Practice what you suck at...

Rant Follows:

I have been shooting seriously since 1991. IPSC, USPSA, IDPA (from a tactical v competitive winning POV) and qualifying with client local/state/federal agencies. I have attended multiple sleep away classes and trained at Gunsite, Thunder Ranch with Clint Smith, EAG with Pat Rogers, Rangemaster with Tom Givens, Pistol-Training with our founder, Todd Louis Green, Cumberland Tactics with Randy Cain etc.

You would think that after all these years I would reject the warm, loving embrace of practicing what I am good at for the cold harsh reality of practicing what I suck at.

30 years into this party, I still suck at practicing what I suck at.

Yesterday, I "qualified" at a client agency range 3x. This is the first time I have live fired since 5/28/21. I shot 100% on the day qual x2 and 99% on a "night" qual.

In order to have a "distinguished" all rounds fired at the "body" must impact in a 5 x 8 rectangle and all head shots in the "t-box".

The 50 rd course of fire is from 15 yrds to 1 yrd and back out to 7. 13 of the 50 rounds fired are from the 15, behind a baricade, from the low ready ( 5 rounds in 6 seconds, 4 rounds in 5 secs,
3 rounds in 4 secs and 1 round in 2 seconds). The targets turn for all timed evolutions.

While I kept all my rounds in the 2 pt section, 7 of 13 rounds did not impact in the 5x8 at 15 yrds. This is not a new "issue". I have notes going back on this for 11+years and yet I continue to do nothing in a systematic fashion to address the issue.

Gun used was a G35 shooting 180 g Lawman. Spartan Operator Ameriglos. G35 has an OEM 5.5 TRS with the "-" connector.

Please practice what you suck at. Please seek qualified help in doing so as needed. That is all.

Rant off.

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I get this, and agree with it.

To a point.

As a teacher, musician and sometimes music teacher, and crappy athletic coach, I emphasize to students that they need to learn to “love to do what they hate to do,” to work in what they suck at, so that they can improve and be more capable and well-rounded.

But, in some ways more importantly, they need to groove on, polish, emphasize, and even attempt to perfect those things that they are already good at, the things that come easily to them. Those things are the ones that are the foundations, that they can do in their sleep? They need to learn every subtle nuance, and master them, so that they can use them in any circumstance, expertly, without conscious thought.

Recently went through this. I shot a lot at 10 yards and in looking for the fastest bill drill or modified failure drill. I recently decided to gold myself to a higher standard of accuracy and got away from full Azones that I believe are not a realistic target for what I want for my hits. So I've started to do those close up drills twice, writing down the times and moving on. I instead have been doing 15,20, and 25 speed drills. Usually 6-10 rounds mattering where I'm at, focusing on getting hits in the black of a b8 or the small box on the sage dynamics target (heart)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Duelist

I get this, and agree with it.

To a point.

As a teacher, musician and sometimes music teacher, and crappy athletic coach, I emphasize to students that they need to learn to “love to do what they hate to do,” to work in what they suck at, so that they can improve and be more capable and well-rounded.

But, in some ways more importantly, they need to groove on, polish, emphasize, and even attempt to perfect those things that they are already good at, the things that come easily to them. Those things are the ones that are the foundations, that they can do in their sleep? They need to learn every subtle nuance, and master them, so that they can use them in any circumstance, expertly, without conscious thought.

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One of the more valuable guitar lessons I had (years ago), I was told to put on the radio, set it to the first station I could find, and figure out the song and start playing. You can change the dial on ad breaks, and have to stop on the next station you hit (not search the entire dial for what you *want* to play). If the song doesn't have a guitar part, DIY a sensible backing part. If you get Back in Black, get out your inner Angus Young. It's Ricky Martin, guess what... your ass is gonna be Livin' La Vida Loca. The point was to get good at handling whatever came your way, not whatever you felt like claiming easy victory over.

I am so much more junior than so many of this board, but- in my last class the instructors told me to back off on all the tension and to shoot from a relaxed body- a month ago, and it feels like it finally made some sense today as I was picking up the dot with much more speed and reliability with a relaxed body.

So, yeah, props to OP!

We like to protect our egos and only work on what we think we are good at. Our egos hold our shooting back as much as anything else.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JCS

We like to protect our egos and only work on what we think we are good at. Our egos hold our shooting back as much as anything else.

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One way I’ve found some moderate success in life working around this is I do the things I don’t want to do first and the things I want to do second.

I wanted a Bachelor’s and some Cisco certifications. I didn’t particularly prize a Bachelors at that point (still don’t hold it in huge regard - it’s nice and I’m glad I have it), but I knew I would go after professional certifications without issue or much less issue because compared to academia it’s so much more focused and practical.

I put my drills I don’t want to do today first.

I don’t always do this, but I have found rewarding myself with things I want to do while at a place, gym, education, etc. has helped.

ETA: I say this with the mentality of reward yourself with the things you do enjoy in a particular area. I’m not perfect and don’t always adhere to this, but it does help.

At the range this week, I’ll be practicing firing when my sight picture is “good enough” and finding a good balance of speed and accuracy for different distances/target sizes.

Also in the spirit of this thread, I will now go do some sumo deadlifts.

Part 2

Tom Givens was teaching the 1st level instructor class within two hours of me this weekend. It has been far too long since we have even seen each other, let alone trained together.

2 different schedule drivers prevented me from retaking the class as the curriculum has changed considerably since I took it in 2011 and assisted with in 2016.

Tom was gracious enough to invite me to visit the class for sat afternoon. He then invited me to step up to the second relay for the RM Shooting Instructors Test (50rd/300 possible/90% to pass.)

I managed to shoot a not embarrassing 243? cold for the day and after having fired my first 150 live fire rounds since May 28.2021, 8 days before.

(Gear used-Glock 34/CCI Aluminum Blazer 115s/Ameriglo Spartan Operators/OEM 5.5 TRS w “-“ connector/Magpul mags/CCC Shaggy & CCC Mag Pouches)

My “miss” was at 25. My low right points dropper was during a support hand only string.

Lack of proper practice = Lack of on demand performance.

1. Distance work and/or small target work to simulate distance along with some support hand is on tap.

2. Written training plan so as all rounds mean something required.

3. Train with Tom while you can. He is the last best link to the Modern Technique’s founding in the late 70s/early 80s and the continued evolution of the uniquely American martial art of Pistolcraft.

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@JCS
@BWT
@vcdgrips
@Moylan

I understand my thoughts and philosophy aren't necessarily shared by most on the board.

I don't find judging oneself negatively or using terms with negative connotations is helpful.

There is no "suck." It's just the level of ability and proficiency you possess at any given time.

Then the extension of it is: What is your acceptable proficiency and are you willing to put in the work to attain it?

That's one of the reasons I started USPSA and loved their classifier database.

It gives you objective performance standards to judge yourself by. Each classifier tests slightly different abilities and you can tease out different skill set assessment by testing yourself with various classifiers.

Are you a B shooter with standard draws and transitions? But a D shooter weak hand and a C shooter at speed with reloads? You can work on your D and C skills to bring them up to B level.

But these published famous non-competition practical shooting drills / tests lack cohesion in standardization of scoring and ability.

Some "pass" at a C level shooter. Some "pass" at a B. Some like the old Federal Air Marshal COF or getting 100% on Bakersfield are probably about an A level.

So people wind up judging themself based on an inconsistent metric, which is like trying to judge your ability based on a local match standing.

Use the most robust database to get the best data. Judge where your skill is at and ask yourself sans ego if you care to put in the work to improve deficient parts.

IMO.