Swing Momentum

Here’s another small step in our set-upproperly. Set the feet improperly, as in too far back
that’s often forgotten, then costs us a target.towards the trap, and the hips can lock up at that
Or more.critical moment when the final lead is being developed.
Before the target leaves the trap, hopefully yourSaid another way, when your hips lock up, and you
muzzle is very still, motionless before you call for thecan’t rotate any further, your swing is
bird. When the trap fires, your muzzle begins todecelerating and precisely at the wrong time!
move. It slowly accelerates, building speed to matchWhile your friends are correctly telling you that you
the target’s speed and possibly acceleratingare missing behind, no one’s noticed that your
even further to create forward allowance. So it’sfeet are set improperly causing your hips to lock up
fair to say as the muzzle picks up speed, the swing isas your swing nears the break point. Book I, Take
building momentum coming into the breakpoint andYour Best Shot, explains this nicely with a simple
the trigger pull. It is here where we really need thatdiagram.
momentum to either maintain a lead, or build it, pullingSetting your feet properly allows your swing to be
away.fluid, releasing your body (and muzzle) to move with
While we all know the arms and shoulders arethe bird and past it. You will feel better when your
creating the swing, what other parts of your bodylegs and hips drive the swing, not just to the bird but
are contributing to that swing momentum? Your hipsthrough it to the X!
and legs are. Provided, of course, your feet are set