Training – A Range Trip and Rob Pincus’ “FitShot” . . . pushing your range work

 

Shooting ranges can be interesting places. Frankly, many are nothing but a booth and designated lane for a shooter. And, while good work can be done – the ability to push your limits gets a bit “iffy”.

And, there are many ways to “push your limits”. How fast are you? How accurate are you? How well do you manipulate your weapon? How do you do on multiple targets? Eventually, we all need to find time on a much more “open” range to work on our individual issues.

I am fortunate to be a member of a local organization that has just such a range. And, honestly it’s seldom ever close to what one would call “crowded”. I typically push the above topics on both my SIRT range in my office as well on the live-fire range that I frequent. Still – a shooter can always push a bit more, increase their stress levels a bit more. One way is to hit some of the more advanced shooting schools. I enjoy that – but that doesn’t really help during the majority of my range trips. There is a program being developed by Rob Pincus to do two things – increase the amount of stress you shoot under and to increase your fitness level.

It’s called FitShot. A quick Google of “youtube fitshot rob pincus” yields a number of examples of this fitness program for shooters. One thing you will notice about Rob and a number of the shooters doing the drills with him are pretty damn fit. Heavy sigh – I have work to do . . . So, I went to the range this past weekend (11/10/2013) with the intent to actually tape a range trip so those that wonder what the heck I do on a trip looks like. Along with my typical Ruger 22/45 “warm up”, I thought I would roll in some FitShot as well. The huffing and puffing is real . . . no stunt doubles were used! The FitShot workout looked like this:

• 10 Deep Air Squats with one round between each squat
• 10 Kettelbell “Pulls” – add a Kettelbell lift, then drop the bell, draw and shoot . . . one round between each lift
• 10 Kettelbell Russian Swings with one round between each swing
• 10 ea 90-Yard runs with a round between each “lap”
• Finish the session out with a magazine of headshots only.
• Shooting distance 21’
• Weapon – Springfield .45 ACP 1911

Honestly, there’s nothing special about the video but the last couple minutes are interesting because it is shot during my recovery time. This process pushes a shooter to the point where their heart rate is elevated, breathing is heavier and for me it’s a pretty good indication I have some solid work to do over the winter on my general fitness.

This level of physical stress gives a shooter a glimpse of what their body feels like under stress without having rounds fired at them. It also provides good practice at working on the basics when you’re winded – when you need to adapt to your breathing while it “quiets” and still get rounds on target.

Again, the video is nothing special, simply an example of one way you can stress yourself on the range during your shooting drills.

A couple of cautions. NO FRICKIN’ EXCUSES!!! Safety rules apply regardless your level of stress. Keep your head in the game as you become more tired. Wear good gear – a weapon that bounces out of your holster has no value. Magazines that fall out of your pocket/mag carrier have no value. Crappy shoes that don’t allow you to move have no value.

So . . . let’s go to the tape . . .

First, the Ruger .22/45 “Warm Up” target . . .

And finally, the FitShot target shot throughout the trip . . .

And the range trip video.  Again, nothing special really, though the last few minutes are interesting from a physical recovery point of view.

You need to push yourself folks – regardless of your training level.  Eventually, you need to push yourself physically as well.  I find Rob Pincus’ “FitShot” program an interesting option.