Attitude, Tension, And A 4 Second El Prez

[Steve Anderson]

I was struggling this morning in practice.

My gun was jamming, I was in a foul mood, and things weren't going well at all.

I thought about quitting my session and saving the ammo, but decided to make it a learning excercise instead.

I decided to trace everything I was feeling back to their root cause or causes and see if I could get it together.

I then realized that my gun was acting up because it was unseasonably cool this morning, and I can't run straight slide glide if it's cooler than about 80 degrees. (even slide glide light is a hair too viscous for my massively ventilated open blaster unless it's arizona hot)

A little breakfree on the vitals solved that bugaboo, and now the gun is running fine.

I had made a few 115s with 7625 as an experiment, and really liked 'em. That pissed me off cuz I just got 3000 125s from zero... Traced that back no prob...what's the big deal, it's only money, plus I can use the 125s in practice and I may not even switch. Another issue down.

Then I realized I was still bummed out because:

1. I can't go to the racegun nats and I reeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyy want to. I just can't afford it right now.

2. My house hasn't sold yet and I'm sick of having to keep it in model home condition. I have to sanitize my loading room so Mr. and Mrs. Homebuyer can visualize a nursery and that makes it tough to run an ammo-manufacturing facility.

3. I want to quit working and be a pro shooter. Simple.

4. I was irritated cause I shot really well at a local match recently and only one stage got entered, showing me in next to last place in the overalls. This is not really a huge deal, and I know it will get fixed...it's just a bummer.

Now, I can't do anything about any of this stuff except #3... and only practice will get me there.

So about this time I'm feeling alot more...in control... and have about 75 rounds left in the ammo box.

I'd been working on transitioning from two close papers to a far steel on the move and that was going pretty

well, but I needed a confidence booster in the worst way.

I decided to shoot the rest of the ammo on el prezzes ( is there a proper plural for el prez?)

I run 'em in dry fire (10-50 a night) with a par time of 3.8-4.0 and wondered what my current limit of human function is...

First one was 4.22, down a few. So I started...you guessed it...TRYING.

Not good. I missed reloads, threw mags, fumbled draws, had trigger freeze, you name it.

As I was loading mags, I started laughing about the fact that I had successfully dealt with all my attitude problems and got back to neutral, and here I was all tense again.

So I loaded up again, got faced downrange and just looked at the trees and listened to the water fall behind the range and counted my blessings for a bit.

Deep breath, beep.

3.89 down a few.

(I wrote the hits and transistions down, they're in my bag at home. I'll post 'em later tonight.)

I do remember the draw was an .85 so I must have been creeping.

Very enthused, and with a big-ass grin I loaded and went again.

(This one was interesting because my dot was turned off from loading the mags. )

3.90 two mikes and two Cs on the first one, all Ds on the second and all As on the last one.

I remember the hits because I was amazed there weren't more mikes. I saw the absence of dot right away but decided to keep shooting anyway...

This was huge booster because the draw was a nornal time in the 1.1sh range and I had only two mikes with no freakin' dot.

Last one.

4.00 (I wrote the hits on the ammo box, I'll post 'em later, but I recall being about 8 down or so.

I spent my last 8 rounds on head shot groups at 25 yards and went home.

What does it all mean?

Who knows...but it taught me a lot about my temperament and how my attitude affects my shooting.

Conclusions?

I love this stuff...maybe too much... Nah.

SA

[davecutts]

Steve:

I know all about the whole tension-trying problem. By relaxing today I got my draw down to where I was beating a 1.05 par (this is dry fire), and then I go to do some one reload one, start with an easy par time of 2.5 and screwed up my first draw and the first three reloads. On Monday in live fire I had to sight in my pistol after a trip to the smith, and with 509 rounds left I thought I would try some live one reload one drills (encouraged by Jack), and the first one I bust with out even thinking about it 2.24 which is pretty good for me 1.12 draw and 1.12 reload at seven yards 2 A's. I then proceeded to bung up the rest of them as I was trying ... that word noooo! I did bust a couple in the low 2.2_ range, but nothing like the feel of the first one. I do it in matches too I'll shot a great first couple of stages, and then tank the last few. The only thing I'm working on for now is detentionising my body as I shoot.

[Loves2Shoot]

Steve,

Thanks for the observations, this is my favorite part about the forum. I would hate to go up against you on El Prez.

I was taking with a GM who just moved to town yesterday (I am totally stoked about that), and he repeated something TGO told him once, it was something to the effect of, "after you get to M you won't have to try to shoot fast enough, you can't help but shoot fast enough. Now getting the points you need is what really matters." I had my best practice EVER last night after focusing on that. Not worrying about the speed and just getting the points and I had my fastest, most consistant times ever.

[j1b]

Steve

Can I just say impressive?

I don't know what the world record is on El Pres - but I know I never touched 4 seconds. If memory serves - I never came close.

Its amazing the advances that this sport generates, and the everyday proof that what we did yesteryear ain't good enough for today.

Its intimidating and refreshing all in the same sentence.

I Hope and Pray I never see you at a big match - there's another slot down. Of course if I'm just watching - I'd love to see you shoot !

JB

[benos]

It's easy to teach one to be skillful, but it's difficult to teach one one's attitude.

"Bruce Lee"

(From memory - may not be exact.)

[Detlef]

wow, 4.0 sec 52 pts.! That's an HF of 13, or a no-down time of 4.6 s. Hat off..

now do it again, 100 times in a row

Seriously, cool run!

--Detlef

[Steve Anderson]

"after you get to M you won't have to try to shoot fast enough, you can't help but shoot fast enough. "

That's exactly where I am.

"Now getting the points you need is what really matters"

That's exactly where I am.

Flex told me I should shoot a match with my dot off to get different inputs. I thought he was crazy, but after the one today with no dot, I at least have some idea what he meant. That one was interesting, for sure.

I know I could get those down a little, but what's interesting is how it happened.

When I would do these before, I would really focus on the turn, the snap of the head and all the other mechanics of the act.

Today, I was just there, turning, drawing, and completing the act.

BTW, the targets on the 4.00 one were 2a 2c, 1a 3c, 4a

The times on the 3.89 were

.85 Draw (had to be creeping)

.19

.19

.18

.19

.17

1.13 Reload

.20

.21

.21

.18

.19

The hits on that were 3a 1c, 1a 3c, 3a 1c

The second target is definitely the one that needs work. I must be starting, sweeping and then stopping.

Some room for improvement here.

Jack,

To duplicate that in the match, I'd need some time. I have no illusions that this is any kind of on-demand ability. I think you're safe...

What's cool is that this is the first time I've ever done a live fire drill at my dry fire par time. This is very encouraging to me, as now I can count on dry fire times being a little closer to reality.

Brian's book talks about our desire to re-create positive outcomes...and the corresponding futility of it.

I guess the lesson is to work thru the mental (over) activity and let it go.

SA

[rhino]

3. I want to quit working and be a pro shooter. Simple.

This may be a bit off topic here, but since you mentioned it . . .

DISCLAIMER: The comment below is NOT necessarily directed at Mr. Anderson because I suspect he may already know what I'm saying. I just thought it was worth mentioning in this context for people just getting into the sport who also aspire to being a pro shooter.

As we all know by now, I'm not much of a shooter, so I don't give shooting "advice." But, I do know about a few other things.

If you really want to be a pro shooter (i.e. get enough sponsorships to make a living), then being able to shoot at the level of the super squad is only a start . . . a prerequisite. It may not even be necessary . . . because what you really need to do is learn to be an effective advertiser and salesman. A pro shooter is a marketing tool more than anything else! You could be ten times the shooter of Mr. Leatham, but if you don't measurably increase the business of your sponsors, you won't have them for long.

The list of people with the shooting skills to be a "pro" is long . . . the list among them who can effectively market products with their shooting, other activities, "persona," and public relations is much, much shorter.

[j1b]

Steve -

Still Scared!

Had a whole long text for Rhino about how right his statement was - but I didn't type it. I think soon I'll be able to comment further - but for now - all I can say is that you're right. Relationships mean a lot. I would say that picking the right company has as much to do with it as the company picking the right shooters.

I won't - nor will I ever - be going pro. But I was as close as I think a lot of people were when I was around, and I can say that those relationships formed back then continue on today. Sponsors pick shooters that emulate their companies, where the benefits of the sponsorship are mutually beneficial.

JB

[Steve Anderson]

Of course this is true.

But, I won't be deterred that easily guys.

I am a tenacious sumbitch when I get a goal in my noodle. (Thanks, Dad...I miss you)

All it takes is hard work, and of course, the right attitude.

SA

[rhino]

I wasn't trying to deter . . . sorry!

I was putting it out there so people with aspiration of becoming a shooting industry pro can get a head start on what they really need to know and be able to do!

Some more good "pros" in our sport can only help us to grow and improve our public image!

I just wish that some of the "celebrities" who like to shoot would throw in with us. There are a lot of country music people, NASCAR people, and others who would love IPSC and could give us a huge boost.

[Flexmoney]

Hey...I got an email from a buddy. He wasn't sure if he should post this. (it might take a real Sherlock Holmes to figure out who. )

Ran two back to back under 4.00 today

one at 3.8x (I think 3.83)

one at 3.8x (I think 3.85)

Draws 1.12-1.15

reloads 1.01-1.05

I did a bunch of the Burkett drills bringing the mag just to the magwell before I started. Really helped.

I wrote 'em down in my bag. Both down 5 or 6 points

My first one ( on demand) was 4.01!!!!

Should I post 'em on Enos? I can't decide how these come across online...

[Matthew_Mink]

That was a good read. Steve, I think you just gave me something to practice today.

[Steve Anderson]

Yeah, the el prez is a great tension check for me. It requires a lot of things done just so...

[Steve Anderson]

Of my two sub fours yesterday:

3.83

2a 2c

4a

3a 1d

draw 1.14

reload 1.03

3.87

down 6 ( didn't log the actual hits cause I thought I could do better)

1.14 draw

1.01 reload

These were unique for 2 reason:

1. Absolutely no conscious thought. zero. none.

2. I had the amazing sensation of floating the gun Brian talks about in is book. It was just out there firing and I was along for the ride. I was actually watching the shooting unfold.

Brian has a line in the book, "let the shooting tell you its story." I always thought that line was a little cheesy and hokey. I mean, come on, the shooting's gonna tell me a story...what's it gonna be about? A man named Jed?

i know what he meant now...

SA

[Matthew_Mink]

Hope this isn't hijacking your thread, Steve, but I thought this would be a good comparison and addition to the topic. I had a very relaxing practice session yesterday. With all the things going on right now, its a wonder I could relax, but I did. Setup the classifier, loaded my mags and started shooting with my still new-to-me Limited SV.

First run with minor ammo (burning off some oops ammo that didn't make major): 5.68sec, 52 pts, 9A, 2C, 1D comes out to a 9.1549hf.

1.74 turn n draw (realized I could trim some time here)

.26

.29

.24

.31

.22

1.39 reload

.20

.28

.23

.32

.20

I'll skip a few and jump to one of my final runs of the day with major ammo:

5.25 sec, 59 pts, 11A 1C, 11.2381hf, hmmmm that would have been a 100% on the big screen.

1.49 (still could trim some time here I think)

.22

.26

.21 (got a good cadence going)

.30

.20

1.38 (need to speed that up, I'm usually faster here)

.22

.26

.21 (another good cadence)

.29

.21

That run felt really smooth and relaxed. I only did this about 12 times with the Limited blaster. I had one aborted run with a dropped mag, and only a couple with a called miss. Most of them were upper M/lower GM runs in the mid 5 range. Tried it with my Production gun and tanked it time and time again. Finally eeked out a GM run with it, so it was time to clean up and go home. Take some advice from Jerry and George, always leave on a high note! That was fun.

BTW, that was the first and only time I have outshot myself when I used my Production gun. Usually I can outshoot myself with my Production gear. Methinks things are changing.