Improvised sitting position

A month ago or so, I saw a post on one of my favorite blogs, Art of the Rifle, dealing with a modified or improvised kneeling position. Rifleslinger called it "unorthodox" kneeling position. Master Sergeant Torres, the man doing the demo, stated it was more stable.

So I tried it:

 It was more stable. Unfortunately for me, it was also more painful!
 
See, I have always struggled with pain in the kneeling position. Multiple sprains of each knee and ankle in my youth has lead to the kneeling position being impossible for me to hold for more than about 60 seconds. During the 60 seconds, I am in immense pain - worse pain than when I broke my ankle or when I broke my finger.

Here I am in a traditional kneeling position:

Those with sharp eyes might say: "Usagi, if you would actually rest on your ankle, the position would be even more stable!"
To which I'd respond: "You paying for the ambulance ride?"
I literally cannot sit all of the way down on my ankle. Knee pain and ankle pain do not permit.

Back to the improvised kneeling position - it was more stable. It was also more painful for me. I think a big part of it is that the position requires one to basically sit on their trailing ankle. As a comparison, I can shoot offhand (standing), sitting, or prone for hours without the slightest bit of discomfort. Kneeling is not possible for more than 60 seconds at a time, and no more than 3-4 reps, maximum.

In a desperate effort to create something resembling more comfort (OK, who are we kidding, something slightly less painful), I tried extending my left leg a bit. This did add a bit more balance for the rifle, but less for my body:

As I sat there, I could not take the pain any more, and literally fell backwards onto my backside. Three things hit me at once:
1. My ankle no longer hurt.
2. My knee no longer hurt.
3. My rifle was even more steady than before!

Here's what it looked like:

I call it "improvised sitting" position. It is extremely stable. It is extremely comfortable. And because the magazine is propping the rifle up on my leg slightly, it is illegal in NRA Highpower competition. That means it is also more effective than a "traditional field position."

Here it is from another angle:

As you can see, these pics were taken without me using a sling. Since it is my belief that sling use is primarily for sportive competition, and since this position is likely illegal in the same competitions, there would be no reason to practice the modified sitting position whilst using a sling.


Summary:
I can get into and out of this position faster than I can from an orthodox sitting position. It is more stable than an orthodox sitting position when I use my main battle rifles (M16A4 clone pictured above or M1 Garand - not pictured). Interestingly, the .22 training rifles are more stable from an orthodox sitting position for me - and I think that is due to the fact that they are lighter in weight and recoil is not a concern with a .22. The modified sitting position gives direct support for my rifle (propping on my leg).

Because of these factors, I have added this position into my training array. In fact, since I came across this variation (quite literally by painful accident), I have not practiced any other sitting or kneeling position. It is my feeling that this position for me is effective to 400 yards. I have shot a few AQTs as my test for that thesis. Scores in the mid 230's for those that are counting.

Given the speed of transition into and out of the position, I'd say it would be good for me in any circumstance I'd otherwise use kneeling. In fact, because of the pain factor, it is quicker for me than kneeling. I'd use this as close as 30-40 yards out, depending on circumstance.

One thing that Master Sergeant Torres also suggested as an advantage for his improvised kneeling position is that it presents a smaller target for an enemy. I would say this is true for my improvised sitting position as well.

Special thanks to my son, Cael, for taking these pictures of daddy.


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