How do you train?

[Glockman21]

12oz curls , no elbow brace untill after the firs 6 sets

Sounds about right to me.

I am a firm believer in point shooting. At 3-7 yrds I am better point shooting than using the sights. Also you must develope muscle memory, many, many draw exercises.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Freedz]

I try to hit the range about once a week minimum. Each time I go I take 2 handguns with about 150 rounds for each. Weekdays are the best because nobody is at the range. I like to keep it mixed up - stand, walk, crouch, behind cover, whatever. Different distance is good to train yourself for too. I like the steel targets mainly to know right away if I have a hit or not but sometimes I use paper to check my accuracy too. Im always trying to think of different scenarios to practice when im there. Also when im at home I practice drawing from the hip. Try different shrits, overshirts, jackets, etc. Its interesting to find how different the draw can be just from what you wear.

[Hunting Coyotes]

I shoot IDPA weekly and also get to the range most weekends...I just enjoy shooting my defensive pistols. We have a good combat range that allows movement, drawing from concealement etc.

If I don't shoot for 2 weeks I get the blues!

My short fall is dry firing...I should do that during the week when I have a chance.

[joe/OH]

75% of my training is done without ammo - dry-fire, drawing in the mirror, and plenty of other games that we come up with.

That said - we usually shoot twice a week - though not always pistols and it's not always training. Have been thinking of IDPA - but not sure of the cost.

[ezterra]

I dry fire for 15-20 minutes daily and shoot about 3-4 times a week. I also shoot IDPA, so I mostly work on drills to improve in IDPA (currently a CDP-SS, but hopefully I'll make expert this year). I feel practicing for practical pistol matches, be it IDPA or USPSA, you work on the basic skills that one would also be required to use in a self defense situation, ie draw and fire, reloading, multiple targets, moving targets, moving and shooting, strong hand/weak hand shooting, etc. I also make it a point to get at least a weeks worth of training from a reputable school per year.

[Frogman]

I also agree that IDPA is good practice. If I were going to have a shoot out with someone, I wouldn't want it to be with an IDPA shooter! Lots of dry fire is good and as much range time as possible.

[ccw9mm]

Once or twice every other month. More frequently, recently.

Generally, I shoot 350-500 rounds out of my primary practice weapon or the one I'm currently breaking in. Right now, it's a CZ P-01 9mm for possible daily carry duty. At least a couple magazines single-hand off-hand, and single/strong-hand. At least a dozen rounds each hand manipulating the controls one-handed. At least a couple magazines of single-handed magazine swap.

Also, with the carry piece, I shoot from concealment/draw, single-hand off-/strong-hand.

Half the shooting is directed at straight targeting skills (aim). The other half generally is guided toward scenarios in the head: ie, what would I do if ... and then play the scene through, verbal commands (silently) included.

Each range session generally wraps by 10mins or so thinking about what was learned, the relevant laws or situations I was focusing on (ie, property defense, carjacking, home intrusion).

Each year, I pick up another book or two about relevant law, defense skills, tactics or review of real-life situations. Good fill-in material for whatever I'm missing and not thinking to incorporate.

While I'm winging it, a bit, it results in a fairly good coverage across a year's time. Not every range session is like this, but most are.