Today, we delve into perhaps one of the most overlooked shooting fundamental: the technical follow-through. Through our daily posts we have superficially explored the fundamentals of shooting, particularly with pistols. Our aim is to prompt reflection and improvement in your practices, especially in achieving better accuracy and executing shots more consciously by understanding each of these six indispensable processes. While hitting the target may sometimes occur unconsciously, hitting the target while knowing what is being done, why it is being done, and being able to explain it is a bit more complex.
Let’s discuss the follow-through. The distinction between technical and tactical follow-through, which we won’t discuss today, lies in what is being tracked. In the technical realm, it’s the shot itself, whereas in the tactical, it’s the target or potential threats. Let’s not confuse the two; we can discuss tactical follow-through another day.
The execution of technical follow-through entails the following: as the shooter executes the five preceding fundamentals—stance, grip, aiming, breathing, and trigger control—and fires the shot, he does not cease the shot at the exact moment it’s fired, even after the projectile has left the barrel and hit the target. Deliberately, in executing technical follow-through, the shooter keeps his finger on the trigger and maintains aim, aligning the sights, even after the shot has been fired. Of course, once the shot has been fired, there’s nothing the shooter can do to alter the trajectory of the projectile. Similarly to a basketball player flexing their wrist after the ball leaves their hands or a golfer completing their swing after the ball leaves the club, technical follow-through in shooting also serves the crucial purpose of maintaining the flawless execution of the five preceding fundamentals.
It’s not uncommon in our instructions that, after a few dry-fire sessions, shooters achieve good results in their initial shots. However, over time, as the brain gets accustomed to the process, shooters develop a tendency to push the gun forward, causing impacts lower than desired. Technical follow-through, by intentionally prolonging the shot, aims to prevent this unconscious behavior, ensuring that the shooter continues to hit the target’s center even after the shot is fired.
Does this sound strange to you? It’s worth trying whenever you find yourself consistently hitting low on the target, even with correct aim.
