[boo radley]

The question Nemo posed about being a "Hobbyist" or "Sportsman" intrigued me, because I think it's not a category so much as a sliding scale, or spectrum.

I started thinking about this, and would like to extend the poll a bit with 3 questions (max allowed). I'd be very interested to see if everyone ends up with a combined score of "9", or if the average will be higher or lower....

[kurtm]

I started shooting competitivly in 1993 after my first match which was a 27th place finish, I have never been out of the top 10 since, now this only applies to 3-gun, but the two big pistol matches that I shot I was in the top 10 in my division LIMITED, but I know that if I went to a big area shoot or the Nationals I would be WAY down there with a pistol so I guess it is a sliding scale. I consider myself....driven!!! KURTM

[HSMITH]

I am usually loading ammo the morning of the match, driving 85mph to get there on time, and shooting a filthy gun. I did dry fire regularly last spring for about three months and picked up about 10%, but I haven't put any effort in to it since then and I haven't gained much since then. Right now I am at the top of what I can do with no effort to improve. If I want to get any better I need to practice both dry and live, and I know it. I don't have time to practice, so it is a matter of making time to practice or accepting that where I am is where I will be. I haven't made that decision yet. Something will have to take a back seat if I practice.......

[Matt Cheely]

Practice???

[HoMiE]

Mediocrity - I think it's safe to say 85% (if not more) of the population is complacent right where they are at (in all aspects of life, not just shooting).

Of course we all think we are better than we really are.

Of course we all want to believe we are on the road to improvement.

Of course we all just except where we finish in the results because you know those at the top probably just worked a little bit harder than you were willing to.

I wonder what TGO is doing right now?

[Pharaoh Bender]

HoMiE, on Nov 8 2007, 12:02 AM, said:

I wonder what TGO is doing right now?

This is a question that I ask myself daily.

[Chris Keen]

Matt Cheely, on Nov 8 2007, 12:09 AM, said:

Practice???

Yeah ........ dryfire ???

[steel1212]

Pharaoh Bender, on Nov 8 2007, 06:32 AM, said:

HoMiE, on Nov 8 2007, 12:02 AM, said:

I wonder what TGO is doing right now?

This is a question that I ask myself daily.

Gaining tenths on that ass while your reading this.

[Pharaoh Bender]

CHRIS KEEN, on Nov 8 2007, 08:09 AM, said:

Matt Cheely, on Nov 8 2007, 12:09 AM, said:

Practice???

Yeah ........ dryfire ???

CHRIS KEEN, on Nov 6 2007, 12:53 AM, said:

And I will dry fire 2 days a week. Tuesday & Thursday for 30 minutes each.

Yeah. Dryfire.

[Bubber]

Usually When time for the IRC comes around I shoot a lot more per week, about three times a week and keep it to under 100 rounds per session, plus normal matches. I will shoot the "Standards" many times. Because it has a big impact on your finish. It also tests the skill needed. Accuracy, weak hand strong hand, and reloading. At the Nationals this year in Tulsa, I got very little practice for whatever reason and did very poorly. It won't happen again!! At least the practice part....

[boo radley]

Interesting. Clearly, lack of ego isn't an issue. <grin>

What really surprises me are the answers to Question 3.

Man, I am *constantly* disappointed in *most* of 'big matches' I shoot -- I can't believe only 14% of the folks are leaving a match unhappy with their performance....

[SA Friday]

There's a fine line between confidence and narcisism.

[Zerwas]

I find this to be a great topic.
Each and every match, a couple of my shooting pals and I come up with goals for the match. Of course we always talk about shooting 90% of the available points, no misses, minimal D hits blah blah blah.
It worked at limited nationals for me this year. I wanted to be top 30 overall in the limited division and when all the results were in (and they cleaned up the hangings chads) I came out exactly #30 overall in the limited division. I was pretty happy with that performance, dispite my first day disaster.
At the limited nationals we had a bet for whomever had the least amount of alphas for that day would have to buy dinner.
Well, ah hemmmm. Let's move on....
At the most recent major match (area 3) I decided to talk to the guys and have us just scale back on the goal setting as I thought we were putting too much pressure on ourselves. So, we decided to skip all the goal setting and just go out and have FUN!! It felt as though this did relieve some of the extra pressure we were putting on ourselves.
It is interesting as one of the guys I'm talking about practices every day, shooting hundreds of rounds with specific goals in mind. He is the type of shooter that has purchased and read all the books on mental preparation, shooting and has even attended some classes. My other friend barely looks at the gun before a match and I am somewhere in the middle. I don't have the ability to do much live fire, but I do dry fire when I can (especially the week before a match).
The experts say this game is 90% mental, and I have to agree. Practicing helps, but if you don't have the confidence in your abilities, there is no question what the outcome will be. If you think you're gunna suck, you probably will. If you have a measure of confidence and think you'll do well you'll still suck (just not as bad...just kidding). If you have confidence going into a match your odds are much better that you'll achieve your goals set out in the first part of this post...

[jostein jensen]

I ended up with a combination of 9

I know I don't train enough to ever reach M or above. Probably not A either.

I think I'm a natural, but hey, so do we all! and I don't have the time and money to do anything great with my natural skills.

But I did shoot only 1 mike and 1 D on my last match
Ended number 4. One stovepipe, one personal uckfup due to not trusting my eyes and ran empty twice But since the winner in STD was a B shooter, that still makes me only a C, but I'm happy about it

[ogiebb]

before i got my guns i promised to myself i would dry fire everyday, but when i got them nothing has changed i still have no time to dryfire and practice... .....im just too lazy to practice i guess

This post has been edited by ogiebb: 12 November 2007 - 01:44 PM

[kevin c]

Might be interesting to know how long the shooter has been in the sport, and what their classification is in the division that they shoot the most.

[PJ BAD]

36.45% are better than the average bear! Who are these people responding to this poll. I'd like to see a list of classifications from the respondents.

[ogiebb]

A in Open
A in Limited
B in Lim 10
B in Production

This post has been edited by ogiebb: 15 November 2007 - 08:05 PM

[flyingchange]

I put "none" for natural ability because, well, I don't think I have any. I mean, I'm healthy and in great shape, but I ain't no GM! Yet.

This post has been edited by flyingchange: 16 November 2007 - 04:28 PM

[HoMiE]

kevin c, on Nov 13 2007, 05:38 PM, said:

Might be interesting to know how long the shooter has been in the sport, and what their classification is in the division that they shoot the most.

I've been shooting competitively for less than a year and made it to A class in production last month. I just missed making A in Open this month.

Flying - You have natural ability, you shoot better than most "guys" out there, don't kid yourself.

[Coolduckboy]

I guess i fit in with most of the group that took this poll. Except the last question was a toughy since i was doing really well up until the last three stages when my rear sight decided to adjust itself to the left about 1/2 inch. All hell broke loose.

[1911nm]

Lemme see, took up competitive shooting last spring, already older'n dirt with one metal knee and progressive lenses I can't see through. Classify D in Lim-10, and have a hoot at it. Last match was a travesty that was all my fault. Gun ran poorly cause of a worn out recoil spring. Will pay more attention from now on. Sure, I feel I can and will improve. hmmm, practice and dryfire?

[mpeltier]

I have been shooting this game scince 2000. I do not let it consume my life, rather I consume it to energize my life. Zeal is defined as purpose on fire, and that describes my match performance. I always keep my equipment clean, lubed and in 100% condition. I dry-fire as often as I can manage. Once a piece of equipment is good to go I leave it alone. when its time to shoot a stage-------I just relax and let it happen. Win or lose its all good (winning is just more good)