When we were told in the autumn of 2011 that there was a course on the way which dealt with firearms, I was probably quite skeptical, because! Now what do firearms have to do with karate?
Here I am running around in my (safe) everyday life and don't quite have the mindset that there are quite a few firearms lying around ready to kill, yes probably closer than I would think.
After the intro about the course, I went and thought about whether it was now also relevant for me (and my family), it still sounded a bit far-fetched, but after a lot of consideration and talking with friends and other karate people, I decided that it was probably a good idea, and that it never hurts to learn more. In addition, after all, it is still something to defend yourself and be able to make the safe choice if the situation should arise, not to mention that it has become part of the syllabus for 1st dan.
My biggest expectations were probably whether I could see the benefit of knowing something more about firearms and whether I should change my perception of how important and significant guns really are in my everyday life. Next, of course, there was also the matter of whether I could now also find out how to shoot with a gun. I have shot with 22 mm. rifle in 1984 and 85 at 15 and 25 m ranges, but never got any real instruction in shooting, (wasn't particularly good at it with a rifle either) So it could only get better.
I read the material sent and attended the 1st course in the Måløv hall on 27 January, where we were given basic instructions on how POMW had started and was to be run. An imagined episode was presented by Kimu Sensei where we had to decide in a critical situation whether we wanted to pick up a lost gun and use it. And over half of us were undecided as to whether it was good or bad to take that gun. I didn't think I should take the gun and it was sure to have fatal consequences for my family and myself if it was real, bad show. There was little to think about for next time.
Which was on 12 May in Greve, here we had to try to handle and shoot with a CZ 75 airgun, with 6 mm. plastic balls. As well as a thorough instruction in safety and security not to forget, basic, basic and basic. Just like everything else in martial arts, the foundation is very important for the success of the performed technique. The very feeling of having a gun in your hand created a strange sense of power, and I can understand that people get a kind of omnipotence when they get a firearm in their hand, but are they also ready to use it? That brings me to the point of being settled. Which is the most important question if/when you are in a situation where it is necessary to use force. Am I clear about maybe having to take another person's life, because I wasn't in January, I thought a little further.
The shooting itself went considerably better than expected, we shot at 3, 5 and 8 m. distance on boards intended for 5 m. Before we finished the day, we were told to practice handstand with aim for approx. half an hour a day, (every day) in order to train body, arms and technique until we had to shoot next time. I also drove home from the course with a feeling that I was already a lot better at handling and hitting with some kind of safety. The following week I bought a CZ 75 airgun through Christian at a good discount so I could practice with the real model.
The last module of TSM POMW! You were on 1 and 2 June in Greve, where we had to prove whether we had become technically better at handling the gun and perhaps also better at hitting the target. We also started the day by getting clarification on whether we had all trained as agreed. I trained at most 16 times out of a maximum of 20 minutes. So my expectations were not very high. After a small refresher report from the last module, we started shooting with the same partner as last time. Mads and I formed a couple and since I had bought a CZ 75 airgun in the meantime, we shot with it.
It soon became clear that the relatively spartan training in handling and practicing aim in the small home was a very good investment. I felt much more comfortable with the gun this time, and practicing with the scope also resulted in me hitting with the majority of my shots. Boats of 3, 5 and 8 m.
After a few hours of standing shooting exercises at varying distances, it was time for a lunch break. Where we then had to shoot with precision laser pistols at a distance of up to 15 m at different size targets up and down. A course was laid out with different shooting positions, such as shooting from the left and right side while walking up to 5 m to the target, as well as targets up and down and with different sizes, and then just in time with the replacement of the magazine in center of the field. And of course with all the other participants as spectators. There it was really important to keep the focus and the tongue straight in the mouth.
During the last few days with a gun in my hand, I had also become so clear that if one day I were to be in the imagined critical situation where an assailant had dropped a loaded gun and I and my family were at risk of getting really bad off, I would pick it up and, if necessary, be ready to use it.
In the end it ended very well and TSM POMW IA, B and C were passed with a sure smile on my face.
In conclusion, I would like to say that it is not only in martial arts that it is important to stay focused and be clear. I have a small side hobby of riding motorcycles on the race track, just to keep the old racing spark alive. When I after approx. 10 year break from the race track got an offer from an ex racer colleague for 3 days at Anderstorp raceway on his Yamaha R1 1000 ccm. with 180 hp. it didn't take many moments for me to accept the offer. On May 14, 15 and 16 we were on the track and it went so well that I moved up to the second best class and then won Wednesday's race by over 10 seconds. To No. 2 And it was probably part of the targeted and practiced focus that helped it go so well.
