Lessons from Competition Shooting: "Indexing"
What does Competition Shooting have to do with Jiu-jitsu? Keep reading
Summary of Today’s Email + Some Housekeeping Things
Today’s newsletter is influenced by my imaginary close quarters combat in the house. If you continue reading, please note below is for entertainment purposes only. Please don’t try this at home or on the mats :)
Here’s the summary
Since picking up competition shooting, I’ve become obsessed.
When you see the way in one thing, you see it in everything: Jiujitsu and competition shooting share many of the same principles
In shooting, there are concepts such as “index points”, “target focus” and strategies for transitioning that are immensely helpful to understand in jiu-jitsu.
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I’m f$%&ing obsessed.
I catch myself once every few minutes running around the house gripping an imaginary gun and dry firing at random objects in the house.
Have to go let the dogs in? Let me get up, fire some imaginary shots at the light switches before opening the door.
Laundry timer goes off? Sweet. Time to walk down the hall and start blasting the arrangement of mirrors we’ve got in the doorway.
Need to use the restroom? Dope. Let me pie this corner and send some fake rounds down the hallway.
Yes, I realize I’m a maniac. But, what can I say… this is no different than most white belts are with jiujitsu. I was this way too as a beginner with jiujitsu trying to practice moves with friends, real and imaginary.
Since I shot my first competition a few months ago, I find myself rattling off topics that intersect. Things like index points, target focus, and transitions… Things I’m focusing on in shooting are blending into my jiu-jitsu instruction. And since most of my students are into guns, I think it works.
No less, I just found myself dry firing at some pictures on the wall. Lately I’ve been focused on “eyes first, then gun” to improve my ability to acquire a target without overshooting or undershooting. And since I just caught myself doing this right before a writing session, I figure what better time to share some thoughts on what lessons in competition shooting have to do with jiu-jitsu… And it’s more than you think.
Index Points
Two weeks ago, our focus was on side control. I caught myself talking about “index points” and how they were important for developing consistency. In these particular lessons, I was talking about the importance of maintaining frames and how finding a consistent point to frame is helpful for developing consistent in your techniques.
Your body adapts to where things are geographically. In other words, if you have to find a light switch in complete darkness, you can visualize certain queues to help you find the light switch. This is an idea of a “reference point” and can also be considered an “index point”.
In shooting, particularly with drawing, you use the idea of indexing to make sure your draw and your grip are consistent. If you want to shoot consistently, your grip and your trigger pull have to be consistent. This is one of the biggest pains in the ass to practice because it gets so repetitive but it’s probably one of the most important. It’s so fundamental that if you’re missing it, you’ll be a bad shot.
Sound familiar?
That’s because in jiu-jitsu too, not having sound fundamentals will make your jiu-jitsu unsound. The problem is that in jiu-jitsu, every single position contains its own set of principles within its principles… In other words, the same principles that apply to mount may not always apply to side control. Each may have different index points for framing (they don’t, but the movements that follow differ slightly!).
Here’s an example when I frame in side control:
I always want to make sure my frame first finds the fold of my training partner’s hip. Then I want my elbow to line up against my partners waist. I use this as an index EVERY TIME I’m in bottom side control (with cross-face and underhook variation). It helps me keep my side control escapes consistent. This consistency across the technique makes my technique more efficient and effective, just like a consistent draw and grip will make your shots more effective.
Another idea here is that indexing helps you with speed.
If, for example, if your gun is in the same place every time, you’ll know exactly where to reach for.
And here’s a tip to make sure your gun is in the same spot EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
If you want to make sure your gun is in the most efficient place: Keep it at 12 o clock. Why? Because 12 lines up with your belly button. You already know where your belly button is, right? Moreso than your appendix, false ribs or floating ribs? If you can line your gun up at your belly button, your hands will automatically know where to go because you can consistently hit this spot faster and more efficiently (I should’ve charged for this one).
If you don’t believe me, try this:
Hold your hands at your side and as quickly as you can, put both thumbs on your belly button.
Ok, now do the same thing except, just as fast as you indexed your belly button, try to index your appendix. Or try to index your false rib. Will not be as fast.
[At the moment, my draw is consistently under 1s AND I can consistently get it as fast as .83s.]
[“Bill Drill” at 5Y. 1.79s from concealment. all shots in A & C zone. .15s splits so the first shot was probably at .8-.9s]
Recent Personal Best: Two shots at 5y in .99s. Draw from AIWB
So, how does this translate to efficiency and speed in jiu-jitsu.
Remember this concept again:
If you can have a definitive starting point for all of your grips, frames, etc., your precision in your techniques will be more accurate. Every human body is different but the levers are still the same, save for some kind of anatomical deformity or handicap. If the levers are the same, and you can index the same points on your opponents’ bodies, your techniques will be more precise.
Indexing helps with precision. It also helps with focus.
In jiu-jitsu, there are too many variables. It’s too dynamic. But if you can keep things in the same place (where you frame, how you make grips, etc), it’s one less thing (ONE HUGE THING!) you have to worry about.
Ok, that’s it for today this one.
I’ll have a part 2 on “transitions” and being “target focused” soon.
Also, if you want some drawing from concealment stuff (or more gun stuff in general) behind a paywall, leave me a reply or a comment.
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