I wasn't sure where to put this, so I apologize if the placing isn't appropriate.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to make it out to Battery Oaks for the second time and I had some eye-opening experiences.
Billy brought out the shot timer and it was the first time I've ever been put on a clock. I was surprised by the amount of instant stress/performance anxiety I felt and I right away realized it's usefulness as a training tool. I haven't had much formal training, so it was great to have someone with Billy's experience to assess and point out what I was doing right and wrong.
He had me run the El Presidente drill, the wizard drill, Guatemalan steakhouse drill, and some shooting from a chair behind a car door, simulating being in a vehicle. This was another first for me. The first time I've ever heard of these drills and the first time I've ever ran any drill of this nature.
What bests describes the experience is this post from the thread about if training for matches is good/bad for SD:
The bold is especially true. Punching paper, minimal practice drawing from concealment, and previous experiences, gave me a false confidence in my abilities. Running the drills and drawing from concealment, under the "stress" of a timer, was almost startling. It burst my bubble a bit and I'm glad for it!
I learned a whole lot, especially what I really need to work on, some errors in my habits were identified, and it was encouraging to see how much progress I made just in the short time of running the drills over and over. I'm extremely thankful to Billy for opening up his property to me, but especially for taking his time and giving me the instruction and he wouldn't take a dime for it!
I say all of that to say this... if you haven't ran any drills, and done so under a clock, please do! It just may save your life. I know I may be the minority here, because I've never competed, or taken any courses from well-known instructors, so this post is mostly for those who were just like me and had a false sense of confidence in their abilities. And besides, it's FUN! A whole lot more than punching paper is.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to make it out to Battery Oaks for the second time and I had some eye-opening experiences.
Billy brought out the shot timer and it was the first time I've ever been put on a clock. I was surprised by the amount of instant stress/performance anxiety I felt and I right away realized it's usefulness as a training tool. I haven't had much formal training, so it was great to have someone with Billy's experience to assess and point out what I was doing right and wrong.
He had me run the El Presidente drill, the wizard drill, Guatemalan steakhouse drill, and some shooting from a chair behind a car door, simulating being in a vehicle. This was another first for me. The first time I've ever heard of these drills and the first time I've ever ran any drill of this nature.
What bests describes the experience is this post from the thread about if training for matches is good/bad for SD:
I carry a pistol everywhere I go and this post is a poignant question, especially for me. I need to shoot more pistol... period. I have a false sense of confidence in my ability to perform in a SD scenario. Cause I suck at pistol, and it is my fault for not practicing.
The bold is especially true. Punching paper, minimal practice drawing from concealment, and previous experiences, gave me a false confidence in my abilities. Running the drills and drawing from concealment, under the "stress" of a timer, was almost startling. It burst my bubble a bit and I'm glad for it!
I learned a whole lot, especially what I really need to work on, some errors in my habits were identified, and it was encouraging to see how much progress I made just in the short time of running the drills over and over. I'm extremely thankful to Billy for opening up his property to me, but especially for taking his time and giving me the instruction and he wouldn't take a dime for it!
I say all of that to say this... if you haven't ran any drills, and done so under a clock, please do! It just may save your life. I know I may be the minority here, because I've never competed, or taken any courses from well-known instructors, so this post is mostly for those who were just like me and had a false sense of confidence in their abilities. And besides, it's FUN! A whole lot more than punching paper is.