I shot a group today

[kevin c]

I bite when it comes to strong hand/weak hand. Always have. Have always known it, and that is the point. Three vivid memories (with concurrent mental commentaries) stand out.

- falling flat on my face at my first major match years ago, shooting D class on a field course. Aghast, I stumble up and quickly throw two A's strong hand into the target I was running past (how'd I do that?).

- a couple years ago, B class, trying to follow the advice of a friendly master in shooting strong hand at two lateral targets as I open a door to more targets in front, and ending up with only five points on the paper for the four shots (dammit, I knew I shouldn't have tried that, I know I'm terrible SHO, every time it comes up in a stage, I know I'm gonna tank it).

- and just at this year's Area I, on the infamous horse and lasso stage, I lose the mag on the draw (snagged the catch trying to draw from an awkward position on the horse) and desperately throw two SHO A's into a nearly over run target as I reload (what a royal FUBAR).

And then the epiphany - I heard later that when the super squad ran that stage the top finishers DELIBERATELY shot that target, plus one other, SHO. Why did they do it that way? Because it was faster, and they knew that they could do it. I didn't think to do it SHO since I KNEW I couldn't and had proven to myself that I could not. Yet I DID do it, and have done it before. The difference was that I wasn't thinking about it when I shot SH successfully, I was distracted. The shooting just happened because it was the right thing to do, and the skills actually were there to do it. I failed most other times because I let my perceptions of my skills dictate my performance. My anticipation of the the outcome actually determines it. At Reno it had gone so far as to preclude the consideration of a winning technique.

So at the last several dryfire sessions and the past couple practice sessions I've worked hard on SHO. And finally I started to see the SH index from the draw come directly onto the target, and I see the sight picture staying rock steady on the target, and, live fire, I actually see the FS lifting off my POA. And, at the last, I can finally shoot groups. They're not small, mebbe 2.5 to 3 inches, and not fast at all, but they were SHO, six shots each from the draw, and I did three of them in a row from ten yards. And now I KNOW that I can do it. Not every time and not fast, but I know that will come. This new awareness of a skill now opens up new possibilities.

Well, of course, the last club match had 20 yd 6" plates WEAK HAND only, and that was a disaster . But, hey, that's just another skill for me to work on and master and add to my repetoire...

[jnshapiro]

Well, of course, the last club match had 20 yd 6" plates WEAK HAND only, and that was a disaster  . But, hey, that's just another skill for me to work on and master and add to my repetoire... 

Great attitude and example of making a weakness into a strength! Well done.

Joel

[ANeat]

I enjoy shooting SHO, ( I shoot a lot of Bullseye) You have the right Idea with working on your weak points and making them into strong points. I see so many people with an aspect of their shooting that they are weak at that they avoid it like the plague. Dont do it in practice or anything and then wonder why they fold up in a match. They just know they are no good at it and seem to want to prove it every chance they get

Adam