Archive for August, 2011
LaRue Goodies!
Lookie what Mr. UPS Man just dropped off!
All courtesy of LaRue Tactical.
I ordered their LT-104 scope mount. Of course, that’s cool, but what makes it fun is all the extra goodies LaRue throws in.
Being in Austin and LaRue just up the road in Leander, shipping was UPS but free! Then there’s the Dillo Dust, the Beverage Entry Tool (and this one is black, so it’s more tactical), the bumper stickers, the catalogs… that’s all nice. But what I liked most?
The copy of the U.S. Constitution.
The thing is, I reckon most anyone ordering from LaRue already has a copy, knows, and understands that document. So what to do with this one? Well, like the Gideon’s hand out Bible’s, I guess we can just pass this copy along to someone who needs it.
Unfortunately I don’t have 534 copies to send to all the voting members of the U.S. Congress (I’m guessing Ron Paul doesn’t need a copy). So since I only have one copy, I guess I’ll just send it to The White House. 
(and wordpress.com? once again, thank you for losing my entire post *sigh*)
2011-08-31 workout
Today could have been better.
“Week 4″ – Deload
- Deload – Deadlift (working max: 265#)
- 2x5x105
- 2x5x135
- 2x5x160
- Asst. #1 – Deadlift
- 5 x 10 x 135
- Asst. #2 – ab work…
- 1x7xbw – hanging leg raises
- 4x10xbw – crunches
- Metcon – jump rope
- 1 Tabata set – all single hop
Again, since this is deload week and the warmup and “work” weights are the same, I just lumped them into 2×5 groups. Worked out easier that way. When I hit the assistance deadlifts tho… I wanted to go up in weight because I know 95 wasn’t cutting it, and while originally I thought 110 well… it’s deload, I wouldn’t be as exhausted from work sets, so why not? While it wasn’t strictly about 135 as a weight, it was about getting that plate diameter so the bar was at a proper height off the ground. Frankly, it was too much. 5x10x135 with a minute rest in between was too much for me. Oh sure I was able to pound out the reps, but last reps might take a second or two more rest before I did the rep, I could feel my lower back rounding and form slipping, and so on. I’ll certainly drop back to 110 next workout.
On rounding, gym owner mentioned it to me. I know I’ve been rounding, but I haven’t been able to tell just why. It it just having poor form? Not totally, because I try to reset before each pull and flatten my back out; but I have noticed that sometimes when lowering the weight I’m not keeping flat and kicking in my legs/knees at the right time so touching the weight to the ground sometimes has my back rounded. So there is some form involvement. As well, could it be flexibility in that bottom position? That may be part of it. Could be something else. Nevertheless, it’s something for me to think about, and part of me is thinking next cycle instead of assistance #1 being deadlifts to do Good Mornings to help that area, plus some stretching of those muscles.
On the leg raises well… remember how after the lat pulldowns on Monday my shoulders felt a little wonky? They’ve been feeling that way since then, and when I started the leg raises they were unhappy. That concerns me. So I opted to stop after 1 set and just do some crunches instead. Yeah, I laid over a swiss ball to do them… best thing in the gym for the motion since I can get an increased range of motion.
So… .today was a mixed bag. I’m happy for the long weekend coming up so I can get a little more rest. I’ll see how my shoulder feels on Friday, when I do bench press.
Situational Awareness
Posted by hsoi in self defense on August 30, 2011
An important element of adopting the mindset required to practice situational awareness is to first recognize that threats exist. Ignorance or denial of a threat — or completely tuning out one’s surroundings while in a public place — makes a person’s chances of quickly recognizing the threat and avoiding it slim to none. This is why apathy, denial and complacency can be (and often are) deadly. A second important element is understanding the need to take responsibility for one’s own security. The resources of all governments are finite and the authorities simply cannot be everywhere and cannot stop every criminal act. The same principle applies to private security at businesses or other institutions, such as places of worship. Therefore, people need to look out for themselves and their neighbors.
Read more: Situational Awareness: How Everyday Citizens Can Help Make a Nation Safe | STRATFOR
(h/t Tom Givens)
A call to arms (for some of you)
Don’t fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn’t matter. Start doing and believing in the stuff that works, and do it today and forever. You want science and studies? Fuck you, I’ve got scars and blood and vomit.
This is a call to arms for some of you. It is for me too. Stop all the things that make you a pussy and steal your energy. Get your life back.
Doesn’t matter what we’re talking about: your job, lifting weights, shooting guns, martial arts, raising your kids, whatever. It applies.
Women, handguns, empowerment.
Posted by hsoi in Guns, self defense on August 29, 2011
Fewer women than men in the U.S. hold concealed handgun licenses and women who do carry them do so for self-defense and a need to feel empowered, according to a study by sociology graduate student Angela Stroud.
Stroud said her study, which involved 15 interviews with women who hold concealed handgun licenses, found that women seek the license to feel as powerful as men in a culture where women are taught to feel vulnerable.
Full story here. Including some quotes from local CHL instructor, Robert Greene.
I’m not sure how 15 interviews constitutes a representative sample, but here we are.
The main reason I wanted to comment on this article was this:
Starr-Renee Corbin, a manager for the Applied Research Laboratories who works with the Center for Women’s and Gender studies, said she carries her concealed handgun for self-defense, but does not carry it all the time.
“I leave the gun at home on a day-to-day basis and only bring it with me if I’m going on long drives through the state or feel there is an immediate threat,” Corbin said. “I wouldn’t agree that it gives you a sense of empowerment in every situation. It’s just something to have around just in case.”
But does not carry all the time. She only carries if she feels there’s a threat or on long drives.
You know, if we’re going to talk studies, data, and research… then she needs to carry her gun at all times… unless she has superpowers and can see the future. Data shows that most attacks happen in parking lots, going to/from your car to/from buildings (e.g. office, shopping mall, etc.). parking garages, etc.. Any time of day, not just in the middle of the night. These are your day-to-day activities! Why are you leaving yourself vulnerable during those very situations that have the higher likelihood of an attack occurring? Are you looking for an opportunity to say “damn, I really wish I had my gun right now!!”, or would you rather say “I’m so glad I had my gun on me!”? If you’d rather say the latter, the only way you can ensure it is to always carry.
I’m happy that Ms. Corbin has her CHL, I just wish she would carry it… always.
2011-08-29 workout
This week starts my “deload” week. It’s all about recovery.
“Week 4″ – Deload
- Deload – Press (working max: 110#)
- 2x5x45 (warmup)
- 2x5x45
- 2x5x55
- 2x5x65
- Asst. #1 – Press
- 5 x 10 x 55
- Asst. #2 – Close-grip lat pulldowns
- 5 x 10 x 110
- Metcon – jump rope
- 1 Tabata set – all single hop
The deload weeks are going to work out a little different for me. See, deload weeks have you do your warmup sets, then the “work sets” are 1×5@40%, 1×5@50%, and 1×5@60% (percent of working max). Strict 5 reps, no “push for the limit” on the last set or anything. It’s meant to keep you in the groove but not strain your system, to allow for recovery. It’s arguable that at my level I don’t really need the deload week, but I’m going to take it because it’s part of the system and I want to see how it all goes for me.
The thing that made it interesting is the warmup weights and the work weights are exactly the same! So I didn’t see much reason to lift 40%, 50%, 60%, then go back and lift 40, 50, 60 again. I just did 2 40′s, 2 50′s, and 2 60′s. Easier, and fine with me.
On my assistance pressing, that I kept the same… well, almost. I still kept it at 5×10 but opted to bump the weight to 55# (from 45). That was a good move. Will I keep it at 55# when the work weeks come back in? I will try, and we’ll see how it goes.
I remain happy with my decision to move to close-grip lat pulldowns instead of “chins”. Since my strength isn’t high enough and my bodyweight isn’t low enough, I just can’t get that level of volume and full range of motion with chins… yet. The pulldowns are allowing me to do that. 110# proved to be a good working weight to allow a full range of motion and really ensure I get my back into it. I did notice my shoulders felt a little odd today, so I may play around with my grip width to find what works better to keep my shoulders happy.
Honestly, while I know I need to go through the deload week, I’m itching to get back into the work cycle. The Wendler 5/3/1 program is turning out to be nice. Sure gains are slower than if I went on something like the Texas Method, but it’s all meshing with my life and goals just fine.
Shotgun modification
It was just supposed to be a simple replacement of a Side Saddle.
My old Side Saddle fell off the other week… I don’t know how it got into this state, but the holes of the mounting plate were loose… stripped. I have a few theories, but it doesn’t matter… it fell off, it had to be replaced.
So I start to apply the new plate to the side of my Mossberg 500 and I see that it doesn’t fit. That is, when the forend is slid to the rear position, the end of the forend comes in contact with the plate. Eh? I don’t recall this being a problem before? But sure enough… so I don’t know how she managed to work before, but here we are.
The solution is simple: the furniture is wood, so I took off the forend and applied a coping saw. 
Took about an inch off the back end of the forend. Applied a little tung oil to seal the wood. Back together. Ah, much better.
But I got to thinking…. back in May when Tom Givens was out here for his Defensive Shotgun class, he promoted a shorter length of pull. There’s no question going from that long 14″-ish LOP down even just an inch to 13″ makes a HUGE difference in your ability to quickly mount the gun. So why not… I pulled off the 1″ thick recoil pad and tried mounting the gun. Yeah, that 1″ will do it. So why not… I taped off the buttstock, drew my lines, then applied circular saw and took an inch off the back of the buttstock. I put the original factory recoil pad back on… it overhangs a little bit, but that’s fine. I can grind or replace it later. While the factory pad isn’t the best (it’s no Limbsaver), I like that it’s got that “hard/slick” finish to it as opposed to the tack the Limbsavers have, so there’s no hang-up on clothing. Shaving off that inch makes a huge difference in the ability to quickly shoulder the gun.
And while I was at it, that elastic buttcuff to hold extra ammo? Applied a small wood screw at the base to keep the buttcuff from sliding around.
I don’t have a before picture since I didn’t plan on doing these mods, but you can see in the picture that the forend is quite clear of the side saddle, you can see the screw to hold the buttcuff, and if you look carefully at the butt you’ll see the recoil pad overhanging just a bit.
Some months ago I purchased an Aimpoint T-1 so I could put a red dot on the shotgun. When I bought the replacement Side Saddle I also found a bolt-on rail that would allow me to mount the scope atop the receiver. Well… as soon as I bolted on the rail I hated it. When I mount the gun my eye goes right down the top of the receiver and barrel, right to the brass bead front sight. With the rail, all I see is rail. Then throw that T-1 on there and I’m going to have to raise up a good deal to see things right and well. I recall checking out Tim’s shotgun when we picked up my STI Spartan… he’s got ghost rings on it and I just didn’t like how high I had to get. Oh sure, get a new stock, get a riser for the cheek weld, but that’s just more stuff to have to get, more money, more things to go wrong. You know, I ran the Givens course with the bead front sight and shot damn well. For the intended purpose of this gun? I’ll just stick with the bead because it works.
Yeah, the gun doesn’t look as pretty as it did before, yeah it was a couple of hours of redneck hacking. But it’s sure improved the shootability of the gun, and in the end, that’s far more important.
The power of the LGD
My dog, Sasha, is a Kuvasz. Kuvasz are a breed of dog known as a Livestock Guardian Dog. There are other such breeds, like the Maremma, Akbash, Komondor, and Great Pyrenees. Simply fascinating animals, and they truly are the “sheepdog” in Grossman’s analogy of “sheep, sheepdogs, and wolves”.
While poking around online, I found a great article about the Great Pyr and its use in siviculture in British Columbia. It’s that sort of first-hand telling of what these dogs can do that makes me adore them even more. Take 15 minutes and give it a read.
Press Release from Senator Glenn Hegar on SB 321 – Employer Parking Lot
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(h/t to Alice Tripp @ TSRA)
