Marksmanship and Life 3 - Self Position

Learning to let the rifle rest where it wants to is fundamental to being able to hit your target.  The bullet is propelled down range by a small explosion, and the recoil caused by that explosion will move the rifle.  If the marksman is trying to consciously "muscle" the barrel to point to the target, then that will be the weakest support for the rifle's position.  The recoil may be initially directed back, but the weakness of the barrel's support due to the "muscle" action will cause more successful motion against that direction than will be directed elsewhere.

Therefore, when aiming at a target, one should sight in, relax for a moment and see where the barrel points.  The way to adjust ones aim from that point on is to move ones body until the barrel points properly to the target.

Being able to properly direct ones efforts is fundamental to being able to achieve one's goals.  The results of effort are achieved by the "explosion" of action one aims at one's hoped-for goal.

My experience is that in the undertaking any significant effort there is always resistance from the inertia of the status quo.  This is not a bad thing, as the status quo is usually the safer path and deviation is usually risky.  I think of it as guard rails, it protects me from carelessness, but also makes it difficult for me to get off into the really fun places beyond them.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  As I expend effort I am invariably pushed back upon.  If I am properly situated I can withstand and overpower the pushback, but if I try to act in a manner out of my nature, I am invariably knocked over onto my ass.  This is because my natural support for the action will be weak, the action is likely to end up misdirected and will not bring the best possible results.

My opinion, therefore, is that the best way is to first know oneself, then analyze and understand the goal, and, finally, if necessary, adjust one's position so that the desired goal is a more natural outgrowth of one's daily activities.