I'm pushing myself harder to accomplish my goals, I'm not doing simply the minimum of dry fire, I'm going above and beyond. I'm not saying it to insult myself, but in some cases I'm just a slow learner. I hear a concept, and I have an understanding of it, but I have to crank out the repetitions to really be comfortable with it.
In the morning I did turn and draw, I set the par timer back to 1.8 seconds, and focused on when I was getting to the gun, and snapping around. I did 15 turn and draws, all at or better than the 1.8 second par time, then doing the turn and draws in rapid order actually had me a bit dizzy. I don't think that's an effect of the concussion either, just me essentially trying to spin halfway around repeatedly. I feel good about this now, and I now how to practice it, what I specifically have to focus on to make it happen.
Reloads were improved, I set the par timer at 1.4 seconds, and did 50 reloads, 10 runs of 5 reloads each. I got 5 of my first 20 reloads at the par time, but I got 18 of my next 30 at the par time. I can do this too. Going back to the challenge Les presented to me, there were a few magazines that went flying across the room as I missed the magwell entirely, but I did not let it phase me. Shit happens, right? Just keep doing it, and I can get it, and guess what, I did.
I also worked on my 2/2/2 drill, starting a 2.20 seconds, and working it down. At 2.2 seconds I feel very comfortable moving the gun from target to target, and committing to a shot, it was easy. As I dropped the par, I felt myself getting sloppy, at 2 seconds I had perhaps 70% right, and at 1.80 seconds, about 10% right. The good part is even a 2.2 par time on that is good enough to get my B card, so as long as I stay at that speed, I'm fine. It's a little different when there is live ammo, so I'd like to get the time down a bit in dry fire, but now that I know what I'm looking for, I can insure that I'm not cheating on my drills.
Dave and I set out to do some live fire, and it was one of the better practice nights that I've had. I need to realize that I don't have to go all out to do well. I ran an El Pres with 9 alpha and 3 charlie in 7.19 seconds, well below the 8.45 par time we needed. In some cases the faster I was going, the more issues and poor hits that I had. I don't need to have .17 and .19 splits, hey it's nice, but if it costs me an alpha, and gives me a delta, then take the little extra to .22 and get the alpha hit.
We ran a variety of drills, El Pres, Accelerator, and some plate rack. It was a good variety and kept us working on accuracy, draw, reload, turn and draw. I loved finishing on the plate rack, that little steel is so much fun, I was able to clear the rack once with splits in the .42-.47 range, but when I tried it that fast again I could not do it, I was far better off shooting it in the .62 to .68 range. My accuracy is good, as long as I keep a nice cadence, when I start to push faster I get sloppy, my fundamentals go to hell, and I start dropping mikes. So, I know what I need to do, I know that I don't always have to put the pedal to the floor, and I know I still need to keep hammering my fundamentals down if I want to improve my game. It was a damn good practice, and I may try to sneak back out and get another live fire session at the end of the week. I have my Range Officer class this weekend, so I won't be able to shoot. I will check with Dave and see if we can't make it happen.
I also had the occasion to think about my attitude. Kozy's attitude is that he is a GM shooter, with a Master level card, and that's a good thing. I tried to adopt it for myself, and wanted to believe that I was a B shooter, with a C class card. When I think about it, that just does not work for me, not yet anyhow. I've always had to work to achieve my goals, if I say to myself that I'm a B class shooter, then deep down I think there is a sense of entitlement, and I know that's wrong, but it does change my demeanor. I'm hungry, I'm a fighter, a battler, a grinder. I'm a C class shooter today, but there is a B class shooter in me, and probably more. The only way I'm going to unlock that, is by getting on my horse, and working, and earning it. I've gotta put in the time I need.
This does not mean I'm going all self critical, I'm not. In a way I'm reverting to something that is comfortable, the underdog role. If I want this bad enough, I'm going to work as hard as I need, USPSA, Les, nobody is going to give me my B card. I'm going to earn it, and I'm going to take it. Les gave me tools, I'm going to reach up and grab the card because of that, but I'm getting it done.
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