Let me start out by saying that some people consider IDPA as just 'a game'. Others will say it is practice for real world defensive situations. I see it as both. Some scenarios are just a shooting skill setup, and others tend to mimic what could happen in the real world. But both sharpen our skills, and, since we know that in a high-stress situation we will do what we practice without thinking, all of it is beneficial.
With regard to the placement of non-threats in a stage, all I have ever seen, in both local & State matches, is the non-threat placed in front of the threat, simulating the bad guy hiding behind an innocent. This works well as it forces a more careful shot, as well as instilling an awareness of where the good guy is.
However, if you think about all the stages you have shot:
How often have you had to consider what was behind the threat (aside from the berm)?
Doesn't 'tunnel vision' on the threat while shooting the stage work pretty well?
Couldn't 'tunnel vision' on the threat while shooting in the real world lead to disaster?
What if we were to occasionally place some non-threats in the areas behind the threats. They could be placed in such a way as to force the shooter to change the angle of their shot to avoid hitting the non-threat with a shoot-through. As in having the non-threat in front, it forces a more careful shot, but now instills an awareness of what is behind your target.
Think about trying to take out a shooter in a public place, (on the street or in a mall). If we practice without considering what is behind our target, what will we do in a high-stress real world situation?
Thoughts?
