First USPSA Match this year

[Magoo541]

I've been able to commit more time to dry fire drills, training and reading (Brian Enos "Practical Shooting and Steve Anderson's Refinement and Repetition") over the last two months and I shot my first match this year on Saturday.  Same place, same guys, same gear, new soft ware 

I didn't rank as high as I have in the past, due in part to intentionally not taking any make up shots and the rest of the blame is on my speed. I shot WAY to fast.  You can't miss fast enough, and I didn't have a single stage were I didn't incur at least 10 points in penalties. 

BUT I did know what I was suppose to do, made a plan and stuck to it.  I also used images to trigger responses rather than thinking my way through the stages, like when I squat to shoot under hard cover I reload when standing up. 

The best part was I was able to help other people out.  A new shooter not facing a target before the draw, a newer shooter flinching, my buddy not seating mags on the first try and wasting time double tapping every time (Limited 10) and on it went.  It was as though time was slowing but in reality my Awareness was heightened-hard to articulate but very cool to experience. 

Next objective is accuracy, I can hit 25 yard A zones but miss the 7-10 yard target (trigger control and USE the bumps on the slide!).  I'll be shooting groups and not much else for a while    Oh, I'll be reading the AMU manual too even if I don't agree with the position of lifting weights being detrimental to accuracy (I am biased I'll admit  )

[kmitch200]

It was as though time was slowing but in reality my Awareness was heightened-hard to articulate but very cool to experience. 

This happens in all sports when you practice the right things enough. High level athletes know when they 'get it' because the game really slows down for them. 
I've done it while bowling tournaments, playing golf and in shooting.
Now if I could just turn it on when I want. For me, a couple of weeks off and the 'puter is slow to boot up.

I've never done any run & gun stuff. I'm allergic to running. 

[Solus]

Forgive me for being ignorant of all this....but there were a few things I didn't understand so I'll ask.

I've been able to commit more time to dry fire drills, training and reading (Brian Enos "Practical Shooting and Steve Anderson's Refinement and Repetition") over the last two months and I shot my first match this year on Saturday.  Same place, same guys, same gear, new soft ware  

I didn't rank as high as I have in the past, due in part to intentionally not taking any make up shots and the rest of the blame is on my speed. I shot WAY to fast.  You can't miss fast enough, and I didn't have a single stage were I didn't incur at least 10 points in penalties.  

BUT I did know what I was suppose to do, made a plan and stuck to it.  I also used images to trigger responses rather than thinking my way through the stages, like when I squat to shoot under hard cover I reload when standing up.

Images, as in the the shooting under hard cover is the image that triggers reloading when standing up?  And I assume you mean as you are standing up from the squat?

The best part was I was able to help other people out.  A new shooter not facing a target before the draw, a newer shooter flinching, my buddy not seating mags on the first try and wasting time double tapping every time (Limited 10) and on it went.  It was as though time was slowing but in reality my Awareness was heightened-hard to articulate but very cool to experience.  

Next objective is accuracy, I can hit 25 yard A zones but miss the 7-10 yard target (trigger control and USE the bumps on the slide!).  I'll be shooting groups and not much else for a while    Oh, I'll be reading the AMU manual too even if I don't agree with the position of lifting weights being detrimental to accuracy (I am biased I'll admit   )

Bumps on the slide?

Thanks.

[kmitch200]

"Bumps on the slide?"

Those pesky things you line up to make the bullet go where intended.

[Solus]

"Bumps on the slide?"

Those pesky things you line up to make the bullet go where intended.

OHHHH...the TOP of the slide!!

I was looking at the side trying to figure out what I was missing.....DUH

[Sponsor]

[les snyder]

Magoo... a comment on the use of visualization in shooting a USPSA course.... get a copy of  the "Inner Game of Tennis" by Timothy Gallwey.... mark out the word "tennis" and insert the word "shooting"... your subconscious mind (mind 2) knows how to shoot the pistol, and what the sight picture should be... tie up your conscious mind (mind 1) by concentrating on a point of focus...typically the front sight...if you can get a copy of the Lanny Bassham video "Practice doesn't make perfect... Perfect practice makes perfect" you can work with mental dry fire... you don't really have to draw an fire a pistol to visualize perfect performance... your mind cannot tell the difference between real and imagined practice...you store an image of perfect performance, so don't screw it up with actually picking up a pistol

walk through each target of the stage in your mind.... visualize perfect performance

repeat the following mantra as you load and make ready...

"I've done this before"
"it feels good to do this"
"watch the front sight"

[Magoo541]

Magoo... a comment on the use of visualization in shooting a USPSA course.... get a copy of  the "Inner Game of Tennis" by Timothy Gallwey.... mark out the word "tennis" and insert the word "shooting"... your subconscious mind (mind 2) knows how to shoot the pistol, and what the sight picture should be... tie up your conscious mind (mind 1) by concentrating on a point of focus...typically the front sight...if you can get a copy of the Lanny Bassham video "Practice doesn't make perfect... Perfect practice makes perfect" you can work with mental dry fire... you don't really have to draw an fire a pistol to visualize perfect performance... your mind cannot tell the difference between real and imagined practice...you store an image of perfect performance, so don't screw it up with actually picking up a pistol

I've done this in the past with basketball but never thought to apply it to shooting.  I recall a story of a pianist that was locked up for years in prison for political reasons that came out and played as though he had been playing all along.  He used visualization.

As for the Tennis book and Lanny's video, I'll be adding those to my library soon.

walk through each target of the stage in your mind.... visualize perfect performance

repeat the following mantra as you load and make ready...

"I've done this before"
"it feels good to do this"
"watch the front sight"

I kind of do this just not as intentional as you put it.  I visualize the target but I should visualize the target with the sights superimposed where I want to hit, right?

[twyacht]

Stay on the path.....
 and Congratulations for getting on it.

[les snyder]

Magoo... I don't really superimpose the sights, just make sure I account for all the targets, and visualize shot sequence and reload sequence...I worked with my student athletes for over 25 years, and had some good results, especially basketball foul shots, and volleyball serves  ..... actually persuaded the baseball coach to take infield practice before the game without a ball... the visiting crowd went nuts....additionally did work with reaction times and brain hemisphere dominance... published the results in the SOPMOD manual for the M4.... 15 years or so ago, I was pretty competitive locally, and on a good day could read the headstamp of a piece of .45 brass thrown to me...

I now shoot a G34, and minor peripheral hits are costly.... concentration on the sight picture through the muzzle bobble is necessary for both shots, especially the second... I now shoot for fun... in addition to being old and overweight.... I am right handed, right eye dominant, superimpose my right thumb with interlaced fingers, and have the slowest reaction time ( around .20s) of the 4 groups of individuals identified by my brain dominance work...

[Magoo541]

How did you divide your practice up between dry fire, live fire and visualization?

What drills did you do for each?

I've been hitting the gym and watching my diet with the goal of dropping some weight.  I'm a big guy, I love lifting heavy, and I'm trying to stay light on my weight and high in reps with the goal of being quicker on my feet (and my body starts falling apart on me if I don't-getting old ain't for pussies  )  At 41 I won't be going pro but I want to be good enough to compete with the local guys (some serious talent at my club).  I blame it on one of my classmates in my Bachelor's program, she told me her boyfriend wanted to be good at something in his life so he started running-first marathons then what I consider to be stupid stuff live double marathons.  I figured I would do the same thing now that I finished my degree (now I need to get a Project Manager Cert  ) and I have more time.

Thanks for the help.