Training and Mindset

[markwcmu]

I've read this entire thread with some nods and head shakes. Bottom line, Chemical response can't be reproduced accurately and consistently on a training basis. I have done well over 100 hours of simulations training, stress shoots, and exhaustive exercises. The first time I had been shot at, I was reading a book in my rack and a stray round hit above my head. The first thing I did was fall to the floor. The best way, in my experience to train for preparedness is a two part philosophy.

1.) Brilliance in the basics. Training to a standard of " Keep it simple stupid" has saved my life more then once, and is a mantra that most live by in our community.

2.) Train yourself to use human instinct as the training medium. What do you do when you get shot at, Get down or get low, expect this and use it in your training program.

With that said, I will say, one of the hardest and most eye opening exercises I have ever done was at a Precision fire course, The instructors worked the dog crap out of us for about a good hour. Then, adding in some CS gas, loud speakers and blow horns, expected us to shoot 3 inch groups at 300 meters. Although you cant always work the fear into your students, you can teach gross motor skill manipulation, elevated heart rate, breathing, stress, and most importantly a severely cramped emotional state. If you can master that, Half of the battle is done.

[Squeeze]

I posted this link in the "funny video" thread, but I think it also deserves a cameo appearance here.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/1263...about-training

[agentutah]

Excellent

[Mick-Boy]

Almost a year on and this thread is back from the dead. Nice.

....Chemical response can't be reproduced accurately and consistently on a training basis.....

Yes and no. The body's physiological response to a life and death situation can't be reproduced accurately and consistently because A) everyone responds differently and B)The body does an amazing job at learning and adapting.

A) I was out at the range this morning with a co-worker of mine and some guys from his ODA (NG). We were running drills and incorporating some mildly intense PT to induce a little stress. The drills we were running required a lot of thinking and target discrimination. The PT affected some guys, others showed no degradation in their performance. There was one guy that probably could have run an ironman and still rocked it. But put him on the timer in front of his peers and he showed a marked drop. The point is, you have to train yourself to engage your brain when your body is stressed. Pulling a trigger is easy. Making good choices isn't.

B) The more you train something the better you get at it. Like I said in my earlier post about incorporating live-tissue into CQB causing guys to loose the ball for a bit. After a few iterations they'd be back to normal performance. The idea that you can consistently repeat a stress response is flat wrong. The stimuli has to be constantly changed, otherwise you build up a natural resistance (Think PT).

1.) Brilliance in the basics. Training to a standard of " Keep it simple stupid" has saved my life more then once, and is a mantra that most live by in our community.

2.) Train yourself to use human instinct as the training medium. What do you do when you get shot at, Get down or get low, expect this and use it in your training program.

With that said, I will say, one of the hardest and most eye opening exercises I have ever done was at a Precision fire course, The instructors worked the dog crap out of us for about a good hour. Then, adding in some CS gas, loud speakers and blow horns, expected us to shoot 3 inch groups at 300 meters. Although you cant always work the fear into your students, you can teach gross motor skill manipulation, elevated heart rate, breathing, stress, and most importantly a severely cramped emotional state. If you can master that, Half of the battle is done.

I completely disagree with this. If I train myself to duck and cover when I get shot at I'll almost certainly stall at the door when things get loud. Instead, train yourself to keep thinking under stress.