Once again we were ready to show our willingness to open-mindedly receive teaching/instruction and evaluate our progress (hopefully 🙂 ) in POMW (Project Old Modern Warrior)

This time there were "butterflies" in my stomach - We had to shoot with a 9 mm coarse pistol "freely", something I had really looked forward to trying. We had to shoot in the "hole", i.e. out in the open on a small track surrounded by high gravel embankments.

The exciting thing about this was that we had to shoot in line without any physical separation between the participants, which put one of the key words of POMW, SAFETY-SAFETY-SAFETY at the forefront. The "only" safety was our ability to safely handle weapons - and then the instructors who watched like hawks right behind us, with an arm on each side of us 🙂 = SAFETY-SAFETY-SAFETY. In addition, everyone had been thoroughly instructed in safety angles on the field, represented by 2 blue barrels, behind which a line of sight was completely unthinkable!

Before this shooting there had been "dry training" - POMW shooting technical handbook and shooting weight training. A full day at the shooting range requires a certain physique, both so that safety would be top notch, and so that your own energy could be used to learn, focus and evaluate, and not "just" lift and fire a weapon.

Even with this physical training you get tired, and here another key word for POMW made its entrance - SETTING - SETTING - SETTING, you need to be 100 % present to get a good result from the shooting. This is the primary purpose of POMW and from this we find the relation to Yakami Shinsei-ryu: 100% setting – Every shot must be a good shot i.e. you must use the POMW marksmanship manual with every shot.

Over 3 days we trained different shooting techniques and I experienced how I changed my attitude from "just" being on a shooting range to being "present"

For me, being "present" has meant that I have experienced on my own body and through my own achievements how much it means to have a 100 % attitude, regardless of whether you train POMW/shooting or whether you train Yakami Shinsei-ryu - or have completely different challenges in your life!

I actually think that at certain times I have been 100% present with 100% setting and I have been able to see this in the results. I have also very clearly been able to feel when I have not given my best effort in one single shot or several consecutive shots. The result has clearly shown that.

My little private conclusion: being 100% present with 100% attitude requires TRAINING – TRAINING – TRAINING, not just physical training, but to a large extent also mental training, and here I think my challenge lies. So that will be my next challenge.

Thank you for some really good, fruitful days.