By Agnes Shidoin-dai, Jokokan Frederiksberg, 2nd kyu Yakami Shinsei-ryu Karate-do, 1’st kyu Bujutsu Kodosokukai Gensei-ryu Karate-do, June 2012
Can I use POMW I to learn how to shoot?
Can I use POMW I as part of my toolbox on the road to inner clarification – when I hate firearms in all of my heart.
I were confronted with my inner self on New Year’s Eve 1984,
suddenly an unknown man stands in my living room with a firearm.
Is the weapon real or a dummy?
Is the man ill or under the influence of drugs?
The man would have me to call a taxi and I did.
The man asked me if I was scared and I responded by peeing on the floor.
At the time, I was 18 years old and I wonder today, if I were clarified. Maybe.
I did not panic, I was not apathetic, and I obeyed and was hesitant and AFRAID.
From that day, I have always locked my door.
I know that the world has evolved and that you have to relate, to the rawness and to the people who frequent the streets and is not clarified with the consequences a gunshot may have. These people are perhaps the most dangerous ones.
On POMW I A we were asked, if we would pick up the gun, if our opponent / attacker loses his weapon.
30% answered yes. I was one of those who answered yes. I did not need reflection – I just raised my hand.
After the course, a remembrance appeared around the above-mentioned incident and I tried to make a different twist of this episode.
If he had lost the gun – had I picked it up?
YES, I am 100% sure.
Would I have used it against him?
NO, I am 99% sure that I would not have done that.
I think I would have done as you see on TV: “go or I’ll shoot you.” In addition, I maybe would then have been dead!
When we on POMW I-B, were shooting at the first time, I hit the target one time. I stood at a 7 m distance, aimed, and struggled with a proper posture. Kimu Sensei comes by and pushes easily to my back and say shoot, I did and hit the target. Some of the other participants sees this and we later talked about it. It is at the same time very funny but also thoughtful.
Words like mindset and clarification are words that comes repeatedly in my head.
Subsequently, we have three weeks to rehearse in.
Homework is practice where you are shooting acc. The Technical Handbook, making it 30 minutes each day. In addition, you have to use a toy gun 🙂
I thought that I probably would need more than 3 weeks, but I practiced from day one and 3 weeks ahead. 2×15 minutes each day.
I have had great difficulty in getting the proper aim, to get the right body position and to get the correct breathing. It was hard to get a god flow.
The day came when POMW I C would be held. We have to continue where we left off. Finding into the same groups.
I was curious if I could see improvement, with more than two hit, it was an improvement of 100 % 🙂
It went really well. There were many who hit the targets and even the black area on the targets.
Suddenly there is a plastic ball, which hits me on the lip and I turn instinctively away and point the air gun on another person. I prompt got a DQ from Kimu Sensei.
Kimu Sensei tells me the consequence of my action – I could have shot another person.
I get really scared and sad and the episode from 1984 reappears again.
I thought that right now I could have shot another human. Sloppiness, but I could consciously have shot my assailant, if I have had the opportunity.
I still do not, but now I am in the situation that if I keep my learned skills well, then I will be able to use a firearm and could hit with some precision.
So yes, you can learn to shoot in the POMW I course.
Could you be clarified with the POMW I course?
No, not alone. You have to look inside yourself – real inside. What are your weaknesses and what are your strengths?
You may save yourself, but you might take someone else’s life, smashing another family. Etc.. Etc..
How much have I improved myself in the 3 weeks?
I was one out of four on the winning team, in the shooting competition against multiple targets.
I had four errors on the runway shooting which was on time and more goals.