The start of 2020 has been a challenge so far, our Retailers and Shooters have found it hard to make progress with our Australian friends struggling with the wildfires and closer to home the impact of the storms and flooding have left many wondering what next? Well, we now know a World pandemic.
It is times like this we must look beyond the day and to the future and better times. We have time to secure what we have and look to see what we can build.
A comment was put to me recently – “people haven’t gone away they just aren’t here right now” – this hit a chord with me as we still run the business each day – we have plans – so let’s get them moving, normality will return – maybe a little different than before but we will make the best of it I am sure.
So what was on that shooting to-do list?
Clean out the range bag?
Clean the gun?
Read those cartridge reviews?
Try a new product?
Upgrade the gun with a new recoil pad, chokes or eye dominance aid?
I recently took delivery of a Zoli HR 32″ so I have had some setting up to do, it needs 5 mm in the stock – this has been resolved as I upgrade the recoil pad to a Green pad – something I swear by on my own guns helping to reduce felt recoil, and in this case with a 5mm spacer solving the stock length issue as well.
I have had a number of long layoffs from shooting in recent years as I drive the business forward, this has highlighted some elements that the regular shooter may not notice.
Firstly loss of muscle strength around the gun mount and movement, try and get the gun and practice mounting and movement with the gun. You will soon drop muscle strength and memory not shooting. Consider your day shooting you may have an 8lb+ gun and a kit bag full of shells, water, and tools. Don’t underestimate the endurance and strength needed to move it around all day. -We want to be “shoot fit” when we get back it’s likely to be hotter than we last shot and there is no need for fatigue to cost you shots.
Investigate new disciplines – social distancing may put pressure on grounds to alter how things are run. Some trap disciplines are more suited to social distancing then sporting and Fitasc so it may be time to try something new.
Practice at home – I have used the Dryfire system (Wordcraft) extensively for testing of the SP on multiple guns. The variety of targets and disciplines will keep your focus on setup and routine. Not having a large clear wall shouldn’t hold you back – with some 20 mm x 30mm softwood and some brackets a top a bottom rail can be created and if some blackout material is purchased, a 4m x 2.4 m screen can be quickly constructed. Hanging this from a ceiling will give you an instant plain screen – perfect for the projector option on the Dryfire system.
Look to the future – set you goals for later this year – there isn’t going to be a full season so pick a few big shoots that are later in the calendar and aim to build up for these events – clear focused plans to prepare for these events will help your performance. Have a long term goal across the year – maybe improve your concentration or develop a mental program for when you are in the stand to aid focus on breaking clays and not worrying about scores.
Don’t forget most shooting business are going to be struggling and grounds and retailers along with various shoots are going to find it really tough – so support them where you can – practicing and perfecting techniques at you local grounds are great ways to prepare for competitions – remember though, Practise as if you are in a competition same shells, same routine same result – pressure yourself and have a solution to deal with it – competition day is not the time to find out you shoot worse under pressure.
Though we are confined to our home office at the moment we are still pushing forward as much as possible. Some exciting partnerships have been put on slowed as the country is on hold but we hope to announce these once we are all up and running again.
A revamp of an old video has been launched helping to demonstrate the SP effect and how you can try it at home for free. The SP concept is new and we accept almost too simple to be believed – but with a string of victories attributed to the SP the evidence is mounting quickly that this is a real solution for shooters. We have nearly weekly conversations with top shooters who are coaching across the world who have come across the SP and want to try it -it will take time but we believe its the format that will bring the most success for shooters.
