Pushing too hard?

[ChrisStock]

On one 32 round very close range, very fast stage this past weekend, I didn't even know which of the 4 targets I would engage after entering the first shooting array via a door which activated a swinger.

That's why it can take a long time for an aspiring IPSC shooter to stop rushing, stop trying to not rush, and just let what he sees dictate what he shoots.

be

redemption....

I wondered about the wisdom of what I wrote earlier, about waiting to to decide which target to engage first when I activated the swinger after opening the door. My gut feeling was spot on... hit what I know that I can see first, then engage the now much slower moving half hidden swinger...cost me an extra half second but picked up 2 guaranteed hits instead of going after the swinger first, attempting to shoot beyond my ability, and picking up 2 mikes. Thank you, Brian.

[sandman_sy]

Holy....STI!!!

Can't believe Brian Enos participated in my thread..... ouch, pinched myself to see if i'm dreaming.

5 days to go, to our Level 2 match at our very own home range. Gearing up to beat 2 of the most competitive shooter i know in our class(I'm sure they're getting ready to kick my tooshie too!!!). cleaning my gun, doing dry fire for the past few weeks, doing grip exercise on my weak hand, hehehe.... and reading more on this thread. Tommorow, the live fire practice begins(everday, 300 rounds). Hope theres improvement, feel that my grip got more solid because of the grip excercises... hope my mental has improved... read a lot about..."ZEN"

[benos]

5 days to go, to our Level 2 match at our very own home range. Gearing up to beat 2 of the most competitive shooter i know in our class(I'm sure they're getting ready to kick my tooshie too!!!). cleaning my gun, doing dry fire for the past few weeks, doing grip exercise on my weak hand, hehehe.... and reading more on this thread. Tommorow, the live fire practice begins(everday, 300 rounds). Hope theres improvement, feel that my grip got more solid because of the grip excercises... hope my mental has improved... read a lot about..."ZEN"

Be careful not to let expectations undermine your efforts.

be

[sandman_sy]

Practicing to control my emotions during practice.... its what got me to start this thread you know. The small voice in my head whispering .."you can go faster"..."you can sacrifice a little accuracy"...."everybody is doing it, why not you"

I tell myself if there's improvement... that's enough... and i'll just let myself go on the D-day and be happy no matter the outcome(goal for the match:NO Misses) . As Nike would say it "JUST DO IT".

[Dee Rawson]

Early on I had to control my speed. I started out way too fast. Then as time went on I found what worked for me.

I start the morning before the match and hype myself up. I try to eat the same thing every morning before the match (boring I know). I get to the range and I get on my gear as I do I start to relax, as I put my inner belt on the hype that I put myself in starts to flow away, as each peice of my ger is put on I slowly let go of my tension that the hype has brought. By the time I'm in the safety area it's all gone. I dry fire a few times turning myself into a relaxed machine see the front sight feel the grip in my hand letting go of all the nerves and I'm ready.

As go go through the walk through I fomulate my plan run it through my head a couple of times. When I step up load and make ready the same way and even get further into the zone. Beep and I'm having fun, at time when I'm deep enough it's like I'm outside watch me shoot, I'm not pushing, I'm not going slow I'm just doing what I love!!! I reflect breifly on each stage after making sure my round went where I thought they did but beyond that I let the rest go.

Between stages I like to work taping, ROing, setting steel, ect what ever to keep my mind in it. It was harder for me to shoot Area and national matches right at first because of the no work between. So I asked Robby how he dealt with it and if you have ever watched him he kind of goof between stages.

AT the end of a match or a day of shooting as I take my gear off I turn back on myself and go on with my normal life.

[sandman_sy]

Well my level 2 sucked. but still achieved the goal. a few weeks after the level 2. I practiced hard on my single stack for i know there's a level 1 coming. Guess all that worked paid off. i glided most of the stages. Having time near the my high cap squad mate. hehehe. i was just aiming for the accuracy, never mind the time, but it seems it was way faster than i ever shot before. and i'm glad it was. A shooting buddy of mine txted me that i was 3rd on the Single Stack Division. Whoa! its icing on the cake... i'm happy enough. Trophy or no trophy.

Thanx everyone for the very helpful advices.