Women Shooters - Capabilities and Issues

@Steve-G (and @Trmptr64 ) just a couple of thoughts on what might help, although we’re in experimental territory since I haven’t noticed this experience this myself.

I know for me when something is happening “to” me and I don’t feel in control of it, it makes the experience considerably worse - I start to anticipate the experience and that amplifies the effect. Maybe giving her something to experiment with and discover what affects the experience will give her some sense of control, and help her figure out for herself what personally works best.

I’d suggest going to the range with her with a purpose of exploring this - you shoot at a pace she sets while she tries different things to see what helps. When she’s done experimenting, pack up and head out to dinner and discuss what she discovered (by that I mean “listen to her experience and ask questions, don’t give advice” :wink: )

Here are some things that come to mind as things to try:

  • definitely try gum since you have some indication that it works - she may be able to use this as a reference for other techniques

  • try having her hold her mouth open and mouth breathe (people working near demolitions do this to decrease the effect of the shockwave)

  • try regulated breathing: in for 4 count, out for 4 count

  • try square breathing: in for 4 count, hold for 4 count, out for 4 count, hold for 4 count

  • switch from in-ear tight fitting earplugs to ear muffs to both - try this with regulated breathing / square breathing / mouth open for each configuration and see if it matters

  • try having her count down your shots (3 - 2 - 1 - bang) and see if controlling the anticipation helps

  • try eyes-open / eyes-closed

just some ideas to get started with - she’ll probably come up with her own based on her intuition for her internal experience. Maybe somewhere in there will be something that’s >>better<< (if not perfect) and that will give her a place to start working on demoting the experience to no-big-deal.

Hope that helps.

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This definitely works. If you keep your mouth open the concussion of the blast doesn’t stay in your sinus cavities, especially when you have earplugs in and pressure cannot get out your ears.

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@Zee I think the one issue for the stove pipe is she doesn’t let the slide hammer the way it should when she chambers a load she tries to hold the slide. I’ve been working on her with this and she says it just scares her as she lets the slide hammer forward, because she feels it’s doing damage to the gun. It’s been a slow process, but she is getting better on the pull and let it rock and we’ve been having fewer stove pipe issues when she lets the gun work as it should.

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@luke_ouellette … here’s the thread I was telling you about. :grin:

Woman Shooter - capabilities, no issues:

gungirl4

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love that @Jerzees :heart_eyes:

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@Zee That’s an interesting observation. I’ve never thought of it that way. I know I see a lot of guys leaning back. Watch Talon Sei’s videos on his channel or “Sunday Gunday”. He leans back like someone is trying to slap him :slight_smile:

I’ve taught a number of women to shoot over the years, some friends, my mother and aunt, daughter, etc. I’ve found if I coach them “off the gun” on “choking the tar out of someone!” :slight_smile: by grasping my upraised wrist in front of them, then moving it around as they try to grab more firmly, they tend to push the elbows out, bring their body closer to my wrist, lean in, and lean forward.

This ends up being NOT what modern instructors teach based on what I’ve seen, but how does a 6’4" 250lb man with forearms the size of my calves understand that having your arms stretched out straight is NOT the best use of leverage? You can get a LOT more force between your hands like this a lot easier. It ends up actually looking a lot like all that cool John Wick gun handling, and I know Keanu trained with Taran Tactical, so maybe it does make sense. I don’t know.

What I do know is that, when I used this simple technique to help women understand how to get a better grip on the pistol their confidence increased a great deal. As a small sixty year old woman it’s how I shoot. Maybe I shot differently in my twenties and thirties, although what I recall was that I used the basic Weaver stance, with only my left arm bent. Now I bend both elbows and push “in” on the pistol with it pulled in about a third of the distance from “straight out” and I can control it better. I also either step “into” the gun, or step back and lean into it, essentially taking a “fighting stance”. This gives me a more stable platform.

I see trainers like Geagu(?) Firearms Academy on YouTube where this big man shows his tiny little wife shooting with the “modern” technique, shooting a full size pistol with optic and light straight out with locked elbows. So maybe I’m just puny :slight_smile:

But in general I think the “brute force” method of shooting is great for men like that, James Yeager, James (aka Pretty Boy) from TFB, etc. But for people with less upper body and hand strength, maybe we should shoot like John Wick? :wink:

If you have enough upper body and hand strength I think you can get by with things that I can’t, and which many women can’t. For me, physics and simple experimentation shows me that leaning in, putting my chin down, and breaking my elbows allows me to get more force on the pistol with less effort. When you pinch someone you do it with your finger and thumb “crooked”, not straight.

Or maybe not, who knows? :smiley:
Kate

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@Zee This is good. I found myself doing this technique at my Instructor Certification shoot. I was side-by-side two men and I kept committed to myself to stay focused and do what I needed to do, not “keeping up” with them. Holding my arms out the entire time was not working. Shake zone! Not good for qualifying. I would slow down and bring my firearm back to “ready.” I do more of a “center-ready” hold, than low, keeping muzzle down-range. But it helped a lot. I appreciate when we can appreciate our differences and recognize the strengths we have in them. Great tips. I appreciate it.

Also, trigger control is a big focus for me as well. Thanks for sharing the Silverado Shooting Academy! Added to a “must do!” :slight_smile:

ask her if she’d like to join the well armed women’s gun club, she will learn so much and best of all it’s women teaching women.