By Mads Villadsen, SDKSkyt, Ballerup
Completely new surroundings. Something to get used to, yes we have all experienced that at some point in our lives. What I have learned in such situations is that you have to take a step back and start observing what is happening. That's how I felt on 28-01-2024 when the POMW course 2.a started.
There had to be a lot of safety, not only for each other, but also for ourselves. Kimu Sensei made it very clear from the start that we had to REMEMBER OUR AMMUNITION AT ALL TIMES! IT MUST ALWAYS BE UNDER SUPERVISION. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! It is the law that says so. So therefore it must be observed. Everything was permeated with control at all times. It was a new behavior/way of being. More observant and more detailed. And very professional.
3 DQ and you are out of the POMW course (dumped). Kimu Sensei made that very clear from the start, it is simply a safety measure for the sake of others and ourselves.
The whole day was a day of anticipation. It was very different from what I had imagined. Most of all the shooting method. When we had been told a few days before that we were going to make a shooting sock, the first thing I thought was what the heck would we use one for. It turned out to be very useful. It was to be used to rest the gun on.
When I was about to load the first magazine and shoot it, my head was full of thoughts. I have a father who has shot both .22 and 9 mm calibers earlier in his life. And he has told me how good he was and how easy he found it. That's why I felt pressure from the home front. And that's why I couldn't find peace at all.
I got a warning DQ because I focused on the result. I had an incident where I got annoyed with myself and therefore focused on the result. I was controlled by my inferiority complex and simply didn't listen. Therefore I got a warning DQ from Kimu Sensei, not a real DQ, but a warning, which was completely fair.
Today's course was with a 100 % guided round 1 and 50 % self-guided round 2 – with very different results. Where round 2 was significantly worse, although it should have been significantly better – if we had stuck to the process and built on round 1. And still had run the process and controlled breathing.
Since we had been working for many hours, the last process was cleaning the guns, which was also a nerdy process, but I found it really relaxing.
We were also instructed to shower and wash all our clothes after the course because of the lead and gunpowder sludge. Better to be on the safe side because we all react differently when it comes to our health.
At the end, we summarized together with Kimu sensei and all the other shooting leaders, shooting commanders and participants how the day had gone and what we each had to focus on. I was personally told that either I am completely on top or I am running myself down. Therefore, I have to try to find peace and not fall into the traps that I often make for myself. Learn to find peace while shooting. I am very result-oriented and I have to work on that.
And I mustn't talk myself down, that's the worst thing you can do. There are so many who want to do it. So don't do it yourself. Welcome the process and the learning – so that it becomes a part of you and you can get the best out of it. At Shindenkan we believe in you, but you also have to believe in yourself. Kimu Sensei always says – we are all completely unique and amazing people – it's just about doing your best.
You have to run the process and not focus on the result. And then find a safe place (physically and mentally) to find the feeling of good shooting. Anyone can learn from their own mistakes, but a true leader learns from the mistakes of others.
All in all, a very inspiring day, which went very calmly with lots of focus.
A huge thank you to Kjeld Renshi for personal guidance. When you try something new it's very nice to have someone who can calm you down when it gets a little too hard and too stressful. Take it easy and breathe. It didn't make it any better that the gun I had jammed (malfunctioned) every now and then and I got a little frustrated with it.
A week later came the next course day. Of course, we had to dry train at home every day between the course days and at the same time I had even been lucky enough before the course to have received personal guidance from Jens Hanshi-dai, after a local training. And I was very grateful for that. There we discussed further how it had gone and what I should focus on. So that I could develop even more.
But now we know the place, the routine, and the manners a little better and now we know a little about shooting with a .22 caliber.
Kimu Sensei started with some very ''basic'' facts before we got started. About people within the shooting world.
- 80 % is above middle class income
- 67 % does not have any children and does not want regular education
- 50% of us won't listen. And will completely shut out what is being said here today.
People are too arrogant, too selfish, struggling with low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence. That was also something Kimu Sensei said during the day. It was like looking at an entire class that had just been scolded by the principal. Everyone who wasn't looking down at the table was a little offended by what he said.
And it also ended up with 50 % getting DQ on the day. So he was right about something.
“You are fighting against yourself. You are your own worst enemy. It is an internal battle. But why?”
"You set all the limits for yourself. Why, you're amazing."
It fitted together very well what he said. But it was also a bit of a contrast, first giving us the problem and then giving us the solution. And then standing there and claiming that 50 % wouldn't listen. It seemed completely crazy from my perspective.
"This is when we practice repetitions, repetitions, repetitions. So it gets into the spine. And this is when it starts to become a habit," said Kimu Sensei, who is the Chief Instructor and overall shooting leader on the course, as he reviewed the plan for that day.
It's like our Shindenkan principles. We meet people where they are and take them on a journey. Everyone's starting point was taken into account and from there the instructors started to build us up.
But we showed everyone what we had to do, it was just that we had to start shooting. Just like last time. Or so we thought. We started by practicing dry firing a few times with real ammo. After that it was very much our own driving with filling magazines, preparing the gun, loading it, with correct gun handling, shooting and unloading. All of this was on a shooting manual that was placed on each shooting table.
One challenge as a dyslexic person was making sure I followed the shooting instructions to the letter. As it was exceptionally challenging to read and handle the gun at the same time. Without putting others or myself in danger. Without it being an excuse or me having to feel sorry for my situation.
But it resulted in me having to grit my teeth and not feel sorry for myself. It also meant that I had to, at least try to trust myself 100% in my abilities and my knowledge. Still with the understanding and recognition that there are others who know more than me and that I still had to be humble.
And surrender completely to the process. And train with the aim of doing POMW shooting technique 100 % correctly.
In addition, I could not have done it without the tremendous mental and physical guidance and support from Kjeld Renshi, who was my personal shooting director as everyone had to have an experienced shooter to supervise that everything went correctly and that no mistakes were made. Or give DQ. Fortunately, I escaped without anyone this time.
I myself come from a family where I am the only dyslexic. That is why I have always been a little behind the others, and have especially had difficulty living up to my parents and my older brother. This has also been reflected in this course. I have difficulty living up to my own expectations and when I don't, I drive myself down a downward spiral. I have tried to work with that problem since my early teenage years here at Shindenkan. But I never thought that a course based on a many years old thesis would have such a big effect on me.
It was a big challenge for anyone, myself included, when we went from shooting with a sock to shooting freehand. The gun became much heavier than I had imagined. And holding the gun still was even more challenging. You had to try to swing back and forth, shooting just when it was in the right place. It was downright annoying.
Now that I think about it and look back on it, it reminds me of freestyle wrestling. Maximum pressure under safe and secure conditions.
Overall, a really great day. Filled with a good atmosphere and good camaraderie. But also with a high learning curve, and lots of focus on us.
Under safe and secure conditions.
