Top Ten Reasons to Shoot IDPA, from Handguns 2010

[cclaxton]

First: I am not trying to start a debate here. In other threads in this forum we have done a "bang up" job of debating IDPA, USPSA and gunfight applications. I am not trying to stop anyone from discussing or debating in this thread either. I am just sayin....we might be beating a dead horse. I would suggest we discuss things we haven't really touched on, if any.

But I stumbled upon this great article and I thought it was a great summary of the value of IDPA (and USPSA and Action Shooting as well.). When I went to S&W Nationals, I came back more convinced than ever the real value of the sport in terms of gun and shooting and targeting skills (and the same applies for USPSA).

Now, I will say I disagree with the quote from Mike Dalton in this article. I wrote the author and expressed my opinion and gave compliments on the overall article. Pistoliers come to the table with a variety of different histories and educational methods, and there certainly are critics of IDPA who are excellent pistoliers and gunfighters. (See the quote and you will understand this statement.)

My favorite reasons are number 7 and number 8: Speed shooting skills, and Interesting Courses of Fire, respectively. (And, it only costs me $15-25 instead of a $250 for private training.)

http://www.handgunsmag.com/2010/09/2...g_idpa_092905/

Cody

[Wheeler]

Deleted.

[LSP972]

. (And, it only costs me $15-25 instead of a $250 for private training.)

This assumes you already have a basic skill set; which, if you don't, the $250 basic private training can expose you to.

Are you seriously saying that shooting a match- ANY match- can teach fundamentals???

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[cclaxton]

This assumes you already have a basic skill set; which, if you don't, the $250 basic private training can expose you to.
Are you seriously saying that shooting a match- ANY match- can teach fundamentals???

There is a difference between teaching and learning. Learning can happen without teaching through the process of doing. You naturally learn what works and doesn't work when you shoot competitively on the clock. So, you change what doesn't work and find out what works better. One of the other benefits not listed in the article is getting tips from other shooters at IDPA or USPSA matches. We can then measure how well we are improving through competition, which is objective feedback. We learn our weaknesses and then go back and work on improving the weak areas through dry fire and live fire.

Now learning does require each individual actually applying themselves to learn. But people who are not really interested in applying themselves aren't going to do well with a teacher either.

Also, it depends on what you define as "fundamentals." The safety fundamentals should be taught, IMHO, as a way to ensure the importance of operating safely. The basics of shooting should be taught to people who are new to shooting. But once they know safety and operation of the firearm, then refinement will happen by practicing, and advancement will happen by shooting competitively.

Cody

[gtmtnbiker98]

The basics of shooting should be taught to people who are new to shooting. But once they know safety and operation of the firearm, then refinement will happen by practicing, and advancement will happen by shooting competitively.

Cody

You lost me with this sentence. Refinement and advancement occurs with proper training, execution, and with repetition of same. If shooting was so easy that we learn it via Osmosis, then why aren't we all Grand Masters out there winning National Championships? After all, we all "know safety and operation of the firearm" but refinement sure the hell doesn't happen through practice alone. You have to know how to properly practice and no, advancement does not occur as the result of "shooting competitively." I know several shooters who started out as IDPA MM and guess what, they are still MM after years of shooting. Why? They don't practice and if they do practice, they don't practice to improve.

Your signature contradicts your comments in this thread. Just because you shoot competitively by no means make you proficient.

[PPGMD]

Ugh competition shooting, regardless of flavor, isn't training nor does it prepare you for training. In fact in often creates bad habits that have to be broken.

5. YOU WILL BE BETTER PREPARED IF YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND A FIREARM TRAINING SCHOOL
As I’ve already said, shooting an IDPA match shouldn’t be viewed as an alternative to seeking quality firearms training. Ideally, you should try to do both. So here’s the scoop: If you can make Marksman on the 90-round IDPA Classification Course (for details go to the main menu at www.idpa.com, and click on IDPA Classifier Course of Fire), you will be at a higher skill level than most of your classmates in a basic Level I pistol course. So why is this important? It builds confidence. Instead of worrying about how you’re going to perform, you can relax and get the most out of your class.

If you can't do that on the range before you shoot IDPA, you aren't going to develop it during the match.

For example I can shoot Smoke and Hope in just under 3 seconds. But if I go attempt a 2.5 second Smoke and Hope during the match I will likely crash and burn.

7. DEVELOP SPEED-SHOOTING SKILLS
I define speed shooting as the ability to shoot fast and accurately (I view with suspicion anyone who says that these skills are irrelevant). IDPA provides its participants with a format that enhances the development of these skills.

More than 40 years ago Jeff Cooper published his own list entitled The 10 Principles of Combat Shooting, which included the following: “A combat pistol must go into action with great speed, and no standard is fast enough. The faster, the better.” IDPA shooting is a direct return to the kind of equipment and matches Cooper used to revolutionize combat shooting. If you think of defensive pistol shooting or combat shooting as a martial art, the ability to shoot fast and accurately is akin to the ability to deliver fast and accurate punches or kicks.

For instance, in “Volume 5: Winning IDPA Techniques” of his excellent Practical Shooting DVD series, IDPA National Champion Matt Burkett demonstrates his speed-shooting ability. At 21 feet, starting with his hands at his sides and his gun in a holster, he is shown engaging an IDPA silhouette target with two shots to the body and one shot to the head (a Mozambique Drill) in 1.48 seconds. By the way, he also gets perfect hits at that speed.

I don't know about Todd, but at least two of the names has completely stopped shooting IDPA. Also at IDPA and USPSA matches they are on the super squad so you rarely see them.

9. THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUB SHOULDERS WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST
Earlier I compared IDPA shooting to the game of golf. If you do play golf, how would you like to play 18 holes with Tiger Woods? Sure, you’d get your tail kicked, but wouldn’t it be fun? Maybe you could come close to equaling his score on one of the holes. Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret: You can have that experience at an IDPA match.

That’s right, you can enter and shoot in the same match with legends like Rob Leatham, Dave Sevigny, Jerry Miculek and Todd Jarrett. There’s more. These guys are really nice gentlemen who are always glad to meet new shooters and answer a question (just don’t bother them
in the middle of their backswing).

[HopetonBrown]

I finally shot IDPA last month for the first time. Lotsa fun, will do it again. But anyone pretending that's akin to spending a day on the range with Awerbuck or Hackathorn are fooling themselves.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

1. It's fun.
2. Fundamentals - you shouldn't be afraid to compete (as some men are) BUT a quality class with a quality instructor is a Godsend. I had a consistent problem which self-examination didn't pick up. Tom Givens did in class and my accuracy went up an order of magnitude.
3. I do shoot with high level folks in IDPA and they have some good tips but I have to say good training informs your match competition.

[LSP972]

Refinement and advancement occurs with proper training, execution, and with repetition of same.

Exactly. Thank you.

Doing it wrong a bunch of times in a match simply means... you did it wrong a bunch of times in a match.

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[cclaxton]

You lost me with this sentence. Refinement and advancement occurs with proper training, execution, and with repetition of same. If shooting was so easy that we learn it via Osmosis, then why aren't we all Grand Masters out there winning National Championships? After all, we all "know safety and operation of the firearm" but refinement sure the hell doesn't happen through practice alone. You have to know how to properly practice and no, advancement does not occur as the result of "shooting competitively." I know several shooters who started out as IDPA MM and guess what, they are still MM after years of shooting. Why? They don't practice and if they do practice, they don't practice to improve.
Your signature contradicts your comments in this thread. Just because you shoot competitively by no means make you proficient.

First, let's not get personal and discuss the topic.

I am a big supporter of training, but it is not the only way to learn. And in the end it comes down to each individual's commitment to a practice schedule and working on their own areas needing improvement. There are times when I can see I need someone to help me in a particular area. But for the most part I already have a list of things I know I need to work on. And, I know what to do to work on them and improve. But there are only so many hours in the day, and I can only put so much time into pistol practice and refinement. I don't need a $75/hour trainer coaching me while I practice things I already know to improve. If I won the lottery and had plenty of time I would probably spend 4 hours a day with a top coach/trainer, but that is not reality for me, and not reality for most of us.

But the main point is this: Shooting IDPA matches is what gives me the feedback on how much I am improving, or not. I never suggested we learn by Osmosis. What I said is:

Learning can happen without teaching through the process of doing. You naturally learn what works and doesn't work when you shoot competitively on the clock. So, you change what doesn't work and find out what works better.

That is not osmosis. That is paying attention to your performance and where you need improvement, and then taking action to correct it through practice. There are people in IDPA who don't practice and go to club matches for the fun and sport, and they won't improve if they are not applying themselves. If you want to use anecdotes, I know people who have taken top quality training classes and don't practice and don't improve, either.

Improvement and refinement can absolutely occur by shooting IDPA regularly, by good practice and repetition, and through formal training, but ALL of them require taking the learning part seriously. ALL can be true at the same time. But I think where we agree here is that each individual must have a commitment to learn. Then we must actually apply ourselves, pay attention, understand our weaknesses and work on it. Also, let's not forget that we all come to the table with different talent/ability, and with varying degrees of experience. Some people have been shooting for 40 years, some 2 years. Some have poor eyesight, some have small hands, etc.

Cody