The Art of Paintball : The Ultimate 5 Tips bound to Improve your Game !

Whether you are brand new to the sport of paintball or you have many matches under your belt, these skills and drills are sure to improve your tournament and recreational speedball game.

#1 Hugging your bunker

Bunkers are a baller's best friend. They are the only thing protecting you from the hundreds or thousands of rounds that may be fired at you in a match, but they can't do their job unless you allow them to by using their coverage properly. Make sure that your body is tucked tight behind your big inflatable buddy, paying special attention not to let a foot peek out. The distance you crouch or stand behind your bunker depends on where you are being fired at from; one opponent may allow you to stand several feet behind a can to get a good angle, while two opponents on either side of you could have you getting up close and personal with that small dorito at the 50. It is also a good idea to practice holding your marker so that the hopper is obscured by your bunker to prevent those disappointing hopper-eliminations.

#2 Shooting with both hands

Speedball wouldn't be nearly as exhilarating if all of your opponents approached you from the right side (not to mention it would be considerably more difficult for all you southpaws out there). To improve your ambidexterity, place two targets about ten yards apart and fifteen to twenty yards from the bunker you will fire from. Now assume the position behind your bunker and fire five shots out of the side of the bunker you are most comfortable with, switch hands, and fire five shots at the other target from the other side. Try to make the transition as smooth and quick as possible, and make sure you are actually hitting the targets, not just firing blind. For players with markers equipped with double finger triggers (probably 99% of you), practice fanning the trigger with your off-hand until it is up to par with your primary.

#3 Run and Gun

You may be able to shoot down 50 soda cans with 50 paintballs at 50 yards out on the practice range or pick off an unsuspecting opponent in the woods with one well aimed shot, but that isn't going to do you a bit of good when you are trucking down the field, flying from bunker to bunker, dodging pods full of paint, and all the while panting like an overweight St. Bernard caught in heat wave. To improve your accuracy while on the move, set up some bunkers, traffic cones, brightly colored rocks, or whatever you have available in a zig-zag pattern with some sort of target at the end. Starting at the furthest point from your target, walk from bunker to bunker, firing at your target the entire time and switching hands when you change directions. As this becomes easier, start jogging through the course, and eventually sprinting. It is helpful to pull your marker in tight to your shoulder and to hold your upper body as rigid as possible, keeping all of the motion below your waist.

#4 Reloading

When you make the move from the woods to the inflatable field, the amount of paint in the air significantly increases, and since most hoppers only hold around 200 rounds, you'll probably need to reload sometime in the match. That is why tournament players and serious enthusiasts wear pod packs around their waist with anywhere from 2-7 tubes of extra paint. You can practice reloading anytime, on or off the field. It is also beneficial to practice reloading while firing. This way you never lose site of your target, and you don't give your opponents any down time to advance on you.

#5 Snap Shooting

When your field placement doesn't exactly allow you to take a vacation outside of your bunker to fire at your opponents, snap shooting is key. With your body tightly held in firing position behind your bunker and with your marker leveled at your target, quickly "snap" your upper body out of the side of your bunker, fire a few shots, and quickly "snap" it back in. Practice this out of both sides of your bunker, and try to be as quick, yet accurate as possible.

Final Examination: Last man standing

There's no getting around it: at some point in the match, someone will be the last person left on their team. What's worse, there is probably going to be more than one player left on the other team, a situation that strikes fear into most amateurs (and, to an extent, into many more versed players). The only way to prepare for the situation is to put yourself in it and fight to the bitter end. When playing with your buddies or practicing with your team, set up matches that have you playing alone against two or more other players. Make sure to pay careful attention to your and your opponents' field position at all times. This drill is sure to put all of the skills you worked on before to the test, and when you pull off that first tourney match all by your lonesome, you might just earn yourself a couple of cold ones from your teammates-turned-spectators.