Novice/Intermediate/Expert - How do I know?

[Paraguy]

I felt pretty good at the indoor range the other day and was wondering if I took it to "the next level."  This got me wondering, is there a definition of beginner/novice/intermediate/expert/professional etc.  Is there a formal guideline for "levels" for all shooting sports and disciplines? 

[Solus]

I watch Jerry Miculek shoot and if I get to be one forth as good as him I think I've moved up to top end of novice.

[m25operator]

Sports and most disciplines yes, you can look them up and then go to the classifier section, where the stages will usually be shown, and what scores achieve what, and how to set them up,  and how to time them, accuracy matches, are scored on accuracy within a par time at a given distance.

Self defense training, not so much, some do, and some don't.

Hope this helps.

[Paraguy]

Sports and most disciplines yes, you can look them up and then go to the classifier section, where the stages will usually be shown, and what scores achieve what, and how to set them up,  and how to time them, accuracy matches, are scored on accuracy within a par time at a given distance.

Self defense training, not so much, some do, and some don't.

Hope this helps.

That helps!  You make a great point about self defense, completely different than hitting paper in low stress situations. 

[fightingquaker13]

That helps!  You make a great point about self defense, completely different than hitting paper in low stress situations. 

You could always pick a fight on the range and see who walks away. Expert does. Novice? Not so much. Still, there is always an element of luck, because in SD, the BG will always have the iniative. He's planned for it. You're just walking out Walmart. Thus the best you can do is train in the basics until you can hit whatever target you think is appropriate as many times as you want to. Speed, using the weak hand, reloading etc. all factor in. Thus the value of IDPA and the like. Still, even force on force training with MILES gear is just a game. My advice, for what little its worth, is just to work on the basics. Its all you can do most of the time.
FQ13

[Sponsor]

[Fatman]

You could always pick a fight on the range and see who walks away. Expert does. Novice? Not so much. Still, there is always an element of luck, because in SD, the BG will always have the iniative. He's planned for it. You're just walking out Walmart. Thus the best you can do is train in the basics until you can hit whatever target you think is appropriate as many times as you want to. Speed, using the weak hand, reloading etc. all factor in. Thus the value of IDPA and the like. Still, even force on force training with MILES gear is just a game. My advice, for what little its worth, is just to work on the basics. Its all you can do most of the time.
FQ13

Always vary the amount of rounds you put in a string at a target when practicing for SD. Under stress, you will play like you practiced. You need to keep hitting your target until he thinks he's had enough, what you think doesn't matter.

In our sims training, i put three rounds on my attacker's chest, fired two more onto him after the instructor said 'stop' - because the attacker hadn't stopped or dropped the weapon. heard the instructor, but my finger was already doing what I've always done in practice.  Instructor was pleased after I explained, bad guy actor not so much. Five sims rounds on your chest/abdomen hurt a bit.  BG actor said he hadn't felt it right away - started feeling it on the 4th hit.