PITFALLS OF COMPETITION

In our November contribution we talked about the benefits of adding competition to our training program.  This month I thought we’d talk about the possible pitfalls of doing so.  At this point you’re probably saying, “Make up my mind, is it good or bad”?  The answer is – YES.  As previously stated there are a number of gains to be made by competing but we also have to be aware of the bad habits competition can cause.

Most competitions can be detrimental to our training because of the emphasis they place on speed.  A competitor can have misses in a match but as long as they shot it very quickly, they can still do better than someone who is slower, but gets all their hits.  Now, we all know in real life, only good solid hits count – you can’t miss fast enough to win a gunfight!  The “spray and pray” mentality may work in competition but not in the real world.  Also don’t forget – there’s a lawyer riding every bullet you shoot so where are those misses going?

Another concern I have with competition is it often requires us to leave cover so we can engage another set of targets.  In the eyes of a legal/civil court, would that now make us the aggressor?  Not to mention the danger of leaving safety to go into the unknown, but the worst part is we rush to do it, so our times are quicker (there’s that time issue again).  Are we learning to rush to our deaths?

One of the worst habits I see a lot of shooters develop in competition is after firing the last required round, they immediately unload to show clear with out surveying the area for additional threats.  What you do in practice is what you’ll do in a stressful situation.  I would hate to have an unseen “bad guy” pop out after I just cleared my firearm.

Every February there is a Tactical Conference and match held in Tennessee with instructors from all over conducting seminars and competing.  If you do a quick review of last year’s match results you’ll notice a well-known and respected instructor finishing last on every stage.  I found this odd knowing his abilities until it dawned on me – he shot the match defensively.  He didn’t worry about his time; he concentrated on getting good hits, negotiating the scenarios correctly and using solid techniques.  Who was the real winner - the name at the top of the list or the instructor who used the match as a training session?

So the choice is yours, shoot a match to win a trophy or to enhance your firearm survival skills?  Everyone likes to win, but for me I want to be a winner when it really counts.