Took a HDF skill builder (SB) this weekend with Mrs. CMO.
1) I increased my hydration amounts thanks to the info that Flapp mentioned. Every break to reload, I chugged about 20oz water and some Liquid IV and Gatorade. He mentioned when training in the military, they chugged like 2 quarts water every hour or something. I noticed I was sweating the entire time and only pissed once. Compared to last SB, I stopped sweating half way thru. Felt a lot more less fatigued than last SB also. And also that night and next day I felt way better than last SB, no migraine either. So hydration, hydration, hydration. So for the last exercise, I did way better than the last combo SB one. Like night and day kind. So I attribute this to less fatigue.
2) I tend to watch others when we do group dry fire and I'm taking a breather. Or when shooting. This way I can learn from their mistakes. So I know how to deal with it if it happens to me. Because to duplicate the exact problem may never occur. But this way I'll be ready. 1 thing that SB's did teach me is to work thru the problem. The exercise doesn't stop because of X reason. Figure it out and continue. Had 1 guy who really grabs his mag quickly from his belt holder. When he does this, the top round comes forward on occasion. So when trying to load the mag into the AR, it wouldn't go in due to that top protruding half inch. So gotta recognize when that happens and use your finger to slide the round back, or load AK style which will force that round back further into the mag.
3) Murphy's law strikes again. We were talking about my sling set up to my butt stock. And I explained why I have the stock that I have. It's to hold a CR123 battery for my Romeo5 RDS. I had a battery die on me a few years ago mid class and had to run irons the rest of the class. Which is a huge handicap. So after explaining this to the instructors, what happens during our first live fire...my RDS craps out again. So since I've XP'd this before, I instinctively switched to irons. And because I had the battery on me, I was able to change it out when my turn for shooting was done. Instead of having to wait and walk back to our bags. The junk part of the Romeo5 is there is no low battery indicator. I probably lasted changed it pre covid. Since the rifle was sitting in the safe for most of 2020.
So other than the above, it was a good SB. Haven't taken 1 with the wife for a while due to her work schedule. Oh and got to shoot my first shooting comp type of shooting. Like when you have a barrier and a line you cannot cross to shoot around said barrier. But have to lean as much as you can. I've never done that before. This is way diff from a VTAC board. It looks harder than it is. Even when shooting from support side for rifle or having to shoot pistol from your support side of your body, while maintaining your normal holding of the pistol.