Preparing for Combat through Competition
By Tim Lau
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.
Firearm User Network 
David B. Monier-Williams
May 17, 2014 @ 08:09:15
There is at least one negative thing about competition…as you train so shall you shoot. Clearly this was demonstrated in the video. I don’t want to mind muscle memory my starting stance in a gun fight in the surrender position.
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John M. Buol Jr.
May 17, 2014 @ 18:19:56
Then use a different start position at events you organize. Better yet, use a variety of plausible start positions.
Despite false claims, there is no evidence these events are the cause of any bad habits:
https://firearmusernetwork.com/does-competition-shooting-kill/
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David B. Monier-Williams
May 18, 2014 @ 09:59:14
The shoot out in question occurred in the mid 70’s at the Jack in the Box in Sunland CA, with Officer Pride LAPD starting in the surrender position.
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John M. Buol Jr.
May 18, 2014 @ 15:30:28
Thanks for continuing to add to your tale. Looking forward to all future versions of this story.
There is something important to note here. You’re using the example of Officer Pride’s shooting as why competition shooting is somehow bad. Consider, in all versions of your story the competition shooter won his fight and prevailed! More details are here:
https://firearmusernetwork.com/does-competition-shooting-kill/
Anytime a person engages in a fight, hits the perpetrator and survives the day, it is a win. In all versions of this story, the competition shooter won.
It could be argued that the competition shooter/cop was almost killed. Every person that has ever survived a gunfight was “almost killed.” That’s what makes every fight so dangerous. If there wasn’t the real risk of death, with a foe actively trying to cause death – meaning the person was almost killed – then it wasn’t a particularly dangerous situation.
Of course he was “almost killed.” The point is, he not only survived but hit his opponent without hitting anyone else. A win is a win.
Not only did the competition shooter win his fight, his competition shooting skills and experience helped win the day. Despite a momentary lapse in timing, Officer Pride still won. He didn’t let this slight delay – which could have proven deadly to a shooter lacking competition shooting experience and being of lesser ability – cause panic and this was immediately overcome with a blaze of highly-practiced response.
Officer Pride’s ability to remain calm under pressure despite an initial mistake and still have a skillful, fast, accurate response is the mark of good training and a skilled competitor. This sort of skill rarely seen outside of the ranks of competitive shooters and someone without this experience may have succumbed to the pressure, responding too slow or missing, instead of landing hits as needed.
But this competition shooter made a mistake! Possibly. Do you think this officer/competition shooter was the first and only cop or competition shooter to ever make a mistake in a fight or match? It’s easy to second guess an incident long after the fact, especially when we’re commenting on events of forty years ago.
The point is this example of Officer Pride, a policeman and competition shooter, which is being offered as an example of why competition shooting is somehow detrimental in a fight, is about a competition shooter that won his fight!
Here’s an example of a competition shooter that found himself in a fight. He won, hitting his opponent and surviving the encounter. If you ever find yourself in a fight, I hope things go this “poorly” for you and that your skills and responses are as “detrimental” to you as they were to Officer Pride.
More here:
https://firearmusernetwork.com/does-competition-shooting-kill/
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