AusPPC Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 We've all had times when on a stage we 'shoot blind', where we aren't really present to the shooting. We're pulling the trigger and pointing the pistol, but we're not really in the present tense and focused on what we need to see. Instead we might be thinking of the next target, or the next reload, or the last D hit, with the shooting 'right now' being secondary. A string of misses is the result, and your memory of the string tells you that you really were just "going through the motions" and hoping that hits resulted. I've found a way to simulate (and counter) this very thing - sending a text message on your cell phone. The screen / buttons are small and your fingers are big, so a phone isn't ideal for typing. If you have in your mind a sentence to send to a friend, and you get your fingers to briskly type out the letters and numbers that make up that message while thinking about what you want to say, but not being present to the buttons, the result is a garbled message. You then have to backspace and delete the errors to arrive at the correct result. You clearly know how to spell and press buttons, but you still screwed it up. Sounds like shooting blind, doesn't it? I noticed that when I typed a text that was full of errors, it was because my mind was thinking of the message and how quickly I wanted to get it out. I really wasn't focused on and present to the buttons, the characters, the numbers or the feel of my fingers running across them in sequence, nor was I calm and relaxed. So I stopped, waited for my heightened state of arousal (anxiety) to subside a little, and then focused on consciously and deliberately hitting each letter one at a time and in sequence. The result was the message being right without needing to fix errors, which on net, gave a faster result. So this is now one of my tricks before a match. Once I can type out a text on my phone without errors, but do so briskly, I'm set to be 'calm and present'. And no downloads required Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 i just do the breathing exercises Mike Seeklander taught me ... it's a lot cheaper than buying a $400 smart phone ... (I'm glad that works for you ...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyGlock Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 (edited) We've all had times when on a stage we 'shoot blind', where we aren't really present to the shooting. We're pulling the trigger and pointing the pistol, but we're not really in the present tense and focused on what we need to see. Instead we might be thinking of the next target, or the next reload, or the last D hit, with the shooting 'right now' being secondary. A string of misses is the result, and your memory of the string tells you that you really were just "going through the motions" and hoping that hits resulted. I've found a way to simulate (and counter) this very thing - sending a text message on your cell phone. The screen / buttons are small and your fingers are big, so a phone isn't ideal for typing. If you have in your mind a sentence to send to a friend, and you get your fingers to briskly type out the letters and numbers that make up that message while thinking about what you want to say, but not being present to the buttons, the result is a garbled message. You then have to backspace and delete the errors to arrive at the correct result. You clearly know how to spell and press buttons, but you still screwed it up. Sounds like shooting blind, doesn't it? I noticed that when I typed a text that was full of errors, it was because my mind was thinking of the message and how quickly I wanted to get it out. I really wasn't focused on and present to the buttons, the characters, the numbers or the feel of my fingers running across them in sequence, nor was I calm and relaxed. So I stopped, waited for my heightened state of arousal (anxiety) to subside a little, and then focused on consciously and deliberately hitting each letter one at a time and in sequence. The result was the message being right without needing to fix errors, which on net, gave a faster result. So this is now one of my tricks before a match. Once I can type out a text on my phone without errors, but do so briskly, I'm set to be 'calm and present'. And no downloads required +1 Also when texting on my iphone I compare the reading of the popping up letters while I type as reading or calling shots in shooting. Sounds crazy but maybe I am ? Edited January 18, 2015 by BoyGlock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I remember reading this back in 2013, Brian makes a similar point to the one made in the opening post: CLICK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jroback Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 interesting thread. BoyGlock: when you say that you "compare the reading of the popping up letters while I type as reading or calling shots" are you talking about the little letters that pop up above the keys on the smartphone keypad (as opposed to seeing the letters appear in the actual message)? I think I've been trying to do the same thing for a couple weeks -- I hit a key and I don't let my finger move to the next key until I see the popup letter. Sort of like keeping the gun on target until you see the sights lift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyGlock Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 interesting thread. BoyGlock: when you say that you "compare the reading of the popping up letters while I type as reading or calling shots" are you talking about the little letters that pop up above the keys on the smartphone keypad (as opposed to seeing the letters appear in the actual message)? I think I've been trying to do the same thing for a couple weeks -- I hit a key and I don't let my finger move to the next key until I see the popup letter. Sort of like keeping the gun on target until you see the sights lift. Yes and its more effecient than seeing the letters in the actual message w/c I compare to looking for my hits on the target. But its counter intuitive I think that I sometimes have to exert some effort doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 AusPPC - I like all that a lot! Nice work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robco Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Great stuff AusPPC. I am finally beginning to get what Brian refers to about shooting "in the present". It has taken me a long time and a long journey to finally understand it. Bottom line is = if you are not calling each shot, then you are not shooting in the present. Because to call a shot, one must SEE the shot while it is being released. And that IS the present, to a millisecond. So as a single pre-shooting thought, or even one to occupy your conscious mind with while shooting, (Steve Anderson said this) = think only about calling each shot during match performance. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1gcountry Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 i just do the breathing exercises Mike Seeklander taught me ... it's a lot cheaper than buying a $400 smart phone ... (I'm glad that works for you ...) Dude, you are way over paying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gzo Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I found that running the stage over in my head like replaying a movie works as well. But I still find myself deleting that movie with the sound of the buzzer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shws Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 One of the uses of a phone that I had not thought of. I will have to try this next match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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