Shindenkan's largest project investment to date for nearly 50 years

Project Old Modern Warrior – POMW – a 36 month project progress

By Kimu Sensei, early 2014, Chief Instructor Shindenkan Competence and Development Center – Honbu-dojo

My way through the POMW project

Let me state right away that I love to shoot!

I am very grateful for the experiences I have had during the 36 months that the POMW Project lasted. These experiences have been both national and international in more than 8 different countries on three continents and 7 different states in the USA.

I have shot 25 IPSC pistol matches and been the shooter and Range officer at 18 IPSC matches worldwide, and shot more than 15 different types of rifle matches in the USA during this POMW period of 36 months.

I have read, bought and studied almost 200 books, 45+ videos and series, several hundred kilos of brochures and used the internet very, very diligently.

I have spoken with hundreds of unique people all over the world in their field to learn and harvest their essence and experiences.

The topics have ranged from the history of weapon development, use, causes and application throughout time, and the same within weapon collection and composition, optics, mounts, ammunition, ballistics, propellants and compositions and use for various purposes.

I have read biographies, teaching books for both civilian and military senders and receivers, gun smiths and shooters' experiences and recommendations, and different angles of entry, such as the scientific, hunting, war and, sports competition, to the practical survival to the future predictions and developments within a manageable number of years.

I have read about pistols, revolvers, hunting and competition rifles, semi and fully automatic, long range rifles and about specially designed pistols and rifles and why. Ballistics I have read from the scientific and mathematical formulas, composition and development, over computer simulation programs to the real testing out on the shooting range, under different natural conditions and on the battlefield. As well as everything that can and has an influence on the meeting. Legends' public or non-public training manuals, training processes and progressions, match and battle progressions, experiences, do's & don'ts, biggest learnings, biggest successes and biggest failures and most importantly why. Everything has been both civil and military, so nothing has been left out.

I have received training in Denmark, Europe and the USA in pistol, rifle and Long Range rifle, and I have also had a little sniff at Cowboy IPSC shoots and IPSC Three gun, and their shooting disciplines. I have shot at distances ranging from one yard to just under 2,000 yards. In total, I have shot more than 125,000 good shots during this period, plus match and teaching shots, making the 150,000+ good shots passed.

I have had super good shooting legends, as good as less good shooting instructors, at the top level nationally and continentally to the absolute world top throughout a lifetime, both civilian and military. I've had solid rf from past and present continental and world champions in various shooting disciplines, but to my surprise, I've also shot right up with or beaten past and present continental and world champions in various shooting disciplines, as well as the best shooters within various disciplines militarily .

Throughout a large part of the POMW project, I have been mocked, attempted to be put on display and ridiculed, questioned, tried to be undermined, misled and undermined by local as well as national civilian shooters and especially shooter organization leaders in Denmark.

Some of these shooters and managers have said that it could well be that I could become an OK shooter - but how the hell would I pass on this experience in the POMW project when I had absolutely no teaching experience!

Before the practical course in POMW, a younger, experienced organizational leader advised me that he estimated with his ultra high international expert knowledge that the POMW project would last at least 15 years just to reach an OK result on a national level. It turned out to be absolutely not true... ultra very far from it...

Throughout the entire POMW project, I have also experienced that the project has given hope for change and new dynamics in both the civilian and military parts of Denmark. This has only been from shooters in Denmark.

I have never experienced not being received with curiosity, openness, kindness and support for the POMW project, - after completed tests and discreet reference collection, by the absolute best recognized shooting legends in the world, civilian as well as military. I have also experienced this with former and current civil continental class and world champions, but here I have also experienced the opposite if I have shot right up to them or shot better than them on the day.

The longest test and excretion process I have completed lasted 4 months. But it was all worth it in terms of skill value, shooting experiences and in a very special class unique in the world. All three of my best shooting experiences have been outdoors. Two of them have been with an LRS rifle and one of them with an IPSC pistol.

Practically every shooting match I have shot has had many hundreds of participants. The smallest match I have participated in was approx. 60 and that was in Denmark.

In the 36 months the POMW project lasted, I have never in my life slept so little, been so prioritizing and structured with my choices, resources and time. And got so much support from my wife and family.
In the first summer vacation during POMW, I slept approx. 18 hours a day the first week, approx. 12-14 hours a day the second week, and approx. 10 hours a day the third week.

During family holidays, I have been allowed to shoot matches, have been taught by shooting legends, but also had the whole family out shooting. Without my wife's unwavering support and double work for 36 months, I would not have been able to complete the POMW project to the international level it has become. Double work – senior management job, then at home as a mother. The POMW project owes everything to my wife - without her support and "holding the fort", while husband uncompromisingly seeks to prove a thesis of Minouchi Sensei, is not for sissy boys or girls. There are very few people who could have managed this. Three years is a long time and very few people would have the human quality, loyalty and strength that my wife has. I am grateful and humbled by that - but it also goes both ways.

The POMW project meant that I balanced family-, Shindenkan-, work-wise "on the edge of the abyss", since the only free time - was in a plane, or non-existent. The POMW project had to be managed on top of everything else including Shindenkan.

POMW started during a long-term rehabilitation course, after two operations with approx. 9 months apart. First a shoulder operation and then a hip operation. It was an extra challenge that is worth taking along. Not optimal, but that's how it was, and then you had to make the best of it - and it wasn't even that bad, I allow myself to think.

In addition, the POMW project was already 1½ years behind schedule. After all, there is no right of management and dismissal in a voluntary and unpaid association compared to the business world. In an association, you lead through your person and the power of example. You have no other options if you want to implement a strategic plan successfully over several years. But if you understand this mindset, there is no difference between the structure and function of associations and business life – they are directly overlapping, apart from the exchange of financial resources. Here they are opposite.

99.9 % of everyone I have met on my way, have asked why I have uncompromisingly completed the POMW project for three years, instead of thinking about my own needs.

But you cannot complete a controversial project half-heartedly - it has to be uncompromising in order to reduce the risk of mistakes with results and solution models. It is an acknowledgment of reality.

By understanding the essence of a problem or task, you will also understand how to focus and prioritize what is most important.

I have never shot a match without jet lag, massive lack of sleep, and pervasive fatigue. I have only shot one match with my own pistol, otherwise I have always shot matches with a borrowed pistol or rifle.
But as one of my chief gunnery instructors said; "Then a really good shooter must be able to shoot with anything, at any time - and it is the shooter who makes the primary difference and not the weapon...".

For more than 80 % of the matches I have slept during the matches between my shoots. During a match in the USA, a world champion came up to me and said how I could sleep and still perform so well. When he got my answer "Well I'm tired...", he shook his head and said that I was a cool MF and offered to help where he could, - and he did.

Later, experienced and war-accustomed military SF etc. have done the same during matches and teaching situations. It has since contributed beneficially to the POMW project in US relations by opening completely unique doors and networks, as well as many really good conversations and learning-rich exchanges of experience.

The highest number of practice shots I have had in one day is approx. 2,500 gun shots. The first time I shot 1,800 rounds in 6 hours, I could hardly get out of bed the next day.

The highest number of rifle shots I have had in one training day is approx. 500 shots with several different rifles and different distances.

For the first 18 months of the POMW Project, I dry trained between 1-3 hours every day. During the subsequent 18 months of the POMW project, I trained dry for approx. 1 hour every day. Dry training is independent of time and place. You can do that when it suits you.

There have been shooting instructors at the beginning of the POMW project, where I could not find any coherence and common thread in their instruction, until a military world elite shooter told me, that's because there are none!

Although I have more than 35 years of teaching experience from the top of the absolute international world elite in martial arts and martial arts, and almost 25 years of experience as a director and top leader within the absolute top of the international business arena, I listened, was inspired and absorbed from my world elite shooting instructors, military as well as civilian, when I could always find a common thread and connection here. It is also wise when you want to learn something and this must be 100 % all in.

Generations of shooting legends were also not shy about sharing the essence of their entire life's shooting experience and serving this on a golden platter. Which I could humbly, respectfully and gratefully accept 100 %.

I can't and couldn't resist, already early in the process, comparing elite shooters with our martial arts and martial arts attitude, and quickly reached the conclusion that multiple world champions within practical shooting had an attitude that was very similar to the traditional martial arts world, while multiple world champions within traditional range shooting, does not have a setting similar to the traditional martial arts world.

I also came to the conclusion that very experienced "Tier one" and comparable special forces chief instructors with at least 15-20 years of special forces experience including many deployments, have an attitude very similar to the traditional martial arts world, - and this is where I found myself the best.

I like that you focus on the 95 % good results and learning processes, rather than the 5 % more or less misfires which went less well and thus became a learning process.

Most of the long-standing multiple world champions in practical shooting have the same attitude.

The culture where it is management by fear with disparaging and self-assertive word flows, counter-working and warfare in secret until this becomes open, and where managers like Sagittarius do not treat others with respect, acceptance and tolerance, I am absolutely not a supporter of. Instead of a focus on development and social interaction, these are experienced as having a focus to a greater or lesser extent on destruction and assertiveness, bullying and counter-processing of new very active shooters, instead of a recognition, tolerance and support of shooters' differences, training intensity and motivations.

Unfortunately, this behavior is seen in many Danish shooting associations, which all chief instructors have experienced through direct experience with 19 Danish shooting associations. Abroad, none of us have experienced this, apart from the socio-cultural differences - but here the rule of "Follow custom or land fly" applies, i.e. we are the guests and we must follow and respect the social culture in the area.

Some things that have surprised me along the way;

• Why does the shooting world make shooting a very complicated science, when the gun has always been tried to be as simple a weapon as possible, so that everyone has the maximum opportunity to successfully achieve their goals.
• When the sport of shooting is so magnificent and incredibly simple, why aren't standardized shooting competency programs a la "From novice to super shooter" organized to a much greater extent, as most other sports have. Which will undoubtedly contribute significantly to an explosive development of the shooter's shooting skills from the start, - both to the satisfaction of the shooter's experience and sense of success, but also to the competitive elevation and development of the shooting association, if shooters as an association want this. At least it's an option.
• When the sport of shooting is so magnificent and incredibly simple, why aren't standardized shooting competency programs a la "From assistant instructor to chief instructor" organized to a much greater degree, as most other sports have. In this way, all shooters will learn the sport of shooting in a structured, logical way, thus new shooters train optimally from the beginning, instead of no instruction, directly incorrect instruction, flavor of the day instruction, or from skilled shooters who do not really know , why they are skilled and what they can actually do and why.
• For 150 years, the sport of shooting has been and is very financially and in terms of facilities privileged. Where other sports have received DKK 150-170 in subsidies per member, the shooting sport has benefited from 3-4 times as much money per member. But has it been good for shooting sports? Has the shooting sport made the most of it? Not since the end of World War II has there been a national element of defensive motivation behind the shooting associations. The shooting associations have become Danish cultural carriers. But the public's stereotypical perception of many Danish shooting associations in atmosphere is like a Danish bodega; a group of single ladies and mostly older men with bellies who drink beer in the bar or play billiards while smoking heavily and looking very unhealthy. And when new members come, they frown instead of welcoming, and only get up out of necessity if a new shooter wants to shoot, who at the same time is taught how difficult it is to shoot and he himself has been shooting for 35 years. and is damn good at it. And at the same time, the new Sagittarius must not think he/she is anything. Does this harmonize with shooting associations and the Shooting Federation as Danish modern cultural carriers?
• Why the traditional shooting sport does not develop more and follow the development of society. As many shooters have said over the decades, when product development is really going strong, another target comes out or you have to shoot more or fewer shots. The Hunters' Association has continuously adapted and functions as a cultural bastion. It has happened slowly, but it has happened and never have so many people taken hunting licenses as now – it has become modern and fashionable. Or for that matter a stagnant and declining traditional weightlifting association that was quick to get on the Crossfit train and is now experiencing explosive growth and has become hip again. All of the above examples have gained a new wider clientele, membership and attention to the Danmarkskortet again. The IDAN report also states this and makes several suggestions. But our experiences through 19 different shooting associations also tell us that shooting associations and federations are not at all interested at the moment - so it requires a major change in culture and change.
• Outsiders who don't know the shooting sport at all, may wonder about rifles and pistols that look like something from a sci-fi movie, leather suits that remind of 80's disco clothing, clap for the eye, as a diametrical contrast to other shooting disciplines, where shooters come in plain clothes and shoes, and shoot rifles and pistols that look like rifles and pistols. I myself remember how I got off the wrong foot once when I shot against a world elite rifle shooter who had been world champion several times. This shooter was shooting in nice and cool looking leather clothing with lots of leather straps in nice positive colors while I was shooting in regular practical shooting clothing. Out of curiosity, I asked about the value of this special leather garment, whereupon I was met with a wide-eyed and profound silence. When I asked again, I was met with a shake of the head and no explanations. I didn't ask to be disrespectful, but I simply didn't know! Perhaps it was also two different settings and approaches to the shooting sport that met here; my very pragmatic practical approach and the long-standing traditional rifle competition port approach with all aids allowed.
• Many shooting associations, federations or shooters make a big deal out of saying that they are sports shooters, and there is absolutely no connection to the military. This is for political reasons. But the truth is that it is there! Most of the shooting disciplines are the same and so are the training methods – first range shooting, then transitions and then IPSC.
• In addition, approx. 20 % of all shooters military background or affiliation in the civil unions, and since the 1860s there has also been a state military and economic connection here - like approx. the first 110 years of the associations' life! In addition, there is also the common feature that firearms can kill or injure – regardless of whether you are a civilian or military shooter.
• Firearms, regardless of military or civilian use, are purposefully developed to kill in the most efficient way in the shortest possible training time. This regardless of whether it is for war, sport shooting or hunting. This has always been the case in human history. Most often, the same weapons have been used for hunting and sport shooting as in war. In fact, it is usually first civilian, after which it is used militarily. Why? Because civilian weapons are usually the best!
• It is reminiscent of when the politicians said that Denmark was not involved in war-like situations during NATO/UN deployments, while the soldiers to a large extent experienced that they were at war - both open and guerilla war. The Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan can be mentioned here. The official political communication, neither the press nor the civilian population believed, as the world is extremely small in this modern world, and only when Denmark suffered heavy losses over a number of years, and other major NATO countries came forward and said that the operations were war-like conditions, changed the official "Vietnam war versus civilian population" position, and the truth and reality, was now honestly communicated, and now with even greater political and popular support. I cannot help but be proud of the respect that Danish soldiers' "modern Vikings" skills, reliability and reputation enjoy, just as Denmark enjoys abroad, especially in the USA, - I have also experienced that doors have opened on that account. But in a somewhat amusing and typically American way, I had a conversation with an extremely well-informed taxi driver in New York, who thinks that Denmark had the coolest Viking warriors, who were at least as skilled as the American soldiers, but what he thinks was most fantastic was that they had all been brought up in HC Andersen's fairytale land with Hamlet castles scattered around the country, and at the same time were the happiest people in the world - he had seen that himself on the Oprah Winfrey show!

After the 36-month POMW project, my task has been transferred to handover and maintenance.

For the standardized training and competence course courses; POMW Pistol Fundamentals, POMW Pistol Intermediate, POMW Instructor, POMW Fire Leader and POMW Fire Commander, this has already happened. For the POMW Rifle partly, but for the POMW LRS this has not yet happened.

POMW Pistol Fundamentals has become a mandatory KYU (colored belt) qualification course from TG2 (7-5.kyu), on par with the other traditional Yakami Shinsei-ryu qualification courses with a 1,000 year history behind them.

POMW Pistol Intermediate is a voluntary KYU superstructure from and including TG2 (7-5.kyu), where the results show a predominantly statistical probability that after completing the course, 60 % of the participants will shoot, Danish 1st division within at least one shooting discipline, 30 % of the participants, Danish 2nd division within at least one shooting discipline, and 10 % of the participants, Danish 3rd division within at least one shooting discipline.

A POMW Pistol Intermediate has an average total shooting experience of just under 2,000 rounds - and at least 20,000 dry training rounds. According to DDS report that a Danish shooter shoots an average of approx. 240 shots per years, which means that POMW Intermediate shooters converted have approx. 8-9 years shooting experience.

POMW Rifle is voluntary from and including TG2 (7-5.kyu) and TG3 (4-2.kyu). POMW LRS is by invitation from and including TG4+ (1.kyu – 1.dan Sr.).

The POMW project also shows that, as with all other sports, it requires constant competence maintenance to maintain one's very best level. But the POMW project also shows that a recreation through shooting training of one's best level of competence is not linear, but an explosive upward parabola.
And when this is compared to the fact that every POMW shooter has gone through a standardized training course and thus has been given a competence-giving standardized toolbox, a POMW shooter will know exactly what this shooter needs to get up to level again.

The same will also apply to me. The "shooting rust" will slowly but surely get bigger and bigger, as I don't shoot at the same international level as before, as this requires international matches, preparation courses and optimal POMW maintenance. It is no longer my task and my way.

My focus is on development through my function as head instructor for the Honbu-dojo (main school), and as a martial arts grandmaster with a 1,000-year tradition, and a competence toolbox that has been tested, developed and refined on all levels, and continues to be so.

But a cozy match or two will probably happen once in a while, with a subsequent dinner with good wine or beer, where the whole world situation can be turned around under an open cloudless and starry sky, with super good like-minded civilians as military shooting buddies, which the POMW project also has entailed – I just don't want to be without it.

This article belongs to a series of concluding POMW articles, and will answer questions such as;

How and why did the POMW project come about?

How was it built and how did it proceed?

Which experiences were the most educational – both positive and negative?

Retrospective; Is there anything during the process that can be made more optimal or efficient?

The influence of the surroundings, the influence of Shindenkan and the influence of the participants on POMW

And other questions