This dry fire session was inspired by a follow-along video I watched from Rob Epifania (embedded below). In that video, he runs random transitions between targets without a fixed shooting order. It keeps you mentally engaged and forces quick visual decisions. I liked the concept and wanted to try something similar, but with the addition of movement and barriers in my setup.
To help build out some structure for that, I used a set of agility sticks I recently picked up. They let you create makeshift walls, shooting lanes, and visual obstacles that you can quickly rearrange during a session. I spent a little time researching options and ended up ordering a set on Amazon that extends up to 6 feet tall (taller than me, I’m 5’9”) and comes with weighted bases instead of ground spikes. That way, I can use them for dry fire indoors and bring them to the range without needing soft ground. Here’s a link to the exact ones I ordered. If you grab a set through that link, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
My SG Timer 2 was set to a five-second par time. I wasn’t trying to beat the buzzer, just using it as a reference to see how long each run was taking compared to the par time, based on the last trigger press.
How I Ran the Session
For each round, I’d pick which targets I would be shooting from which poisition and then run that back and forth once or twice and then change it up. For example:
- All targets on the left from a left-side entry, then move and shoot right-side targets from the right.
- Or switch it up and shoot steel from one side and paper from the other.
- Some runs I would start outside of the first shooting pisition so I would have to step-draw to get into position, engage those targets and then move to the next position.
The goal I had in mind for this session was keeping the gun up and working on my footwork while also keeping myself honest with sight confirmations and calling my shots.
Later in the session, I moved the targets and agility sticks around to work on back exits. Eventually, I started getting sloppy and frustrated, and that was my sign to wrap it up. You know when your brain is cooked, and more reps won’t help.
Randomized Transitions: What I Added After Messaging with Rob Epifania
After I posted the video, I messaged back and forth with Rob about the session. He mentioned how he prefers to randomize a lot of his dry fire, especially early in practice, and that sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole.
He pointed me to an article on random practice in sports, specifically basketball. It breaks down the difference between block practice (repeating the same rep or skill over and over) and random practice (where each rep is different and forces new decisions every time). The research in that article showed that random practice can lead to better long-term performance and retention, even if it doesn’t feel as productive in the moment.
I like to randomized the first parts of practice, and then if there are any themes that need attention, isolating those particular components to do reps on them specifically.
– Rob Epifania
I like this idea:
- Start with random transitions, like changing entry direction, target order, or movement path
- Then, if something is consistently giving me issues, drill that component directly using more traditional reps
This approach gives me some ideas I’ll be adding into future sessions. In this run, I didn’t have a fixed stage plan. I just picked a starting direction and target order, then flipped it the other way or changed the order of targets. It definitely kept things interesting and helped reveal the parts of my movement or transitions that could use more work.
Final Thoughts
If you’re doing dry fire and starting to feel stuck or bored, consider throwing in a bit of randomness. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just change the order, the position, or the direction you shoot from. And if something keeps tripping you up, isolate that piece and do focused reps until it smooths out.
The agility sticks seem to be a nice addition to my training tools. They let me reconfigure my setup quickly and simulate walls, corners, or obstacles on the fly. Whether I’m dry firing at home or live firing at the range, I think they’ll add a lot of value.
—
Gear used:
Read full article here