Spent 4 hours with the animal brain today

[DonovanM]

What has been surprising me over the past 3 matches (I just shot my 7th today) is how well I've been doing things under pressure. I do alot of dryfire practice at home, especially around draws and reloads, and it seems as though I'm much, much worse doing them at home than doing them in a match. Whether it's because I hashed the grip on the mag from the holster or missed the magwell, either way, I don't have ANY of these problems in competition, they're all smooth and effortless, even on the move, and I don't have room to practice reloading while moving. It doesn't seem to matter, it just happens on it's own.

What I've been made distinctly aware of is that it's not me I'm teaching how to do these things. It's my animal brain, or subconscious, or whatever.

That said, I shot one stage today with a series of 10+ Alpha Charlies all in a row, so I do have alot to work on in terms of transitions and trigger control. And I haven't even hit the halfway point of BE's book yet.

Edited November 15, 2010 by DonovanM

[GuyC]

I do the same thing, I guess it is a good thing.

[Flexmoney]

Mongo like Alphas!

[Corey]

sounds like you're "trying" too hard in dryfire. wanting to go fast or wanting to get something done. in a match, there is much more going on and your brain cant think of the reload or other specific drill and thigns are smoother. take the brain out of the equation in dryfire and see how you do

[Graham Smith]

I used to know a guy who was an Olympic archer. He said that the real trick to shooting well was being able to tune out all the voices in his head yelling at him about all the little things so he could just concentrate on sight picture and breathing. During practice, he would pay attention to one little thing at a time till all that was left was the sight picture and the breathing.

[DonovanM]

I wasn't being clear, what I meant to say was that I reload at full speed with no problem in matches, but I have a hard time with it during dry fire. Same speed... at least I think. Maybe it isn't...

Definitely trying too hard though.

[oak hill]

make your "practice perfect", break it down into reps with a break in between. Adrenalin gets in the way until you can work with it.

[G-ManBart]

I wasn't being clear, what I meant to say was that I reload at full speed with no problem in matches, but I have a hard time with it during dry fire. Same speed... at least I think. Maybe it isn't...

Definitely trying too hard though.

Ask to see the timer after the RO is done scoring...you should be able to find your draw and reload times. My sense is that in a match, we're often doing them slower than what we can in dry fire (where we're warmed up). Still, it's a good point, because it shows you that when you're in a match, and things happen using the subconscious, they happen the way they should!

[dravz]

Mongo like Alphas!

Haha, well said.

edit: I will be adding that one-liner to my list of mental mantras.

Edited April 25, 2011 by dravz