High School Color Guard Instruction: How to Maintain Proper Rifle Technique Part 1

I'm sure those of us have been to a show and have seen beautiful "tricks" as some may call them being performed by an individual who makes the feat look juvenile. Although tossing a quad, 5 or 6 on a rifle or saber may be easy it's actually what is occurring before, during, under and after the toss that makes the most impact. Being able to do a certain toss is one thing, but executing it to it's fullest advantage is how true technique and ability is distinguished from one toss to the next.

Being at Attention Still Invokes Technical Skills

Technique, be it through Sabre or Rifle work begins before the weapon even moves from your hand. When holding a rifle at attention, in most cases your left hand, palm down will be covering the nose of the rifle completely, your right hand will be palm up, under the neck of the rifle with fingers together either pinching the neck or thumb over the neck which ever technique you choose to go with. The weapon should be held at your belly button with elbows out to give the illusion that you are much bigger than you are. Your posture is very important, pulling your shoulders back and pushing your chest out but not too much, you are to look natural but have a presence. When holding a saber at attention, in most cases your left hand will be on the hilt of the Sabre, palms facing down toward the hilt, your right hand will be palm up fingers together pinching the blade between your thumb and index finger.

Spinning a Rifle: The "And" Count

Before you can even begin to think about tossing, you need to know how to spin your rifle properly. Starting with right handed spins is best as most people are right handed. Simply start out in the attention position as mentioned in the previous paragraph. Begin counting in your head 5...6...5..6..7..8 AND 1. The "And" count is the most important when beginning a rifle spin. On the "And" count you want to simply let go of the rifle and allow the nose of the rifle to rotate counter-clockwise so that the nose is pointing down to the ground and the butt of the rifle is up. The shaft of the rifle on the "And" cound should be exactly straight up and down. Many people try to keep the butt of the rifle straight, this is incorrect the shaft of the rifle must remain straight in most cases, this being one of those instances. Practice this multiple times before going to count 1. Your free arm which is your left arm should not move what so ever, simply release the rifle from your hand on the "And" count. Your free arm will come down on count 1.

Spinning a Rifle: Count 1

Now that you have mastered the "And" count you can go on to count 1. Spinning a rifle consecutively is basically a sequence of count 1 over several times depending on the amount of spins predetermined or requested. The rifle rotates around and is briefly released from your hand and caught in the same position on count 1, with the rifle nose down and the shaft perpendicular. Depending on your choice of rifle technique the thumb on your right hand will either remain pressed against the neck or wrapped around the neck. A novice spinner may find that wrapping their thumb is more comfortable and allows them more control, however pressing your thumb will allow you to spin more quickly later on, after you have gotten the spinning down. Either technique is acceptable as long as the entire unit remains uniform. Keep your free arm down to your side or in the predetermined place during the consecutive spins.

Coming to a stop with the rifle is up to the instructor. Most the time guards will end in a left handed spinning position to make an easy transition to left hand spins. This is up to the guard instructor, but a uniformed stop is important and must be executed. Left handed rifle spins are much like right handed spins, you simply reverse the rolls and the spin will be turning clockwise.

Basic fundamentals are a very important part of color guard instruction. Not knowing how to break down simple basics will in turn give you timing problems later on down the line, not just in practice spins and warm-ups but also written work and during shows. Knowing how to break down everything will help you later through the cleaning process.