Please answer the question how much do you shoot in competition?

[hodman]

I have read on this board.  In many places that it's all about shot placement. I would tend to agree that shot placement is critical, especially on minor caliber rounds.  I believe that one of the key elements to shot placement, consistently and on-demand and especially under stress is training and conditioning.  I could quote, many experts who say that the best conditioning once a basic set of skills have been acquired is competition.  That being said, the purpose of this question that I'm asking is to determine how much the members of this board are actually participating in some type of competition. 
For the purpose is to this question.  I would define handgun competition to have three elements. 
1. It must involve a timer. 
2. Accuracy must matter.
3. Scores must be published.
Taking a great line from the movie “The ghost in the darkness”, everyone in a fight has a plan until they get knocked down.  It's been my experience, when the buzzer goes off and people are watching you just got knocked down.

My competition regiment is the following each Monday.  I shoot either USPSA, IDPA, ICORE, or 22 action.  At least one weekend a month I shoot an additional IDPA match and one US PSA match.

I know the next thing it's going to be said is competition is not the same as training, and I agree.  The competition is certainly what he keeps the edge sharp.  I would also like to know if anyone out there feels that they have a substitute for competition to keep the edge sharp. If you have tried competition, but are not currently participating why?

[ellis4538]

I don't have a place to shoot outdoors anymore and am retired so I can't afford the high tarrif to join a club so I shoot in 2 matches a month.  Sometimes at the IDPA match I shoot a reshoot or different division but that is about it.

Richard

[jnevis]

Here we have a pretty active IDPA club with two matches a month plus a 3 Gun match using modified IDPA rules.  There are two different USPSA clubs within a couple hours drive that hold matches once a month.  I try to get to one of teh available matches every month but one of the local matches and the bigger USPSA match is the same day usually plus on a weekend I'm away.

[2HOW]

I train as much as I can, but competition is not training ,its a game. When you tailor your way of shooting to beat a timer or win the game you do yourself a disservice and create bad habits. If you like the game you should stick to proven learned responses and techniques and not short yourself. just my 02.

[TAB]

I don't have the time 


been 3x in the last 2 years... 5 years ago it was twice a month.

[Sponsor]

[WymoreWrangler]

I shoot cowboy action matches, been trying to get to a practical pistol match, been I've been lazy and haven't made it...

[jnevis]

I train as much as I can, but competition is not training ,its a game. When you tailor your way of shooting to beat a timer or win the game you do yourself a disservice and create bad habits. If you like the game you should stick to proven learned responses and techniques and not short yourself. just my 02.

I'd have to disagree.  Yes, if you only use competition for your "tactical" training then you will probably make mistakes in a real gunfight.  If you are smart enough to get the right training and then apply those skills in competition you will do better in a gunfight.  Sure there are rules that constrain the way you would solve a shooting problem that you wouldn't use in the real world but last time I checked all training environments did.  There is a reason that a lot of police agencies promote officers to attempt USPSA and IDPA matches as an addition to training.  Shooting sports magazines (Front Sight-USPSA, Tactical Journal-IDPA) and Firearms Instructor Magazine (Int'l Assoc of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors) either have regular columns or periodic articles on the benefits of using competition for LEOs.  If it's good for them than it's a safe bet its good for others.  Just use it as an adjunct to proper TRAINING.

[hodman]

I train as much as I can, but competition is not training ,its a game. When you tailor your way of shooting to beat a timer or win the game you do yourself a disservice and create bad habits. If you like the game you should stick to proven learned responses and techniques and not short yourself. just my 02.

I dont know of one professional trainer who says dont shoot the games (I know several who even like SASS). The reason I started shooting IDPA is a trainer (who did not start it) recomended it. Now I will shoot just about anything (even sporting clays 4th worst shooter behind MB)

I would be interested to hear a trainer (top level) who says dont shoot the games.

[CZShooter]

I shoot IDPA every weekend...sometimes 2 matches (one on Saturday, one on Sunday). I am the IDPA match director at our club and put on a match once a month. I am pretty lucky in the fact that there are several clubs in the area that put on monthly matches as well...and we have it worked out so that we don't interfere with each other's schedules. The down side...500 rounds a month gets pretty expensive now days (even reloading).

Training is by far the most important thing you can do...but competition is the best way to commit what you've learned to your sub-concious. When I first started shooting IDPA...I would now exactly how to draw, proper grip stance, trigger control, etc... As soon as the buzzer went off, it was like I suddenly became brain damaged. Under pressure, you will revert back to what's been committed to muscle-memory. But, this led me to identify defecincies. This would make practice sessions more productive, as I was working to improve a certain skill.

Now, when the buzzer goes off...I no longer think about grip, trigger, stance. Now those things just happen without me thinking about them. I compete with several LEOs every weekend, and they seem to agree that competition is the best way to keep your edge.

Just my 2 cents (after taxes).

[4gun]

I used to shoot IDPA matches weekly but other things have taken me away from it. Now I shoot about once or twice a month. I can tell you that a lay off does affect your shooting ability. I am a 4 gun expert in IDPA. That is where I took my fourm name from, 4gun. I can tell you that I do not currently have that ability now. Due to the lack of shooting. But I am trying to get back into it. although my age has slowed me down a bit, but my aim is very good.