How to cure head droopping while shooting?

PaulMason · 08-22-2012, 18:38

I have a bad habit of drooping my head while shooting. I try to raise my arm and keep my head up. But, I feel like I have my nose in the air. When I get everything right I'm accurate. When I droop my head, not so much.

Are there any tips to correct this.

Any suggestion?

Mamaluke · 08-22-2012, 20:49

Bring the handgun to eye level...not the reverse.

smitret · 08-22-2012, 22:46

Try wearing a ball cap with the bill pulled down so you have hold your head up to see the target.

Good Luck

PaulMason · 08-23-2012, 07:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitret

Try wearing a ball cap with the bill pulled down so you have hold your head up to see the target.

Good Luck

Good idea - I'll try it.

***Gallium*** · 08-26-2012, 19:47

I am going to assume you are wearing bifocals?

PaulMason · 08-26-2012, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gallium

I am going to assume you are wearing bifocals?

No, I just have a bad habit of dropping my head and I can tell it hurts my accuracy vs keeping it up.

Berto · 08-26-2012, 20:05

Just keep your head up.

Steve in PA · 08-26-2012, 22:31

Try dry firing with your back and head against the wall.

***Gallium*** · 08-27-2012, 02:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulMason

No, I just have a bad habit of dropping my head and I can tell it hurts my accuracy vs keeping it up.

Ok, we can rule out things physiological, if you have no other issues that affect your neck, spine or back...and your affliction is thus mostly or wholly psychological.

What you are doing is a reflection on your lack of concentration and adherence to shooting fundamentals. I would suggest you practice by shooting every shot as its own, and go thru "position, grip, breath control, aiming, trigger control, follow thru" for each and every shot. In that, you consciously check each of these things, and correct as necessary before making the shot, and your follow thru after making the shot.

- G

PaulMason · 08-27-2012, 07:43

All good suggestions - I'll give them a try.

Veedubklown · 08-27-2012, 15:18

I had the same problem! I spent 2 days at front sight, and the instructors were getting on me constantly! IT'S NOT A SHOTGUN! STAND UP! The way I've solved it, is 2 ways.

1.) Dry fire practice. Work on your draw, do it in a mirror. Draw, point in, pressure on the trigger, DONT PRESS. Check yourself. How's your grip, stance, and posture? Is it all good? THEN point back in, and press.

2.) Get those nipples up! Don't arch your back, keep your chest up. It's real hard to duck your chin, when your sternum is in the way. Hell, even throughout the day, get your stance. Phantom draw, throw your hands together, and see if your leaning in. STOP IT! Pull em back down, think about your stance, then throw your hands back up like your gripping your pistol. Eventually, you will change your muscle memory to not slouch.

CHEST OUT NIPS UP POINT IN PRESS.

The idea is, in a weaver stance, your making yourself a thinner profile for your target to get back at you with. Leaning in, just widens it back out. As you said, you feel more accurate with it, as well.

At the end of day 1 at front sight, my buddy and I are driving back to the hotel. Front Sight advocates a thumbs high grip, and I was having trouble getting it down, being used to thumbs forward. As I was throwing my hands together in the truck driving back to the hotel, my buddy looks at me, "You're ducking." Crap. That night I was up 'til about 0030, after some time in the pool to relax, dinner, cleaning my gun, then dry fire practice.

He went to sleep to the sound of me drawing, and clicking. After about a week of daily practice, I've stopped ducking.

PaulMason · 08-27-2012, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veedubklown

He went to sleep to the sound of me drawing, and clicking. After about a week of daily practice, I've stopped ducking.

Thanks, I thought I was the only one.

Mas Ayoob · 08-27-2012, 21:40

May not need correction.

More than a quarter century ago, Mike Plaxco -- then the man to beat in action shooting -- explained to me that he INTENTIONALLY dropped his head forward: because it helped him stay focused on his front sight. It also keys in perfectly with the human body's response to "fight or flight," with the head naturally going forward.

PaulMason · 08-27-2012, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mas Ayoob

May not need correction.

More than a quarter century ago, Mike Plaxco -- then the man to beat in action shooting -- explained to me that he INTENTIONALLY dropped his head forward: because it helped him stay focused on his front sight. It also keys in perfectly with the human body's response to "fight or flight," with the head naturally going forward.

Then I'm guessing when I drop my head I'm not bringing the gun up enough. Does that sound right? As I said above, when I raise my head and bring the gun up I more accurate.

It does feel more natural to drop my head.

Thanks

Mas Ayoob · 08-28-2012, 05:35

Well, if your sights are in line with your eyes, your gun is up high enough.

Paul, do you have any still photos or video of you shooting? There are lots of folks here who can give helpful advice, and seeing your stance and head position would be of great value to them in doing so.

What are you looking for in terms of accuracy? If you wear corrective lenses, they tend to be sharpest at the center of the lens, which in part led to the conventional "head up" wisdom. If you have bifocals, the reading plane (most useful for sights unless you have special shooting glasses geared to the front sight's focal plane) is usually on the bottom, putting the wrong lens in line between eye and sights when the head is forward. Any optician can make you a new pair with the lens for the sight at the top instead of the bottom, which keys in perfectly with "fight posture" and the head being forward and down.

PaulMason · 08-28-2012, 07:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mas Ayoob

Well, if your sights are in line with your eyes, your gun is up high enough.

Paul, do you have any still photos or video of you shooting? There are lots of folks here who can give helpful advice, and seeing your stance and head position would be of great value to them in doing so.

What are you looking for in terms of accuracy? If you wear corrective lenses, they tend to be sharpest at the center of the lens, which in part led to the conventional "head up" wisdom. If you have bifocals, the reading plane (most useful for sights unless you have special shooting glasses geared to the front sight's focal plane) is usually on the bottom, putting the wrong lens in line between eye and sights when the head is forward. Any optician can make you a new pair with the lens for the sight at the top instead of the bottom, which keys in perfectly with "fight posture" and the head being forward and down.

Thanks for the reply. I don't have any photos and my eyes are good I had Lasik done. I'll have to try some of the suggestions people have made. I have a p22 so I can train/test the various suggestions. My gut is telling me that I'm not bringing the gun up high enough.

dakrat · 08-28-2012, 10:23

smack yourself in the back of the head and tell yourself to "QUIT DROOPING"!. problem solved.