2 years later

[SethML3602]

After about 13-15 years of shooting i took about 2 years off. my first match back is this saturday and i feel like a child on the day before Xmas already and it is only wed. Anyone taken a couple years off and come back? Was it like riding a bike? Any suggestions on how to lessen the anticipation. I shoot good under pressure but seems like alot more than when i went to Area 4 some odd years ago. my nerves feel shot.

[392heminut]

I took off 5 years while my son was doing varsity sports and just started back up again. My first match I was like you and felt it was weird, it wasn't like it was something I hadn't done a hundred times before. I was really slow that first match, but after that first stage the jitters went away and I thought "Damn, that felt good!" I'm still way behind where I was when I quit (4 matches now) but it's coming back reasonably fast. I feel that if I shoot at least 2 matches a month I can be close to my previous level by the end of this year.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I took twelve (12) years off:((

My first ten matches when I came back

were ALL Wonderful. No tension, just

pure joy.

Enjoy it - you're not going to win, so

just concentrate on safety, safety and

accuracy - forget speed the 1st COF.

Good luck.

[MarkCO]

I think I have made "Master" class in taking time off. I've taken 6 spans of time off, from 1 to 4 years for a variety of reasons.

To me, it is kind of like riding a bike for the safety aspects and muzzle control. My accuracy was still good as well. I lost a lot of the finer details on footwork and the flow through the stages. My speed was way down each time. It seems to take me shooting at least 2-3 times a month in order to maintain the skill set. I have found a different focus as well. Some of it is probably age, some of it building back eroded skills.

Common stuff...make sure you are hydrated, go for a light jog or bikeride the morning of to burn out some of the nervousness, eat a healthy meal. Relax and have fun. When I started back in late 2009, I started to keep a journal, and that really helped as well.

[gregdavidl]

I took a 6 year break and before I started to shoot again, I made sure that my expectations clear in my mind.

I did not have a (convienent) place to go for live fire practice and only limited time for dry fire practice.

What I discovered was that I was really relaxed at the matches because I had no expectations. I had shot extensively for many years and "age and treachery" was my friend. It was an eye opening experience that made me realize how important the mental game was and how it's possible to do well without a lot of practice (assuming you had a good skill set prior to taking a break). By the second local match, I was shooting A class qualifiers again.

[Powder Finger]

To me, it is kind of like riding a bike for the safety aspects and muzzle control. My accuracy was still good as well. I lost a lot of the finer details on footwork and the flow through the stages. My speed was way down each time. It seems to take me shooting at least 2-3 times a month in order to maintain the skill set. I have found a different focus as well. Some of it is probably age, some of it building back eroded skills.

I've taken 1-2-3 years off for probably the last 15 years and I think Mark hit a lot of what seems to happen right on the head.

One thing I did was just make sure your intent is to center punch everything you shoot at. That seems to keep you calm so you can start to rebuild the little finer details you may have lost.

[lumpygravy]

I also took an extended period off (12 years +/-) and just came back late last year.

Yes it is like riding a bike. Keep safety first and then let everything else flow. I swear, half the fun is gearing up again. That's the expensive half . The other half is just enjoying the experience all over again like a beginner.

I'd also suggest that you review the current rulebook to become familiar with any rule changes that may have been passed while you were gone.

on the comeback!

[calishootr]

a few yrs back i was forced to take a break(severed an achilles tendon) took me almost a yr to re-learn how to walk, tho i did go to a few matches as a spectator, it was good to take a break, sit back and relax(sort of) because prior to that i was shooting a lot of matches and it was fast becoming 'not fun' anymore

now when it feels like its 'not fun' anymore i pull down my sock and look atthe 9 inch scar on my foot andthink...it could be worse

Edited April 16, 2011 by calishootr

[SethML3602]

Well all the advice seems to make me feel alittle better. as for the " on the comeback!" remark. I think these few years away have made me realize how much i wanted to go farther than i have ever been before in shooting. I have been doing my "Dryfire exercises as per Refinement and Repetition by Steve Anderson" and i think i have gotten alot of what i had lost back hopefully. However my first live fire exercise is a Club Match, but i guess club matches are the Practice that we all use for major matches. I plan on hitting a couple big matches this year and next year ALL the ones i can afford/get to. Thanx for all your help and i will let you all know how i did when i get done at the match tomorrow.

[SethML3602]

Well just as a update we had 5 Shooter's show up to the match including 1 New guy. Had alot of fun 5 stages + Classifier and were done by 1. I did end up HoA so i guess it is kinda like riding a bike. I did have a couple problems with my target aquisition and my steel shooting was slow.