Trigger bashing & posture retention in force-on-force training

[Mendocino]

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions to mitigate trigger bashing (poor trigger control) and maintaining good posture during force-on-force training. Recently I have been training with Simmunition FX (NLTA) and an indoor range or "killing house" and notice that when the role player(s) starting firing at me, my cover use is great but my posture starts to hunch and I make a larger target. Further, some of my basic pistolcraft deteriorates as the level of force escalates, however, marksmenship and administration are adequate. Away from the force-on-force NLTA training, I practice trigger control exercises, as well as other more standard training techniques, but when the role player starts "lighting me-up" things kinda go to hell. Any suggestions...?

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It is far better to dare mighty things, though riddled with failure, than to live in the dull grey of mediocrity.

 

[Chuck Ames]

Mendocino,

Sounds like you are a normal guy! While going through the Special Reaction Team course, I noticed some of the same things. W. E. Faribairn noted that individuals tend to crouch and turn toward their target when danger triggers the fight or flight response. You may have already heard that, but most of us have seen it to be true. I started shooting weaver and changed to isosceles because of it. Why fight nature, especially if it helps under stress.

You may want to slow the scenarios down. One of the mistakes I often see, is the instant leap from 0-60mph. In the military, we teach crawl, walk, run and take it real slow at first, gradually building to combat speed. I believe this helps inoculate us against stress. If we move too fast, we respond in ways we may not want to, and learn bad habits. By starting out slow and maintaining good technique, we learn to perform properly under stress.

One of my instructors, told me that he usually practises at 75% of combat speed and rarely goes faster in training. When doing live fires in a clearing house, his experience was that everything just happened, and it was much faster and even a little more accurate than practise.

As long as you can maintain a firing platform and the ability to shoot, move, and communicate, I'd say you are doing fine.

As always, Slow is smooth and smooth is fast!

Chuck

 

[Matt VDW]

I don't understand your posture problem. What do you consider good posture? And how does hunching (crouching?) make you a bigger target?

 

[Mendocino]

Chuck,
The speed of the scenarios tends to start slow; it depends on what we are doing. I agree with slowing things down on dynamic entry. However, in escalation of the force continuum, its really up to the role player. His (their) job is to inoculate participants to stress so if they screw up they do it in the killing house and not on the “outside.” In my experience (limited), these scenarios are very realistic, and produce amazing realism and physiological responses (we are working on wireless monitors for participants). Therefore, slowing things down can be difficult because the role players are defending themselves as well. However, I’ll take your speed advice to heart. As far as training at 75% of combat speed, I’m a bit confused as to how you accomplish that. Once things get going, its pretty tuff for the teams to keep their adrenaline at 75%.
I find it interesting that you switched to isosceles. I have always used Weaver, as I perceive Isosceles as presenting too much of my center of mass to the BG, and it makes effective use of cover difficult (IMHO), however, I’ll give it a shot .

Matt VDW:
I consider good “posture” that which makes me the best launching platform for the projectiles in my firearm. To me, that means that I am in a Weaver stance standing up straight, as relaxed as possible, with a small amount of isometric pressure between my firing and support hands. Certainly, there are occasions where you do not stand upright, but what I was getting at is that when in force-on-force training and the projectiles are flying my shoulders get tight and start to “hunch” up, and I kind of ball up a bit. As a result of this when I’m moving through the house I present a larger target for the opposing force. It’s a bit hard to explain without seeing it. I think Chuck put it appropriately when he called me a normal guy; it’s a physiological response to the stress of combat. I’m just trying to inoculate myself to this stress so that if/when a firefight comes I am as prepared as possible.



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It is far better to dare mighty things, though riddled with failure, than to live in the dull grey of mediocrity.

 

[ek127]

Mendocino,
I will ditto what Chuck said about training under stress and the isoceles stance.
Training under stress will help you combat( not remove) the physiological effects that happen during an actual gun fight. One being trigger control.
one drill I use is, while firing multiple rounds, not allowing my finger to extend past the trigger reset, and not letting the finger break contact with the trigger. This keeps the finger from slapping the trigger,thus keeping multiple rounds in tighter groups. ( seems to work for me! )
As far as the isoceles stance, about five years ago, I drew down on a guy during a stressfull encounter. I found myself in an isoceles stance, both arms extended staight out. ( square to the target ) I've been training that way ever since. Like Chuck says,"why fight nature?"
My 2 cents!!!
EK


[This message has been edited by ek127 (edited December 10, 1999).]

 

[Mendocino]

ek27,

In general I agree with you and Chuck. However, I have two objections.

1) If you use the isosceles or Weaver it must always be used. Otherwise your muscle memory goes away under stress and you become a poor launching platform.

2) I will try the isosceles, but intellectually I can't see how you can use cover as effectively as with Weaver. Weaver is simply superior (IMHO) for cover utilization. Not using cover effectively is hazardous to your health, and hunching generally only leads to poor groups.

As far as trigger control is concerned; we are in agreement and I use similar training techniques to yours. I call it trigger bashing, you call it a lack of trigger control. Thanks for the input.