CRPA Jan-Feb 2016

FEAR & LOADING
Training for
HIGH-STRESS
Self-Defense
Shooting
by David Morris
@ Home
REPRINT: Orignally published
by the Daily Caller:
dailycaller.com
David Morris is a contributor to
the Daily Caller and author of two
books: “Urban Survival Guide”
and “Tactical Firearms Training
Secrets” which are incredible
resources for all levels of shooters.
David’s advice is always well tested
and actionable. He can take you as
far as you want to go for personal
preparedness.
Today we’re going to cover a few
quick tips on firearms training
techniques that you can use to
get your mind and body ready to use
a firearm in a high-stress defensive
situation that won’t cost you a small
fortune in ammo.
One axiom of firearms training
is that you will perform half as well
under stress as you do on your best
day of training.
Another is that if you shoot 8 inch
groups (aka: Combat Accurate) in training,
you’ll shoot 16-24 inch groups under
stress.
They’re both accurate, albeit optimistic,
and are based in large part
on the fact that most people’s minds/
bodies are SO far out of their comfort
zone when shooting under stress that
shooting performance becomes erratic
and unpredictable.
You might fumble with your cover
garment, your retention, your grip, your
safety, or you might even think that
your front sight is so hard to find that
you swear it must have fallen off. Then,
when you have a malfunction or your
slide locks back after emptying a magazine,
you feel like you’ve got mittens
on as you’re trying to manipulate your
firearm and get back in the fight. This
can happen even after firing thousands
of rounds at the range.
You’re not alone. I’ve talked with
dozens, if not hundreds, of career operators
and door kickers and they all say
that the best way to prepare for highstress
life or death situations is to repeatedly
and successfully go through
high-stress life or death situations–
which are a little different than shooting
at a range.
Realistically, you’re probably not
going to be able to go through that kind
of stress indoctrination on a regular basis,
but what you CAN do is run your
current firearms handling skills and
self-talk through the at-home “crucible”
that I’m going to share with you
that will quickly and easily refine your
current techniques so that they’ll have
a MUCH better chance of working in
high stress situations.
This refinement process is based on
trying to replicate some of the different
stresses that you’re likely to experience
in a self-defense situation, and do so in
your living room without bothering relatives,
roommates, or neighbors.
This means, unfortunately, that you
won’t have anyone screaming at you,
shooting near you, or have sirens and
flashing lights going, but you can
STILL get some high quality training
in at home.
One thing that I’ve covered before,
but that’s worth repeating is that I usually
combine calisthenics, heavy bag
work, and weights with my dry fire and/
or airsoft training. I do interval training
where I workout for 20-60 seconds
(wearing my firearm) and switch to
firearms training during the “rest” periods.
I’ll repeat this cycle for my entire
workout and really like the combination
of high intensity physical activity and
firearms training.
I have to remind you to ask your
doctor before doing anything strenuous
AND to get qualified expert instruction
in proper dry fire techniques
so that you don’t hurt or kill yourself
or someone else.
Here’s an example training
session (all with my Glock in an
in-waistband holster):
1. 4 sets of jumping lunges firing 3-6
rounds (with an airsoft platform or
other training platform) between
sets while drawing from concealment
and moving side to side,
changing mags when necessary.
2. 4 sets of kettlebell clean & presses
engaging 2 targets with 3-6 rounds
between sets while drawing from
concealment and moving to cover,
changing mags when necessary.
3. 4 sets of pushups firing 3-6 precision
headshots between sets,
changing mags when necessary.
4. 4 rounds on the heavy bag, firing
3-6 rounds at both the heavy bag
and a paper target between sets,
changing mags when necessary.
(The purpose of this is to practice
transitioning from fighting with my
hands to fighting with my firearm.)
5. 10 SLOW dry fire repetitions of
drawing, acquiring my sight picture,
trigger press, and follow
through with my sidearm. (I’ve
visually and physically confirmed
that my sidearm is unloaded, re-
32
JAN. / FEB.