Training Junkies Vs. Performers: A Dichotomy? 

I have found an interesting dichotomy throughout the years: very often, training junkies with many, often hundreds, of hours of professional training frequently remain at a mediocre level of mechanical skill with their pistol, while performance oriented shooters who compete shoot at a high level with little, if any, formal pistol training.  Occasionally, you encounter an individual who is both a training junkie and a high performer.  This, of course, is the ideal.

Being overly focused on either path is, in my humble opinion, not optimal.  Many training junkies do little practice between the classes they take, which is often several a year.  This is hardly ideal as the skill level remains stagnant.  On the other hand, high performers practice often and have a high shooting skill level, but their knowledge base in the other, arguably more important, aspects of self-defense is lacking.  The individual who is primarily focused on self-defense with a pistol, as apposed to only competition, should close this gap and embrace both paths. 

For training junkies who have amassed significant knowledge in self-defense, yet still shoot at a lower level of skill, wading into the world of competition is very worthwhile.  For those who shoot well but have little formal training, entering the fold of the “tactical” or “defensive” training world is very beneficial, as there is a lot more involved than only mechanical shooting.  This is not a difficult debate to have.  This is not about “Gamers” versus “Tactical Timmys.”  Both elements are necessary, and both are important. 

Live fire practice is essential. To buy the ammo I use for practice, go to:

https://www.ammoman.com/9mm-blazer-brass-124-grain-fmj-5201-1000