What is *The* Area Match to shoot?

[lcs]

2 minutes ago, motosapiens said:

the same people did well on that stage as did well on stand and shoot stages.

 

being fat and lazy is NOT a practical self-defense skill.

 

There is always one who has to take it to the extreme....  Since when did USPSA stand for "practical self-defence skill"s"   

[MemphisMechanic]

49 minutes ago, lcs said:

 

There is always one who has to take it to the extreme....  Since when did USPSA stand for "practical self-defence skill"s"   

For approximately the first thirty years of it’s existence. 

 

Think about the real implications of the word “Practical” when it comes to shooting.

 

Practical... for what?  

 

Nowdays we’ve turned it into a sport. I actively hate the idea of watering it down so throughly that a guy with two bad knees and a beer-keg gut can keep up with a guy who trains for it both on the range *and* in the gym.

 

And I’m not lucky enough to posses two healthy knees, so I’m not saying that because I’m a 20 year old sprinter.

 

You shouldn’t need to be Usain Bolt to finish well, but it damn well should challenge the hell out of some fat guy who can’t manage three pull ups in a row or climb in and out of a frickin’ tire... Or this is gonna get boring.

 

Edited December 19, 2019 by MemphisMechanic

[Balakay]

27 minutes ago, MemphisMechanic said:

For approximately the first thirty years of it’s existence. 

 

Think about the real implications of the word “Practical” when it comes to shooting.

 

Practical... for what?  

 

Nowdays we’ve turned it into a sport. I actively hate the idea of watering it down so throughly that a guy with two bad knees and a beer-keg gut can keep up with a guy who trains for it both on the range *and* in the gym.

 

And I’m not lucky enough to posses two healthy knees, so I’m not saying that because I’m a 20 year old sprinter.

 

You shouldn’t need to be Usain Bolt to finish well, but it damn well should challenge the hell out of some fat guy who can’t manage three pull ups in a row or climb in and out of a frickin’ tire... Or this is gonna get boring.

 

Absolutely!!! We can not let the BOCs ruin USPSA.

[MemphisMechanic]

17 minutes ago, Balakay said:

Absolutely!!! We can not let the BOCs ruin USPSA.

 

I’m not saying a rope ladder and pole vault, or even a 30meter sprint, should be commonplace. Not MGM Ironman stuff...

 

I just find it disgusting that we Americans have gotten so weak and lazy. Someone saying it might be too challenging to pick their feet up and step into a tractor tire should immediately have people laughing harshly in their face.

 

Cooper tunnels, low ports, balance beams, and 40 feet of movement during a stage or two are great additions to a match. Yet they’re frowned upon because they’re (whatever)?

 

Lame.

[motosapiens]

1 hour ago, MemphisMechanic said:

 

I’m not saying a rope ladder and pole vault, or even a 30meter sprint, should be commonplace. Not MGM Ironman stuff...

 

I just find it disgusting that we Americans have gotten so weak and lazy. Someone saying it might be too challenging to pick their feet up and step into a tractor tire should immediately have people laughing harshly in their face.

 

Cooper tunnels, low ports, balance beams, and 40 feet of movement during a stage or two are great additions to a match. Yet they’re frowned upon because they’re (whatever)?

 

Lame.

i agree with you just because I find that stuff fun. I *wish* it gave a significant advantage to the young and fit, because even at 58 I'm pretty spry, and in measurably better shape than the majority of uspsa competitors. Unfortunately, I still get beat by the fat GM on a 40 round stage with 100 yards of movement, because the movement is a lot less of a separator than most fat lazy people think. I can move 20 yards a couple tenths faster than he can, but he leaves sooner, and is shooting so much sooner that those couple tenths disappear pretty quickly. And then to make matters worse, he lost a bunch of weight!!

 

Still, I have a good time when I have to manage physical exertion mixed in with my shooting, even tho the results stay pretty much the same.

Edited December 19, 2019 by motosapiens

[Thomas H]

1 hour ago, MemphisMechanic said:

 

I’m not saying a rope ladder and pole vault, or even a 30meter sprint, should be commonplace. Not MGM Ironman stuff...

 

I just find it disgusting that we Americans have gotten so weak and lazy. Someone saying it might be too challenging to pick their feet up and step into a tractor tire should immediately have people laughing harshly in their face.

 

Cooper tunnels, low ports, balance beams, and 40 feet of movement during a stage or two are great additions to a match. Yet they’re frowned upon because they’re (whatever)?

 

Lame.

 

I found it interesting that earlier someone posted a video of Max shooting A3 one year, and people went "Hey, that looks like a lot of fun!"  It is, if you like that sort of thing.  (If you like that sort of thing, you'll LOVE A3.)  Other people go "too athletic" and so on.  That's all fine.

 

I'll note that in the vast majority of cases, if you don't want to move far, you can take the far shots.  Your choice---45 yard steel, or 30 yard run and 15 yard steel.  Up to you! 

 

I agree that this shouldn't be a Crossfit match.  (Those actually exist, and A3 isn't one of them.)  But....we aren't IDPA that sets a limit on how far the competitors can be required to move.  None of the stages required pulling a 180-pound dummy 20 yards backward while shooting one-handed, then running 100 yards to go shoot stuff.  But yes, you do have to be able to move a little.    Some people really like that sort of thing.  Some don't.

All good.

[rowdyb]

What I dislike about a3 has nothing to do with running. Running is a reasonable expectation imo. As I wrote years ago it goes like this; your teacher can make a test hard by making the questions hard or they can make the test harder by turning the lights off and on, playing loud music and cranking down the ac. To me, a3 is far to much of the latter.

I have no sponsors to appease or other hidden agendas to influence my opinion. A3 stages are dumber than any other of the other area matches I've shot. I'll stop my persecution of it now. 

 

THE area match to attend? The one you live in should always be the one area match you can attend if only one. 

[mike4045]

I have shot a few matches over the years. Area 3 is one that I didn't care for. I think Area 2 was one of the tougher ones. I live in Area 4, so I try to shoot it every other year. I would like to shoot 2, 4, 5 and 8 next year. 

 

[Rosswoodford]

On 12/12/2019 at 9:23 AM, rowdyb said:

I'm someone who has shot a3 twice and decided never to return. I'm not alone. If someone asked the question in reverse, which area match should I avoid, instead of asking which is a must attend I'd bet money a3 would be the clear "winner". Especially if people could vote anonymously. 

I've heard this. This year was my first A3. I didnt hate it. That said, I didnt love it. I'm still uncertain if i plan to shoot it again this year. I came into the technical half on 4 hours of sleep after a 4 hour drive and proceeded to shoot far below where I should have. 

[Thomas H]

12 hours ago, Rosswoodford said:

I've heard this. This year was my first A3. I didnt hate it. That said, I didnt love it. I'm still uncertain if i plan to shoot it again this year. I came into the technical half on 4 hours of sleep after a 4 hour drive and proceeded to shoot far below where I should have. 

 

Yeah, A3 is not a good one for a day when the mental faculties aren't at their best. 

[motosapiens]

1 hour ago, Thomas H said:

 

Yeah, A3 is not a good one for a day when the mental faculties aren't at their best. 

agree with this. many of the stages are complex. part of the fun for me is spending the day before the match analyzing, watching, planning, and basically just hanging around the shooting scene.

 

I kinda feel short-changed when I go to a match and most of the stages are cut and dried and can easily be broken down and planned and memorized in a couple minutes.

[Darqusoull13]

Area 4 at USSA, Old Ft Gun Club or Triple C were exceptionally well run matches at top notch range facilities. Stages were good, matches ran well and I had a good time. I haven't been to the LA location yet but I've heard good things. 

Just like any match, Area matches have a flavor from the range and MD putting on the match. Find the ones you like and shoot those 

[JGus]

While it's not an area match, come on over from Iowa and shoot the Illinois Sectional Match.  It really is one of the best Level II matches you will ever attend.