Top Ten Reasons to Shoot IDPA, from Handguns 2010

[cclaxton]

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.

.

One thing I have learned in shooting is there is no ONE WAY to do things. I have spent enough time with pistol masters to know that EACH ONE has a "right way" to shoot, and they happen to be different from each other. That doesn't make any of them wrong. I try each method and use the ones that work for me. Improving requires the ability to make note of where you need improvement, making an adjustment, practicing, then measuring improvement. How do you think pistol masters got to be masters? Most didn't have another "master" to learn from. They had to go out on the range, and practice, make note of where they could improve, then make an adjustment and measure performance. This means paying attention, making notes, making adjustments, and practicing to measure improvement. In the end this all comes down to a personal commitment of time and practice. IDPA is a great way to measure your improvement and performance and learn areas that need improvement...IF you are paying attention and IF you have a commitment to improve.

None other than the great Jerry Miculek said: "Be the first one on the range and the last one to leave." https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=SWC-Cp0MYB0
Cody

[cclaxton]

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.

I did not say this. What I said is that learning can occur through shooting IDPA (if you are paying attention and make note of where you need improvement, and work on that.). Sure, a day with Hackathorn or Langdon would be better. But only if I go home and practice and apply what I have learned. Same thing with IDPA.
Cody

[PPGMD]

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.

+ 1

The match isn't the place to learn, the match is the place to execute. And unless you have video, it is hard to get really accurate takeaways from a match.

But even during practice, the idea you can simply learn without something watch you is also hard. Which is why I often take a video camera and a tripod to the range. But even that isn't a replacement for a good instructor. A couple of weeks ago I spent two days of private training with an instructor. We spent two days shooting steel challenge stages while he tested me, and watched my technique. I came away with detailed goals that I should work on reaching during my practice times. I then reviewed my video of the match and saw things that the instructor can't notice while I am shooting at speed (which is part of the reason that a local instructor uses video extensively).

But what I do, and what some random person shooting IDPA is completely different. Hell some IDPA ranges ban video. So yes, match experience can help, but without instruction you are very likely to be stuck. Don't get me wrong there isn't anything bad about being stuck at a low classification if you are happy.

[Cheap Shot]

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

I thought it was a good article and many of the statements made were consistent with my experience.

Full disclosure, I shoot USPSA and haven't shot IDPA, ...................yet. I do intend to, and look forward to it.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

While self driven practice is good and training is expensive - I still think a good trainer is very useful. It's well known that folks tend not to have the greatest handle on their own abilities. IIRC, the latest meta-synthesis (a meta-analysis of meta-analysises) indicates that the correlation coefficient on skilled physical peformance estimates from the participant and objective measures is about .34. It's significant but not the greatest predictor.

Using videos and expert observation all are great, together. YMMV, not be ideological but if you decided to carry an instrument of lethal force - I would spend the bucks to take a course or two. While some instructors may be Rambos or ego-driven - I haven't run across that much in my Texas area or when I went to the NTI or Polite Society. Being trained in research - I take any instructor as info to be evaluated and not some proclamation from Olympus. Being a critical consumer is useful.

[jetfire]

Hell some IDPA ranges ban video.

That was really just the one in the PNW.

[Cheap Shot]

While self driven practice is good and training is expensive - I still think a good trainer is very useful. It's well known that folks tend not to have the greatest handle on their own abilities. IIRC, the latest meta-synthesis (a meta-analysis of meta-analysises) indicates that the correlation coefficient on skilled physical peformance estimates from the participant and objective measures is about .34. It's significant but not the greatest predictor.

Using videos and expert observation all are great, together. YMMV, not be ideological but if you decided to carry an instrument of lethal force - I would spend the bucks to take a course or two. While some instructors may be Rambos or ego-driven - I haven't run across that much in my Texas area or when I went to the NTI or Polite Society. Being trained in research - I take any instructor as info to be evaluated and not some proclamation from Olympus. Being a critical consumer is useful.

Well said.

[Mr_White]

That was really just the one in the PNW.

There's another one in my part of the PNW too. Not sure if it is still banned or was just temporary.

[PPGMD]

There's another one in my part of the PNW too. Not sure if it is still banned or was just temporary.

I've seen a number of clubs with rules against photography and video taping without approval of BOD, while venturing out to look at clubs to shoot while traveling. I am not sure how well enforced they are as typically my schedules don't align.

[jetfire]

There's another one in my part of the PNW too. Not sure if it is still banned or was just temporary.

I'm guessing that club falls under the area of the former Area Director that was responsible for the no video policy.