timmay's log

[timmay]

40 years old

got my LTC 5/09, got my first gun the same day

IDPA for 1.5 years

USPSA for 0.5 year

Currently SS in SSP, and MM in ESR in IDPDA

Unclassified in Production

I decided to go the appleseed route when I first got my license. I figured that getting some good basic rifle skills would teach a good foundation for how to shoot, as at this point I had no pre-conceived notion on what I should/shouldn't be doing. I noticed that there was a lot of army training information on the u-tube, albeit old. I figured that if it worked for the honorable men back in the day, the principals must still somehow apply. I have to admit, I had always been more interested more in the apple than the applesauce. First appleseed I shot, got my rifleman patch the second day. I would have gotten it the first day, only I was cramping up from shooting in the hurricane rains and driving wind. The next day, first target up was the ringer.

I learned a lot from that program. However, not much would translate to pistol action shooting from what I can tell so far, as there is no time to find cadence/breathing when you are on the clock running through a stage... If I am wrong, please correct me.

I started IDPA in the fall of 2009. However, I really didn't get too much into it, as my other hobby ramps up in the winter. Most of the time it interferes with matches. What I have found is that I really like both, and they always conflict. I am starting to do extremely good with my other hobby, and attempting to figure this one out leaves my head spinning at times. That combined with what I am sure that all shooters experience, bad short term memory of how you planned to shoot a stage, tends to make one feel like they are running in quicksand.

I have heard my other friend, who started IDPA about the same time as me (now a SSP master), describe getting the butterfly-heart racing feeling before a stage begins. I can honestly say the only time I have felt that way is with the marine drill sgt. (bless his heart) they had at a national level event in the no light stages. Maybe that is a bad thing, maybe not. However, I cant say my lack of tension at the beginning of the stage leads me to phenomenal scores. Honestly, they usually suck.

In my other hobby we joke that we found the suck switch and turned it off. I can't say that I have found the suck switch on my gun, it must be somewhere in my head. That said, I have read the book "The inside game of Tennis", and find that I must go back and re-read it, and apply the principals to action shooting.

If anyone has a suggestion for short term memory loss, I am all ears. I can honestly say that the last match, I think I had a total of 2 decent stages. One I knew was good only because 2 master class shooters congratulated me on shooting well. I have read over and over again Brian saying, what new thing do you remember from the last stage you shot. Ever since the first time I read that, I have tried to remember something new that I saw from that stage... nothing. I can't remember the stage. Most of the time I remember the general layout of the stage...

I have completed the 2 stage sight transition challenge that Brian has. I have done it 5 times. Never noticed anything new. Maybe it is too obvious for me. Here is a little background on how my mind works. I remember this like it happened yesterday. My mother brought me to registration for Kindergarten. They had some small tests they issued to the kids to get a feel for their competency of instructions. I was asked to tap the pencil on the table 3 times. In my mind, I was asking myself which end of the pencil? Because if I tap with the lead end, it will leave a mark. If I tap with the eraser end, it will bounce, and I may get more than 3 taps. Confused, I looked up at the teacher with my mom asking me why I didn't tap the pencil. When I asked which end, the teacher thought I was brilliant, and my mom was on the verge of break-down because I didn't just follow instructions.

Now, when someone told me that you should be looking at the front sight and aligning with the fuzzy rear sight and fuzzy picture, my first question was how clear is the front sight. It wasn't until 6 months later that I got the answer I was looking for; if there was text printed on the front sight, you should be able to read it. My target acquisition time more than doubled. When I am told that I take too much time, I start throwing shots just to try to save time, and calling shots is impossible, as I don't remember what the target even looks like.

I now wonder how I even got to SS. This is going to be a long journey.

[JakeMartens]

Welcome to the forum.

Yep it is a journey, but it can be very fun.

Just reading your post I don't think you have short term memory loss (does this effect you in anything else you do?)

I think that you are over thinking what you are doing while shooting a stage and by doing so don't remember what you were going to do.

The first step in getting over this is becoming extremely familiar with your weapon and feel extremely comfortable with it. You know it inside and out and don't even have to think about it if some says "make ready" you can just grab and load it no problem

Next thing is to get thru the basics of shooting and fundamentals, grip, sight alignment, stance and trigger control......practice this until it feels natural

Now work on draws and reloads until this is just an automatic action, so you don't have to think about it, it just becomes part of the stage program.

Now to program a stage in, you have to walk it, and then walk it again, and then walk it again, each time you walk it close your eyes and walk in again in your head.

Burn it in.

If you can get it burned once the buzzer goes off then you go on auto pilot and just shoot the stage.

Typing this makes it sound easy, and for some people it is, but you really have to turn your mind off from all the other things going on and not think about them and just shoot the program in your head.

Good luck, keep up the progress

[gfmun]

Welcome to the forum.

I agree. I would quit trying to learn everything at once. Slow down, work on the basics and have a good time. If, after awhile you seem to be stuck, get some instruction from a good trainer / instructor.

Good luck and keep us posted.

George

[timmay]

Thanks for the replies. I welcome them.

You could introduce me to someone, and less than a minute later I will not know their name...

I went to the range to get in some quality time, since the sun was still up. Mud was over the ankles in se spots. But they were at least working on the acess roads to the action pits. We have the best grounds crew.

I worked on draw fire 1. Mozambiques, and transitions. Nothing special, just wanted to get some trigger time.