Reposting this to its proper place

[jabbermurph]

A fellow member said I should post this here...maybe the masters can guide me in retaining this new found knowledge

Breaking Ground: Transitions

I had a breakthrough this Sunday while shooting an All Steel USPSA Match.

4th stage of the day...was having ups and downs, and I stumbled upon my greatest weakness.

Transitioning, I feel, is one of the hardest aspects of this game. It is hard to separate the conscious mind from physically moving the gun. Let's break down the scene.

Stepped into the box, deep breath in, hard full exhale out. Hands dropped to sides, eyes focus a death stare on the first plate. My mind drifts off...and it was like watching a movie.

BEEP!

Hand moves to gun, not the best draw...went for the grab a bit too aggressively and my holster positioning was not ergonomic, but I allowed it to be corrected in autopilot, focus still hard on the plate. Front sight on plate, in the exact spot I'm staring, "Bang-ding," followed by 10 more in the most symphonic rhythm I have experienced to date.

Gun is dry, just as planned in the etching of my stage visualization. I step and turn, as a fresh mag enters the gun, and face the bowling pin-like set up of 5 more poppers and a big plate above and behind the center....my eyes staring a 9mm sized hole in the popper farthest left. 6 more beautifully articulated "bang-dings," as if my Shadeaux's spittle was a mallet on a popperesque steel drum.

RO yells, "Now that's how you do it, ULSC. Slide, hammer, holster. Time: 10.61 "

Wowzers!!! I don't even recall pulling the trigger, or even initiating the reload. All I saw was the steel, front sight, and the magwell as I slammed the freshy in. It was surreal.

Blazing fast seems like molasses in the polar vortex....and it feels absolutely amazing

And it dawned on me...I never consciously moved the gun, nor did I consciously change focal planes. I just looked from plate to plate, popper to popper....and the front sight followed on it's own. I have found myself guilty, more often than not, of being aware of my shift in focus from the front sight to the next target....almost as if I ever so slightly lift my head before the transition.

This is all starting to truly sink in, as with most learning experiences, as time passes and my mind replays the event. The transition is ALL 100% in the eyes! The body moves where the mind tells it to go, and the mind knows where to go through the picture of sight.

I am only a B class shooter, but I know I have great potential, and other more experienced and highly classed shooters in my area have noticed it as well. Just gotta keep on grindin' and enjoying the ride!

Just wanted to share.....I'm now more in love with shooting than I ever was....and I fall deeper than before every time I put on the belt.

[benos]

These ah ha moment types of posts are my favorite!

And yes, deliberate, precise vision is the key.