How Bold Are You In Competition?

[benos]

I had figured out what I needed to see to make it happen. I knew it was within my abilities that day. I then decided that I'd accomplish it.

This thread does have some great stuff in it.

"Figure out what you need to see to make it happen."

That's deep, and leaves nothing to doubt.

"I knew it was within my abilities _that day_."

Again, killer. Moment to moment, assess your abilities.

"I then _decided_ I would accomplish it."

The ability to "_decide_ to make it happen" comes after completely comprehending the first two sentences.

The "deciding" thing was a final door for me. It took many years to even find the door, let alone benefit from the power that came from walking through it.

That’s funny... Just re-reading before clicking to submit the post... that reminded me of a Buddhism analogy... First you hear about "The Path," then you set off looking for it. Then after years of training you realize that "The Path" was right within you all the time. There's no place to go, nothing to look for except your own self-created obstructions that prevent you from living it.

be

[Genghis]

I'm a C-Class slacker who never practices, but a couple months ago I had an experience that was pretty amazing to me. I was shooting a stage that ended with four poppers, lined up one in front of the other. I was shooting Limited. I shot the first one, shot the second one, shot the third one, and suddenly everything almost froze in place, and I could clearly see that I could hit the fourth popper over the shoulder of the third one, without waiting for it to fall any farther. There was no uncertainty - I KNEW I had the shot because I could see the falling popper was below the line of the shot, and I could see the front and rear sights and the fourth popper all lined up.

I took the shot and the fourth popper dropped. Probably saved me a fraction of a second on the stage, but it was one of those moments that make it all worthwhile.

[AlamoShooter]

If I buy a book and I get 1/2 what I got out of this thread ....I would be happy with the cost of the book.

Thanks for bringing feelings to words.

Sometimes the song ..."I wont back Down" starts to play in my head at the third run on steel stages.

I need to rewrite the words to fit shooting.

[AlamoShooter]

I'm a C-Class slacker who never practices, but a couple months ago I had an experience that was pretty amazing to me. I was shooting a stage that ended with four poppers, lined up one in front of the other. I was shooting Limited. I shot the first one, shot the second one, shot the third one, and suddenly everything almost froze in place, and I could clearly see that I could hit the fourth popper over the shoulder of the third one, without waiting for it to fall any farther. There was no uncertainty - I KNEW I had the shot because I could see the falling popper was below the line of the shot, and I could see the front and rear sights and the fourth popper all lined up.

I took the shot and the fourth popper dropped. Probably saved me a fraction of a second on the stage, but it was one of those moments that make it all worthwhile.

I hear a bunch of IPSC shooters tell me they do like to practice , or they don't have the time. But if you learn to enjoy practice, and practice smart...."that Joy of Certainty" - will come at every match.

JF

[Singlestack]

What really sucks is, lets say you have a drop turner and a swinger and a popper activator and 2 static targets. You make a bold plan to hit the activator then take the 2 static targets then the drop turner then the swinger. You shoot the activator, the static targets and when you index on the drop turner its there waiting on you. You are so surprised that your plan worked that the drop turner gets away and you have to wait on the swinger to come back.

[Flexmoney]

What really sucks is, lets say you have a drop turner and a swinger and a popper activator and 2 static targets. You make a bold plan to hit the activator then take the 2 static targets then the drop turner then the swinger. You shoot the activator, the static targets and when you index on the drop turner its there waiting on you. You are so surprised that your plan worked that the drop turner gets away and you have to wait on the swinger to come back.

That is classic mental game stuff there.

[BSeevers]

I got pretty bold in competition one time and called Flex a sissy girl.

Seriously its powerful to know you can do it and there is no place for being "bold".

There is something to be said to have the courage to shoot the course of fire to your abilities and deliver.

Edited August 6, 2008 by BSeevers

[j1b]

What really sucks is, lets say you have a drop turner and a swinger and a popper activator and 2 static targets. You make a bold plan to hit the activator then take the 2 static targets then the drop turner then the swinger. You shoot the activator, the static targets and when you index on the drop turner its there waiting on you. You are so surprised that your plan worked that the drop turner gets away and you have to wait on the swinger to come back.

That is the game isn't it?

I remember a stage many, many (did I say MANY) moons ago. The match was the Ernie Hill Desert Classic if that gives a clue.

There was a stage with many swingers, flopers and other moving targets in it. I remember the group of us - and today I recall Voight was there, Leatham was there - we figured out how we were going to shoot it. In reality, the sequence just wasn"t going to be that different. So we all figure it out.

Then I become the shooter on deck and I notice something. I don't know what, but something. And I all of the sudden realized there was a much better way to shoot the stage. I'm on deck, so I'm in the hole next. The next shooter goes, and that firms it all up for me. I don't remember the sequence, or the target array, or anything else. I remember the feeling of knowing I'd figured it out. Not just figured it out, but out smarted everyone to boot!!!!!

I got on stage, and I must brag. Things worked to a tee. It was absolutely amazing. I stepped into that shooters box KNOWING I had it figured out. It wasn't a "I think I've got this" it was a "This baby is mine!" and off I went.

I got a bunch of crap from the group. But it was all in fun. And the feeling of not only figuring things out, but having the confidence to know that the answer I had was the right one. It was amazing. It doesn't happen often. Either you shoot it the way the others do because that's the logical answer or you shoot it the way you "think" is best. Not knowing, and don't shoot it with confidence. Which, through the process of self fullfilling prophecy virtually insures that it isn't the best way. Because you don't know.

I've shot a lot of stages feeling a lot of different ways. That stage at the desert classic at Rio was probably one of my favorites. And I don't even remember it. I just remember how I felt.

J

[Nik Habicht]

I'm a C-Class slacker who never practices, but a couple months ago I had an experience that was pretty amazing to me. I was shooting a stage that ended with four poppers, lined up one in front of the other. I was shooting Limited. I shot the first one, shot the second one, shot the third one, and suddenly everything almost froze in place, and I could clearly see that I could hit the fourth popper over the shoulder of the third one, without waiting for it to fall any farther. There was no uncertainty - I KNEW I had the shot because I could see the falling popper was below the line of the shot, and I could see the front and rear sights and the fourth popper all lined up.

I took the shot and the fourth popper dropped. Probably saved me a fraction of a second on the stage, but it was one of those moments that make it all worthwhile.

There's a Dave Marques quote in my sig line --- from the '05 Nationals in Barry. Without really noticing it --- which probably just means that I hadn't figured out what it meant --- I'd been going one shot per piece of steel the entire match without consciously being aware. We're shooting a small 16 round stage -- three partially no-shoot covered paper on each side of a barricade and 4 U.S. poppers in the middle at maybe 15-18 yards. I'm shooting production, so I shoot the three paper on the left, reload coming into the right, slowly methodically nail the Alphas on most of those papers too, shift to the far steel and pick up the pace driving the poppers down 1 for 1. You can hear the pace change on the video --- and I know I've only got five rounds in the gun for those four pieces of steel --- but I also knew that if I saw the same sight picture I'd seen on every other piece of steel in the match that they'd go down. I didn't think they would, I knew it.

So Marques makes the comment, I spend some time thinking on it, and on one of the next stages we start in a chair behind a table. On the left side of the stage there are two fullsize poppers, and the quick way to shoot them is to take them on the move, as you're coming around the table --- but if you go too far, they disappear behind a wall. Now, I've been shooting steel while still coming into positions, so I figure this won't be a really big deal --- especially given my new awareness of my special steel abilities.

Yup, missed the first steel on the move, caught that I missed it only as I was already transitioning to the second, had to come to a complete stop to get both steels, lost a couple of seconds.....

Managed to correct for the rest of the stages and finished that Nationals having needed one make-up round for steel --- something that I don't think I've ever repeated. That match was a seminal moment in learning to see exactly what needed to make a particular shot....

[Flexmoney]

Thanks Brian. Very nice post...boiling down to the the key stuff.

JB, great post...especially love the last paragraph and a half or so.

Nik, that was the stage with the door, right? Here is a little trick, especially good on shooting steel on the move. I allocated (and used) two shots on each of those steel. There was plenty of extra rounds in the Production gun before the next reload. And, since those steel were taken on the move, there really isn't any lost time for the extra shots. The time is determined by getting to the next position.

[Nik Habicht]

Nik, that was the stage with the door, right? Here is a little trick, especially good on shooting steel on the move. I allocated (and used) two shots on each of those steel. There was plenty of extra rounds in the Production gun before the next reload. And, since those steel were taken on the move, there really isn't any lost time for the extra shots. The time is determined by getting to the next position.

Makes perfect sense --- but I got cocky and saw less than I needed to see! (Hey, I haven't needed a makeup on steel yet, clearly this indicates that I'm a shooting god right now and could shoot these blindfolded and upside down ---NOT!) Once I figured that out --- I made sure that I saw what I needed to see from that point on. It took me months though to process and actualize Marques' paper comment --- and I'm still able to fall into the trap of shooting paper differently (slower) than steel.....

[Nik Habicht]

I had figured out what I needed to see to make it happen. I knew it was within my abilities that day. I then decided that I'd accomplish it.

I've been watching the Olympics this week --- and have thought about this post a few times:

At the beginning of the final 50 meters of the mens 4x100 meter swimming relay, the American team anchored by Jason Lezak, was about a body length behind the (leading) French team --- a pretty significant distance. After the race was over Lezak, who'd swam in this race in 2000 and 2004, said that he decided he was tired of losing this race -- and proceeded to pass Alain Bernard and win the gold medal by 8/100th of a second. He knew what it would take, he knew he could do it, he decided to.

There have been other moments --- skilled gymnasts falling off of apparatus on supposedly easy moves (nothing in Gymnastics looks really easy); I understand what happens --- either there's a continuing flaw in execution that hasn't been addressed, or the athlete wasn't able to know, know and decide.....

It's fascinating to watch from the mental perspective of the sports, as well as the physical one....

[Flexmoney]

Nice one, Nik, (I saw the same thing.)

-----------------------

I haven't been shooting all that great as of late (for all the normal reasons/excuses).

I did have a nice bit of shooting on a stage at the MI Section match. Basically a "Can You Count" type of stage. This one had hardcover on all but the A-zone, and it was Virginia Count (barricade and one target on each side at 5-7y, 5 shots per target).

Anyway...I kinda smoked this stage. It wasn't planned. I just decided that I needed to see quite a bit...so I did. Funny, that "turning up the vision" resulted in a great run. (d-oh)

Fundamentals work and win. They make up the bulk of performance.

I don't think boldness is a fundamental. At least not in my mind and with my definitions. I equate it with more of a hero or zero mentality.

[benos]

I did have a nice bit of shooting on a stage at the MI Section match. Basically a "Can You Count" type of stage. This one had hardcover on all but the A-zone, and it was Virginia Count (barricade and one target on each side at 5-7y, 5 shots per target).

Anyway...I kinda smoked this stage. It wasn't planned. I just decided that I needed to see quite a bit...so I did. Funny, that "turning up the vision" resulted in a great run. (d-oh)

Fundamentals work and win. They make up the bulk of performance.

I don't think boldness is a fundamental. At least not in my mind and with my definitions. I equate it with more of a hero or zero mentality.

Nice.

Before you act - assess the situation. Decide what you must do. Then allow yourself whatever "it takes" (time, technique) to do it. Then when it's time to act... It all begins with allowing.

be

[Flexmoney]

It really can be pretty easy...when we let it.

[Vagus]

I don't know if I would call it bold, but more in the moment.

I find in practicing, I only shoot and drill what I can consciously think to try and do. However in matches I let auto-pilot take over and don't think anything, make any plan mid-cof, or decide to try anything. Every so often however some amazing shots are made, in ways I never trained or practiced before. Most of the time they are subtle variances of calling shots and makeup shots that are nearly instantaneous.

One particular bold move was on this one hoser stage where i needed to reload 3 times, I found myself shooting the last target in a group one handed while doing the reload. ( shooting 8rnd mags 1barny - shooting 3 targets and while transitioning to the 4th i was reaching for the mag and bringing it up while engaging the 4th strong hand ) Those reloads where well under a half second and my time was absolutely smoking on that stage. If i recall I came in second over all to one open shooter with my single stack on that stage.

I have found it hard to consciously practice doing this - yet I will find my self doing this automatically time to time during a match.

[Matt Griffin]

What really sucks is, lets say you have a drop turner and a swinger and a popper activator and 2 static targets. You make a bold plan to hit the activator then take the 2 static targets then the drop turner then the swinger. You shoot the activator, the static targets and when you index on the drop turner its there waiting on you. You are so surprised that your plan worked that the drop turner gets away and you have to wait on the swinger to come back.

That is the game isn't it?

I remember a stage many, many (did I say MANY) moons ago. The match was the Ernie Hill Desert Classic if that gives a clue.

There was a stage with many swingers, flopers and other moving targets in it. I remember the group of us - and today I recall Voight was there, Leatham was there - we figured out how we were going to shoot it. In reality, the sequence just wasn"t going to be that different. So we all figure it out.

Then I become the shooter on deck and I notice something. I don't know what, but something. And I all of the sudden realized there was a much better way to shoot the stage. I'm on deck, so I'm in the hole next. The next shooter goes, and that firms it all up for me. I don't remember the sequence, or the target array, or anything else. I remember the feeling of knowing I'd figured it out. Not just figured it out, but out smarted everyone to boot!!!!!

I got on stage, and I must brag. Things worked to a tee. It was absolutely amazing. I stepped into that shooters box KNOWING I had it figured out. It wasn't a "I think I've got this" it was a "This baby is mine!" and off I went.

I got a bunch of crap from the group. But it was all in fun. And the feeling of not only figuring things out, but having the confidence to know that the answer I had was the right one. It was amazing. It doesn't happen often. Either you shoot it the way the others do because that's the logical answer or you shoot it the way you "think" is best. Not knowing, and don't shoot it with confidence. Which, through the process of self fullfilling prophecy virtually insures that it isn't the best way. Because you don't know.

I've shot a lot of stages feeling a lot of different ways. That stage at the desert classic at Rio was probably one of my favorites. And I don't even remember it. I just remember how I felt.

J

SOOOOOOoooo many times I've done this, and 100% of the time, it was a terrible choice. Congrats on your success, but I would have to warn you that you hit an inside straight. Don't ever rely on this happening.

H.

[CSEMARTIN]

Edited.

I changed my mind about what I posted. I'm afraid it would have come across wrong.

Edited September 4, 2008 by CSEMARTIN

[VegasOPM]

I tend to push myself really hard under certain conditions.

1. If I have no chance of winning my class in a local match (usually because I've screwed up already), I will try to win a stage or two.

2. Steel Challenge always throws out one string, so if I did well for the first four, I will let it all go on the 5th.

3. I get a wild hair on a stage and decide to throw caution to the wind.

4. I keep hearing "two alpha" when they are scoring my target. When I am shooting all "A's" it means that I am going too slow.

At the end of the day, I don't make my living as a shooter and I don't really feel the need to prove anything to anyone else. I shoot for me, not them- so when I decide to push, it is because I want to see how fast I can go at that moment.

[CSEMARTIN]

I shoot for me, not them- so when I decide to push, it is because I want to see how fast I can go at that moment.

I like that.

[Flexmoney]

When I am shooting all "A's" it means that I am going too slow.

I think that is one of the worst sayings we have in the sport. I wish nobody had ever said it to me.

It is easy, and half-true. But, in reality...points should not be pitted against time.

[EkuJustice]

Had a multigun where they had 2 arrays of rifle targets you could shoot through on tiny port in the middle of the stage, or you could shoot it on the very ends but couldnt get all the targets from the sides and you would have to back out to get to them. I found a spot I could shoot all but 1 target from within the fault lines. I decided to shoot them, place the left foot on the falt line and then step with the right foot off into space and try and hit the target on the way down. Ended up with 2 alphas, and on the knee but got them off before touched outside the fault

[murkish]

I read an article a long time ago in Reader's Digest of all places. It was entitled "Be Bold and Mighty Forces will come to your Aid."

The gist of it was that we are all more capable than we can possibly imagine and that we must take risks and push ourselves to realize our full potential. If you only attempt that which you know that you can accomplish, then you will limit yourself.

I have tried to bring this attitude into all aspects of my life. When I do, that is when I am truly on my game.

As many skills as I might practice, there is no way that I can envision all the potential challenges in a match (or in life for that matter). I try to be prepared to go beyond myself. As the marines say, "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome."

Jack