaviness.
- Like PRS, get your breathing down...inhale as you lock into the target, exhale and near the bottom of the exhale, pull the trigger.
- Trigger pull should be as light as you can handle without an AD. Again, as will my big gun, after the shot, I make sure I'm holding the trigger back to ensure I didn't "flip" it during the shot. Remember you're pulling the trigger STRAIGHT back into your shoulder and then just for a second, hold it there. You'll find that it will help you not only not flip the trigger but also help you stay on the target for the follow-up shot.
- Make a simple barricade stop if you have room in/around the house (out of neighbors sight of course so they don't freak out). I have a video that I'll attach here. If you make what I made or something similar you should be able to practice many positions.
- If you're right handed, remember to go down on your LEFT knee when kneeling so you can use your RIGHT knee for elbow support as needed. It took some time for me to get used to this and it's one thing I see many beginners not do properly.
- DON'T time yourself yet! That will only make you go faster and forget everything above. As with martial arts, get the PROCESS down first. Go slowly and build a good, STABLE position. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Once you believe that you have shooting off a barricade in a kneeling position down for example, THEN you can start timing yourself. But, don't time yourself at 2 minutes, just time yourself...Go through a 10 shot stage and see how long that takes you. Then you can analyze where you ate up time and work on that.
- Make sure you have your ZOOM set as wide as needed (not as possible) in order to acquire the target quickly when you get behind the scope.
- As you move from one position to the next, make sure your rifle is pointed at the target BEFORE you get behind the scope! So many times I see guys get down on the scope only to move from side to side trying to acquire the target.
- Bench shooting is fine for zeroing your rifle and to practice those stages that might require it, such as a KYL rack. But most of the time, you'll be shooting off of other props like tires, barricade, tank traps, fences, etc... Practice these props in some fashion if you can. Showing up only having put holes in paper at 50 yds will not serve you when to get to those props.
- Learn how to use a shooting bag and get a good one (Weibad is my favorite). You don't need 20 bags! Get something like a Weibad Tator Tot with heavy fill and that bag will get you stabilized on 90% of stages you shoot. You can always borrow a bag at the match, trust me.
- Make sure you have the right ammo for YOUR rifle and that it not only punches a hole in the bullseye at 50 yrds (where you need to zero), but that it has a low dispersion rate at 100 and 200 yards so your groups at those distances will be tighter. Some ammo works great at 50 - 100 yards but spreads way out past 100.
- Whew...Well hope some of this helps my friend! Others will join in with their recommendations I'm sure. Here are some vids I've made that might help out as well:
I like to break stages/ skills down into their separate components, it allows you to practice with the least frustration and can hone individual skills faster. Once you've got the basic skills sorted you can start adding them together.
Skills I tend to practice are:
Positional with sling (standing, knelling, sitting, prone)
Barricades (build a position at different heights)
Long range (getting ballistics trued/practice hold overs/learning wind)p
Targets at multiple distances from prone (dialing and hold overs)
Wind reading and closer range but on small targets (reduced error due to accuracy that long range shooting)
Once you are pretty happy with the basic skills add them together:
Barricade engaging multiple targets from multiple positions.
Long range from barricade or tank trap
Short time limits with multiple positions
Very short time limits to engage very small targets.
Once you've done a few competitions you should be able to identify your weakness, just break them down into easily trainable pieces.
Skills I tend to practice are:
Positional with sling (standing, knelling, sitting, prone)
Barricades (build a position at different heights)
Long range (getting ballistics trued/practice hold overs/learning wind)p
Targets at multiple distances from prone (dialing and hold overs)
Wind reading and closer range but on small targets (reduced error due to accuracy that long range shooting)
Once you are pretty happy with the basic skills add them together:
Barricade engaging multiple targets from multiple positions.
Long range from barricade or tank trap
Short time limits with multiple positions
Very short time limits to engage very small targets.
Once you've done a few competitions you should be able to identify your weakness, just break them down into easily trainable pieces.
Can't really add anything to what Beetroot said except to reiterate
*Balanced rifle
*Get comfortable using your reticle
*Don't buy a bunch of bags, I use two that cover 99% of everything. If you're just starting borrow bags at matches, people can be shy to ask but most of us are happy to let someone try a bag, it will save you a ton of money by finding what really suits you before you buy (ask me how I know).
*Balanced rifle
*Get comfortable using your reticle
*Don't buy a bunch of bags, I use two that cover 99% of everything. If you're just starting borrow bags at matches, people can be shy to ask but most of us are happy to let someone try a bag, it will save you a ton of money by finding what really suits you before you buy (ask me how I know).
I'm not sure how much I can really add here, there's already a lot of good info but here it goes. If you have the ability, build yourself some barricades because I've seen shooters fall apart on barricade stages. I made a multipurpose barricade that is screwed to a Kobalt folding sawhorse, a 2X4 tank trap that collapses down, and I picked up a blue 55 gallon barrel from Rural King, although some places will give these away. This allows me to practice for a majority of the stages that I encounter at matches and helps build fundamentals that I can adapt to tackle some less common barricades and such. I have enough room in my backyard to get 35 yards where I can put up a homemade dryfire target to use during my barricade practice. Set two of them up and I can do target transitions. The target was originally designed for use with my centerfires but it can be applied to rimfires too.
At the range I like to use some rimfire practice targets that I created. They're designed around shooting one box of 50 rounds at 50 yards focusing on precision, positional, and barricade shooting. The original 50/50 rimfire target is more for if you have a flat, open range with room to work and V2.0 is designed for use at a bench, although, not necessarily sitting the whole time.
The 50/50 practice targets also let you use practice with ammo that shoots well enough for the task but saves your match .22 stash for competitions where it counts.
At the range I like to use some rimfire practice targets that I created. They're designed around shooting one box of 50 rounds at 50 yards focusing on precision, positional, and barricade shooting. The original 50/50 rimfire target is more for if you have a flat, open range with room to work and V2.0 is designed for use at a bench, although, not necessarily sitting the whole time.
The 50/50 practice targets also let you use practice with ammo that shoots well enough for the task but saves your match .22 stash for competitions where it counts.
Looking to work on some things this weekend. We’ve got 160 yards available and multiple barricades. Wire spool, 55 gallon drum, saw horse, ladder, mini tank trap, 8’ tree limb on an angle. Targets ranging in size from 1 1/2”x2 1/2” groundhog silhouette to 8” circle.
I’m going to use this as a training day under “comp” conditions. Should be a fun day.
I’m going to use this as a training day under “comp” conditions. Should be a fun day.
Unless you are the world's most inflexible person Yoga isn't really going to help.
I can barely sit cross legged on the floor (i say built for power not flexibility......) but it has never held me back.
Maybe if you had to do the limbo whilst shooting or some sort of team match where you play twister and shoot stages.
Do yoga if you want to but I don't see it helping the average job being a better shooter.
Cardio will help with getting breathing under control and keeping a lower heart rate, that's what I'd be concentrating on.
I'm not the world's most inflexible person. I'm in 3rd place for that award.
My lack of flexability has always been an issue for me. Sbooting has just pushed me to the point of doing something about it.
I agree 100% on the cardio as well. As of late I've really noticed my reticle moving when I breath. I try to shoot at the bottom of my breath, but on the clock it doesn't always work like that.
My lack of flexability has always been an issue for me. Sbooting has just pushed me to the point of doing something about it.
I agree 100% on the cardio as well. As of late I've really noticed my reticle moving when I breath. I try to shoot at the bottom of my breath, but on the clock it doesn't always work like that.
Thank you for posting this. I am excited to try this out and work on getting better.
As mentioned above, build a barricade and dry fire A LOT. You can also use a step ladder if you don't want to build something at this point. I personally like to make notes on my match book of problems that I had so that I can go back and work on them later. Things like finding targets, stability problems, did I set the bipod too low, etc. Then break it down into the individual problem and solve it (like beetroot said). If you are having problems finding targets, do nothing but target acquisition drills over and over till you got it figured out. You can also go through old match books and re-run those stages dry, at home. That has probably been the biggest help to me. Also, setup your phone and record yourself getting in position and moving. This will show you things you never realized you were doing (both good and bad). Hope this helps.
Just work on thing at a time. It can be tempting to try and learn/train everything at once because there is so much to learn.
Dryfire is good practice as it takes your focus off of the bang and on the position/aiming.
A step ladder works great.
One night do standing. Next kneeling one knee etc.
Start standing bag in hand build your position aquire your target click follow through stand and repeat. Take as much time as you need to build a very solid position each time. Dont go fast just do it right.
Doing reps of the same thing over and over same time will help it drill into your memory better.
Dryfire is good practice as it takes your focus off of the bang and on the position/aiming.
A step ladder works great.
One night do standing. Next kneeling one knee etc.
Start standing bag in hand build your position aquire your target click follow through stand and repeat. Take as much time as you need to build a very solid position each time. Dont go fast just do it right.
Doing reps of the same thing over and over same time will help it drill into your memory better.
Just wanted to highlight this ...
good example of a 'shooting skill' that doesn't involve trigger pulling.
complex stages have a bit of "choreagraphy" built into them,
a little practice of the sub-routines of shooting helps IMHO
My regiment when dry firing at home is to take my time to try and find the most stable position behind a barricade of a specific shape or height barricade, really pay attention to what about the position allows me to hold the reticle rock solid with NPoA, then figure out the mechanics of how to get into the position. Lastly I time myself from standing to breaking the first shot off in that position(generally I try to focus on par being less than 30 seconds to first shot).
Prerequisites I think would be enough actual trigger time to be honest about your dry fire trigger break and maybe some Appleseed or CMP experience.
Another small detail I try to maintain when dry firing after putting the kids to sleep, is putting on my boots and earpro so that my body mechanics don't change when I'm at a match too much.
Last thought, may seem obvious, but I've noticed height of the barricade determines what your legs do, type/stability of barricade determines what your hands do (pics for example between dry fire and competition the week after)
Prerequisites I think would be enough actual trigger time to be honest about your dry fire trigger break and maybe some Appleseed or CMP experience.
Another small detail I try to maintain when dry firing after putting the kids to sleep, is putting on my boots and earpro so that my body mechanics don't change when I'm at a match too much.
Last thought, may seem obvious, but I've noticed height of the barricade determines what your legs do, type/stability of barricade determines what your hands do (pics for example between dry fire and competition the week after)
Attachments
I like to break things into specific skills, then combine later. Then repeat.
1) Establish ballistics and calibrate Ballistics app or Kestrel. (whatever you have ... I like Kestrel the best.)
2) Re-confirm ballistics match ballistics calculator until satisfied in a range of temperatures and weather. If that's wrong, nothing you can do in the field can compensate so get it perfect.
3) Work on position shooting (I use a high quality PCP air rifle rather than dry fire. ( I like the feedback ) without regard for time. Just learn how to shoot from PRS style positions. As stated above, learn how to use balance.
4) I like to do muscle memory drills with the air rifle adjusting the scope for distances and wind conditions based on center fire values. I shoot at graph paper with 10 squares per inch but aim at one square but dialing to hit other squares from 10 yards.
5) I practice slowly in the field from tank traps and other PRS obstacles from 300 to 750 yards.
6) I participate in buddy training practice events where we mock stage shoots with training and hit confirmation assistance between us. The emphasis is on helping each other without strict match times. Goal is to make good solid hits... time comes second. Open conversation and spotting assistance.
7) Formal buddy 22LR matches.
One of the most frustrating elements of long range shooting is hit confirmation. In farm country, the vegetation makes it impossible to spot misses. Its even hard to spot hits past 500 when the mirage is up, so it really helps to have a good spotter. We've considered getting an acoustic scoring system with wifi... Not sure if we will yet.
The most important thing is to have a convenient place to practice that is not too far away. Hopefully on your own property. I have to drive 1.5 hours each way to practice and 3 hours on the road each day gets old.
This is similar to the PCP air rifle I use. Weihrauch hw100 with Aeron chassis and Element scope. It's a one holer. Not cheap though. Mine has a longer barrel and balances perfectly.
1) Establish ballistics and calibrate Ballistics app or Kestrel. (whatever you have ... I like Kestrel the best.)
2) Re-confirm ballistics match ballistics calculator until satisfied in a range of temperatures and weather. If that's wrong, nothing you can do in the field can compensate so get it perfect.
3) Work on position shooting (I use a high quality PCP air rifle rather than dry fire. ( I like the feedback ) without regard for time. Just learn how to shoot from PRS style positions. As stated above, learn how to use balance.
4) I like to do muscle memory drills with the air rifle adjusting the scope for distances and wind conditions based on center fire values. I shoot at graph paper with 10 squares per inch but aim at one square but dialing to hit other squares from 10 yards.
5) I practice slowly in the field from tank traps and other PRS obstacles from 300 to 750 yards.
6) I participate in buddy training practice events where we mock stage shoots with training and hit confirmation assistance between us. The emphasis is on helping each other without strict match times. Goal is to make good solid hits... time comes second. Open conversation and spotting assistance.
7) Formal buddy 22LR matches.
One of the most frustrating elements of long range shooting is hit confirmation. In farm country, the vegetation makes it impossible to spot misses. Its even hard to spot hits past 500 when the mirage is up, so it really helps to have a good spotter. We've considered getting an acoustic scoring system with wifi... Not sure if we will yet.
The most important thing is to have a convenient place to practice that is not too far away. Hopefully on your own property. I have to drive 1.5 hours each way to practice and 3 hours on the road each day gets old.
This is similar to the PCP air rifle I use. Weihrauch hw100 with Aeron chassis and Element scope. It's a one holer. Not cheap though. Mine has a longer barrel and balances perfectly.
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I don't shoot rimfire PRS, but I shoot center fire and one of the biggest things I've done to help me get better is a 10 second drill. I built a full size PRS barricade and ill stand at ready and put 10 seconds on the timer, my goal is when it beeps to build a stable position, get my eye on the target and break a clean shot before the timer runs out. I'll do atleast 30 rounds with this drill every weekend. Also I have been lifting weights which has helped alot when moving with a 20.5 lbs rifle. Next is cardio but fuck me I hate running
I would advice you to have fun and learn from the good shooters. Not sure what type of prs style match you are going to attend, some are more prone heavy with props mixed in and some are positional/barricade etc. Some ranges offer a practice day before the match. Main thing just have fun and keep safety as your first objective. It will take a few matches to get a good feel of things, learning what works and what doesn’t. You will also see how the gear you have fits your needs. The good thing is, any good prs style rifle/optic can double as a hunting setup for most long range hunting.
Good info in every post. I am very grateful.
We got out yesterday and today. Shot prone, off the spool and sawhorses. 3 positions off the spool and sawhorses. Really good workout.
2 things we worked on were target acquisitions and the 10 second drill mentioned by jmkjr87 above. We were in the high teens to low 20’s in the beginning from start to first shot. Had no idea it was that long until we started paying attention. A lot of wasted time for sure. At the end we were hitting a bowling pin popper at 70 yards off the spool consistently under 9 seconds. A few times in the 6’s.
All in all we had a good couple days. Everyone who shot today had some struggles but it was good to be out. Thanks to everyone.
We got out yesterday and today. Shot prone, off the spool and sawhorses. 3 positions off the spool and sawhorses. Really good workout.
2 things we worked on were target acquisitions and the 10 second drill mentioned by jmkjr87 above. We were in the high teens to low 20’s in the beginning from start to first shot. Had no idea it was that long until we started paying attention. A lot of wasted time for sure. At the end we were hitting a bowling pin popper at 70 yards off the spool consistently under 9 seconds. A few times in the 6’s.
All in all we had a good couple days. Everyone who shot today had some struggles but it was good to be out. Thanks to everyone.
I couldn't believe how much time I was wasting also untill I started doing the 10 second drills. That has been one of the biggest factors for me that has helped me improve. I have a shot clock coming and I'm going to practice untill I can get my time down to 8 secs or less with a clean shot
One thing I like to do is have my wife write the stages for me. I get no time to look them over she just hands me a paper with the instructions. I get my dope and make a card for my wrist and then shoot on the timer. That has also helped me with tricky stages. I believe if you write them yourself you will remember it better vs somebody else. And she loves writing weird fucked up stages that trick me up. Alot of the time the stages she writes are harder than what I encounter at a match
I agree. We usually alternate amongst our group. To me that’s good practice for the “Do you understand the course of fire” part of the match.
We started doing 9 shot strings in 1:30 and 6 shot strings in 1 minute. 3/3/3 and 2/2/2. That whole first shot under 10 seconds thing becomes real important.
We started doing 9 shot strings in 1:30 and 6 shot strings in 1 minute. 3/3/3 and 2/2/2. That whole first shot under 10 seconds thing becomes real important.
Wanted to update with some thoughts after a recent match.
Wife and I shot at MKM in the August NRL22x match on the 21st. For us, the mental side of things was the killer. She and I both feel very comfortable at the distances these comps are shot at. Not pro by any means. but solid middle pack with our comfort level. But dumb mistakes got us. I had a zero on one stage because I didn’t dial back to zero. Meaning I started at 25 MOA instead of 0. Stupid. Very confident that would have been a 9. Not good. Shot some out of sequence. Just dumb stuff.
With that being said, I think the physical side of things led to the mental issues. 12 stages over 7 hours in 87* heat definitely took it’s toll. Physical fitness is probably the biggest thing that we need to work on. I believe had we been better physically, we would have been better mentally. Thus ending up with better scores.
We learned the hard way that it’s not all shooting. For sure.
Wife and I shot at MKM in the August NRL22x match on the 21st. For us, the mental side of things was the killer. She and I both feel very comfortable at the distances these comps are shot at. Not pro by any means. but solid middle pack with our comfort level. But dumb mistakes got us. I had a zero on one stage because I didn’t dial back to zero. Meaning I started at 25 MOA instead of 0. Stupid. Very confident that would have been a 9. Not good. Shot some out of sequence. Just dumb stuff.
With that being said, I think the physical side of things led to the mental issues. 12 stages over 7 hours in 87* heat definitely took it’s toll. Physical fitness is probably the biggest thing that we need to work on. I believe had we been better physically, we would have been better mentally. Thus ending up with better scores.
We learned the hard way that it’s not all shooting. For sure.
I am not as physically fit as I used to be so when it's hot out and I'm doing a match or just practicing I try to be as prepared as I can to keep myself cool and comfortable.
First thing I do is dress to keep myself out of the sun as much as possible and for me lightweight pants and a lightweight shirt go a long way, I have a lightweight shirt with a hood that works great. It also is very efficient at wicking sweat away to keep me dry and comfy, to me there's nothing worse then a soaked cotton t-shirt hanging off of you. Shemags also do a good job if you don't have a shirt with a hood on it.
Second, is to fuel up before the match and get hydrated. The morning of a match I get a good breakfast, nothing huge, but enough to keep me fueled for a few hours and I start taking in water. I didn't do any of that this past Sunday when I went to the range for some practice and I was a shit show trying to work my practice target. I felt weak, hot, tired and the results on target showed it so I took a break, got some water, ate a Clif bar, and did much better the second time around. I also felt better and more steady as I was working the gun in the prone and shooting positional.
At matches I've also taken to packing a cooler with waters and snacks that are "light" and can sort of help cool me down but I don't pack a lunch really. I don't take a sub or bbq sandwich, nothing heavy really that will sit like a weight in my stomach while it's about 90 out with high humidity. I like Clif bars for a mid-day snack and their Shot Bloks are great too when it's hot, they're in gummy form and don't require a lot of water to wash down.
That's more or less what I do when it's hot and crappy outside while I'm shooting.
First thing I do is dress to keep myself out of the sun as much as possible and for me lightweight pants and a lightweight shirt go a long way, I have a lightweight shirt with a hood that works great. It also is very efficient at wicking sweat away to keep me dry and comfy, to me there's nothing worse then a soaked cotton t-shirt hanging off of you. Shemags also do a good job if you don't have a shirt with a hood on it.
Second, is to fuel up before the match and get hydrated. The morning of a match I get a good breakfast, nothing huge, but enough to keep me fueled for a few hours and I start taking in water. I didn't do any of that this past Sunday when I went to the range for some practice and I was a shit show trying to work my practice target. I felt weak, hot, tired and the results on target showed it so I took a break, got some water, ate a Clif bar, and did much better the second time around. I also felt better and more steady as I was working the gun in the prone and shooting positional.
At matches I've also taken to packing a cooler with waters and snacks that are "light" and can sort of help cool me down but I don't pack a lunch really. I don't take a sub or bbq sandwich, nothing heavy really that will sit like a weight in my stomach while it's about 90 out with high humidity. I like Clif bars for a mid-day snack and their Shot Bloks are great too when it's hot, they're in gummy form and don't require a lot of water to wash down.
That's more or less what I do when it's hot and crappy outside while I'm shooting.
Glad you responded. It reminded about the clothing and the Clif bars. Wicking long sleeves for the next match, Clif bars and a ton of water. We went through 1.5 gallons of ours and numerous bottles they had in coolers. It will be a gallon for each for a match of that duration next time. At least. When I start to get dehydrated, I go down hill fast. Mentally and physically.
Just to throw my 2 cents into the competing in the heat thing, out here in the deserts of California we see triple digits for a few months a year and easily break 90s all summer..
Y'all nailed it, but just to add to what Trigger Monkey already said, stay out of the sun. Breathable long sleeve shirts, and most importantly, HUG THE SHADE. If you're not shooting, sit where you can find shade and spot from there if you can.
Brink fluids in a cooler with ice and drink even when you're not thirsty (especially if you're in high desert where you dehydrate even faster) my shooting partner and I go through probably 3 liters of water individually in about an 8 stage match (subbing in Gatorade or something with salts also happens a lot)
Edit: spelling
Y'all nailed it, but just to add to what Trigger Monkey already said, stay out of the sun. Breathable long sleeve shirts, and most importantly, HUG THE SHADE. If you're not shooting, sit where you can find shade and spot from there if you can.
Brink fluids in a cooler with ice and drink even when you're not thirsty (especially if you're in high desert where you dehydrate even faster) my shooting partner and I go through probably 3 liters of water individually in about an 8 stage match (subbing in Gatorade or something with salts also happens a lot)
Edit: spelling
Also for matches where you are exposed all day for like 6-7 hours,
have thought about a portable "chrome dome" sun umbrella
Choosing an Umbrella for Hiking | Euroschirm Swing Liteflex
The GoLite Chrome Dome is the umbrella of choice for thru-hikers but now the Euroschirm Swing Liteflex is set to be the umbrella of choice for hiking.
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We ended up doing the shady stages in the morning. Full sun the rest of the day. I always wear a boonie, so the head was good. Arms got smoked. Wife got it worse. She’s fair skinned anyway and was red after the shoot. I had a long sleeve wicking shirt in the truck. Figures. We’ll both have one next time.
I like the umbrella.
I like the umbrella.
One other thing, when it's hot and humid out sometimes things get slick and I like to use liquid chalk for extra traction. You can find it at some sporting goods stores but I just get it off of Amazon.
Also, check out these Duke Cannon Cold Shower wipes, they're great. They have a gritty side and a soft side and they work. If I'm on a jobsite all day and I'm feeling hot and grimy, I use a couple of these to scrub my hands, wipe my face, and the back of my neck to start to feel human again. Good for after matches too.
Also, check out these Duke Cannon Cold Shower wipes, they're great. They have a gritty side and a soft side and they work. If I'm on a jobsite all day and I'm feeling hot and grimy, I use a couple of these to scrub my hands, wipe my face, and the back of my neck to start to feel human again. Good for after matches too.
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