Tips and tricks for big guys

[mexicanbear]

Hello everyone,
I am a bigger guy. 6' around 315#. Trying to cut to 285. Anyway what are some tips or tricks to help my game play. I don't play speedball all that much, mostly rec ball and scenario. My issue that i have is that my forearm that is holding the trigger frame keeps getting hit.

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[Siress]

that's typical, really. If you wan to practice playing tight (exposing as little as possible), gear up and lean into view at the edge of a mirror.

Many people will suggest padding to promote the hits bouncing off instead of breaking. I consider that a form of cheating - but you do you.

[Jonnydread]

Siress coming in with the hot takes!

[Magageddon]

I'm 6' 1" and 180 pounds, from my experience/seeing players shot in the arm is usually from "chicken winging" your arm to support the weight of the gun. This leaves your whole arm exposed and real easy to hit. You gotta tuck your elbow down and have your arm vertical to your body, that way you stay nice and tight in your bunker. If you don't know how to play switch (shooting with your left and right hand), learn that. Practice makes permanent and being able to play with both hands makes you a much smaller target to hit when coming out of bunkers.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Run drills.

Snap shooting, (work accuracy then speed)

You may need to adjust your setup. When you hold your marker by the grip frame you want the bottle to rest in on the inside of your elbow.

You want your marker always in the outside hand. This requires you to switch hands.

You can also practice keeping your profile small by looking in a mirror seeing what you are exposing to your opponent.

You are likely “Chicken Winging” leading with your elbow. This choreographs your snap shot. This gives you away putting you at a disadvantage. An opponent will know exactly ware you are coming out of before you can even see them to return fire. You need to tuck it in under your tank. When you snap shoot it’s all upper body.

Don’t underestimate the power of a head check. Take a Quick Look instead of coming out with your marker. It’s quicker gives you field awareness and lets you know if a player is out posted on you. I use this a lot. If an opponent knows you see them they will likely stay put and not move. You will also know if you can take back control of the zone giving you the advantage of the battle. They now have to come out adjusting to you then fire. You just got to pull the trigger and get in before the return shot. Try and play the sides of the bunker coming over the top is slow if you do take a pop shot to throw em off and get back down. So you head check and see an opponent posted. Imagine that player threw the bunker aim as if the bunker isn’t there as soon as you snap out fire and get back in. This will help speed up the process (snap, adjust, fire). Instead (adjust, Snap, Fire) this decreases the amount of time you are exposed to return fire. Also be as random as possible don’t come out the same side every time mix it up.

Drilling is the best way to work that muscle memory. The most ruthless snap shooters are aiming by feel 90% of the time and it takes practice.

[Ecapnation]

Are you tucking your arm in or chicken winging all elbow out?

[mexicanbear]

Are you tucking your arm in or chicken winging all elbow out?

Tucking my arm in. My most common hit places are my shoulder/facemask and hands

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[RichM]

I'm 6'9" and about 230lb... so I feel ya. As others have said learning to tuck in tight and snapping out and back in vs trying to post up and hold on a target is probably the best thing you can work on. If I start getting hits on my forearm or shoulders/mask it's generally because I'm getting lazy/tired and I stop trying to snap shoot and just sit on a target. One thing I find for me, given my height, is that knee/shin pads are invaluable. Most of my shooting is done from a crouch or low position, and it's far easier to do that with one or both knees on the ground. I use mountain biking knee/shin pads and clear hockey tape to hold them securely in place, having the pads makes a huge difference.

[Cdn_Cuda]

I've used mountain biking knee/shin pads under my pants for years. Helps prevents rocks, prickles etc from messing up my shins and I can kneel on anything and it doesn't hurt.

[Jimmydee]

this information right here. How often are you playing? I’m 5’6 170 lbs and it’s only been the last 4 years I’ve worn shin/knee and forearm/ elbow pads and wow why I wear these 20 years ago is beyond me.

I'm 6'9" and about 230lb... so I feel ya. As others have said learning to tuck in tight and snapping out and back in vs trying to post up and hold on a target is probably the best thing you can work on. If I start getting hits on my forearm or shoulders/mask it's generally because I'm getting lazy/tired and I stop trying to snap shoot and just sit on a target. One thing I find for me, given my height, is that knee/shin pads are invaluable. Most of my shooting is done from a crouch or low position, and it's far easier to do that with one or both knees on the ground. I use mountain biking knee/shin pads and clear hockey tape to hold them securely in place, having the pads makes a huge difference.

[NONOBLITUS]

Anyone else craving Chicken wings now ?

[Jonnydread]

Dude Korean double fried with gochujang sauce hngggggggg

[Carp]

Thanks for mentioning Korean food Jonnydread . Now, I'm craving yaki mandu and some sweet/sour pork over a plate of rice. 😖

[Chuck E Ducky]

Buffalo garlic parm or bust #ExtraCrispy

[mexicanbear]

I'm 6'9" and about 230lb... so I feel ya. As others have said learning to tuck in tight and snapping out and back in vs trying to post up and hold on a target is probably the best thing you can work on. If I start getting hits on my forearm or shoulders/mask it's generally because I'm getting lazy/tired and I stop trying to snap shoot and just sit on a target. One thing I find for me, given my height, is that knee/shin pads are invaluable. Most of my shooting is done from a crouch or low position, and it's far easier to do that with one or both knees on the ground. I use mountain biking knee/shin pads and clear hockey tape to hold them securely in place, having the pads makes a huge difference.

I do have a tendency to kind of hang out there and not snap shoot I do use knee pads and elbow pads to take advantage over lower positions I do need to work more on head checks I'd never really do those so this will be some valuable tip to try out next time on the field.

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[Daltech]

My best friends is larger framed as well, he tends to play back more, what you are describing in the next thing I wanted to address with him to make him a more formidable opponent. Maybe try using a mirror in your house or bathroom and see how you do it normally and then try to correct your posture to not reveal so much. Invest in solid/quality knee pads, I wear two pairs, I wear neoprene volleyball style HYDRA kneepads, and foam inserts in my pant's, I feel like I'm kneeling on pillows. Also, I kneeled onto Lucille the bat with nails from the walking dead one time out in a woods ball field and the nails stuck into my foam kneepads but didn't go through the second knee pads. I would have ended my paintball career if those three nails went into my kneecap. Just wearing kneepads, and a cup changed the way I play because I'm not even thinking about those problems. FYI- I've been hit square in the cup from 2 feet away and I've been hit in the cup standing on the side watching gameplay, the cup is priceless and not mentioned enough in my opinion. I cannot stress HYDRA knee pads enough, they are pricey, but so what, and buy some contractor pants that have a pocket in the knees to insert a foam pad, don't waste your time with cheap knee pads, they will slide down. The second foam knee pads in the pants insert stay in place very well and move a little bit so you can still have full flexibility.

Learn distances also, paintballs only go 50 yards, they can arc up to 100 yards. but more like 75 yards with any accuracy. I can't believe how many people don't know distances, and where balls break and stop breaking and start bouncing.

Think about paintball like chess, the castle isn't gonna run up and play front at the start of the game. but if a straight shot comes up the Castle will eat it alive. I tend to communicate that I will be holding down a side or tape line, that way if people see me on that side, they know I got it locked down, and when they don't see me, they know that side is vulnerable. I also tend to pick the most vulnerable side, that needs the defense, if everyone one runs right, I'll go left. If you say, you'll hold back left/right corner, thats a solid start. Also, listening is always forgotten about, I can listen and hear the marker/player down field shooting and know the location and when the guys popping out, then a split second after wards, you know you can pop out and look safely. Not paying attention to the sound is how I get gogged.

[BigBalla23]

I'm a big guy (6'5, 280). One thing that's helped me tons, aside from the aforementioned snap shooting etc, is learning how to tree walk. Line up a large piece of cover(tree, building, brush pile, etc), and put it between you and your opponent. It obscures your moves, and can really help you close distance and retain the element of surprise. There are videos on YouTube that describe it better probably, but hope this helps!

[Riot]

that's typical, really. If you wan to practice playing tight (exposing as little as possible), gear up and lean into view at the edge of a mirror.

Many people will suggest padding to promote the hits bouncing off instead of breaking. I consider that a form of cheating - but you do you.

Not to get off topic… but also… you consider certain outfits to be cheating? How did you ever survive the JNCO era?
(I wear slim fit pants to accentuate my slender bod, that’s just a helluva take)

[glaman5266]

Tucking my arm in. My most common hit places are my shoulder/facemask and hands

I wouldn't say that's a bad thing. If you're getting hit in the hands & goggles & only those spots, then that's actually a GOOD thing. You're keeping the rest of your body hidden & you're only allowing your opponents to target what is visible, which should only be your goggles & hands/marker.

As stated earlier, practice with a mirror. That helped me greatly when I was learning how to play. And use your core. Don't support yourself with a knee when you poke out. Good way to accidentally leave an appendage/target sticking out. Do the "Matrix lean" & use your core.

I do have a tendency to kind of hang out there and not snap shoot I do use knee pads and elbow pads to take advantage over lower positions I do need to work more on head checks I'd never really do those so this will be some valuable tip to try out next time on the field.

Hanging out/sitting on a target is an easy way to get shot. If I don't see anyone after a couple seconds I tuck back in & peek out a different side of my cover. It keeps you from being predictable.

[Chappy]

Came to say Tuck in that chicken wing, come out behind the gun when you snap shoot, and learn to tree walk. All have been covered sufficiently. Good job mcb. LOLOL Have fun out there dude!!!