“Top gun”
My life mostly has been about things, events and people I never expect.
The mist in my mind allows me only to see what meets the eye, and often when I’m not expecting, something, or someone shows up. Something I never expected, or someone I never imagined existed, clearing out the mist a bit and broadening my horizons.
There is an assortment of things that I thought I could never do, hence ended up discarding them from my bucket list, things that I wanted for a long time, but couldn’t get due to constraints, so gave up hopes. and then there’s love.
Just when I stop looking and expecting stuff, thats when it happens, that is when it all comes to me.
And so it happened this summer vacay, I came back home after an emotionally draining semester. There was a shooting range two doors away from home, and this guy who has a burning passion for shooting and has been doing it for 8 years not to mention has played in nationals alongside India’s well known shooters, started this initiative called ‘Fire for gold’ for anyone who wants to be an olympic level shooter.
Well, shooting was something that I had a fancy for, and since my Dad introduced me to fire weapons almost a year ago, I knew that one day I would at least hold a gun. The whim passed as soon as it came, and I totally forgot about it. Upon returning home, Dad suggested I join this training. Now, I’m not someone who would aspire to be a shooter in life, but I wanted to impart this new skill in me so that I could learn more about my limits and how far I can go in things that I initially “think” I can’t do.
Now when you’re already drained there’s little room for self confidence, and there’s always this nagging doubt whether you belong there or not, which inhibits you from moving towards that direction. The noisy altercation in your mind declares a holding pattern. House adjourned!
Anyway, I didn’t read any motivational books, or watch any Gary Vaynerchuk videos before calling up the guy. I just stopped thinking. I knew it would be a good experience, and I had nothing to lose. Thats all I allowed myself to think about, and blocked away the nagging, self deprecating demons that come outside only when I’ve to make an important decision.
While on one of my evening runs, I made ‘das decision’. I ran home and made my Dad call the guy. I was sent for, and as soon as I entered, I knew there was no place I’d rather be. The guy greeted me with so much warmth, and I almost immediately knew, I so belonged. I guess, it was the hospitality and the way I was received that has made me stick to the sport till date.
Shooting is a game that requires heavy coordination between your greatest assets, the body and the mind. Everything exists at a micro level, every move goes to a fine detail, every breath plays an important role, every movement can define your shot.
It becomes EXTREMELY important to have control over your breath, and your movements. In order to control these two, you’ve got to control the central force, the mind.
A tumultuous mind can achieve very little, I can’t really say with conviction about other sports, but at least with shooting that abstract NEEDS to be calm, but tyrannies of mind our inevitable, especially when you live in an ever distracting generation.
That said, here’s an interesting bit:- the mess in mind leads to shuddered breath, hence movements, yet it is interesting to note that conscious observation/control of breath and movements can get your mind out of the chaos which triggers a positive feedback loop.
So it goes like this:- in order to control your breath, control your mind, and to control your mind control your breath. It iterates. At least thats how it works with me.
It requires a lot of practise and discipline and the ability to disconnect goes a long way in helping you reach that stage. So on top of the existing training, I’m also being taught yoga, and some breathing exercises for the aforementioned purpose.
I’ve seen a great change in myself ever since day 1. Today its day 23.
- I have been able to hit targets with accuracy as well as precision. Having said that, I do have my bad days, but thats only when I try to override the process, and the time.
- I had this habit of doing everything really quickly which often lead to the failure of the task undertaken. With this practise I was able to slow down my movements, take up one thing at a time, and climb the ladder. Your movements have to be smooth. Imagining yourself as Cleopatra helps. Just saying.
- My focus on detail has improved substantially.
- By practising everyday, I’m understanding the importance of a particular stance, the placement of your finger on the trigger (centre, up, down, left, right) believe me or not, the position of the finger does play a huge role in making or breaking your shot, placement of the cheek, the amount of pressure with which the gun is to be held, grip etc
- A strong coordination between the aforementioned factors leads to a good game. Also, what I like to call ‘the integration of the details’.
Apart from this, I’m told there’s a lot more to be learnt, technically and otherwise. Most importantly, the game helped me build my belief in myself from ground up and I feel like I can take up any task without having to witness the horrible debate in my head irrespective of the results.
Andre Agassi in his autobiography, ‘Open’ considers tennis to be the loneliest sport. Well, I believe he never held a gun. In shooting you’re left with your mind, thats like leaving someone in the same room as Hannibal Lecter from silence of the lambs, especially when your mind’s a home to conflicting emotions.
There’s no one to play with, you have your own zone, and you have to play with you mind, make it see your way. The right way. This sport has helped me at a personal level as well, I’ve begun to see things with a little less ambiguity. I’m not quite there yet, but I’m headed towards that direction. but again, perfection is not my pursuit.
As a final note, I finally have something to look forward to on weekends.
Thank you! You should try it too.
