Pistol drills vs Competition

[ToddG]

I do think that is a very good (and important) point from two angles:

1. people often put more effort into competition than they will into life saving skills; and,
2. people often don't realize just how subpar they are until they show up at a match and see other average bozos who can shoot circles around them.

So from a motivational standpoint, I can see competition being valuable for someone still in the shallow end of the kiddie pool. But that's assuming it does, in fact, motivate rather than humiliate.

From an efficiency of learning standpoint, though, I stick by my original comment that if you haven't built up a solid grasp of the fundamentals, shooting competition is just going to (a) reinforce bad habits and (b) use up precious resources.

[beltjones]

From an efficiency of learning standpoint, though, I stick by my original comment that if you haven't built up a solid grasp of the fundamentals, shooting competition is just going to (a) reinforce bad habits and (b) use up precious resources.

Exactly. People who deride competition for not teaching proper tactics are completely missing the boat. Not only does it not teach proper tactics, it doesn't even teach you how to shoot!

Still, like others have said, if you don't know how bad you are you won't know how good you can get, and competition will show you just how bad you are.

[jetfire]

Getting my ass handed to me at IDPA was my motivation to start taking shooting classes. I hate losing at anything, so losing at something I was passionate about was unsat. It's still unsat, actually.

[Mr_White]

Getting my ass handed to me

I'm getting ready for my turn at this next Sunday. I will be going to my very first USPSA match. Since I have no desire to practice with two different sets of gear, I shall be running my carry gear from concealment in Limited, shooting minor, JodyH style.

I'm trying to have exactly zero expectations about my performance other than competing safely. With all the discussion about people's performance at the Paul Bunyan USPSA match last weekend, I looked up the Pucker Factor classifier stage and considered different ways I might shoot it, how much time I think it would take me, and how many points I honestly think I would drop. Then I looked at the hit factors of some of the competitors at the match, especially the regular posters here on pistol-forum. I am impressed guys!

[EmanP]

And that was about the best i could have shot it given the circumstaces yet was still only like 77%.