Treat matches like athletic events

[Garrett Gee]

I’ve started reading some of the books Phil Velayo and Co has been recommending on MDS. The obvious one being “With Winning In Mind” and now I’ve started reading “Winning” by Tim Grover.

It got me thinking a little bit. The PRS has obviously moved away from the field style matches of the West and moved to more of a run and gun match. The eastern half if filled with venues similar to Altus and K&M. This isn’t a knock on that type of match. It’s just different from the field type of matches.

Which begs the question, as anyone started treating matches like athletic events?

Things like:
-Training regimens
-Eating right (prior to and during the match)
-Sleep
-Stretching
-Working out (cardio and weights)
-Ditching the tactical Timmy get up, for more athletic wear like shorts and specific shoes when warranted
-Mental game
-Proper hydration

The margins between 1st and 20th are Razor thin at a lot of matches. The books I’ve been reading just having me thinking about more and I was curious what others thoughts are?

[Anthony Wychules]

If there’s any matches like this one https://practiscore.com/run-n-gun-trail-to-hell/register coming to WI or surrounding areas.. I’ll definitely need to up the training.

I’m not doing any of those for PRS.. but I’m tackling most of those in just trying to keep fit/lose weight. More stretching is something I need to do.

[Ken Wheeler]

I’ve often thought of this same thing Garrett, thanks for posting.
About 10 years ago, I was really consumed with training for Ironman triathlons and trained hard to be my best at swimming, biking and running.  Now days, I do crossfit, run and eat healthy because I’m getting old and it’s important to me to maintain weight and be healthy.

I think we are still in the early days of our sport and if we see true professionals rise to the top, they will be a master of mind, body and spirit.  Look how the sport of golf has changed over the past few decades, todays top golfers are truly athletes.

I like the points you make above, one that interests me the most is the gear you wear.  What is the best apparel for this sport?  Tight fitting clothes to prevent snags, shorts or lightweight pants to be cool but protective, elbow pads, knee pads?  It’s an interesting thing to think about.

[Garrett Gee]

I bring it up because of the ridiculous weather swings we see.  Like right now, if I can keep my body temp somewhat warm and comfortable, will my mind stay focused longer and better on the task at hand.  Same with June, July and August.  If wear a pair of athletic shorts will keep my core temp at 99.0 instead of 100, and help me prevent water loss.  Will that translate to staying focused on a stage and improve performance.

[Brian]

I’ve put some amount of thought I to this.

Normally I know I don’t drunk enough water, but I do try to make sure I am well hydrated starting a couple days before a match. Besides the normal advantages to being well hydrated, one of the first consequences of dehydration is a degradation of eye sight.

I wanted to start doing some cardio last year to help maintain a slower heart rate on the clock. That never happened, maybe this year. I think just as important is keeping a clear, calm mindset.

I think regular stretching of some sort could be a spot where a lot of guys could see improvement. I’m not super flexible but I am a good bit more flexible then most. I have watched many guys struggle on certain stages that I have easily shot because my flexibility allowed me to create a comfortable and stable position others could not.

Gear wise, I always try to shot in a a t-shirt of some kind. Unless it is super old I am stripping down to that layer. I have found I will get the rifle tangled up in a heavier sweatshirt regularly and heavier jackets effect stock placement on my shoulder and are not as repeatable.

I like wearing a taller boot for the added ankle support. I’ve considered trying something different that’s a bit lighter. I don’t think the boots inhibit me during the match, but the added weight may just be adding to the fatigue at the end of the day.

[Garrett Gee]

Well UA jogger pants are out.  First pair didn’t last a week without stitching coming undone.  May just have to stick with the tactical Timmy pants with knee pads in them.

[Brian Larson]

Look at Daluth trading company. Very durable and very comfy/stretchy. Been using them the last few years and they’re a lot cheaper than all the Gucci ones from Crye and all that.

[Anthony Wychules]

I use the Duluth flex firehose ones right now.. little clunky/heavy but they work well. Pockets for kneepads too.

[Garrett Gee]

Footwear is a consideration as well.  I used Salomon Trail Runners all of last year.   They were great on grass or in dirt but horrible for traction on any hard surface.  I might just go with a regular athletic shoe this year

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