Shoepop Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Not sure this is the correct forum but here we go. I have a problem with short term memory. Like remembering stage instructions after walk through, especially if walking through all stages prior to match. I try to shoot down on the list so I can try and get it programed but if I come up as 1'st or so shooter so be it and I'm in trouble. I feel like a fool asking RO to explain COF everytime I step up and then blazing away with half a clue. If I can plan my strategy in advance and I remember great, but if I screw up I'm screwed because I can't remember a secondary plan. If I have a written COF's that I can study for an hour or so I'm ok. My question. Does anyone else have this problem and how do you deal with it ? Or any mental guru's out there with any suggestions ? Doctors have been of no help. For those of you that don't know what "pump brain" is, they THINK it's caused by small bubbles that form while on the machine. When these bubbles hit the brain there goes your short term memory. Most of the time it comes back, mine did not. Permanent loss does not happen in every case maybe 10% and the younger the more the risk. ANY suggestions will be very much appreciated. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Dude, this is about the eighth time you've asked this same question! Sorry, just trying to lighten up a serious problem. I'd explain your problem to the match director and ask to go last each time in the shooting order. If you are not too competitive (mainly shooting for fun instead of for score), I'd explain the deal to each stage's RO and have a buddy coach me through the stage ala the MGM Ironman match. I'll assume you've had your head scanned, carotids checked for stenosis, and all that other good stuff as you mention doctors in your post. Finally, if your memory is so bad that you "come to" with a gun in your hand while shooting a stage, it is time to find a different game. All the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 John, I swear the RO never told me those walls went all the way to the ground! Shoe, match pressure has very deleterious effects on my memory. You're not alone. A lot of people go blank when they hear the beep. I don't think squat right before the beep. I just think about what I expect to see. Would it help you to go visual? If you can't remember details, maybe you could just visualize them, with no words or anything. Like this: See yourself going to the door, shooting what you see. see yourself reload, going to the window. shooting what you see. ect.... Memory is a very tricky thing, it loves the past and future and absolutely hates being present in the Now. The very best shooting happens in the Now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Steve Anderson has some forms for preplanning a stage available for downloading. Maybe sketching the stage and writing some notes might help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Take a strong look at what Sam said. I, too, have problems with short-term memory, but you have to throw concentration in the mix, too. If I don't do it right now, it won't get done. You can see the obvious problem with that at matches and life in general. Long stages are broken down into sections. As I get to the area, I engage the targets as they become visible. Move to the next area and repeat. Fairly simple. It keeps me from overthinking a stage. It also keeps me from completely falling apart when the stage doesn't go as planned. Visualization seems to help as well. This problem keeps me from shooting IDPA, where target order is more structured. Liota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Shoepop, I too had problems with short term memory, especially on long courses. I recently discovered the following: the real real problem was not me being unable to remember a shooting sequence, or to follow a pre-programmed plan, it was me focusing on a single thing to do throughout the whole stage (e.g. "watch the front" sight, or "reload over there", or "step on that spot", etc.) this single-minded thought was somewhat absorbing my whole mind excluding whatever other input I had during the COF attempt. This whole process was a self-aggravating problem: I mean, I was aware of my short-term memory problem, and thus I was resorting to rehearsing the COF many and many times during the stage walkthrough, with the only result of having my mind more and more focused on a single thing. The cure? I started to try and wipe my mind from all conscious thoughts upon standing on the deck. I started to rehearse the COF a couple of times during the walkthrough, and then trying to visualize what I would have seen during the run while waiting my turn. I said I started to try, because even if I'm getting encouraging results from doing this, I'm not always able to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Steve Anderson has some forms for preplanning a stage available for downloading. Maybe sketching the stage and writing some notes might help? Here is the link: http://andersonshooting.com/analysistool.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Hey, I know what you're thinkin', Flexman! But, I've got legitimate brain damage from multiple motorcycle indescretions and horse incidents and I've got the scars on my head to prove it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 ...motorcycle indescretions and horse incidents ... I hope they weren't at the same time. I haven't added any new scars in quite a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 After having two head injuries from mountain biking accidents, both of which required hospialization, I too have short term memory problems. Coincidentaly the second accident happened the day before the 1999(or 1998?) TriState at Easthuntington. I went rafting and biking in W.Virginia on the way to the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoepop Posted December 22, 2004 Author Share Posted December 22, 2004 Thank you everyone. It all makes sense. I really like Sam's and Sky's approach and will use all the info posted. John D, yep had major med work ups. No problem there. Also no problem at all on saftey issue's, that is in my long term memory which is almost to good, a lot of stuff in there I would like to forget. I do shoot for the competition aspect so don't want any special consideration. I would have thanked you all for your help eariler this evening but I forgot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I hope they weren't at the same time. Well, there was that one time I was practicing wheelies on my Bultaco out by the barn............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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