Ralf K. Jensen

Q: Ralf, tell us about yourself, family, profession.
Well I’m 41 years old and married to my wife Susanne and together we have our daughter Astrid, who just turned 2 years old this summer. Susanne is supportive of my shooting, and takes great care of our little girl when I’m away shooting. For a living I work as a project manager at Toyota Denmark, doing database administration, market research, campaign segmentation and data mining. Together with a good friend of mine I have now started a small business on my own, specializing in Data Quality Management and Business Intelligence.

Q: What makes you buzz?
Normally a healthy dose of good single malt whisky will to the trick! ☺
Joking aside, I think being at an important match and feeling the pressure and the atmosphere is the biggest buzz you can get.

Q: Congratulations on your Silver Medal at EHC 2010. How does it feel to be back on the podium since 2004?
Thank you – it was fantastic to be able to repeat the Silver Medal again. To make it even better the medal was handed over by a very dear friend (Pauletta Skinner from STI) and another good friend (Juan Carlos) won 1st place. Can’t think of anybody I’d rather see win…well, maybe except one ☺

Ralf K. Jensen

Q: Talk us through your preparation for the Europeans.
I started physical training a couple of months before the EHC. I was in bad shape! I started running 6,5 km in the morning. In the beginning I thought I was going to die.☺ I really hate running, but do it because it’s good for me and I needed to lose some weight. As the EHC came closer, I increased the frequency until I was running every second day. On rare occasions I would run every day.
Mentally I started working on self image as well as controlling my mental state, strengthening my visualization and rehearsal techniques. I found another interesting book on mental management.
Normally I’d go to the shooting range once or twice a week, but as the EHC approached I realized that wasn’t enough. I took a 3 week vacation from work – 2 weeks leading right up to the match and 1 week for attending the EHC. In the last 2 weeks I shot every day (a total of approx. 9-10.000 rounds). I spent the entire day doing live fire, physical training, a little bit of dry firing, cleaning equipment, reloading for the next training session, and evaluating on the days performance and making adjustments in the training plan for the next day.

Q: How much time do you spend on the range a week? Talk us through your own practice methods.
In the off season I allow myself NOT to go the range at all. I need the break, and enjoy spending some time with my family.
In the shooting season normally I would like to go to the range once or twice a week spending approx. 3-400 rounds per session, each lasting 2-3 hours. However, sometimes work and/or family dictate otherwise, in which case I increase dry firing at home. But in the last 2 weeks before the EHC, I spent 6-9 hours on the range – one day I even shot +1200 rounds.
As for practice methods, I mainly train specific elements and secondarily I train whole stages. I normally do 3 runs of each exercise: The first one is shot as if it was a match: Shooting 90-95% of my abilities. The second run I push for speed and try to challenge my comfort zone. The third run depends on how the second run went – If I crashed and burned on my speed-run, I go for accuracy and try to shoot full house. If the second run went fine, then I repeat the speed-run to make sure it wasn’t just luck.

Q: Shooting in Scandinavia must be pretty tough when winter comes. Do you guys tuck in for a winter sleep or keep on?
I used to shoot all winter long, but picking up brass in 20 cm of snow isn’t easy – you will see your brass again in the springtime! ☺ But nowadays I allow myself not to shoot more than maybe 1-2 matches and only sporadic training in the off-season. After the EHC2010 I have only trained very little and instead spent quality time with my family, that has been neglected a bit because of theEHC2010.

Ralf K. Jensen

Q: What is the right balance between technical and mental skills/readiness to win a match?
I know it sounds VERY cliché: But in all honesty I would say at least 80% mental skills and 20% technical skills. But all in all you have to be balanced within yourself: You have to be able to control your mental state (self image and the conscious) as well as having a strong set of subconscious skills (technical skills). There are a lot of good shooters out there with excellent technical skills, but who lack control over their mental game to perform their best.

Q: When the pressure is on, how do you prepare yourself mentally? How do you get “in the zone”?
It helps me to think about previous successes – e.g. winning silver in 2004 at the EHC in Czech Rep. I try to “revisit” the experience as vividly/in as many details as possible, remembering shooting my very best under a lot of pressure, and convincing myself it can and will happen again. I’ve used this to convince myself that I shoot best under pressure – which now is a fact. Thinking about shooting great is truly a great aid in shooting great. But I guess it’s different for each person, for some music works best. As I’m a very visual person, I found it a powerful aid to look at a specific series of pictures from the EHC2004 on my mobile phone. Now I’ve been fortunate enough to add some EHC2010 pictures to my phone.

Q: From 1 to 10, how would you rate your: Technical Skills, Fitness, Mental Game?
Right before the EHC I would say Technical skills (9), Fitness (8), Mental Game (10).
If you ask me now, I haven’t been training for a month, so technical skills (7), Fitness (6), Mental game (9).

Q: Can you recall a stage where you said: “Damn, that was perfect”? Take us through from stage preparation to signing the score sheet.
No, I can’t really remember a single stage that I’ve shot perfectly. You know, you shoot a lot of good stages, but I don’t think there is such a thing as a “perfect stage”. There’s always room for improvement.
Stage preparation: Hmmm…normally, I will already have familiarized myself with the stages before my squad has to shoot. Sometimes I’ll be there the day before, but if that’s not possible I will look at the posted briefing and observe others shoot the stage. I note the total number of rounds and look at different ways of shooting it, how long the RO is waiting for the beep and so on. At the briefing I pay close attention. On first walk trough I note the placement of all targets and make sure that all shots are accounted for so I don’t forget a target. Next I consider the alternative strategies and weigh pro/cons of each way of shooting the stage. I decide on a shooting solution. I finalize my magazines by placing an extra round (in my start mag, if I need a 19+1 start) or I might strip the top round if it’s an empty start. I begin my visualization/rehearsal, which I do over and over again as vividly as possible. 1-2 shooters before it’s my turn, I put on my grip enhancer and do my final visualizations. My name is called and after the command is given, I load and make ready. After loading but before the beep, I do a final visualization/rehearsal . At the beep I shoot the stage the way I just rehearsed it. When I’m finished I ask to see the timer before signing the score sheet to make sure no mistakes are made.

Ralf K. Jensen

Q: Can you recall a stage you really want to forget? What happened?
Normally I choose to forget about the bad stages. But I did have a good stage, where something unexpected happened: On stage 2 the wrist band of my watch broke as I presented the gun for the first shot. I remember seeing the watch fall off. I’m sure dropping the watch made me a lot faster without all the extra weight (I actually won that stage). You can see the video here.

Q: Would you ever consider shooting in tights?
Why would I do that to my competitors? Shooting shorts with my pale legs is punishment enough for them. When I shoot in shorts, a lot of people have come up to me wanting to sign my cast. ☺

Q: If you could go back 10 years time, what would you change in your shooting?
Shooting wise: I would have paid more attention to my physical fitness for sure and spent more time on economics of motion.
Equipment wise: I would have made the switch to an STI earlier (started shooting STI I 2001).

Q: Name three things you like in IPSC.
1) The nice people you meet at matches. In fact I consider the vast majority of my competitors as good friends.
2) The feeling you get, when you have really nailed a stage.
3) The shooting of course. I like that IPSC is so dynamic.

Q: Name three things you hate in IPSC.
Can only think of one thing that really irritates me:

99 out of 100 IPSC-shooters are the most honest people I can think of. But from time to time you see certain competitors not taking responsibility for their own shooting, by whining and claiming a double alpha, when they damn well know it’s a mike.

Q: Flawless gear. This is the dream of every competitive shooter. Take us through the gear you use and how you maintain it to get the best performance possible.
I use an STI 2011 of course ☺. It’s more or less an Executive with trigger job and minor modifications done by Danish gunsmith Kristian Pedersen (www.vaabensmeden.dk). I’ve removed extra material from the grip and it has got a nice round feel to it.
For maintenance I clean my guns approx. every 1000 rounds and change mag and recoil springs approx. once a year.
I use rescomp hi-cap mags with Grams FKS-11 spring+follower kit + DAA base pads in 2 of my mags (that gives me 19-1). The other two mags are STI mags also with Grams FKS-11 spring+follower and DAA base pads (18+1).
I have 2 guns – one dates back from 2001 and the other is from 2007. They are almost identical: Both are extremely accurate, function very reliable (which for me is less than 1 malfunction per 8000 rounds) and shoot very soft. One is used mainly for training and the other for matches, but they are equally good – at the EHC I was in serious doubt which one to use.

Gregory Midgley. Photo by Stefan Föll

Q: Tell us a bit of how you got involved in IPSC and what keeps you coming back year after year?
I started air-rifle shooting when I was 12 years old. When other guys at my age played soccer I was more into shooting all the time.
After some years I was good enough and I was able to go to the German nationals. At the age of 18 I stopped shooting and I turned to
Thai boxing. By the age of 28 I got back to IPSC shooting with a friend of mine.

Q: I understand you have been involved in martial arts before coming to IPSC. You are indeed a dangerous man with or without a gun.
Dangerous man?? Me? Never!! I am so harmless and a nice guy. Thai boxing was for many years my love in martial arts. This sport trains your mind and your body. But yes, I really know how to use my hands and protect myself and beloved ones.


Q: Having roots from England (Scotland?), living in Switzerland and representing Germany… Sounds complex. Is there a place you would call home?
My Dad is from England and my Mom from Germany. So I am a half and half. I moved to Switzerland in 2000 for working reasons. I was shooting for 5 years for the Swiss Federation but after some few problems I decided to go back to Germany which was a very good move for my shooting career.


Q: Tell us what lies behind those Mirror Oakley Shades when you come to a Level 3 IPSC Match? How do you prepare yourself to maximize performance?
I am like I am. Outgoing and open to everybody who comes up to me with a question. Nothing to hide behind Oakley Shades. I just love those glasses.


Q: How do you deal with Success and Failure?
To be honest second place is almost a failure. When you see it with the eyes from a Thai boxer second places is the loser and you have a lot of pains.
Winning a match against good shooters is a very good feeling and it makes me happy to know I made it the right way. I always say
I want you to shoot your best match in your life. And then I’m gonna beat you.


Q: What was your goal for the 2010 season? Have you realized it?
My goal was definitely the EHC in Serbia. To be on top at this match. I did what was in my possibilities to be on top.
I made it on the 5th place. I am happy with this result. Because it was very tight and I know I am in striking distance for the next time.


Q: Looking at your records – very impressive indeed. Is there room for more improvement? In what area and how do you intend to do that?
Thank you. There is always room for improvement. I guess the mental preparation before and during the match makes 85 % for success.


Q: Describe how a perfect stage feels like – from the moment you get on the stage until you get your score sheet signed.
You never know what happens till you are finished. A perfect stage feels like you see yourself in slow motion moving and shooting and everything is under perfect control.
And you think ……come on move, man, move. But when you hear the time and you see your score you see that you were doing a good job.


Q: Angie, your wife, accompanies you on the range at large events. How does that work out?
Very good! She is my back up secret weapon. ) LOL No, she is a real help and I am happy that she is so into this sport and supporting me with so much passion.

Gregory Midgley


Q: You just had a disastrous stage, how do you regroup and move on to the next stage?
When you remember a cartoon movie when you see this atomic bomb going off, this is me, but always inside. I never turn it outside when I am pissed off.
And after I signed the score sheet I am done with what just happened and I leave it behind me when I go on the next stage. I have to focus 100% for the next stage.


Q: What do you think about before the beep goes off?
NOTHING. My focus is set on this stage and I trust my ability.


Q: Having the right gear is important but what is even more important is reliability. Tell us a bit of your gear and how you maintain it.
I am a Team member of the STI EuroTeam since 2003 and very happy and proud of it. I personally think that STI guns are the best. And you can see this fact on the range as most IPSC shooters shoot with an STI.
Without the sponsoring from STI and all the other sponsors which are supporting the team I never would be able to have such great results.
I shoot up to 50000 rounds a year. You have to change the springs and check your guns and mags in certain time periods.


Q: What advice would you give a new shooter coming into this sport?
If you really want to learn IPSC shooting look at the best people in your division. Copy them, look how they move, practice, and think about this sport.
And remember only 3-5% are able to win a match. The rest is statistic. Now ask yourself am I a statistic……hell no!


Q: If you look at any match result, you see the bulk of shooters are positioned around 70%-80%. Given they have the ability to improve, what would be your advise to these experienced shooters to become more competitive?
Get used with the impression that you are able to win a match. Because many shooters don’t want to win. They suffer with their excuse.


Q: What was your impression of the EHC 2010? How did you find the stages?
I really think this was the best Europeans since 2001 when I shot my first Europeans. Good match organization. The stages were at everybody’s level, so nobody can complain. Real straight forward shooting. I missed the opportunity to have more options to shoot a stage.

Q: What are your goals for 2011? Have you set any yet?
Not yet, I am in the off season mode. But I will get my mind set in January 2011.


Q: Would you ever consider shooting Production or Open?
I am also shooting Production with my GP6 and I really like it. Shooting Open I never thought about. Real man don’t use batteries for a sight.


Q: Tell us about the most stupid/funny thing you have ever done on a stage.
Hahaha After a very good run I always dance like fuzzy bear from the moppets show.


JC and Naomi

Q: Congratulations on your EHC 2010 win, I am sure it feels very good. Take us through your preparation for the match from the early days of the season.
I’m very happy. It’s been a tough year but fortunately it has been very rewarding. Season training started in February, Shooting twice a week, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also he combined with three sessions of dry firing. In late April, early May got one more session per week, provided the rest of my duties would permit me. I have formal training, and I like to go to the range having previously prepared the training that I do every day. With 20 days to the European Championships, I took a vacation from work to go to the range and practice everyday, thus completing the last phase of my preparation for the European. I have been gradually increasing the intensity of the sessions and increased round count to 500 per session.

Q: How did you celebrate your EHC 2010 win?
With a big party LOL. Just kidding. I am very discreet, and it’s hard enough to express my emotions in public, but this time I have to admit that once I made aware of the outcome, which by the way my wife Naomi was the first to tell me, I got so excited and we hugged. Hugs followed for a long time with the rest of the Spanish national team shooters, Ralf, Gregory, Angi, and many other known and unknown shooters who came to congratulate me.

Q: How many hours have you spent on the range in the weeks leading to the match?
It depends. I do not do the same drills every week. But normally I train for about 3 ½ hours per session on the range.

Q: Take us through your stage preparation process, from start to finish.
I try to learn the stage before receiving the briefing. I take this opportunity to see how the shooters in the squad ahead of us shoot it, memorized the positions and the number of shots from each position, where I will make a mag change etc. After the briefing, with the rest of my squad, I asses how to shoot the stage from a technical standpoint and how can I maximize performance according to my skills. Ass the possibilities to shoot on the move, the exact area to which I will shoot at each target if you have no shoots. I try to memorize the rates of fire, depending on the distance to each target etc. Finally when the time briefing ends, I withdraw from the stage and start my mental views and rehearsals.
Just before the shooter in front of me is on the line, I run the drill in my head again, get up and do some exercises to activate my body and mind, I try to take the appropriate stress level. Then you just have to wait for the beep!, And let it all out instinctively.

Juan Carlos

Q: Setting goals is important – have you set a new goal for yourself yet?
Haha, I agree! Actually I have several, but if you ask me the most important is to win the next World Championship. For that, I will make an effort next season far more than the efforts leading up to this Europeans.

Q: When things go bad in a match, who do you talk to or how do you get back in the game?
I try to downplay my mistakes and forget about them. Everyone make mistakes, I know that! I try to keep in mind all the hard training I have done in the months and weeks leading to the match and keep fighting had until the end of the match.

Q: Name three things you hate at IPSC matches?
Traps.
The problems with the ammunition at airports.
The intense cold.

Q: Which stage did you shoot best at the EHC?
Stage 21 of the European Championship. Shot 32 alphas in 18.79 seconds.

Q: Have you ever been DQed? Why?
Fortunately not. But at the end EURO OPEN CZ, the ROs warned me twice, for muzzle angle. In this competition there were more than 40 DQ’s. I’ve worked hard since I came back from that match so I will not repeat these mistakes again.

Q: Do you feel you have more room to improve?
I have never shot a perfect match! I always demand more. I think a shooter who believes he shoots perfect will not grow as a shooter.

Q: How important is the mental game in IPSC?
For me the mental preparation is 80% of my results. Need:
Positive attitude.
Encourage you to have fun.
Confidence.
A good level of relaxation / activation.
Concentration and control of distractions.

Juan Carlos

Q: Do you have a “day job”? What is your profession?
Police (EOD)

Q: What is your favorite way to relax?
A good dinner with my wife Naomi, on the terrace of our house.

I would also like to thank the STI EURO TEAM for having me on board for two years now, and the great times Naomi and I are having with all of you.
And of course big thanks to my sponsors for the help they give me, without them we could not have achieved this dream.