On one hand I agree with you but on the other hand it's just a game.
Who cares if my stance is not absolutly perfect ?!?
I could spend hours and hours to perfect it (as was suggested) but is that really going to do me much good?
Is it really going to make a difference in my effectivness on the field?
Practice, overall, is good and important and does make a diiference but is there really use in being concerned about trivial things like this?
I paintball for fun so it might be different if I went pro and did it as a career but what I care about when I go balling is having fun and making the people around me have fun.
I want to just to play, relax, have fun, hang out with people and make new friends not just spend all my time worrying about my game!
I'm not going to spend time worrying if those poses for those pictures my friend took might have in some way made it more likely for me to shoot worse in a game.

This for me is a non-issue so for now i'll just stick with my harmful posing and bad habits, thank you very much.

I try my best to keep my finger off the trigger til Im ready to fire. Keep the gun at a low ready position. Never pointing to fellow teamates. Keeping low profile and keeping everything tucked.

My one real problem is i get tunnel vision and sometimes lose focus on panning the whole field rather than a selected target. ive gotten much better though. I need to really work on firing and moving at the same time.

__________________
SilentDeath12886's Compilation of A-5 Projectshttp://www.a5og.net/5-photo-gallery/...tml#post125307
The E-bolted A-5http://www.a5og.net/5-mods-upgrades/...tml#post108414
The X7 egrip retrofitted A-5 http://www.a5og.net/5-mods-upgrades/...tml#post122941
The old A-5 http://www.a5og.net/showthread.php?t=5009
The 98c backuphttp://www.a5og.net/showthread.php?t=5893

That would be up to you or your team.
Yes.
Yes.
The basics are not trivial…. in any activity.

While it is true that you can have fun and do okay in just about any activity without paying attention to the basics, it is also true that paying attention to those basics only improves your performance and abilities in that activity. It all depends on what you want out of the activity.

I for one like to lift weights. And paying attention to form and the basics in that activity are important as well. It is not just about moving the weights. It is about proper form and control. And without that correct form and control the workout is not as affective as it could be and should be.

Paintball is much the same way to me, and many others. We take pride in being the best we can be while still having fun. The striving for perfection is PART of the fun. And it is the little things (you call trivial) that really make a difference in the long run.
And I play for fun as well… as I also lift weights for fun. I don’t do either to win any awards or make money. But that does not negate good form and striving to do the best I can at either.
When I am playing I don’t spend time worrying about my game either. If you do, it is too late anyways. I worry about not getting hit and trying to eliminate the opponents (which IS the game), but not about the proper shooting techniques, body position, etc. Those things come naturally when you practice them and make them body instinctive.
And that is fine. But it does not change the truth of things.

Again, that is a personal choice but has no baring on the truth of matters. It is like not worrying about getting a sunburn and not putting on any sunscreen because you don’t think it is important. The sun will not care… and burn you anyways.

If you don’t want to better your game or skills, don’t. If you are happy at the level you are at and don’t think basics are important, don’t worry about them. And I will also point out that this thread is really not for you then.

__________________
“It is easier to blow out a match than it is to control a forest fire.” - Me
NE OSF COMMANDER / OPERATOR STRIKE FORCE
POG #934 / CPPA #2157 / LPPC #1 / BLACKLEAF OUTFITTERS / UMS / My MySpace Account

Don't get me wrong, I do care about things like proper technique, accuracy and safety.
And I think it is important, to an extent to do things like that properly.
However I think worrying about how I act when I take pictures is going a bit far.....

If a picture were to be taken, I would prefer an action picture taken of when Im in the field, not just some posed picture. id rather be portrayed as how I really do work rather just just posing. But I do believe in good form as it provides disipline. Which is my sole reason to getting a milsim marker with correct features to an m4. Its to help me develop good shooting habits under stress which could help with a real firearm in real action. I find it too often now I play airsoft like speedball.

__________________
SilentDeath12886's Compilation of A-5 Projectshttp://www.a5og.net/5-photo-gallery/...tml#post125307
The E-bolted A-5http://www.a5og.net/5-mods-upgrades/...tml#post108414
The X7 egrip retrofitted A-5 http://www.a5og.net/5-mods-upgrades/...tml#post122941
The old A-5 http://www.a5og.net/showthread.php?t=5009
The 98c backuphttp://www.a5og.net/showthread.php?t=5893

I think this thread could be a good thing as long as we remember some eeasy but important things:

1) If a person posts a pick and invites a critique, it's their choice, and their desire to improve themselves. Props to 'em for wanting that and trying to get there.

2) When we critique, be honest but play nice. Slams hurt more than no answer at all.

3) You may not like the answer you get, but take it in its intended spirit of honestly wanting to help you improve if you ask.

4) Those folks who seem to effortlessly make uber-cool plays and who can snap-shot like they were born with it -- they practice until they get sick of it, then they practice some more. My dad always said that the way to tell someone who was a expert at whatever was when they made it look so easy that you said "Anybody can do it" - then you tried and found out the hard way how hard it is.

5) Give someone the request to take pics, but then let them pick the when - that way, you will have forgotten, and what the pic shows is what you're most 'naturally' like when you're playing the game, not playing to the camera.

Just my $.02...and yes, I'm trying to get copies of some pics someone took of me so I can post up and see what y'all say...

--TAG--

__________________

I completely agree 100%. Hence why I posted my only paintballin' pix I have so far. I'd really like to know how my form is, where I'm good, where I need to improve, etc. Just for the record, I had no idea whatsoever that my father was snapping these photos that day. I'm SOOO glad he did though, as I feel they came out rather nice despite being through the netting, haha. But yeah, I'm always open to suggestions from people who obviously know what they are talking about, such as shartley. So please, feel free to comment on my form shartley, or even anybody else that may have a suggestion or observation of some sort.

__________________
~Govinda T.
The UBER Milsim Tippmann A-5 Sisters

SURRENDER NOW. YOU HAVE THIRTY SECONDS TO COMPLY.

here is one of my general stance, which is left foot forward, right foot back with a slight angle facing out, which is basically a fire stance we use in the Australian army, works fine for me, especially when using a flatline, but i mean i get variations when shooting, at the end of the day, a paintball marker is a marker, a weapon is a weapon, when i pick up a marker it comes to my hands as a marker, when i pick up a steyr it comes into my hands as a firearm, different styles i guess



here is another one of my typical crouch stances if you want to call it that when im behind bunkers, reason i chose one like that is because i hit the floor a lot of the time and that allows me comfortably get on the ground easy and fast, also since im resting my back side on my hells, lets me quickly stand up as well to a low crouch



If anyone has any pointers they would like to include, by all means its all accepted warmly guys

__________________

Well, this isnt really shooting stance, but firing position:
-Pull the trigger with your finger, not with your wrist and finger (clentching grip)
-I guess there wouldnt be recoil but lean towards your target

I was taught this by a DuPage Country Sheriff at the range using a .22 and a .45

Shartley seemed to agree with you on all of this... but I'd like to point some things out about what you stated.

After all, they're just civvies with no training.
Very true, but you're playing a simulation game. It makes you better to pick up on techniques refined through the ages of actual riflemanship.

I'm no expert, so I could be wrong, but remember than not all firearms practices are applicable to paintball marker handling.
Agreed but...

E.g. There is comparatively no recoil in markers
Compare my Tippmann A5 to my 5.56 M4 service rifle. I'd say the M4 has no more kick then the A5.

and the weight is probably much lower too on average.
God this depends on the setup, I've seen some markers here with so many gadgets on them I would be tired lugging it around with my style of play.

Both of these can be seen the photos submitted so far. The fellow standing up has a loose grip in both hands and so does the fellow below with one.
Like you said, this is one of the differences in paintball. He's running a double trigger, as to be expected.

It also depends on fitness. The average civvy will be tired at the 2nd half of the day with maybe an ache here or there. They will show this through how they are handling their marker.
Couldn't agree with you more

To sum it up, It depends also on the day in age your shooting. Preferably in a gun fight with no armor my body would be turned trying to lessen my width. With my SAPI plates in, I will square up on the target preventing a round from entering the side of my vest and by luck hitting my plates and... saving my life.

Remember, tuck the chicken wing, shoulder the rifle, weld the stock, squeeze don't pull.

__________________