Paper and Steel Don't Lie

Originally Posted June 15, 2011

Some people live in a fake fucking world, one where they base their accomplishments and value on utterly useless bullshit that only feeds their ego and never pushes them physically or mentally. I was like this once…right up until I ran into some guys who could really burn it down. When I shot with those guys, they embarrassed me. They reloaded faster, they shot faster. They shot more accurately. They made me look like the amateur I was, and the “tests” we thought were so great were nothing more than bad habit forming tasks that were performed on large steel targets that weren’t that far away, and those guys that schooled me on what real gun slinging was…they looked like possessed automated robots performing some anger inspired synchronized skill that made me want to be better.

You can fool yourself repeatedly with steel targets if you’re not careful, both in speed and accuracy. It’s unwise to make yourself feel good about something you really suck at by using a large gong as your biggest fan, letting it talk to you and tell you lies. I’ve been there, I know. I still see it in others sometimes.

Just when I get fast, I suck at bulls. Then I’m hammering 10 rings, and I have splits that I’ll try to ignore. There is no ignoring; there is only a constant battle between The Two. At some point, most will make the target bigger, or get closer, or both, to try and make it right in their mind….the speed, the accuracy. I know,

I’ve been there a few times. What is too small a target? What is too fast a time? There is no such thing, but the paper will show you the way.

The cycle never ends.

I like shooting with someone else that can push me. I like doing straight up shooting tests with timers. I like doing it with equal guns. No fucked up, unrealistic gear, no competition gaming mentality, just me, him and the deed.

A good shooter with a weak body and weak mind will lose against the one who has the physical ability to crush you and the mental ability to do it repeatedly. You don’t get strong by thinking about it. You get strong by lifting a heavy object over and over again… lifting steel. Thoughts turn to what exercises will help me thrust a blade, climb, carry, or hold my own weight and the weight of others? What can I do to ensure I get someone out of harm’s way? There is only one prescription- jacking steel. It never changes. It never gets lighter. You lift more. It should hurt. I workout alone, there is too much talking with a partner, too much posturing. I get in and get it done like a lightning fast assault. It shouldn't’t take 2 hours. Water and rest are for later.

10 rings and A zones never change sizes. A 180 lb man is always 200 + on the day. Paper and steel don’t lie.