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Match "approach"?


BillR1

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I wasn't sure what category to put this topic in, so forgive me if it's out of place.

For a national-level match, do most competitors go with the honest expectation of winning their class or division? I have heard at least one MA class shooter say they decided to skip IDPA Nationals this year because they "don't really have a chance to win". Is this common, and/or are there other reasons to attend a big match?

I shot my first Nationals this past weekend. I made a few mistakes, but even if I'd shot to the very best of my ability I still likely wouldn't have made it into the top 1/3 in my class. The experience was both awesome and humbling to get out of my "little pond" and pit myself against the best.

Thoughts?

Edited by BillR1
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Personally I don't go with the expectation of winning anything. I may know if I have a shot at it or not, but expecting it is setting yourself up for failure IMO. I want to go and shoot the best match I can and see how I stack up. Learn from my mistakes and hopefully improve.

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1 minute ago, Racinready300ex said:

Personally I don't go with the expectation of winning anything. I may know if I have a shot at it or not, but expecting it is setting yourself up for failure IMO. I want to go and shoot the best match I can and see how I stack up. Learn from my mistakes and hopefully improve.

OK, "knowing you have a chance to win" is probably a better way to put it...

Thanks.

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I personally think 'winning your class' is a made-up thing for self-esteem. I go to major competitions to compete and do better than I used to do. If you keep focusing on getting better (and having fun), the 'winning' stuff will happen by itself. Focusing on 'winning' is imho dumb because you have no control over how other people shoot. You can only control *your* shots, so focus on making them count.

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1 hour ago, BillR1 said:

  The experience was awesome and humbling to get out of my "little pond" and pit myself against the best.

 

That's the Whole Reason to go to the Nat'ls   :)

 

Plus, you might get to shake hands with Rob or one of the Legends of the Game..   :)   :)  

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The stages at a big match tend to be much better than your average local club too. Even if you don't plan to win you get to go shoot a course that is most likely different than what you're use too. That alone is a good motivator to go.

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I personally find big multi-day matches to be a tremendous source of learning. I basically spend the whole time thinking about shooting, talking about shooting, dry-firing in the trailer or hotel, watching others shoot, planning how I'm going to shoot, and (of course) shooting. I always come away feeling newly motivated to practice.

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The answer to your question depends on the level of skill of the competitor AND having the discernment to objectively judge your own skill relative to the expected performance of your competition.

 

I think you should distinguish the concepts of "mindset" and "expectation" because they can be very different.

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I read a quote somewhere, it went something like this; "Weather you believe you can do something or you can't do something, either way you're right!" 

 

In my province (small pool), I go with the goal of winning.  When I don't win, I'm usually close enough to say I was in the running.  At our Nationals (when I go), I still push hard on every stage (usually too hard).  2016 I finished 20th or 21st.  Shot 1/2 the stages very well, the other 1/2, not so much.  If I could have limited my mistakes to 1/4 of the stages, probably would have ended up in the top 10.  I would have considered that a win for me.  Pick a goal, achieve it, pick a harder goal........repeat.

 

 

Edited by blasterboy
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14 hours ago, RileyLV said:

In a sense, we are all competing against ourselves so, if that is correct, then winning means "getting better".

ding ding ding! winner!

 

If you keep getting better, the results will take care of themselves, and eventually cheerleaders will throw their panties at you and sponsors will rain down free guns...... unless of course you are lazy and don't dryfire every day.

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