There is a 2 word answer: DRY FIRE!

I can't emphasize enough how much this can help. The first thing you should do is read Claude Werner's article in the IDPA Tactical Journal. He covers some basic safety concepts that should be observed. I would also recommend Claude's Dry Fire Practice Kit which is available on his web site.


Suggested reading:

Practical Shooting, Beyond Fundamentals, Brian Enos. This is a hard book to understand the first time you read it, but as you go back and read it again and again, the light begins to come on.

With Winning In Mind, Lanny Bassham. Excellent book on competitive shooting by an Olympic rifle champion.

Perfect Practice, Saul Kirsch. Good practice drills oriented toward IPSC.

Thinking Practical Shooting, Saul Kirsch. This book educates you on how a top IPSC shooter looks at the sport from all angles. Very informative.

Refinement and Repetition, Dry Fire Drills for Dramatic Improvement, Steve Anderson. In my opinion, this is not a replacement for Claude's Dry Fire Practice Kit, but does have some good advanced dry fire drills.

All of the above books are directed toward USPSA/IPSC, but they still apply to IDPA and are worth reading. You can find them for sale on Brian Enos' web site.

-Capel
www.gadpa.com