idpa classifier...do your absolute best?

[3djedi]

Should you push yourself and do your absolute best at an idpa classifier?

Or is there a "gaming" advantage to doing a little less than your best and grouping in a class lower? Kind of like a wrestler being the heaviest in a given weight class...

I'm a fairly new shooter and currently unclassified at this time. I'm just curious....I've never been to anything more than local match.

[jmbaccolyte]

I always try my best, because for me it's all about getting better, not about beating someone. As for "pushing yourself", I score better on the Classifier when I slow down a little and try for no points down, rather than going my fastest.

[jabbermurph]

I would think sandbagging gives only one advantage...the ability to win a plaque against people who aren't as good as you really are. I classified as SSP expert in my third match, only shooting a pistol for 6 months. I want to be the best....so I have to beat the best. Strive for that mentality is my vote.

[motosapiens]

If you think it's cool to pretend you are competing against only other people who are not very good or don't practice very much, then don't do your best. I think that would be lame. I pretty much only pay attention to the overall results anyway, so I try to shoot the classifier as if they were stages in a match.

[Model19]

FTDR !!!! Jeez, don't ask that on a forum. And pretty much like the other guys said, if you take satisfaction from that, well....

[NicVerAZ]

I personally did my best but ended up Marksman on my first classifier, as I am a solid Sharp Shooter. I simply screwed the 3rd string because I aimed at the target as I would have a USPSA target (shooting dead center when I should have aimed 2/3 from the bottom).

I then went to win the MM class at the AZ championship and was close to beating the Sharp Shooter champion.

Obviously the "S" word was used quite a bit

And, yes, do your best. I was miffed not to classify as SS from the start.

Edited August 12, 2013 by NicVerAZ

[thermobollocks]

You should attempt to do your best in every single thing you shoot, whether there are 100 people in your class or only 1 person on your entire range.

[rowdyb]

My first time shooting the classifier I shot 0.010 of a second into sharpshooter for esp. When turning it in they asked if I just didn't want it recorded as MM and fudge my score sheet. I said nope, I'd rather be the slowest sharpshooter than the fastest marksman.

If you're only shooting locally shoot the classifier as best you can. If you're shooting sanctioned matches you'll either get match bumped or not. The competitive advantage to having a ringer classifier only works one time, so to me it's not worth it.

Though I've been called a sandbagger before at a tournament and at the same time I've gone to other major matches and gotten crushed. It all will come out in your shooting.

[stick]

I've always done my best and when I shoot, I compete against myself and not other shooters.

[3djedi]

No I don't want to cheat or anything. I only do local matches, am unclassified, and of course do my best. I don't know if I'll ever do some kind of sanctioned event. It doesn't even feel like competition at these local matches as the scores take forever to come back. Its just fun and skill building.

Let me ask this. I do like to do the best I can. There is a classifier coming up. Should I practice doing the classifiers for the next 6 weeks and score the absolute best I can OR practice the classifier a couple times and practice how I normally would. How would you do it?

Edited August 12, 2013 by 3djedi

[3djedi]

I guess I'm just over thinking this. I really only do idpa for fun.

[juan]

I've always done my best and when I shoot, I compete against myself and not other shooters.

why shoot a pistol match if your not there to compete with other shooters?

you could stay home and just do drills always trying to improve on them. at half the cost.

[sirveyr]

Sandbag, dude. Collect as much wood as you can. IDPA trophies are the $hit. Plus they award them to 10th place.

[thermobollocks]

Let me ask this. I do like to do the best I can. There is a classifier coming up. Should I practice doing the classifiers for the next 6 weeks and score the absolute best I can OR practice the classifier a couple times and practice how I normally would. How would you do it?

Ah, see, this is a different question, and a very good one. How do you perform mentally on "field stages" as opposed to standard exercises? The classifier is basically a series of standard exercises, and if you practice a little bit, you can get skewed toward those particular exercises without necessarily having the ability to deliver at that level on demand. I would say don't fudge anything, and don't try to squeak right into Expert just because you think EX next to your name looks cool, but rather deliver what you can the best you can and let the scoresheet speak for you.

[jabbermurph]

Sandbag, dude. Collect as much wood as you can. IDPA trophies are the $hit. Plus they award them to 10th place.

[NicVerAZ]

+1

[3djedi]

Let me ask this. I do like to do the best I can. There is a classifier coming up. Should I practice doing the classifiers for the next 6 weeks and score the absolute best I can OR practice the classifier a couple times and practice how I normally would. How would you do it?

Ah, see, this is a different question, and a very good one. How do you perform mentally on "field stages" as opposed to standard exercises? The classifier is basically a series of standard exercises, and if you practice a little bit, you can get skewed toward those particular exercises without necessarily having the ability to deliver at that level on demand. I would say don't fudge anything, and don't try to squeak right into Expert just because you think EX next to your name looks cool, but rather deliver what you can the best you can and let the scoresheet speak for you.

Right. I could practice on the classifier for the next 6 weeks and become a master at the classifier but not shoot at a master level of idpa. I'd just be really good at that particular set of courses of fire. (I'm just using master as an example.)

[stick]

I've always done my best and when I shoot, I compete against myself and not other shooters.

why shoot a pistol match if your not there to compete with other shooters?

you could stay home and just do drills always trying to improve on them. at half the cost.

Because it doesn't matter what they do. All that matters is how I do.

[rowdyb]

Practice the classifier for two weeks going into it just so you're familiar. As much as people like to talk about it, it is very rare that someone can actually shoot a Master classifier and not back it up with match performance. It's kinda an IDPA legend if you ask me.

If they're keeping score, not matter when it comes out, then my performance relative to someone else absolutely matters. If we didn't keep score, I wouldn't do it.

The classifier is a good test of standard pistol skills. You'd do worse by not doing any practice for sure than by repping runs on the classifier. And if you're gonna try to "ace" any part of it, make sure you are spot on for the 3rd stage.

Edited August 13, 2013 by rowdyb

[steel1212]

If your not going to shoot your best on it then why even shoot it?

[Woodsk]

I use the classifier to track my progress. I do the best I can. I specifically do not practice the classifier thought.

[Onagoth]

IMO, the classifier doesn't mean much. I'm sure there are a few experts/masters out there who rack up tons of penalties and misses in a real match

[Quag]

Im new to IDPA and pistol shooting and I suck BUT I am having a ball. Shot my first classifier in practice and almost made SS. Went to my first real classifier thinking im hot sh&%. Completely blew it. Embarrasing, went back practiced it and came back and made MM. Thats where I belong no one will ever accuse me of the sandbag. Did great on stg3 14 down raw score but it took me a half hr to shoot it

[Chills1994]

have you signed up for the STI Contigency Program yet?

[JD45]

Sandbag, dude. Collect as much wood as you can. IDPA trophies are the $hit. Plus they award them to 10th place.

Hahaha....I wish I could tweet that or something!

Seriously, I barely made Master with a Glock, but can't quite get there with a .45 in CDP. I practice like 2 percent of what i once did. In USPSA, I am still in C-class.

My point is, for me at least, IDPA master= C class in USPSA, roughly. Just making master in IDPA is not a high goal, unless you are 98 years old. We should all shoot to master class in IDPA, with practice, The big thing is actually winning a state shoot as a master. Now that is a whole new ballgame.