Catfish Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 The time warp - you know, that 'thing' that happens when you're really shooting well and things *seem* to slow waaaaay down. I would have to say that I'm spending more and more of my match time in the time warp. It's here that I'm struggling with being patient on the front sight. Time is going by super fast, but it seems like it's going by super slow so I'm getting all sorts of signals to shoot shoot shoot when I need to be a tad patient on the sight. My question is this: since I can't seem to replicate the time warp in practice, how does one practice living in the time warp - practice shooting at that level so that you can become comfortable with the perception of time - and therefore slow down that .10 or so as you're shooting??? Thanks in advance, Catfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 When things seem to be going slowly, that's when things are going great. It's preferable to shoot in this slowdown. You don't want to be shooting when you feel rushed. To practice it, try to be aware of all inputs, even at warp speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Trying to force a feeling like that is kinda like herding cats. Not really very possible at a concious level. You just have to relax and let it happen without thinking about it. An old motorcycle racing saying comes to mind here "If you have to think about it, then you are already in the hay bales" "Reflexive action without conscious thought during stressful moments" is when that feeling of detachment, and slowdown seems to occur reliably for me. Since nothing is "on the line" during practice sessions I find it hard to duplicate the feeling there. Just practice your fundamentals a lot, and let the hindbrain take over when the buzzer sounds. Easier said than done for sure, but definitely possible with the right mindset. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 i dig what you're saying there george, i find myself running on auto pilot lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Catfish, When "you" disappear into the "time-warp," it will be characterized by no sense of struggling whatsoever. There will only be pure, silent attention, dictating the activity. I've experienced it in practice as well as matches. As was said, however, it must be "allowed" - it's difficult if not impossible to "create." In my last years of competition, an operative phrase for me became - "create the conditions favorable" (for the "disappearing" to occur). be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 (EW)You don't want to be shooting when you feel rushed. That just about sez it all. Conquer the "rush" and you've gone way beyond the light at the end of the tunnel..........!........ Heck, conquer the "rush" and you BECOME the light at the end of the tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 I've been able to "get there" in practice by just using the timer to start and then not looking at the times. If the primary goal is to hit the target, and the secondary goal is do it as quickly as possible...then if you hit the target as quickly as you can with each shot the time is irrelevant. That last bit is very B.E., combined from the book, his posts, and a PM he sent me about calling the shot. Let the timer tell you when to start, and don't let it judge your performance. It's so easy to get trapped in the cycle of wanting: a sub secondreload a 4 second el prez a sub 2 front sight a .7 draw you name it...that we forget all we have to do is hit each target as quickly as possible. Whether you win, or how it is judged is for someone else to figure out. SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catfish Posted June 10, 2003 Author Share Posted June 10, 2003 QUOTE]That just about sez it all. Conquer the "rush" and you've gone way beyond the light at the end of the tunnel..........!........ Heck, conquer the "rush" and you BECOME the light at the end of the tunnel. So, how do you conquer the 'rush' without losing the intensity (that I need, anyway) to focus hard and shoot to my optimum level? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cr10x Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 So, how do you conquer the 'rush' without losing the intensity (that I need, anyway) to focus hard and shoot to my optimum level? For myself, first step is to breath, then you will not have to worry about it during the "time between". To breath properly will wash away the "rush" and prepare the focus. Very useful in high pressure situations and unnoticable by your competitors if done properly. They will watch in wonder as you flow, and yet will not notice the beginning breath of focus that prepares you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 I may be moving quickly but I'm not in a hurry... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 I think we have to drop a bit of the 'intensity' (that is, the "rushing") in order to enter the calm of the slipstream (warp). Now, I can't do it every time I aim and fire either, but when I DO I can sure tell the difference! And the shooting results tell, too--every time. Flipping the switch on your "Calm Confidence" setting will do it. Just remember to DO it. We HAVE all the answers. We just forget 'em all the moment the buzzer goes off. Can't be doin' that and shoot well. I, too, have much to learn. But at least I know that it works when I REMEMBER what works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 I have been suffering from just the opposite lately. Constantly feeling rushed. Intensely aware of time. First stage last Sunday I was in "oh god what about the timer" mode. I screwed that stage horribly because I changed my plan several times as I was preparing for the stage and then kept on changing it as I shot it. So, as the day wore on I got back to focusing the mind (see below) and I shot the last stage exactly as I had planned, I got all my hits and got what is for me (a MAFG) a good time. But I had no clue as to what that time was until the results hit my email inbox. One trick that seems to help me is to spend a bit of time expanding your sphere of awareness. Listen to the sounds around you. Focus on each one and identify it if you can. A cricket chirping, bee buzzing or a car going down the road. Notice the light and shadows around you. IGNORE all human conversation around you!!! Block it. Calm your mind while becoming intensely aware of what is around you, especially what is in front of you...the target array. Breathe deeply, regularly. Now turn inward and focus on your breathing and notice the sound that you hear as you draw in a breath and release it. This promotes a sort of focusing of the mind...in reality it is meditation. Then set forth in your calm, clear and focused mind exactly what it is that you will do, when and where you will do it. Go over this and program it. When the timer goes off, release the mind and execute the program. This sort of focusing does not take long and can begin before you get into the box. Practice meditation when you dry fire too. I was getting good at this and then I started to care what the damn timer said and everything went to hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 I had the time warp happen to me nearly every stage at Area 4 last weekend. It had been a while ago that I experienced it so vividly. The first stage of the match I felt like I was creeping through the stage. When I was done, I had convinced myself I had shot good points, but was SSSSSSLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW. The timer told a different tale. I actually had burned it down without realizing it. But every stage, one of my mentors had to keep reminding me that I was moving good, smooth and fast. I didn't believe him at first. I was starting to get discouraged somewhere around stage 3 when I thought I wasn't doing as good as I could. He kept telling me to relax, I was on fire. Sure didn't feel like it at the time. I finally realized that I was in "THE ZONE" I also had a pretty good case of "Major Match Jitters" the first couple of stages, but after they went away, I still felt like I was crawling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 That's a cool experience. I think that's what "trust your speed" refers to... Lately I don't worry about the timer unless I screw up. If I execute my plan properly, I will place where I should timewise... i.e. I'll be beaten by truly better shooters. SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 (kimel)...then I started to care what the damn timer said and everything went to hell. I tested a theory last weekend by setting my timer for 25 seconds (relatively little time in terms of how we do (and think about) our target stages, reloads, etc.), then told myself to just shoot thru the stage WITH THE TIMER ON, but to NOT CARE whether I went over time or under time. Well, this resulted in totally reduced stress level AND no difference in getting thru the stage way under time ANYWAY. In other words, DON'T play beat-the-clock and see what happens.Right. It's all mental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 You could further simplify that by just shooting the targets as you see them. Your body already wants to do it quickly, your brain just screws it up. You're on the right track, for sure. sa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 A trick I learned long ago that kinda reminded me of your's, SiG Lady, happened by accident when my buddy who was timing me (with a stopwatch) needed to some repairs on his revolver. I didn't feel like waiting, so I thought I'd shoot a few runs on the Speed Option without being timed while he was working. Man, what an eye-opener. I don't think I'd ever SEEN like that before. I remember thinking that the speed was probably acceptable even though I couldn't say for sure if it was or not. So I thought, I'm going to preserve that same attitude when my buddy returned with the stopwatch. And holy crap, my times were faster than anything I'd ever shot on that stage. That was one for the notebook... be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 I'll be trying it again THIS weekend... and plan to engram it for real this time so I can get RID of this ammo-wasting, mind-corrupting, reputation-destroying tension. I've done it before. I can do it again. "One for the notebook" indeed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 "reputation-destroying tension" That points to ego...but you already knew that. SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardball1911 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 What helped me greatly with the warp was just relaxing. Even in practice before a shot was fired I close my eyes, take a deep breath and see what I am about to do. I consciously see the rear sight aligned with the front sight in the middle of every shot I am about to take. As I reach the point where I have "run the stage" in my mind, I take yet another deep breath, consciously relax every muscle, then open my eyes and give the nod. (In practice, I set the timer while still eyes closed if not with a buddy.) Just before the timer beeps I see nothing but the first point of impact on the first target. Buzzer goes, I go, and depending on how well I relaxed, and visualized, the whole thing hits the warp and is done before I get tense. Intentional mechanical movement with our muscles requires that they tense. Automatic motion, or "muscle memory" doesn't necessarily need tension, just motion. I have been working hard at getting back to that stage without firing a shot in the past month or so. We shall see how well prepared I am this Saturday. By the way, I only tell you what BE told me through his writing. Nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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