After a successful POMW II the previous Sunday, it was time for POMW III on Sunday 27 September, which, just like during POMW II, took place at Hanebjerg Shooting Center. The day began with an introduction by Kimu Sensei as well as feedback and exchange of experiences from POMW II. Although it is cold at 8.30 in the morning late in September, then you started to feel comfortable in the premises at the shooting range. For the past week, I had been practicing POMW shooting technique and safety procedures daily, so I felt well prepared. After the introduction by Kimu Sensei, we started by shooting twice 30 rounds of caliber 22, as a warm-up. The first round, a bit rusty - and so were others there. We agreed that it was due to fatigue. The next round was much better so I was satisfied, knowing that there is always room for improvement. That's how it is in life - and that's how it is on the shooting range too.

Then switched from traditional shooting discs to IPSC discs (torso discs). We were instructed by Kimu Sensei about the shooting technique on this type of target, so we were well prepared, and then we started loading. You might as well get used to it, it takes some time and practice to get good at charging and it can be a little hard on the thumb. We loaded 4 magazines (72 rounds) and then we went out of the shooting rooms and onto the range. The weather was fantastic – sun from a cloudless sky and almost no wind. So far we had only shot at 25 meters, whether it was caliber 22 or 9 mm. Now we entered 6 meters. It seemed to be very close, but when you look at the statistics around the area a gun is used, so that in approx. 90-95% of the cases that it is within 7-10 meters. The IPSC discs are divided into 3 zones: Alfa, Charlie and Delta. The important thing is to hit in delta, but based on POMW firing technique. The disc is an octagon and the point of aim midway between the 3rd and 4th corners, i.e. the corners immediately below the top edge.

We shot at a target and it went ok, there were a few lapses in concentration that I had to work on. We then gradually moved further and further away from the disk. That is 8 metres, then 12 and meters and finally approx. 15 meters. It was the same focus and the same technique we had to use as in range shooting. That is an "autistic" one, where you repeat the same thing over and over again. The same way of picking up the gun, breathing, trigger (with the thumb of the index finger), same acceptance of recoil, same way of aiming the shot, etc. It got progressively harder and harder the longer the distance, but I actually liked it went perfectly well. After the four shootings where we ended up back at 15 meters, we started going the other way again. Started at 15 meters, then went down to 12-13 meters. Here we had to work with the focus that we had to so-called call where our shot would hit the target before we shot (i.e. inside ourselves). It seemed a little strange, but here something happened. My training had paid off. It went really well. I was actually surprised that I could now call the shot before I hit the target (or the hole in the target - see Kimu Sensei's article on www.jokokan.com from 6 October 2015). The result was actually quite good. 5 shots out of 72, I had outside the alpha area. Although I have previously shot with rifles and pistols (as a soldier, etc.), I could now state that I had learned to shoot. I had learned not to fight the recoil of the gun but to accept it and adopt it. I had learned to use both of my eyes properly, which is something I really had to practice a lot. I had mastered my breathing, JEP, the process, the trigger. I had managed to gain a deeper understanding of the shooting and that it is the person behind it that is the decisive factor. 

The last shooting was a transition shooting from 6 meters, which means that we stood 3-4 shooters next to each other and shot at several targets. It is a very demanding form of shooting. You have to be very concentrated and have the ability not to focus on the others and the cartridge cases flying into your head. It was incredibly fun and exciting to try. Now we know what awaited us next Sunday. We finished the day with two 30's against the 22 caliber target. Again I made a good round and a not so good round.

Sunday 4 October was the last day of POMW III and thus the last day of the course. This time we weren't supposed to be on the 25 meter pitch, but on a pitch surrounded by large earthen embankments known as "The Hole". It was, as usual, cold but windless. It really requires good practical and warm clothing, and it is recommended to bring rain gear.

Now it was pure IPSC shooting. IPSC discs (octagons) were fired again. To begin with, we only shot at one target. Again we started close (6-7 meters) and gradually went further and further from the discs out to approx. 20 meters. It went quite well it seems, but again there is always room for improvement. Again, it's about the process and coordination of breath, movement, exhaust, aiming and control. Looking after it turned out to be more important than I had understood until now. But I'll get back to that.

Then we had to shoot at steel targets. Now the target suddenly became significantly smaller and we shot from distances between 20 meters and 45 meters. It was suddenly a completely different type of shooting and at this point the shooting glasses began to fog up. In contrast to the IPSC discs, you now got a reward when you hit the disc - a very nice "ring" deep inside the ear, and it was a cool feeling to hit the disc. It was undoubtedly the most difficult shooting and when you missed, you were revealed very clearly by the ground around the impact of the bullet.

After the steel targets, we had to shoot transition again. Shooting after multiple targets. We started against two goals that we had previously tried. First with one shot in each target and later with two shots at a time in each target. Now the search became really important. Because if the aftersight was not in place, then too much time would pass between the first and the second shot. The same was true when we shot after 4 goals. IPSC shooting is significantly different from range shooting and shooting at a target. The important thing is that you are focused on the goal. That is look and perform as we know it from traditional karate (POMW is also karate after all). First focus on the first target, trigger (press & squeeze), then man moves focus to target two and does the same if the targets are horizontally offset. If the targets are vertically offset, then the focus is shifted to the target, after which you turn at the hip, without moving the legs, so that the body is facing the target and then pull off again. The challenge here is the speed of the shooting. It goes pretty fast, but this is where you have to take control and not rush. If you rush and don't focus on your goals, it will immediately be revealed where you hit. It went really well during these shootings, and I got confirmation that it wasn't just a coincidence on Sunday the week before, I had actually cracked the code.

The action level was top notch, but with safety at the fore, as it has been during the whole process, but the action level was not diminished by the fact that we were also allowed to shoot from the barricade. Again a new type of shooting, where it is important to get clear of the barricade before shooting.

After all the IPSC shootings, approx. 7 hours after we started, we held a de-briefing where Kimu Sensei asked about our experiences during the course. Afterwards we cleaned up the "Hole" and went back to the 25 meter lanes. Here we again shot 2 x 30 shots against traditional range discs. First series I shot a personal record, where the second series was somewhat worse. Although I have completed and passed the course, I still have development potential. I increase my stability in shooting, and how do I do it? I practice POMW shooting technique at home in the living room with my soft gun, because it's the only thing that helps. Focus on the process and incorporate the movement and coordination in the body, the breath, the trigger and, not least, make sure to keep both eyes open, then it will probably be fine.

Like all POMW II and III courses, the course ended with cleaning and instruction in disassembling and assembling the guns.

An exciting course was over. Now what should I spend my Saturdays/Sundays for? Well, the family 😊. It has been a fantastically exciting course which has developed me as a marksman, but also a karate practitioner and I can take everything I have learned with me and use it in everyday life as well as at my work, even if I am sitting in an office. Because it's about being able to see the parallel in what you've learned and using the tools you now have available, and in this case it's "FOCUS ON THE TARGET", whether it's a target on the shooting range or a work task.

I would like to thank Kimu Sensei and the chief instructors for their great commitment, including coordinating and handling logistics and preparation, as well as the support they have given during the course. I would also like to thank all my course colleagues for their commitment, exchange of opinions and experiences and generally just being really good friends. The course emphasizes to a great extent what Shindenkan and Yakami Shinsei-ryu are all about, and it is on the first page of our syllabus.