Match Performance Vs. Practice Performance

[Loves2Shoot]

I know exactly what my par times are in practice, do you? When I learned  exactly what I can do, and began to trust that I can do it when I must, with the realization that what I did was good enough, improvement came quickly.

Am I "there" yet? Nope, it's a long road. But I have learned that if I don't analyze my own shooting (skill set and temperament) without emotion, and subsequently come up with a plan for improvement, I will flounder and fail.

DITTO to what Ron said. Seeing and beliveing make it much easier. Like the Burner says, you should be able to pretty much tell when you go to a stage how long it will take. All you have to do then is go get your points in that amount of time.

Practice times and match times should be the same.

[tyro]

L2S,

How do you go about estimating your par times? Do you count the number of shots required for the stage, factor in split times and transition times then add any time for movement

or

is there a better method?

[Loves2Shoot]

If you ever get a chance to watch the Burner tapes he goes through this better, but here is my attempt at explaining it.

In practice you must document all your splits on a variety of shots, close to far, close to close, poppers, swingers, how long it takes you to move different distances, whatever you think you might have to do in a match. Once you know your splits/transitions/movement times then you can break down the stage, ie. Draw, then move, then shoot, then move, then shoot, reload ect. This takes some practice, but after awhile you get pretty good at it. Know your abilityies can be a big benefit.

[tyro]

Thanks L2S,

I haven't had the opportunity to see any training videos, but I'm pretty sure Santa is going to bring me vol. 1-4 of Matt Burkett DVD's

Maybe they will do the trick

[Steve Anderson]

At the very least, they will inspire you.

When you see that the top GMs are not herculean gods with thunder for speech and lightning bolts out of the eyes...a 4 second el prez (for example) just becomes a matter of practice, not divine intervention.

They are just the guys who have put in the time to get it right under pressure.

SA

(no thunder or lightning...yet )

[twix]

Limitless13,

That is a great example of determination. Keep that attitude and use what you learn here and you will do well and have alot of fun.

Tom Bergman

[JFD]

I'm wierd in that my match performance is better than my practice performance.

In a recent IDPA match I drew and fired 6 rounds (all -0) in 1.04 seconds from concealment. In practice I can't draw and put a single round in the A zone in much less than 1.50. Reloads are similar as well.

I guess this is a good situation, but wierd.

[PaulW]

I'm wierd in that my match performance is better than my practice performance.

In a recent IDPA match I drew and fired 6 rounds (all -0) in 1.04 seconds from concealment. In practice I can't draw and put a single round in the A zone in much less than 1.50. Reloads are similar as well.

I guess this is a good situation, but wierd.

HOLY COW, I wish I could have seen that. That is WORLD CLASS all the way.

[EricW]

I'm wierd in that my match performance is better than my practice performance.

In a recent IDPA match I drew and fired 6 rounds (all -0) in 1.04 seconds from concealment. In practice I can't draw and put a single round in the A zone in much less than 1.50. Reloads are similar as well.

I guess this is a good situation, but wierd.

Holy s***! What was your draw?

You just might have won the prize for the world's fastest bill drill.

[Jeeper]

I'm wierd in that my match performance is better than my practice performance.

In a recent IDPA match I drew and fired 6 rounds (all -0) in 1.04 seconds from concealment.  In practice I can't draw and put a single round in the A zone in much less than 1.50.  Reloads are similar as well.

I guess this is a good situation, but wierd.

Holy s***! What was your draw?

You just might have won the prize for the world's fastest bill drill.

I thought TGO's fastest bill drill was 1.3. Sounds fishy to me if your fastest normal draw is 1.5

[ErikW]

.59 draw with .09 splits? .29 draw with .15 splits? Anyway you cut it, it's pretty good for a C class L10 shooter.

[Detlef]

give him a break, I'm sure he meant a 1.04 draw + 1st shot from concealment. Pretty spectacular in a match for score in my bag!

--Detlef

[tightloop]

If he did get off 6 rounds in 1.04, that is the live fire equal of the TT mag change...

[EricW]

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. I know of one person that could pull it off with .08 splits.

(And no, his name isn't Robbie, TJ, or any of the other usual suspects.)

[JFD]

A buddy of mine was SOing the stage and came over all excited to tell me my time. I couldn't hardly believe 1.04 seconds but he confirmed that it was correct. Even if it had been 1.40 seconds, that's below my normal draw time for sure. I easily beat the par time.

My normal splits for very close range hosing are around 0.15, so it might be believable that I could have gotten faster.

I believe this was the first string of a 3 string stage. Target was very close and wearing a shirt. I concentrated on a button that looked to be centered on the -0 zone.

I was shooting my Colt .38 Super with a 2 lb trigger and minor loads (145 PF).

I'm not throwing out the possibility of some kind of timer malfunction either, although at the very least I'd figure that time would be my draw/1st shot time. I'd be thrilled with that as well.

There aren't a lot of instances at a match where I can compare match times to practice times, but any time that I can, my match performance is much better than my practice sessions.

[Dalmas]

I don't have fantastic numbers to put up but my shooting buddies usually say that I have one gear for practice and pull out another gear in competiton.

Busy at work, bills that should have been paid instead of buying ammo, the house is falling apart, the service lamp is blinking in the car.. etc etc all the daily distractions you bring to the range, those are there for me in training but come match day those thing don't excist anymore, its only the match and the attention, focus and relaxness needed for just the match.

In training you usually think of other stuff - like "I have to be finished before 4pm to have time to pick up the kids"...etc etc. I plan my calander so that match day(s) are planned "as my own time" = no distractions, It works for me.

If stress from daily life is allowed on the range it will show in your (mine) performance.

just my $.02 and it works for me.