Everybody has different ways to calm down and relax their mind from anxiety. Many scientists claim that if you regularly practice relaxation techniques that suit you, you can actually change the architecture of your anxious brain, by shrinking the fear-mongering amygdala and strengthening the more rational calm cortex.
Deep breathing and concentration is one of the most common ways. Writing about your fears and problems is the second most common way to relax from stress and anxiety. Somehow I managed to combine both.
Even though most people find relaxing to sit at the beach and listen to waves, or walking through the forest listening the birds choir, etc., my ways of relaxations are totally different.
I found my peace at the shooting ranges and sometimes I do some headbanging accompanied with the sound of hard, mainly heavy metal music, I also love to write. Those few things really relax me a lot.
But today I will concentrate only on the first one, and this is shooting with guns at the range. Shooting range is the most relaxing place for me. You are probably wondering why and how. Most of the people think and compare gun shooting with something violent. But I see it as a sport and the perfect tool for mind and body relaxation.
I will try to explain to you in this blog post, why and how shooting at the shooting range relaxes me. I will also take you through my recent experience from the Krakow Valley Shooting Range, that I visited while in Poland.
As a young girl I worked as a soldier in the army for three years. I practically grew up in army. There I learned how to handle guns and a lot of other useful things.
Even though I never used the guns during my work, except only for compulsory exercises I found that experience very educational and helpful. In the army people also learn the basic principles of shooting with guns.
The most basic tool for gun shooting accuracy is relaxation. Without the ability to relax your body and mind, good scores will never be achieved no matter how much you practice the other aspects of shooting. Relaxation is for sure an essential ingredient for good shooting performance.
So if you want to find that target at the shooting range, first thing you have to do is to relax, be calm and breathe properly.
According to the Dr. Mike Keyes, a very respected expert in Psychiatry studies: ”When you relax, you change the way your brain works. In deep relaxation your brain gives off alpha waves that indicate that you are in an altered state of consciousness.
Some of the benefits of such a totally relaxed brain are a sense of total control of the situation, automatic actions that are precise and accurate, and a perception that very little energy is being used. This is sometimes called “being in the Zone” and is well known in many sports. Relaxation allows you to better concentrate on the sights.”
So in the case you already checked my previous blog post regarding my recent visit to Poland, you probably read an article about how I have been robbed, while leaving from Birkenau Former German Concentration Camp.
This event had stressed me very much. It made me extremely anxious and apprehensive. In such a level that for almost two days after the event I didn’t want to get out of our apartment. Knowing me very well my boyfriend arranged the best therapy for my problem with anxiety after being robbed.
He booked an appointment at the most beautiful shooting range near Krakow for us. He chose all kinds of different guns and riffles from their online catalog. He knew that I will never deny such of offer. He knew that this was an only way to take me out of the apartment.
He also knew that only this can be able to help me out of my anxious state of mind. Even though I was happy to go, I was still kind of nervous and anxious in the car on our way there. But very soon I managed to relax completely, as soon as I hold the first gun in my hands.
Guns and targets were changing, and slowly I completely forgot the fact that I was robbed, anxious and apprehensive. My body and my mind were completely relaxed and calm. I was totally concentrated on that targets and my breathing only and nothing else.
I have to mention that people from the shooting range arranged a driver to pick us up from our apartment and bring us back again. The ride costed 200 PLN. Transfer was not included in the price of the ammunition at the shooting range, you have to pay transfer separately directly to your driver when he brings you back. Our driver was very patient and he waited for us several hours while we were at the shooting range. As you can see on the photos we tried a lot of guns.
The staff in that particular shooting range was very helpful and patient, all of them were fluent in English. The place had kind of rustic decoration inside.
It was a new building, it was obvious from outside, but they made it look like it was old inside. Therefore the place itself was very relaxing thanks to its charm.
Our instructor Michael really took the time to carefully explain each gun we were shooting with to us and he gave us a lot of tips on how to achieve accuracy regarding different types of guns that we were not familiar with.
Targets were changed frequently, after every gun, so you could see how you were doing and progressing.
The price was fair, and much cheaper from the shooting range we visited while in Miami, the Lock and Load shooting range (check the link with the blog post I wrote regarding our experience there). I can say that at Miami the staff and instructors were more attentive regarding costumer experience management.
They were truly professionals, mostly because they deal with all those rich Miami people, that were seeking attention very much. They even had stickers for each gun and they stick them later on your target as a souvenir.
One more important thing for you to know if you intent to visit the Krakow Valley Shooting Range is that they prefer to be paid in cash. If you wish to pay by credit card, the price goes up to 50% from the regular one. This is also noted on their website.
Their weapons were in very good condition. They had plenty of choices for every desire. They are open every day during the week. From Tuesday to Friday from 11:59 AM to 8:00 PM, and at Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM.
Embrace yourself, embrace the world 