What's Your Stance?

[wingate_52]

I always use footmarkers. A bit of consitency hopefully pays off. I have a stick that I position the distance between the markers, discs of 2mm aluminium plate, one set with pointed machine bolts the others plain and fixed with blu tac until someone steps on them and they are moved!

[Barry C]

Foot markers are a good idea for a set distance but if you imagine starting at 90m, remembering we never stand square onto a target because we share it, then as the target gets closer up to 30, you have to increase/ decrease the twist so at every closer distance, so the tension in your torso will be increasingly different and inconsistant with distance. This could lead to alignment and fatigue errors. Unless you move them every distance to compensate.

[wingate_52]

It's a good start though.

[greydog]

Originally Posted by Barry C

Foot markers are a good idea for a set distance but if you imagine starting at 90m, remembering we never stand square onto a target because we share it, then as the target gets closer up to 30, you have to increase/ decrease the twist so at every closer distance, so the tension in your torso will be increasingly different and inconsistant with distance. This could lead to alignment and fatigue errors. Unless you move them every distance to compensate.

I use foot markers and unless the bosses are moved progressively to the left or right as they are brought closer, for instance during a fita, then there shouldn't be any increased twisting at the closer distances.
I've done a few shoots where the boss has moved slightly to the left as it came to the closer distances, but I've never found it to be so much that I had to reposition the foot markers.

The markers have a knock on effect to your torso position and thereby your shoulder alignment. Keep placing your feet in different positions, especially at the longer distances, and your grouping will suffer.

I don't think foot placement is emphasised enough for beginners as it makes it easier for them to develop a feel for the shot if they start from good foundations.