The Official Redbrush/WSSC IDPA Thread

[Kisada]

Tell me about it!

You're definitely not shooting at the level you was last year. I think you've cranked it up a notch or two! Whatever you're doing..long break..eating many burritos..soccer practice..scrapbooking at WSSC..meditating on Jeff's posts, whatever, keep it going, you're doing good!

Along those lines, I've seen a lot of the RB/WSSC guys taking it to the next level. This is good!

Agreed, I don't think you've deteriorated any since last year. We did have some downtime over the winter, but doesn't seem to have slowed you down when I look at scores and just watch you shoot at the locals. Course, I now pay more attention to what I and other shooters do (movement, flow, etc.) than I did this time last year, looking back at myself just throwing lead down range hoping to hit something, pretty much with no focus.

I hate to admit it, but you seemed to step up when you started shooting that G34, but we also saw you quit ping-ponging between pistol brands/calibers for a good while, at least at matches. I still think you shot the M&P just as well last time out, but there's always gonna be one gun that's more "at home" in your hand vs others.

 

[DustyDawg48]

Tell me about it!

You're definitely not shooting at the level you was last year. I think you've cranked it up a notch or two! Whatever you're doing..long break..eating many burritos..soccer practice..scrapbooking at WSSC..meditating on Jeff's posts, whatever, keep it going, you're doing good!

Along those lines, I've seen a lot of the RB/WSSC guys taking it to the next level. This is good!

LOL I think the burritos are a big part of it! (maybe the other part is the soccer practice and I've been able to jet in without having to do any set up work either!)

 

[DustyDawg48]

Agreed, I don't think you've deteriorated any since last year. We did have some downtime over the winter, but doesn't seem to have slowed you down when I look at scores and just watch you shoot at the locals. Course, I now pay more attention to what I and other shooters do (movement, flow, etc.) than I did this time last year, looking back at myself just throwing lead down range hoping to hit something, pretty much with no focus.

I hate to admit it, but you seemed to step up when you started shooting that G34, but we also saw you quit ping-ponging between pistol brands/calibers for a good while, at least at matches. I still think you shot the M&P just as well last time out, but there's always gonna be one gun that's more "at home" in your hand vs others.

For some reason SSP has agreed with me like I honestly never thought it would. The M&P9 and G34 were to be something for the collection and I was just planning on shooting either a 1911, G21 or the M&P45 as a primary... Still love shooting CDP but I can't argue with the results of my classification scores so it looks like it's SSP for me!

 

[Grelber]

it's your mental game that needs to be formulated and implemented; specifically, you need to have a mental image of yourself operating at the next level in every match, every time. And dryfire practice on reduced size actual targets (see next quote).


It was a great lesson to learn and to share it here. I believe one of the things that keeps us all from hitting the next level is not being able to see ourselves as already there. We will perform in whatever light we've convinced ourselves we are performing at. It's a Bassham thing but man can it make a difference. The actual legwork of shooting still has to be there but when that work is united with the right mentality is when things begin to change.

It seems like I just blather but now and then I think about stuff (ok, mainly about TJ stuff, Mike has good mojo going as noted above but that is something that I really don't like to think about).
I tried some draw dry fire this a.m. at a paper plate maybe 40 yards away. Told myself "it would be like me to get on target smoothly and stay on target as I shoot", that kind of stuff, it really does seem like it helped.

Part of the mental image thing may be updates. When you watch Kisada for example he is a smoother shooter with better gun handling skills than he was when we started shooting together, does his head have a picture of what he used to do, or what he does when it is not his day, or what he can do consistently?

 

[DustyDawg48]

Visualization is probably as big and as important as dry fire practice and I try to do that as much as I can when I'm not on the playing field but don't seem to do it all the time when I'm on there. I liked that about Sellersberg since none of us had to SO and between Jeff, Brent, Brad, Don and the rest of the squad it was great to talk about what we were seeing in each COF and how to best approach it. I was probably mentally at my worst with the lack of sleep, still felt like I left something on the table and had a great match and a ton of fun (did I mention I won a $150 flashlight?) and I chalk a lot of that up to doing just that...seeing how to best shoot the COF before hand and that isn't something I do religiously enough at each local match...and probably need to do more often. Each COF may not require a well thought out plan but making good habits is what I'm after and I need to make that a good habit to get into!

 

[Grelber]

Visualization is probably as big and as important as dry fire practice and I try to do that as much as I can when I'm not on the playing field but don't seem to do it all the time when I'm on there. !

Really???

 

[DustyDawg48]

Really???

LOLOL Hey, I can't help it that people seek me out so they can converse with excellence! It is my cross that I have to bear!

 

[Kisada]

Wow, it got really deep in here fast!

Speaking of dental work, hope I don't feel like crap after my Friday root canal. I hear they are super fun. I had the option of yanking the tooth, but they suggest keeping it if it's not totally shot.

 

[DustyDawg48]

Wow, it got really deep in here fast!

Speaking of dental work, hope I don't feel like crap after my Friday root canal. I hear they are super fun. I had the option of yanking the tooth, but they suggest keeping it if it's not totally shot.

The drugs are better with an extraction LOLOL Good luck! I probably have one of those in my future but I'm holding out that they'll come out with a pill that'll do that for you!

 

[sbcman]

It seems like I just blather but now and then I think about stuff (ok, mainly about TJ stuff, Mike has good mojo going as noted above but that is something that I really don't like to think about).
I tried some draw dry fire this a.m. at a paper plate maybe 40 yards away. Told myself "it would be like me to get on target smoothly and stay on target as I shoot", that kind of stuff, it really does seem like it helped.

Part of the mental image thing may be updates. When you watch Kisada for example he is a smoother shooter with better gun handling skills than he was when we started shooting together, does his head have a picture of what he used to do, or what he does when it is not his day, or what he can do consistently?

That's what I like to hear! That's the way it goes to the next level. Good job.

For fun, begin now getting the image burned into your mind that you are (note- are, not will be or might be, but are) the 1st class finisher of your division at your next major. Do that and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

With Kisada and shooters like him, I think it's more an issue of working on skills, seeing the skills in action, and then seeing himself as having skilled up. Has he? Yes, but you notice when we get into talks of accuracy and so forth that there's a de-evolution to what was rather than what is. I believe that will be fixed when his self image exceeds that image of skill improvement.

Visualization is probably as big and as important as dry fire practice and I try to do that as much as I can when I'm not on the playing field but don't seem to do it all the time when I'm on there. I liked that about Sellersberg since none of us had to SO and between Jeff, Brent, Brad, Don and the rest of the squad it was great to talk about what we were seeing in each COF and how to best approach it. I was probably mentally at my worst with the lack of sleep, still felt like I left something on the table and had a great match and a ton of fun (did I mention I won a $150 flashlight?) and I chalk a lot of that up to doing just that...seeing how to best shoot the COF before hand and that isn't something I do religiously enough at each local match...and probably need to do more often. Each COF may not require a well thought out plan but making good habits is what I'm after and I need to make that a good habit to get into!

Just for clarity, the "mental game" I'm talking about has nothing to do with COF planning. I'm talking about being able to take it to the next level because you view yourself as already being there.

I'd love to do a study on our group with this and see how many hit MA by the end of the year.

Wow, it got really deep in here fast!

Speaking of dental work, hope I don't feel like crap after my Friday root canal. I hear they are super fun. I had the option of yanking the tooth, but they suggest keeping it if it's not totally shot.

Being a day into a partial I can testify that original teeth are great. I can also testify that a missing tooth is great because it will never cause trouble again. In the last two weeks the two teeth I've had pulled were both root canal and crowned. I'd say if it doesn't mess up your pretty smile, yank that dude. Cheaper, faster, done.

 

[looney2ns]

Wow, it got really deep in here fast!

Speaking of dental work, hope I don't feel like crap after my Friday root canal. I hear they are super fun. I had the option of yanking the tooth, but they suggest keeping it if it's not totally shot.

Nah, the 3/8" drill bit they use doesn't hurt at all.

Request they use the rotary hammer drill for improved comfort.

 

[looney2ns]

I agree with TJ, yank it. The money saved can buy a couple of guns.

 

[DustyDawg48]

I agree with TJ, yank it. The money saved can buy a couple of guns.

that is my philosophy! besides root canal and crown will eventually have to be pulled anyway so may as well cut to the chase

 

[sbcman]

I think the molar that I had yanked was crowned and rooted around 15 years ago. I took a good look at it once it was out, cause I'm weird like that. One root had broken off and was black.

A couple of weeks ago I had a crowned and rooted tooth pulled that was done about 2 years ago. This was a canine and it was going great but somehow or another got loose and formed a "radial occlusion." Basically, a gap had been created at the tip and since nature hates a vacuum, it filled with infection.

I think I'm done with root canals.

 

[Kisada]

Mine is the #30 molar, I don't think it's super bad, so I'm on the fence if one option is better than the other.

 

[sbcman]

Mine is the #30 molar, I don't think it's super bad, so I'm on the fence if one option is better than the other.

That's the same molar I had pulled, just on the opposite side of my head. It was rooted and crowned.

I can tell you I was happy with that tooth until the second it was pulled. I can also tell you that after about a week's time you'll be eating on the gum where a tooth was pulled as if a tooth was there and you'll never miss it. Having it gone won't change anything in your life.

There's another option. You could have it pulled with plans to put an implant back in. Implants are $$, about $1500 in Owensboro, and you have to wait a few months for the gum to totally heal. But, having it pulled you could use that time to see if you really wanted an implant.

The real question here is what does your wife want you to do with that tooth? The answer to that question kind of settles it.

 

[sbcman]

Get your BUGs ready!

I was daydreaming about a bunch of matches on the IDPA website that I won't be able to make this year and came across this little (pardon the pun) gem

Log In or Register - IDPA

Bowling Green isn't too bad a drive for any of us and I think a sanctioned BUG match would be a lot of fun. It's close to the Kolonel time. The only problem I'm having with the Kolonel and this BUG match is that they're both being held during archery season. Gotta decide which brown targets I want to go after in October.

 

[sbcman]

It seems like I just blather but now and then I think about stuff (ok, mainly about TJ stuff, Mike has good mojo going as noted above but that is something that I really don't like to think about).
I tried some draw dry fire this a.m. at a paper plate maybe 40 yards away. Told myself "it would be like me to get on target smoothly and stay on target as I shoot", that kind of stuff, it really does seem like it helped.

Part of the mental image thing may be updates. When you watch Kisada for example he is a smoother shooter with better gun handling skills than he was when we started shooting together, does his head have a picture of what he used to do, or what he does when it is not his day, or what he can do consistently?

Just offering this in the event it might help- when we shoot well we really need to focus on the process that got us there, not necessarily the result. Along with the right self-image, consistently repeating the process is what brings us out ahead.

I think we've all been there when we've ran a stage or even a match really well and then the next stage or match we just suck it up. What happened? The process that worked in one case wasn't focused on as much as the result. Anyone that is skilled in what they do reveals their skill because they repeat their process. Steve Anderson talks a lot about this and uses the illustration of a painter. If a painter takes his time to tape everything off and get everything right and then just paints, he will have a great result because of the process. If he looks at a great result and says "I can do that again" but the next time he paints he doesn't go through his process of taping everything off, it will be horrible. Same painter, same paint, different process, different result.

I'm fairly certain that all of us that have shot comps more than a year have found the process that works. Problem is, we don't go through the process every time. This ties back into self-image. What we all need to do is find what process works for a good result and focus on repeating the process consistently instead of focusing on repeating the result.

This also helps, especially at majors, if you have a bad run on a COF. The process gets you back into shooting your game and not worrying about the results. One GM I've shot with told me once that he never looks at scores during a match or a classifier etc. He just approaches every course the same way (process) and let's the results fall where they may. Notice, he's a GM, so I'm thinking it works LOL

 

[DustyDawg48]

I think not worrying about the scores is probably the way to go. Getting yourself to not worry about the scores... LOL

 

[Grelber]

I think we've all been there when we've ran a stage or even a match really well and then the next stage or match we just suck it up. What happened?

Have had 3 weird stages this year that I'm trying to figure out.
One was at RB where we had the 3 steels and 3 shots to start with. It was not a difficult stage given the skill level of the folks on our squad, but every one of us screwed it up.
The other two stages were simple lay out stages that I scored significantly better on than I thought I could.
The other side of the self image thing might be that if you convince yourself that a task is hard then it will be, and vica versa. A growth thing for me might be to start thinking of every stage as a simple stage.
Seems like when you think of a stage as being hard for whatever reason (accuracy, complexity, least favorite type of target) there is a higher probability of that noise going on in your head when you are shooting.

I think not worrying about the scores is probably the way to go. Getting yourself to not worry about the scores... LOL

Probably a lot harder for the expert class & above. SS & below we know we are not shooting against Bob Vogel & company and I think that takes pressure off.