Above: My Tie-Breaker Stage at the 2012 Pro Am Match in Frostproof, FL
Recently, we have received comments from various readers expressing that competition is impractical or unrealistic training for combat. If you are expecting a gunfight to be the same as shooting an IDPA or IPSC match, we at MSW wholeheartedly agree. However, there are valuable lessons to be learned through competition. The first is the development of mechanical skill. While there are certainly other facets to prevailing in a gunfight, one cannot argue that quickly and efficiently manipulating the gun and putting rounds on target would not be beneficial in a deadly force encounter.
Another benefit is stress inoculation. I have not heard it explained better than Pat McNamara in his book, “Tactical Application of Practical Shooting,” where he states in p.114:
“The most common emotion that disrupts performance is anxiety. Competition can help you deal with that anxiety.”
Gun games are just that: games. They may not have direct tactical relevancy, but if you learn to put the game in perspective and use it as a developmental tool, it has great training value. Try it out for yourself and incorporate it into your larger training strategy.
For more on tactical training and competition, see Pat McNamara’s “Gunfighter Moment” at Soldier Systems.
Pat McNamara’s book T.A.P.S. | Tactical Application of Practical Shooting is available on Amazon.
My concern is that some might focus entirely on developing mechanical skills or looking good on camera or performing well in competition and ignore other aspects of “gunfighting.” In a similar fashion, many carbine/pistol courses simply assume that we will arrive at the gunfight with all of our gear on, ready to go.
When taken in context with other military or law enforcement training and gaining relevant experience on the job, this is fine – the end user, if competent, assembles the pieces in his or her head. For those without any such training or experience, I think that being exposed only to the sexy aspects of shooting, like training courses and competition shooting, is dangerous.
Andrew, thanks for the comment! I agree that developing mechanical skills without putting those skills in proper context along with appropriate mental conditioning will not properly prepare one for a deadly force confrontation. However, it can’t be argued that those skills are not an important part of preparation. There is a lot more to dogfighting than the skill of flying an airplane, but you still need the mechanical skills necessary to operate the plane in a skillful and efficient manner.
Nobody here is advocating anyone use competition in lieu of proper training and mental preparation for “the big one.” The idea behind my post is that competition is often maligned and dismissed solely as a “gun game” when it can be used as a training tool to propel the serious student to the next level.
Yeah, I’m sorry if I made it seem like that’s what you were trying to say. I think I should have made that clear originally. It’s just a concern of mine when I see people focusing too much on competition or skills that are beneficial to competition but not combat.
One thing I would point to in that regard is the reload. In competition, it might be absolutely crucial to winning or losing, and so a shooter might spend an inordinate amount of time on that one skill, neglecting mindset, fitness, experience, etc. Yes, a relatively speedy and efficient reload is important for combat. But I do not think that practicing it until you are .005 of a second faster than you were two weeks ago is going to make much of a difference in combat.
Kind of like how I doubt the speed of a single shift is going to make a big difference in a high speed chase – I’ve not noticed that – but it’s a win-or-lose difference in a drag race. Racing and competition shooting distill their respective skillsets to certain time-oriented measurable factors. They still stress their competitors and make them better drivers and shooters, but the best race car driver in the world can still get in an accident by texting while driving, y’know?
I like the airplane analogy – I’ve never been in a dogfight though.
I’d like to say that I think we’re approaching the same – or similar – findings from different angles, and that I hold you in the highest regard. Thanks.
Andrew, I am in full agreement with you here. On one end of the spectrum we have those who dismiss wholesale the concept of using competition as a training tool. Others get wrapped around the axle about winning the game and confuse winning with what is practical in “the real world.” That is why practical experience is extremely important. Those who aren’t in a position to gain practical experience would be wise to seek out those who have that experience in order to put the mechanical skills they practice on the range into proper context.
Thanks for visiting us here at MSW! We enjoy reading your posts over at Vuurwapenblog.com!