Why we compete

[Scout454]

Received in an email that was forwarded from AR15 and I felt it was relevant:

"Competition, is a crucial part of the process, in the mastery of a chosen art. Its a demonstration, by the practitioner, that his path, his way in the journey of that mastery was either correct, or in need of further refinement.

Classes are fine, their purpose is to suggest the way, through the shared experience of a master. They indicate right direction, encourage discipline, and a process to practice. But in the case of arms, in the end you must take what you see, what you hear, what you read, and what you experience and turn it into your own way. It is ultimately your endeavor, and to stand in the arena before others, and demonstrate your way reveals to all and mainly yourself whether you put your faith in

the truth or just a facade of smoke.

To deny yourself the opportunity to experience such an aspect of the journey is a mistake."

[Catfish]

That is excellent. Thank you for sharing.

[Steve Moneypenny]

Excellent post! thanks.

[BSeevers]

Best thing I have read in a while

Thanks

[shadetree]

Thanks I needed that.

[JThompson]

I like that one.

[bierman]

I like that a lot. Thanks for posting it.

[G-ManBart]

Excellent!

[mjbine]

Very Nice. Thanks for the post!

[Rocket35]

Motivating post! Thanks

[FranDoc]

A year ago, a teacher told me that competition was necessary to improve skills in this sport. I didn't want to believe him.

Found out this year that he was absolutely correct. 'Stand and deliver' time is the true crucible of training.

This is a wonderfully elegant/eloquent post. I may run a copy to stuff in the range bag, a little inspirational reminder for later.

Edited October 5, 2007 by FranDoc

[XRe]

"How much can you know about yourself if you've never been in a fight??" - Tyler Durden

[gunsablazin]

Thanks! I'll think about that in the morning while I LAMR. Nothing beats a good match.

Robin

Edited October 5, 2007 by gunsablazin

[Scout454]

Thanks for the compliments!

Competition is the blood that keeps some of us (probably all of us here) alive. I've been rode hard and put up wet too many times over a very full life and sometimes getting down the stairs in the morning is an experience. A lot of days picking up a gun to practice is down right painful. But come Sunday morning and that buzzer goes off it all goes away and I can't feel a damn thing but the pull of a crisp two pound trigger. No pain, no recoil, no muzzle blast, just pull the trigger.

Ain't it neat?

[Kingman]

Thank you Mike

[mike cyrwus]

Reading stuff like that turns me on.

[38superman]

Thanks for reminding me why I love this sport.

Tls

[shooterbenedetto]

This is what I'm talking about..that's why I love to hang out on this forum!!

Thanks for the post.

[scirocco38s]

Thanks for the compliments!

Competition is the blood that keeps some of us (probably all of us here) alive. I've been rode hard and put up wet too many times over a very full life and sometimes getting down the stairs in the morning is an experience. A lot of days picking up a gun to practice is down right painful. But come Sunday morning and that buzzer goes off it all goes away and I can't feel a damn thing but the pull of a crisp two pound trigger. No pain, no recoil, no muzzle blast, just pull the trigger.

Ain't it neat?

Know what you mean, thats why I use celebrex and aleve. Better living tru chemistry. After a hard days competing, vicodin. You may still hurt, but you just dont care.

[38superman]

I have a bad back and some days at the end of the match, it is so painful to bend over I have contemplated leaving the mags where they lie.

I must admit to using performance enhancing drugs.

Aleve and Ibuprofin.

I hope this will not create scandal or tarnish my legacy.

Tls

Edited October 19, 2007 by 38superman

[onyx]

Received in an email that was forwarded from AR15 and I felt it was relevant:

"Competition, is a crucial part of the process, in the mastery of a

chosen art. Its a demonstration, by the practitioner, that his path,

his way in the journey of that mastery was either correct, or in need

of further refinement.

Classes are fine, their purpose is to suggest the way, through the

shared experience of a master. They indicate right direction, encourage

discipline, and a process to practice. But in the case of arms, in the

end you must take what you see, what you hear, what you read, and what

you experience and turn it into your own way. It is ultimately your

endeavor, and to stand in the arena before others, and demonstrate your

way reveals to all and mainly yourself whether you put your faith in

the truth or just a facade of smoke.

To deny yourself the opportunity to experience such an aspect of the

journey is a mistake."

ATTITUDE.. is strong in this one my young padawan

[Duane Thomas]

Outstanding! Who said/wrote that?

[Scout454]

Duane, I honestly don't know. If I ever find out I'll let you know, right after I shake his hand!

[j1b]

Great post and a fantastic definition of why we compete, or why we should compete.

Personally, it is the competition that drives me. That's the part I enjoy most. I've read in a couple of books that society today has a distinct lacking of challenge and effort because for some living is in fact effortless. And that as a result there are a number of souls out there that through no fault of their own, because it is their instinct, they thirst for adventure. For competition. For tasks and challenges that stretch them further.

This reminds me of that type thought process for some reason. It comes as no surprise to me that I feel whole when I'm walking where most have not, where I'm seeing what most have not seen, or when I'm tasking myself to demonstrate what skill I've got - risking the chance that others are in fact more skillful than me and that I must do more to achieve more.

Feels good to be hungry!

Thank You for the post!

Jack

[rvb]

...you must take what you see, what you hear, what you read, and what you experience and turn it into your own way. It is ultimately your

endeavor, and to stand in the arena before others, and demonstrate your

way reveals to all and mainly yourself whether you put your faith in

the truth or just a facade of smoke.

Either I'm misreading something or this quote doesn't speak for me at all.

My ultimate goal is to be a better shooter, not prove "my way" of practicing/learning/shooting is better than your way. I don't need to "reveal to all" that my way is better. Maybe "your way" IS better? I want to be open to that, not prove it wrong or me right. My "ultimate endeavor" is to keep improving, not to prove something.

It's like this quote is saying "put up or shut up" with regards to your technique. All competition does is point out flaws in my technique (mental or physical). The "path" is whatever set of directions you take to remove those flaws. Sometimes you take the long way, sometimes you get off the path. The point is you keep walking the path and realize that if you are at the end (stopped learning) then you definitely got on the WRONG path somewhere....

or I'm nuts.

-rvb

edit for clarification... yes the goal is to win. But that's not the same as proving "my way" is better. The two goals are not the same. There are top shooters out there who teach different technique than they use (weak finger on front of trigger guard comes to mind).

Edited November 20, 2008 by rvb