Is Competition Shooting Tactical Training? A Deep Dive with Matt Little

“There’s no substitute for pressure testing your skills—whether on the range or in life, the ability to adapt under stress is what sets you up for success.”

Episode Summary

In this episode, Big Keith and I (Mike) sit down with Matt Little aka “Gray Beard Actual”—retired Army Green Beret, former SWAT officer, USPSA grandmaster shooter, and host of “The Way is Training” podcast. We chop it up about competition shooting vs tactical defense, decision-making under stress, how to physically and mentally train for gunfights, and what key habits can help you win in both shooting and everyday life.

We swap stories on Christmas gifts (from shotgun upgrades to custom sword canes), talk about building new training routines for the New Year, and geek out on topics from gunfight decision-making to the best ways to inoculate stress. Plus, we tackle recent Second Amendment news and the wild side of Florida Man shenanigans.

Whether you’re a competitive shooter, prepping for self-defense, or just want to level up your training mindset, this conversation has key tips, real talk, and tactical insight for everyone.

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Key Takeaways

1. Competition Shooting vs. Defensive Mindset: Shooting matches are fantastic for developing hard skills, speed, accuracy, and stress inoculation, but don’t substitute for real-world tactics and decision-making under unpredictable pressure.
2. Train for Adaptation: You need a baseline of speed and proficiency before decision-making skills can shine. Task stacking and random, complex drills help you build automaticity and slow your brain down, even as you move fast physically.