(Photo: Personnel file) Jaime practicing mountain bike, surf and practical shooting.
Many people believe that practical shooting is a competition where the participants just want to show up with their guns and shooting power. However, IPSC is a sport that gathers disciplined athletes, who enjoy competing and, above all, love sports. Probably, it is also one of the most demanding activities, both for the physical and mental aspect of athletes. And this challenge has been making IPSC to have more and more followers. People who can’t stand monotony and that value physical activity.
Among the figures always present in the practical shooting universe, we found some examples of real lovers of sports. That’s the case of Jaime Saldanha Jr. Current first place in the Brazilian ranking, Jaime assures that, whenever he has some time, he dedicates part of it to other physical activities. And several are practiced. “I’ve been a sports addicted since I was a kid. I shoot since 9 and practiced volleyball until I was 15 years old. I’ve even dreamed to be a professional. I surf, mountain bike and run every week. I’ve also practiced triathlon, rappelling and others”, says the sportsman.
In addition to him, several athletes do everything to have sports permanently in their routines. Giovanni Callegaro, 26 years old, has been practicing practical shooting for three seasons. Even with adhesion to IPSC, he doesn’t leave other sports aside. Whenever he can, Giovanni practices surf, stand up paddling, slackline and cycling, among other activities. The same way, Tiago Facundo, 30 years old, continues to practice triathlon and jiu jitsu since he started shooting, a little more than two years ago. More experienced, Alexandre Fonseca participates in IPSC competitions since 1996. Although nowadays he is only practicing shooting due to a knee injury, he already had strong ties with martial arts, such as karate, wrestling and also jiu jitsu.
(Photo: Personnel file) Giovanni believes that practical shooting helps him in the other activities
In addition to being multi-sportsmen, these athletes share another characteristic. All of them believe that lessons learned from practical shooting can be applied to other sports and vice-versa. Tiago assures that triathlon helps him in physical preparation, while IPSC gives him a greater concentration power. Jaime says that IPSC helps him to be more perfectionist and thorough, while other sports make him calmer and relaxed during practical shooting competitions. Alexandre believes fast thinking is improved by shooting, while self-control by fighting. Giovanni sees several positive aspects in the activities simultaneously practiced:
- Aquatic sports give me greater mental and body balance, not to mention the greater physical conditioning. Slackline has been making a difference in practical shooting competitions because it gives me more strength for lower limbs, and also an increased body awareness and balance. The recreational character of other sports generally helps me to be calmer for IPSC competitions. Meanwhile, the greatest benefit I have with Practical Shooting is the seriousness, which I consider essential to do everything in life – says Giovanni.
(Photo: Personnel file) Tiago believes that other sports help him in practical shooting competitions
However, it is not easy to keep sports practices in the routine with a demanding day-to-day. “It’s very difficult to manage work and sports together, but I try. I usually wake up at 5 a.m. and go to bed at 11 p.m. I go running in the morning, swimming at lunch time and practice jiu jitsu or shooting after the working hours”, says Tiago, who owns a clothing company in Fortaleza. Architect, Giovanni says that dedicates his time for sports after working and at weekends. Jaime remembers that had to leave triathlon due to his intense routine. “I am very busy since I opted for working by myself, as a representative of an Italian guns manufacturer. I just don’t have time to do everything I’d like to. However, I always find some time to practice my sport every day”, tells the athlete. With regard to Alexandre, who is a taxi driver and forwarding agent, he says that “it is difficult to manage”. The profession takes a lot of my time and the little left I use to join regional competitions”.
Except in Jaime’s case, who was encouraged by his father to start shooting since very young, the other three athletes started at IPSC by curiosity. Nowadays, the sport became more than just a hobby. Giovanni assures that “IPSC is a sport that involves great dedication on the part of the athlete. And all necessary preparation to ensure a good performance in a stage of 20 seconds or less is what fascinates me and makes Practical Shooting competitions an essential part of my life”. Tiago says that takes practical shooting very seriously and that, if he could, he would live from the sport. While Alexandre remembers, with deception, that the work never allowed him to make the sport a professional activity.
(Photo: Personnel file) Alexandre had to leave martial arts due to a knee injury
Even if in the case of these athletes the sport cannot be taken as a profession, it is essential in each one’s life. “I can’t stop practicing. It’s very important to me, that’s how I let off the steam. Some days I come from work very stressed, and then I go running or practice some shooting, that way I get relaxed”, says Tiago. In addition to being good for health, Alexandre reminds that the sport is the easiest way to make new friendships and the best remedy for the problems. Jaime also talked about the importance of physical activities. “If I don’t practice sports I get in a bad mood. Moreover, sports are healthy and give us well-being, energy and resistance. I hope to be healthy and able to practice for a long time”.