Could this training be the difference
What does that mean? Here’s what training means to me.
1) Mental Training – The most important in my opinion
You have to train your mind to react the right way. This start with the basics, keeping your finger off of the trigger until you’re ready to shoot, and expands up to deciding under what circumstances you are willing to use your firearm in self defense. You need to take the time to seriously consider all of the worst case situations, take current events in the news, and put yourself in these situations. How do react, how does that change based on who you are with? How does your reaction fit with your local and federal laws? Think, and talk about these situations often! It’s impossible for you to think of every situation, however, the more you think about now, the better prepared you will be.
2) Dry Fire Training
Dry fire training is AMAZING, and costs nothing. Now, there are lasers, SIRT pistols and software that you can buy to enhance this, but those are not needed for basic dry fire training. My advice for dry fire training is to do it as often as possible. Practice from your couch, your bed, your car, everywhere. This is the time to practice drawing, with proper finger discipline, this is the time to practice squeezing the trigger, rather than pulling it. You can buy Dry Fire Training cards on Amazon that will really give you a great training experience as well. For me personally, I use SIRT pistols almost daily, practicing with both hands, in various positions. At the very least I dry fire 50 rounds in each hand every morning at various items throughout my house. This takes me less than 2 minutes, NO EXCUSES!
3) Live Fire Training
You have to know what to expect when you pull the trigger, get out and get some rounds down range. Going to the range and throwing rounds down range as fast as you can isn’t going to gain you as much as other methods. Ammo isn’t cheap; get the most out of it. We will have additional articles detailing some specific training drills you can do. For now, forget the bullseye, take some different targets with you and get your head in the game. For example, take a printout of billiard balls, numbered 1-15. Have a partner call out a number and see how many rounds it takes for you to hit that number, or how quickly you can do it…. Why not try both? Also, have a race with this person, solids vs stripes, or maybe time yourself if no one is with you. There are tons of things you can do to engage your brain while you’re at the range.
More to come on this topic, until then…
Get out and TRAIN!