So you wanna be an action pistol champion

[Snowgun]

So I was watching some MMA, and I was thinking about how these guys train like crazy, and it got me thinking...

What would someone do if they wanted to get into action pistol (or say 3 gun) hardcore? Like how would acquire the training to go to the big time?

Many other sports have coaches, instructors, training camps, etc. I'm wondering what exists out there for shooting sports.

I'm not talking about practicing once a week, shooting a match every week or two, and then taking a class once or twice a summer. I'm talking about the "I'm gonna train to win the **** bianchi cup" type of focus.


So how would you do it? What do you know of that would assist you? (trainers, etc). Assume you would quit your job and pursue this full time, having a reasonable amount of funds to put to use.

[farmerj]

Find a marketting director is the first thing I would do.

[rtk]

I think that having the natural ability to start with is a big factor.

[timwarner]

Some of the top shooters teach classes as well. Take a few of them.
Practice, practice some more, when you run out of ammo, dry fire practice til your fingers are numb.
every day.

a shooter at Oakdale decided he wanted to kick some ass, he was out shooting just about every day for a couple hours. He went from a C shooter to Master in about a year.

Now, good luck beating him, in any class he shoots.

[Grandpa Rex]

First I need to get one of the trainers from the Biggest Loser to help me drop a couple of pounds.

Then I need Dr Emmet Brown to take me back in time to about age 17.

Then I need Dr Phil to tell me to stick with steel shoots with the MNGuntalk folks.

I still couldn't shoot at a high level but I would be young and thin...

[rugersol]

No clue!

[Snowgun]

Find a marketting director is the first thing I would do.

I think this might be more true than not...With the right kind of personal branding, you could attract sponsors and others who would be willing to assist you (monetarily, equipment, or training wise) to make it to the top.

Some of the top shooters teach classes as well. Take a few of them.
Practice, practice some more, when you run out of ammo, dry fire practice til your fingers are numb.
every day.
a shooter at Oakdale decided he wanted to kick some ass, he was out shooting just about every day for a couple hours. He went from a C shooter to Master in about a year.
Now, good luck beating him, in any class he shoots.

While the need to practice a lot is obvious, I am thinking that undirected practice can be very inefficient. You might not know what bad habits you are ingraining. You might not know what skills you are not practicing at all!

Golf would be a great analogy. You can hit balls all day and decrease your handicap to single digits, even with crappy habits. But to get to the point where you can compete in the amateur tour, you need some direction.

Has anyone heard about anything like this for shooting? I know of wakeboarding training facilites, snowboarding training facilities, golf training facilities, baseball training facilities.....Where you go to receive top instruction along with your practice for long periods of time.

[Snowgun]

I think that having the natural ability to start with is a big factor.

While this is important, it truly is only half of the equation. One needs nature AND nurture to be truly great. And I believe that more of one CAN make up for deficiencies in the other.

[timwarner]

one needs to show up and shoot.
3-4 or 5 matches a week.

[Snowgun]

one needs to show up and shoot.
3-4 or 5 matches a week.

But do you think that alone is enough to catapult into the GM territory? For the true naturals, that and practice could probably be enough, but I gotta think there is something more one could do...

An MMA fighter doesn't get to the big time by fighting tons of matches. They have trainers that grind though various and specific skill sets...

[timwarner]

Take a respectable competition orientated class, to learn the basics, practice 3 days a week and shoot 4 matches a week.

Do that for a year, then tell me if you got better.

[gyrfalcon]

..Do that for a year, then tell me if you got better.

Nope still suck!

[mnmike59]

Like any sport, You first better show dominance at the local level then move on to regional then ????
To get there..Practice, Practice, Practice. and you must also be independently wealthy or have a very good sponsor. OR both! Just my .02 worth.
Good luck.

[farmerj]

Like any sport, You first better show dominance at the local level then move on to regional then ????
To get there..Practice, Practice, Practice. and you must also be independently wealthy or have a very good sponsor. OR both! Just my .02 worth.
Good luck.

Why I say you need a marketing director/manager first. Not going anywhere without spending some serious bucks. Even if it's the local gun shop willing to hang his name on your bag and give you ammo at cost.

It's a place to start. Need to focus on shooting not reloading.

[Snowgun]

So what I'm hearing is that the only available option is copious amounts of self directed practice and match participation.

This just confuses me as it isn't true for most other sports. Maybe this is a need that should be addressed...

Doing a quick and dirty web search, it seems as if the majority of training is related to self defense. There are a couple classes that are competition focused that are given by people such as Rob Leaham, but these are scarce and one off type of things.

The best I could find is a lot of videos, and the website http://pistol-training.com/

Seems like there should be a "front sight" or "thunder ranch" for competition...., or some sort of "golf pro" type of person who you can contract out for training on a weekly basis.