By Martin Hansen, Member until 2018
Sunday 26 May – a normal spring day for most, but another landmark day in Shindenkan's history. POMW II was to be held for the first time – Minouchi Sensei's thesis had to be proven on the shooting range with real guns and live ammunition. The chief instructors had already gone through a course during the start of the project, but not POMW II, which now with 26 participants should break new records and in a short time perhaps bring all shooters up to the level of the best competition shooters in Denmark. For some it will be a remarkable result - for others a threat...
The preparations for the course had started days in advance, with Honbu chief instructor and course developer Kimu Sensei busy with the final touches and event manager Søren Renshi, responsible for the practical coordination and purchase of materials. There is quite a bit more preparation and coordination as a shooting course involving live ammunition must of course comply with all laws and regulations. So weapons and ammunition must be transported back and forth and the correct permits must be in place, the instructors must be extra careful with all the new shooters, even though they all (the chief instructors) are equipped with DK's highest license in pistol shooting and security around the same IPSC A+ the licence, which by the way is only available in DK. All POMW assistant instructors and some volunteer assistants already met at 08.00 on Saturday morning at Hanebjerg, where POMW II was to be held to prepare ranges, guns, registration of ammunition, etc. Hanebjerg is a magnificent place in the middle of the North Zealand soil and surrounded by beautiful nature, so even though the shots are ringing you can still hear the birds singing and the bees buzz. Shindenkan has chosen through SDKskyt to hold the POMW courses at Hanebjerg, as we prefer to shoot outside, which is both good for noise but mostly pollution from gunpowder smoke and gunpowder sludge (lead and sulphur fumes). Incidentally, shooting is also one of the few places where IPSC is shot at Hanebjerg, which is why SDKskyt's instructors have obtained their IPSC A+ license at Hanebjerg. POMW III will also be held mainly at Hanebjerg.
Fortunately, all the participants met on time and many even earlier, so it was possible to chat and enjoy a cup of coffee before the day's long program. So exactly at 09.00 Kimu Sensei set out in the premises in extension of the large pistol range, where he naturally welcomed us first. First, the POMW shooting technical handbook was reviewed as a powerpoint presentation, which was a repetition from the POMW I course, but also the most important and essential now that the participants had to start the wet training. By far the most important thing and the theme of everything that was going on this day was safety, safety and safety. All it takes is one small mistake with a 0.22 caliber and it will be ugly and with a 9mm not just ugly but fatal. The briefing was therefore also moved to the booth on the shooting range, where Kimu Sensei reviewed the day's procedures several times, i.e. how and where the filling of magazines should take place, how the shooters should behave in the area, in the groups and not least during the shooting itself. It was also reviewed in detail how to handle a gun, from firing pin, to loading, to firing and the handling after firing. It was also important that malfunctions were reviewed - what can happen and how should the situation be handled. However, the instructors were prepared and Kimu Sensei knew in advance that there would be many errors, especially on the S & W 0.22, which quickly jammed or "clicked". This review was extremely thorough and it was important that the participants asked questions - because when it comes to firearms there are no stupid questions. Therefore, it was also emphasized that security breaches were not tolerated, and 2 min. on the bench during POMW I was replaced with a long pause for thought and, if necessary, expulsion from the area.
The 26 participants were divided in advance into 3 groups, except for Jokokidz, who with 4 participants was divided into 2 groups. With 3 groups, it was possible that one team (shooters) could shoot, the second team (in the hole) could load magazines and the third team could relax in the adjacent coffee room, where you could take off hearing protection, earplugs and safety glasses and thus rest eyes and ears. As Kimu Sensei had started with leading up to the course, the POMW II participants would shoot 400-600 rounds over 2 days, which very well matches what a normal Danish average shooter shoots in 2 years, so a well-deserved rest in between was enough its place 🙂 All shots would be so-called good shots according to the POMW shooting technical handbook, where you evaluate each and every shot according to the essence and constantly try to optimize your technique. When the first team had shot, the shooters together with Kimu Sensei looked down at the targets to assess the shooting, not so much where they had hit but more importantly if there were joints. You distinguish between being precise and accurate - if you shoot precisely, the shots come together and exactly then the collection is also in the center of the target. The shooters had to designate their point of aim with the gun they were shooting with, so that the next round could be more accurate. But in fact most of them shot really well and it was clear to see that POMW shooting technique is the solution when you have to learn to shoot really well in the shortest possible time and that dry training is a really important part of learning to shoot optimally, as it had showed up during POMW I. You can safely say that the participants looked like really seasoned shooters It was going to be a really good day 🙂
The first team went to break and the "In the hole" shooters stepped forward and got ready to shoot, while the break team now became "in the hole" and this is how the POMW II course was to be held for the rest of the time. Jokokidz, who shot with powerful Weirauch air pistols, did not pause, to the mild annoyance of the two instructors, Jens Hanshi-dai and Martin Renshi, who had to reload the pistols, which have a very powerful spring, with each shot. But when they saw how well Jokokidz actually shot, it was pure pleasure to tighten the spring and train the arm muscles 🙂 The shooters thus shot 2 magazines of 10 shots with a maximum of 5 seconds interval, which often became a little more when the guns jammed or needed to be lubricated , but luckily there was a helpful shooting instructor ready to help the shooters so they could quickly continue shooting. All 3 teams made it through a few rounds before it was time for a quick lunch, where the food brought was enjoyed outside or in the "coffee room". Kimu Sensei took the opportunity to cheer up the participants and tell them that now was the time to stay focused and not give up, while the chief instructors had the opportunity to fire some 0.22 ammunition before the POMW II participants had to go back into the fire 🙂
After lunch there was thus time for a few more rounds of shooting and there was a great improvement to be seen as a higher percentage of the shots were placed in the central part of the black on the targets, so although there had been a slight decrease briefly before lunch, the participants were now even better. Around. 16.15 everyone had kept going through several times and reached approx. 100 shots. But the day wasn't over yet, because there was also some cleaning to do. There must not be empty casings floating on a shooting range after shooting and there were many casings to collect for the brass bucket. But the learning was not over and the participants were seated around 3 tables in the coffee room, where Søren Renshi, Martin Renshi and Kjeld Renshi-dai entertained with gun cleaning, where the participants got to know their gun through a "field strip" of a S&W 22A and of course a assembly again. This happened several times, so the POMW Pistol – fundamentals participants also learned to know the function of a pistol through the cleaning and maintenance process.
A good Sunday was wished with what was now left after 8 hours on the shooting range. Competitors were encouraged to go home and keep the dry practice going just before the next few Sundays as points would be counted next time and all shooters classified afterwards. Kimu Sensei had started by saying that the next Sunday would be without him and he would then come to the last scheduled POMW day the following week, but that was not to be the case...
Part 2 – Now it “blackens up”…
POMW II was underway and with great success. The participants had shown they were capable during POMW I and repeated it during POMW II where it had really proved their worth and kept the dry training agreement which had really produced great results. Kimu Sensei had taken a closer look at the results after the first day of the course and got a cramp in his arms when he could barely get them back down. These were truly remarkable results. Jokokidz had the best team result 95-100% in black at 15m with air pistol. The adults had on 25m with precision targets shot from 75 to 95% in black as the best team result, which is completely unheard of and after 100 training shots!!! COMPLETELY BLACK
It was with understandable great self-confidence and trust in POMW shooting technique and process that the participants once again posed on a Sunday morning, this time at 08.30 for another day of shooting according to the POMW methodology and Kimu Sensei's expert teaching and help from the other instructors. Kimu Sensei started the morning briefing by saying "I had actually expected that I would not be here today, but I have changed the plans after the last time, when you managed to exceed my best expectation!". In fact, the participants had done so well that the course was shortened and backup times became unnecessary and POMW II would be finished after this part 2 and thus as originally intended.
This day was supposed to work like the last time, but the pace had to be increased as ideally a good 400-500 shots per day should be fired. shooting, which this time also had to include a 9mm coarse pistol. The 0.22 was put out after the same team as last time and the first round of shots was used to find the "aiming spot" for each individual shooter with the exact gun they were shooting with, and with which they had to make sure to shoot with throughout the day. Normally one would set the gun sights, but since several shooters had to shoot with the same guns the participants might as well learn the more advanced and practical form; to find their "point of aim". The routine was quickly incorporated and the teams ran in rounds of 5-7 minutes, during which they shot a series of 30 shots. After shooting, the shooting team went to the coffee room and had their scores recorded. The verification took place first between the shooters, then by the responsible POMW shooting instructor, who entered the results into an automated computer program specially developed for POMW and SDKSkyt.
Again, there was a great focus on safety and you could see that the participants had become very confident in the handling of firearms, and there was not a finger to put on their handling, which took place according to all the rules of the art.
After all shooters had gone through 2 rounds, a good picture began to emerge that POMW II would produce remarkable results. The participants had quickly caught the moment on a higher level than last time and scored really well, but after the mental attitude that the most important thing was not to focus on the result on the target, but instead to constantly practice POMW shooting technique, then the results would probably come. After about 250 0.22 rounds it was time to change the shooting range and the weapon. Next on the program was the 9mm coarse pistol, where it really had to be seen whether the hand position had been practiced and trained with dumbbells, so that the arms could handle the weight and the much stronger recoil from the 9mm.
The chief instructors had willingly chosen to lend their CZ SP-01 shadow to Honbu-dojo so that the participants could be trained in 9mm as well. These CZs are a military standard pistol that had been purchased during the Chief Instructors POMW training culminating in an IPSC A license and incidentally the same pistol that Kimu Sensei used during his own POMW pilot training. It also looks confusingly similar to the airgun that the participants already knew from POMW I, and this is of course not accidental.
The CZs were laid out on the stands and the teams continued in a similar manner, but now there was an opportunity for the "in the hole" shooters to load 2 magazines and be ready, as there were 4 magazines per. pistol. At the same time, each magazine holds up to 18 shots, but only 2 times 15 had to be used to get the applicable 30 shots. Kimu Sensei introduced the 9mm by first explaining how it should be handled and the ultra important thing about safety, as an accident with a 9mm does not always have a lucky outcome. Therefore, all the participants were also given reasonable time before the shooting to handle the gun and get to know it, so that they were confident about loading, safety, magazine handling, single action, double action etc.
It was quite entertaining to watch the first time the various shooters fired and the shock went through the body, but relatively quickly everyone overcame the stronger sound and recoil and did very well. The focus returned again to POMW shooting technique and the first remarkable results appeared quickly. It was quite interesting to observe that those who had really practiced POMW shooting technique and also managed proper recoil control and shot very well the first time they fired a coarse pistol. It was an entertaining afternoon, where Jokokidz also excelled with 0.22 now that the adults had to shoot with larger calibers. After that, everyone drove according to the same methodology and rolling teams, as with 0.22 – keep it simple and it works!. However, one participant had to wait a bit, not because she didn't want to shoot, but because she was pregnant. The little one in the stomach kicked every time she heard a shot go off, so she stayed on the bench behind the shooting house in lovely sunny weather and a good cup of tea. At the end of the afternoon, when everyone had largely finished shooting, 4 magazines were put up so that she could shoot without too much noise around her. So while the others were standing in the sun enjoying a cup of coffee or something else, she took aim and then stopped, where she shot well, there must have been someone who had almost dropped their jaw - I wonder if it was target water that was in the stomach and not a baby. 50 shots out of 50 shots in the black field from 25 m - like that!. Incidentally, it must be said that only a few days after the course, Kim Chandler arrived with a beautiful girl - A big congratulations from here to the happy family.
It had been quite a long day once again, but the results spoke for themselves when they were tallied up, as you can see here:
These are absolutely fantastic results and they are allowed to speak for themselves.
POMW's developer, Kimu Sensei, has chosen to measure the shooters' achieved basic shooting competence, according to two yardsticks; the Danish shooting union and the American one, where all shooters are divided into categories, so everyone gets something out of it, including competing against each other in the different categories.
POMW Pistol – Fundamentals consists of POMW I (dry training) plus POMW II (wet training). The results have always been very promising. Kimu Sensei - well, that speaks for itself.. But Kimu Sensei taught us five chief instructors to shoot Danish 1st division standard after just 4 months of mixed dry and wet shooting, and after just one month of POMW III pre-training, two of us became . number 1 and 2 on our IPSC A license course, where very experienced range shooters with up to 35 years of civilian and military shooting experience participated. But the real test was with the TG3 and TG4 teams, whether Minouchi Sensei's theory of the man behind the weapon and this clarification and attitude is the most important factor in learning to shoot in the shortest possible time with the most optimal results, if these also get the most optimal learning process and structure with the optimally correct shooting technical essence from the world's best pistol, rifle and long-range shooters.
I would claim that the POMW Pistol – fundamentals to that extent internationally has passed with flying colors and Minouchi Sensei's theory proven – also to that extent!.
The original expected end result and benchmark for success was at least 80 % in black at 15m, along with safe weapon handling and weapon function, understanding of history, weapon development, contexts, and firearms has been developed to simplify the professional competence and training effort for a good and effective result. This would therefore with overwhelming probability demonstrate the correctness of Minouchi Sensei's theory.
It was never intended that the POMW participants should be Danish or international top shooters, as this would be unrealistic with the relatively small amount of training included in the POMW course in relation to Yakami Shinsei-ryu training and requirements. But it is clear that it was extra exciting to witness how far the wings could carry, after direct benchmarking with official Danish shooting standards, as well as the American ones.
End result;
Danish division standard; 26 % shoots in the Danish 1st division within both 0.22 and 9 mm. 15 %s shoot in the Danish 2nd division within 0.22, 39 %s shoot in the Danish 3rd division within 0.22 or 9mm, and 20 %s are good marksmen.
US standard; 15 % grandmasters, 20 % masters, 65 % Black A's.
With the exception of the grandmasters and Danish 1st division standard, everything else has been achieved in a total of just 2 months, plenty of dry training, and the following number of "wet shots"; approx. 350 good shots 0.22 and approx. 210 good shots 9 mm.
12 % had prior shooting experience as officers in the reg. Danish lifeguard, and 88 % had never fired before.
Conclusion: The end result exceeds our wildest imagination!, - and very far above Kimu Sensei's benchmark for success. It is possible that this is due to the fact that Kimu Sensei had no prior experience at all with pistol shooting, which the rest of us did not have either, but the benchmark was set in consultation with Danish shooting experts, and was - according to their statements - very optimistic.
It may well be that POMW is a secondary skill in Shindenkan, and it is impossible to become a black belt or a master in Yakami Shinsei-ryu martial arts in just 2 months - well, you can't even achieve a beginner belt degree in this time. But! - as a POMW shooting instructor and participant in the POMW Pistol course with around 25-30 hours of POMW dry and wet instruction and at least as much dry training at home, I am quite proud and very happy with the result and can already see that there are many in the future will shoot far better than me – and that bodes well for POMW III, which is the superstructure of POMW Pistol – fundamentals.
Everyone in Shindenkan and the participants at POMW II can rightly be proud of themselves and the POMW project, which Kimu Sensei with his usual uncompromisingness has managed to complete with another international top result, which for us - is almost completely unreal.
