Tips on Pistol Shooting

[hvj1]

I do not know if it would sound awkward or unlikely, but I have achieved 100% in the SA hold box drill today in 90 holds with the FP. I have done the whole thing in 1 hour & 40 minutes with sufficient breaks and lots of fluid. Needless to say that I am very much satisfied . I did this just after an hour's shooting of AP, intentionally to see if I could withstand the pressure. Frankly, I have never done such a long session of practice. 3 hours at a stretch in total. I am tired at the end of the day without exaggerations.

Dear Tirpassion, Jitu.
100% box drills in 90 holds! That is why I believe that you have the mental firepower to achieve any goal in life. Its ALL IN THE MIND as they say. I hope you are reading this Jitu and take inspiration. As a senior army officer (Lt. Col.) in the Indian Army, you should be streets ahead of others in self belief and self motivation. Otherwise how will you motivate others to higher standards. DEMAND IT FROM YOURSELF, DO OR DIE DOING IT.

The first 30 holds were tiring (due to back ache on the left side lumber region) and needed more breaks. I found a solution. After every 5 holds, I compensated my left side by holding a 1.2kg weight for 40 to 50 seconds on the stretched out left hand in the stance of shooting (without moving from my position), with the head turned to the left side. The back ache subsided gradually and there was no trace of it when I stopped the box drill.

Pay attention to all the niggles and wiggles. Write them in your diary, consult a good doctor and work out a fitness program which over comes the pain through strengthening of the specific muscle groups.

Physically, I do not feel that pain as of now. I have a light persisting pain in the joint of my right hand thumb base after I injured it while doing push-ups on fingers 2 months back. I have stopped finger push-ups since then.

Thats quite allright

Since, last week, I am feeling a light pain around the right hip bone.

Like I said, write it down and then analyse the same, then work out a fitness regime which will help you overcome it.

My time devoted to warm-up is 10-12 minutes max in which i work on the shoulder muscles, the forearm muscles and the neck muscles. Is it too miserly?

I do not know the INTENSITY with which you warm up. However, read up on warming up exercises for shooters specifically or go on the ISSF site library, you will get a more comprehensive data on the same.

Best Regards

[tirpassion]

You have honoured me Sir. Thanks a million.
However, I am not at ease . As I had told you earlier, I have a lot of difficulty in believing in my capacities sometimes. Sometimes, I surpass myself and think that it is too good to be true and bring myself down to mediocrity.
The biggest achievement of my life has been limited to winning over the heart of my beloved or rather offering mine for her kind perusal... A laudable performance, no? !!!!
But I am gaining confidence. This thread has been a big moral booster for me and your words of encouragement the flame of inspiration. The most important point was your scolding and I really need someone to be behind me to kick me in the right place to perform. I am deeply indebted to you. So I do not dare to say that you might be overestimating me or am I rather underestimating myself?
Thanks to your initiatives in this thread, I have taken this sport more seriously. I have stopped smoking one and a half years back. The daily bottle of beer has been craving for my company . It is now a very irregular affair, once in a week or ten days. I do not even feel the urge of opening one. I have never been a sportsman in my life. I took up physical fitness and I have reduced 10kg in 8 months. I am still regular, very regular in my physical activities. I have never been so fit in my life.

My best regards to you Sir
tirpassion

[tirpassion]

Dear tirpassion,
Only a French Marquis (de Sade) could speak of using the cane I am very much on the track, Sir. Will get the stance pix upon my next visit to the range. Will also mail you the MS Excel sheet lining my ST/ MT/ LT goals shortly. The real credit for this 347 is fully yours. Will also re-read the thread diligently and start working out the regimen.

When I spoke of the cane, i thought of the Panditji in school. You thought of the Marquis; naughty boy
So, the real credit of the score is mine??? Then what did you do really??? The appropriate word here is 'Modesty'. But talking about modesty reminds me of 'Modesty Blaise' hmmm


tirpassion

[airgun_novice]

[SNIP]
So, the real credit of the score is mine??? Then what did you do really??? [SNIP]
tirpassion

What did I do ?

You pointed the finger; I walked the path
The score lay in wait; I ferried it across

You asked me to tear off the NINE
From all the cards beloved mine

Which I did; as you bid
Stopped shooting at card; with all shots wild

SA-SOA noted down; exactly as you bade
Positive thoughts noted like you said

You turned Guruji's all those shrutis
Into Commoner-like-moi's smrutis

Finally understood what the Exalted One wanted to say
And started walking along his Way

Merely the AP did I wield
Without desire of what it would yield

That the MQS would come; did you cite
Didn't it come without much fight ?!

What I did was only as your tool
Last one year I had wasted like a fool

SO what on my own exactly did I do ?
Something ? Anything ? ... NOTHING. !!!

[brihacharan]

[SNIP]
So, the real credit of the score is mine??? Then what did you do really??? [SNIP]
tirpassion

What did I do ?

You pointed the finger; I walked the path
The score lay in wait; I ferried it across

You asked me to tear off the NINE
From all the cards beloved mine

Which I did; as you bid
Stopped shooting at card; with all shots wild

SA-SOA noted down; exactly as you bade
Positive thoughts noted like you said

You turned Guruji's all those shrutis
Into Commoner-like-moi's smrutis

Finally understood what the Exalted One wanted to say
And started walking along his Way

Merely the AP did I wield
Without desire of what it would yield

That the MQS would come; did you cite
Didn't it come without much fight ?!

What I did was only as your tool
Last one year I had wasted like a fool

SO what on my own exactly did I do ?
Something ? Anything ? ... NOTHING. !!!

> Wow! Now we have a "Poet Laurette" who not only spews pellets but a string of words that are deadlier than those Lead Projectiles
> The moral of the story is...........
A True Guru is one who acts like a "Compass" who shows the direction & not a "Road Map" that shows the way leaving the pupil to the "Joys of Discovery" (discover one's true potential)
> What a fantastic thread this has turned out to be
Briha

[dev]

As The Outlaw Josey Wells would say,"Are you guys gonna draw or whistle Dixie?"

I have been out for a holiday and also out of training and so I had to write something to irritate all of you.

Oh wait...I did dry fire the ap once this morning Yipee kay ay...I so hate myself.


regards,

Dev

[tirpassion]

Arre agn bade bhai,
you made us bite the dust again . Bravo boss! Kya baat hai!

A True Guru is one who acts like a "Compass" who shows the direction & not a "Road Map" that shows the way leaving the pupil to the "Joys of Discovery" (discover one's true potential)
What a fantastic thread this has turned out to be

Brihaji, you said it. That is what I discovered in this thread courtesy hvj1. The pleasure is continuing.

Welcome back home dev! We have been missing you a lot.

best regards
tirpassion

[airgun_novice]

dhanyawad all - dev, welcome ! Hope you had a pleasant trip.

[jitu sati]

hey agn u seem to be in full form. first the gvm qualification and then this poem. u r great.
tir, to give you my yesterdays feat yesterdays 8 elimination drill with shoulder down i could do 40 with 4 8s. so gaining confidence with this new hold and shoulder position. best part is yesterday did my first ever 40 hold drill without a single cross. 100% achieved for the first time. to be honest it was mentally exhausting, especially the last four holds as mind was trying its best to hurry and finish it. felt great. thx tir, it is the change to shoulder down position which has reduced the strain on the shoulder helping me to achieve this finally. i am sure now that with this shoulder position i will achieve higher excellence in shooting.
hey dev we were missing your jibes for some time. hope you start the banter soon

[tirpassion]

Dear jitu,
Excellent work!!! I am also equally pleased as you are. Believe me!
Now your goal is fixed for this month. The 100% in SA Hold in 60 holds on or before 29/07/12. Have the determination, jab out some chaste Punjabi Galis (as guruji would say) and tell to yourself 'I WILL DO IT'.

Your shoulder is obviously less strained in the down position. Adopt it definitely.
Your 8's have reduced only because of your SOA and the perception of your confidence zone. You will also do a SOA box drill while shooting live, on alternate days. 60 shots (You are preparing for the Nationals). Follow meticulously each and every step and tick only when you have followed every single step in the correct order. If you miss one, cross. If you miss one and have not shot the shot. Abort/cancel the shot and restart. That way you avoid a cross. So your mind should be focused on executing the steps, one after another.
In the box drill, do the percentage both on the first 40 and the total 60 shots. But your goal will always be 60 shots.

While doing all the above, please do not put extra focus on the TRIGGER CONTROL. Do not focus does not mean keep jerking. When you are in the confidence zone with your sharp perfect SA image, you squeeze the trigger without any fear, go on till the end to the trigger stop position. If the shot does not break in 3 to 5 seconds. Abort and restart.

All live shots should be on the target with the 9 ring cut out till further notice .

Carry on with the good work!
best regards
tirpassion

[brihacharan]

While doing all the above, please do not put extra focus on the TRIGGER CONTROL. Do not focus does not mean keep jerking. When you are in the confidence zone with your sharp perfect SA image, you squeeze the trigger without any fear, go on till the end to the trigger stop position. If the shot does not break in 3 to 5 seconds. Abort and restart. All live shots should be on the target with the 9 ring cut out till further notice .
Carry on with the good work!
best regards
tirpassion

Com e' ca va...Mon. tirpassion,
> Pl correct me if I'm not in synch with the above....
> Trigger release happens at the 'critical moment' when breath exhalation reaches 50% of the inhaled quantity of air.
> Till such time the squeeze is progressive, continuous & poitive...being still in the confidence zone
> Stop exhalation & carry the trigger pressure forward to release it...and follow through...Thwak!
> Practicing 'Pranayam' helps in a big way. I've tried this with fair success with ARs.
Briha

[tirpassion]

Brihaji,
How can you be wrong? You are absolutely correct Sir. .
The next time I am in Mumbai, I will seek rendez-vous with you to learn the Pranayam techniques to adpot in Trigger control. Hope you will accept me as a student .

Here, we are working with novice shooters which includes myself. Please remember my word 'Extra focus on trigger control'. We are in the learning process and defining ONE element at a time. We are also in the process of erasing accumulated errors (a tough job). When each and every element will be fine tuned individually, the work of the coordination of all will be easier.
With jitu we are working mainly on the Sight Alignment image, the perception of the sharp perfect SA image. We are starting lightly the coordination which starts with the Sequence of Action. The mind is totally focussed on the execution of the steps and finally to perceive the perfect SA image. If I strain the mind again with a fine trigger control (which itself is a very fine aspect of shooting) the SA work will be hampered. Hence, the process of achieving 100% in each element before achieving 100% in the overall coordination.

As a novice shooter, one is always attracted to shoot live and perform with scores. However, you explain it is difficult to take the mind away from scoring which itself is a form of pleasure. So, I prescribe the non pleasure work of SA holds and figure 8 exercises followed by the pleasure of shooting live. Shooting live but not scoring because the 9 ring is cut out. Now if one is shooting live for pleasure, why not add on some good work of quantification of the quality of work through a box drill of the overall work which is the Sequence of Action?
Here I define the Trigger control work as 'Simple Trigger Work' (I have reached the point of resistance/1st stage, I keep on squeezing without any thought and fear till the shot breaks and I stop at the trigger stop which works on also my follow-through). I am confident that with perfect SA, the well defined confidence zone and simple trigger work, one can easily achieve 550+ in AP. I am just doing that myself.
I admit that what I feel may have been difficult to explain. Simple trigger work for me means also not to have any fear/forethoughts, unfettering the mind during trigger squeeze. So the word of avoiding 'extra focus'.

I may be wrong. I try to adapt methods of learning and pleasure together so that it does not become a burden / pain for beginners. This is simply out of my feeling and my standard.

best regards
tirpassion

[kaustubh]

sir
which is the ideal weapon to start pistol Or hand gun....
i am trying to buy it for actually some fun and also target practice....may be i too get hooked to it as a sports......!!!!!

Kaustabh,

Stop your spamming. All of your questions have already been covered.
Please take the time to read thru the earlier posts. Use the search function.

Mod.

[brihacharan]

The next time I am in Mumbai, I will seek rendez-vous with you to learn the Pranayam techniques to adpot in Trigger control. Hope you will accept me as a student .

I try to adapt methods of learning and pleasure together so that it does not become a burden / pain for beginners. This is simply out of my feeling and my standard.
best regards
tirpassion

Mon cher tirpassion,

> I'm simply humbled....
> I'll do one better - I'll take you to my Guru an excellent yoga teacher, who at 76+ walks straighter than a bamboo reed!
> Re: 'Learning & Pleasure' - I quote... "If you love your job, You don't have to work a day in your Life"!
> Simply love what you are doing - Hold your AP / AR with pride, respect it, caress it, talk to it, you'll be amazed how it will respond. Get involved, body, mind & soul.
> Here's a small story - A man asked 2 masons working 10 feet apart 'what they were doing'?
The first one said "Can't you see, I am laying bricks.
The second one said "I am building a Cathedral"!
> Need I say more?
Cheers
Briha

[tirpassion]

> Re: 'Learning & Pleasure' - I quote... "If you love your job, You don't have to work a day in your Life"!
> Simply love what you are doing - Hold your AP / AR with pride, respect it, caress it, talk to it, you'll be amazed how it will respond. Get involved, body, mind & soul.

Wow!!!!! Fantastic Brihaji! I will keep that in mind vividly. Love grows with time...

For you Brihaji, these vulgar beer mugs are replaced with Bohemian crystal glasses filled with Mercurey (Burgundy), my humble favourite red wine
tirpassion