Firing Grip Archives » Trident Concepts Where Concepts Meet Reality Tue, 17 Sep 2024 23:19:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://i0.wp.com/tridentconcepts.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/cropped-TRICON_HEARLDY-2.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Firing Grip Archives » Trident Concepts 32 32 52928776 Suggested Marksmanship Goals https://tridentconcepts.com/2023/01/20/suggested-marksmanship-goals/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2023/01/20/suggested-marksmanship-goals/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2023 17:11:41 +0000 https://tridentconcepts.com/?p=17039 In the shooting world there are many different ideas when it comes to “marksmanship”. Here is a start as well as a basic standard of marksmanship. The Baseline There needs [Read More]

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In the shooting world there are many different ideas when it comes to “marksmanship”. Here is a start as well as a basic standard of marksmanship.

The Baseline

There needs to be an understanding the basic standard is testing to evaluate knowledge and application of marksmanship fundamentals This is a baseline of sorts and ensures a known beginning. Take a moment to review the marksmanship fundamentals. This is the very minimum knowledge and application necessary to be successful. Without knowing and applying the five elements of marksmanship fundamentals, the shooter does not meet the minimum basic standard. Here is a list of marksmanship fundamentals in the proper sequence.

  1. Position
  2. Grip
  3. Aiming
  4. Trigger control
  5. Follow through

Knowing Is Not Enough

Knowing the fundamentals is the first step and honestly the easiest. The hard part is applying them consistently. As we apply these elements they must be performed to a minimum standard for success. For position, the stance should be athletic and action biased. Have good balance and muscular tension throughout the body with a forward leaning posture. Grip places both hands optimally on the firearm to allow constant and firm tension, but does not interfere with trigger control. Aiming is made up of sight alignment and sight picture. Sight alignment is achieved when the front sight post is at the same height as the rear sight notch. Then equal spacing of the front sight post between the rear sight notch. Sight picture is superimposing sight alignment on the intended target and holding through the firing sequence. Trigger control starts with proper placement of the index finger so it contacts only the face of the trigger. When properly placed this allows the index finger to move the trigger straight to the rear with minimal disruption to aiming. Follow through is the active recovery of the firearm back on target with muscular tension. It begins the moment the projectile leaves the muzzle by returning the muzzle back to the target, then re-aiming the sights and finishes with resetting the trigger to allow trigger control to begin again if required. Knowing is not enough, consistently apply each of these five elements.

Basic Pistol Test

Use this drill to test the knowledge and application of the marksmanship fundamentals. It should be performed in the very beginning of a range session with no warm up. The goal is to score a 70% or higher, five times in a row to truly meet the minimum standard. Take a picture of the target and keep it as a reference for future range sessions. Print and use the TRICON B8 target to make it easier and the scoring consistent. The test is performed from the 10 yard line, requires 10 rounds and a timer. Use the timer on any mobile device, but set it for 7 seconds to allow time to safely hit start. If using a shot timer, set the par time for 5 seconds. There are four stages to this test, the last stage is the only stage performed from the holster, if allowed. If drawing from the holster is not allowed or lacking the knowledge, start from a tabled position. We define the ready position as both hands properly gripping the firearm with the trigger finger straight on the home position and the muzzle pointing downward at a 45 degree angle.

  1. Aimed in on target, fire 1 round within 5 seconds
  2. From ready position, fire 4 rounds within 5 seconds
  3. From ready position, fire 3 rounds one handed within 5 seconds
  4. From holster position, fire 2 rounds within 5 seconds

After completed the drill, score the target. Each round is 10 points for a maximum score of 100. If a round cuts the line, count it as the lower score. To score 70% means no more than missing a total of 30 points. Good luck.

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The Sloppy Shooting Grip https://tridentconcepts.com/2021/10/02/the-sloppy-shooting-grip/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2021/10/02/the-sloppy-shooting-grip/#respond Sat, 02 Oct 2021 16:11:05 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=15364 Not Every Drawstroke Will Be Perfect At some point, everyone will experience a drawstroke that produces what I call the sloppy shooting grip. The purpose of training is to develop [Read More]

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Not Every Drawstroke Will Be Perfect

At some point, everyone will experience a drawstroke that produces what I call the sloppy shooting grip. The purpose of training is to develop the skill to produce an optimal shooting grip during the drawstroke, but what do you do when it doesn’t.

It All Begins With The Grip

For as long as I’ve been carrying a handgun I’ve preached about the importance of obtaining a crush grip. The crush grip begins with the handgun in the holster. Regardless of the holster’s location on your body, it is imprerative the grip on the handgun while still in the holster be the final firing grip when on target. There are a lot of variables at work durning a drawstroke. Such as, are you open or concealed? Are you standing or sitting? Are you dynamic or static? Every one of these variables can negatively impact the precision with which you grip the handgun. The more precise you grip the handgun, the more likely you will be precise with your aim, with your trigger control and with recoil control.

There Is No Doubt

The question about what to do when you get the sloppy shooting grip is the one we try to answer with redirects or avoidance. What I mean is when you get a sloppy grip the response in turn is “don’t do that” or “grip it correctly”. While I agree those are correct, they don’t deal with the immediacy of the situation. Should you be called upon to use your handgun in a defensive situation and you get a sloppy grip what have you done to prepare. Like anything in the world, if something can go wrong it will go wrong. If the possibility exist you can get a sloppy grip as a result of some of the variables discussed earlier then we need to have a plan. The plan is more about how to deal with the sloppy grip in real time.

You Might Want To Take A Split Second

When we talk about the sloppy shooting grip I break it down into either a catastrophic or workable. A workable sloppy grip means it is something I can improve. I can take a split second to adjust my grip or improve it’s positioning over its current state. It may not be perfect, but it was better than it was when I started. This happens a lot during the drawstroke with subcompact handguns. It is already hard to get a good shooting grip on the smaller handguns because they lack surface area. Add a little speed, concealment and or pressure and it can go sideways real fast. What I have discovered is that by developing a master shooting grip with my compact or full size handguns it has taught my body and specifically my hand how to grip. Over the years, my fingers and thumbs just move to the correct position and apply pressure. When I get the sloppy shooting grip with a subcompact handgun it is usually as I attempt to clear the holster. From there, my hands naturally want to adjust and I just let them. The result is an improved shooting grip that is more than adequate for the scenario.

Dirt Diving Is Fun & Beneficial

Things are a little different with a catastrophic sloppy grip. This means that I will not be able to improve the grip without taking additional remedial action. It could be a result of clearing the cover garment. The hand gets snagged requiring you to adjust your grip completly to free your hand to obtain your shooting grip. Another example might be bobbling the handgun during the drawstroke. It may actually slip or partially slip from your grasp. If you are injured and physically cannot obtain the normal shooting grip I would also consider this catastrophic. Our goal should be to avoid the catastrophic grips and adapt to improving the workable grips. Sometimes working through a few possibilities is all it takes, we call this dirt diving. You discover simple, yet effective ways to avoid or manage through this process. They are taught as contingencies in our curriculum.

While a slopping shooting grip is not ideal, it is not the end of the world. There are little things you can do to adapt and still achieve the desired outcome, effective fire to stop the threat.

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3 Tips For Shooting Snubby Revolvers https://tridentconcepts.com/2021/06/19/3-tips-for-shooting-snubby-revolvers/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2021/06/19/3-tips-for-shooting-snubby-revolvers/#respond Sat, 19 Jun 2021 16:11:48 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=15078 Don’t Wait Until The Last Minute To Practice The trick to backup guns is being competent enough to use them well when you need them the most. That takes hard [Read More]

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Don’t Wait Until The Last Minute To Practice

The trick to backup guns is being competent enough to use them well when you need them the most. That takes hard work and discipline, but using this 3 tips for shooting snubby revolvers well will speed up the process.

Shooting Snubby RevolversThe Close Range Pickle

The first thing I discuss with anyone considering carrying a snubby revolver is do you plan on training. If you don’t, that’s cool, but it might not be the saving grace you thought. On the one hand, they are easy, but on the other, they are hard. What I mean is should you resort to drawing your snubby revolver, chances are you are in a pickle, but it is a close range pickle. So, marksmanship requirements may be less stringent. Plus, the added benefit of contact shots with a revolver can sometimes be reason enough to consider. This by no means is a pass on your shooting skill, you will still need a high degree of controllability to continue to deliver effective fire. It is controability you should put the lion’s share of your training for shooting snubby revolvers.

Perfecting Your Firing Grip

The first tip is to really look at your grip. While it is very possible you can retrograde a semi-automoatic grip to work with a revolver, you would be wise to avoid this temptation. If you are thinking it helps maintain continuity it really doesn’t. What you get is added exposure to injury and poor grip mechanics. While there are some that can shoot these well using their auto grip, they are anomiles and not the norms. Positioning on the available real estate is critical. You have to take up as much useable space, beause you don’t get that much. From there, it’s all about the friction. The more friction you can achieve the better it will help control recoil. I use an over thumb grip, but I do it slightly different than most. I literally point my thumb’s tip downwards. Most don’t get a fully downward pointing thumb, it is more angled. Not terrible, but it doesn’t allow me to take advantage of tip number two for shooting snubby revolvers well.

Shooting Strong Hand Only Provides Gifts

I subscribe to a reverse thumb grip. It is reverse in the sense, my weak hand thumb rests on top of my strong hand thumb. Because I pointed the tip of my strong hand thumb downward there is somewhat of a shelf formed by the second digit. This shelf allows me to rest my weak hand thumb more securely allowing me to apply grip pressure more evenly and consistently. Speaking of grip pressure, I apply inward pressure with my pinkies of both hands. It is very similar to my auto-grip, but not with the same grip force. I make up for it a little by applying pressure downwards from the weak hand thumb. This process produces a firm and secure grip capable of rapid fire. The bonus is when you shoot strong hand only, pressing the thumb down and pinky inwards produces great results.

Downward, Not Rearward

The last tip is the direction of the trigger finger’s movement. Contrary to the norm, I squeeze more downward than rearward. It seems odd, but the curvature of the trigger makes me change the movement direction slightly. Since it is nothing more than a lever and I want maximum leverage making this change helps. As the trigger moves rearward, the angle of the trigger’s face changes. I want to press more downward than rearward once it reaches the apex of it’s movement. It is subtle for sure, but it has made a difference for me.

I do value what a snubby revolver offers me in the form of a backup gun. I carry them more frequently currently than I have in the past partly because I have made huge strides in shooting them well using this tips.

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Three Subcompact Shooting Tips https://tridentconcepts.com/2021/04/03/three-subcompact-shooting-tips/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2021/04/03/three-subcompact-shooting-tips/#respond Sat, 03 Apr 2021 16:11:53 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=14885 Shooting A Subcompact Pistol Hard & Fast I love shooting demonstrations in classes, especially with subcompact pistols. I typically share three subcompact shooting tips to help improve your performance on [Read More]

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Shooting A Subcompact Pistol Hard & Fast

I love shooting demonstrations in classes, especially with subcompact pistols. I typically share three subcompact shooting tips to help improve your performance on this tiny blasters.

Get Stronger, It Fixes Most Problems

Shooting Subcompact Pistols Well
Heavy Farmers Carry

Nothing in this world is free. You have to pay in some way, shape or fashion. If you want to shoot subcompact pistols well you will have to improve your grip strength. There is no getting around this through equipment or after market modifications. There is no averting this fundamental truth, just get stronger. Grip strength is one of those subjects talked about a lot, but not often in a manner that produces results. Avoid any flexing and extending exercises for high repetitions. Instead, you want exercises focusing on isometric tension. Since this most closely resembles shooting when applying and holding a crush grip. The biggest mistake I see in shooters who want to develop their grip strength is relying on hand grip strengtheners as their sole means of improvement. While they can help to build the strength in your overall grip, we want to hold onto to something with a powerful grip for an extended period of time. My personal favorite are heavy farmers carry, but with a twist. Pick up something with a handle, then point your trigger finger straight down. Carry the item for distance, then switch hands or carry two at the same time. Over time, this will help you to clamp down on your grip versus milking your grip.

Get As Much Friction As Possible

While most subcompact pistols barely fit into the average size person’s palms you still need to obtain a solid firing grip. Start by identifying the five points of contact, then ensure you occupy as much surface area as possible. Using an in-line thumb grip gives you the best access to the pistol’s surface area. Your goal when shooting subcompact pistols is to create as much friction as possible through your grip. With the short frames many are tempted to use pinky extensions or extended magazines. Using these for your reload magazine is no problem. Part of the reason you are carrying a subcompact is the reduced profile for optimal concealment. Adding length to the frame produces more you need to conceal. Instead, curl your pinky finger underneath the base of the magazine. Take it one step further and press the tip of your pinky finger into the palm of your hand while applying your crush grip.

Take It Slow, Concentrate More

The last thing to do is slow down. These subcompact pistols are not as forgiving as their full size counter parts. The extra weight and size of larger pistols allow the average shooter to get away with less than ideal technique. Not the case with the subcompacts. You need to concentrate on slowing down in two major areas. The first has to do with obtaining the optimal firing grip. If you take a little bit more time in the beginning to ensure the best grip it will pay dividends when shooting subcompact pistols in rapid fire mode. Then slow down your shooting. Take more time to align the sights. Many subcompacts come with a poor sight system so sighting errors can be compounded. Slowing down your trigger management will also allow you to work with the suboptimal triggers usually found on the subcompacts.

Practice Drills For Peak Performance

When it comes down to performance evaluation I typically run two drills. The first drill is a Bill Drill where I fire six rounds total in rapid fire mode. I fire these from the 7-yard line as prescribed, but I do it versus a six inch target with six second par time. My goal is to be sub-par with 100% accuracy. To do this drill well you have to focuses on a solid, crush grip. Decent recoil and trigger management will net you a passing score. Then for accuracy, I take the subcompact pistol back to the 25-yard line and run a TRICON bullseye qualification. This is five rounds in ten seconds for score versus a bullseye target with 80% as passing. Both drills allow you as the shooter to gauge your skill level and focus on where you need the most practice.

I love shooting subcompact pistols and they offer many people who would not normally carry concealed the option due to their size. With a little practice shooting them well is easily achievable.

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Secrets Of Recoil Control https://tridentconcepts.com/2021/03/27/secrets-of-recoil-control/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2021/03/27/secrets-of-recoil-control/#comments Sat, 27 Mar 2021 16:11:16 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=14872 Secrets To Shooting Faster Delivering rapid and accurate hits on target to stop an attack is what we call effective fire. It is effective in stopping the action, in this [Read More]

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Secrets To Shooting Faster Delivering rapid and accurate hits on target to stop an attack is what we call effective fire. It is effective in stopping the action, in this case an attack and a major skill needed is recoil control.

Time & Recoil Control

When it comes to rapid hits on target you get into the subject of recoil control. There are many different theories on how best to achieve recoil control, but few are based around outcome performance. In this case, the outcome is our ability to fire shots in quick succession that are accurate enough for the situation. How do we measure or value our technique? One way is through the use of a timer. You identify a par time, time it takes to complete the task. Then on the signal try to beat the timer. That is a great way to validate technique, but it might not be the best way to build your technique. To get this outcome we have to ensure a few things are developed to a high level of skill beforehand.

Starting With The Grip

Recoil Control
Crush Grip For Recoil Control
Probably the most important is going to be your grip. You want a crush grip for sure, but it goes deeper. You want to make sure your hands are interfacing with the firearm in a manner you can exploit as much performance as possible. This usually is accomplished by through real estate and friction. When your hands are properly placed on the firearm, it ensures you literally contact every microscopic surface area. This creates friction that when combined with power help to create the crush grip. When it comes to power, the power needs to be generated from the bottom of the hand first. That means actively squeezing with your pinkies of both hands. Then you press the heels of your hands together and finally lock your wrist. That power applied to the proper grip is what creates the crushing nature we need for high volume rapid fire. The last ingredient is consistency. You need to apply this level of power for the entire duration of your shooting string.

Recruiting Muscles & Consistency

From there, you need to recruit muscles. Mainly the larger muscle groups of your upper body. This is accomplished by maintaining active, yet neutral shoulders. Aside from any extra movement being unnecessary you want to place your shoulders in the safest place you can apply consistent tension. Retracting your shoulder blades down and back will allow you to connect to the largest muscle group of the upper body. Once you bring your Latissimus dorsi into the equation it allows you to tie everything into your mid line or abdominal region. Again, as with our grip we need to make sure we are consistent with the application of power to maintain tension.

Have A Strong Stance

Then we look at our feet or lower body. Maintaining an athletic stance is ideal, a stance you can use for everyday activities. It just so happens one of those activities is rapid fire with a gun. Starting with an offset stance will help distribute your weight in a manner that allows the recoil impulse to travel through your extremities to the core. Keep your toes pointing forward and knees flexed. The secret is keeping your weight on your toes. This slight forward attitude shifts the mass of your upper body forward into the recoil impulse. This means with a solid grip and mount, the energy is being distributed over your entire body and not isolated to your arms only.

Being Comfortable With Less Than Perfect

All of of the above techniques should have achieved one very important outcome. To be able to shoot fast, you need to not only manage recoil, but have a predictable path your sights travel. Maintaining your sights within your “sight box”. Your sight box is an imaginary box at arms length. Think of a 3×5 index card you are looking through. You want to keep these two objects within this box as much as possible. The first is your target; which is the easy part. The second is your sight system. If your sights travel outside of your sight box you run the risk of broken rhythm as you wait for your sights to settle or you miss. In other words, good technique will keep your sights within the box; which we eventually come to appreciate as an acceptable sight picture. It is acceptable for the time, distance and exposure of the target. When the sight remains inside this sight box you don’t “need” to wait for them to settle into a perfect sight picture. You may “want” to wait, but you don’t need to wait because the sight picture is acceptable for the shot. Recoil control is two parts technique and one part acceptance. If you can accept what you want for the shot, then hold the gun steady you will be surprised with your results.

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Subcompact Shooting Situations https://tridentconcepts.com/2020/09/26/subcompact-shooting-situations/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2020/09/26/subcompact-shooting-situations/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2020 16:11:46 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=14106 Two areas you need to pay extra attention to when seeking peak performance shooting subcompacts; crush grip and powerful mount.

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Are subcompact pistols hard to shoot?

Recently, my oldest became of age to purchase and carry a handgun. My guidance to him had more to do with the bigger picture than a freeze frame.

Enough Gun

Since his primary goal for purchasing a handgun was concealed carry I advised him to consider the subcompacts platforms. He probably will not be able to afford another pistol so picking one to fulfill the primary mission was key. It was important to consider his most likely enviornment; which is mainly work, home, family and friends. In these situations, he stands a higher chance of a robbery or assault. Passing along situational awareness trade craft will hopefully help avoid the vast majority of these situations. Little things like avoid distractions, pay attention, look at people’s hands to name a few. The real question was whether his subcompact choice would be enough to handle the most likely deadly force encounter.

 

 

Forgiveness

In a recent class I had one student attend with a subcompact handgun. I don’t see this often, particularly with first time students to our classes. I think those who feel it is a good idea do so because it falls into “train like you fight” mindset. Aside from them being more abusive in a high round count class they are challenging to shoot. I’m confident had the shooter attended with a compact or even full size framed handgun they would have seen far superior performance. It is true, the subcompacts are challenging to shoot. Don’t mistake that for harder. What I mean is they are less forgiving and require more focus for longer periods.

Don’t Be Lazy

The recent family range trips have focused more on his new carry handgun. Having learned the fundamentals on a full size frame it was time to apply these fundamentals from the subcompacts. In particular are two areas you need to pay extra attention to when seeking peak performance shooting subcompacts; crush grip and powerful mount. There are a few other areas you could always seek improvement, but these two are the ones that will make or break your performance. Ironically, these are also the areas I see performed poorly when shooting the full size frames. A better way to put is the shooter is being lazy.

Lock In The Grip

Things are pretty easy when you slow fire, but the moment you step it up to rapid fire you want your crush grip locked in like a vice. Of all the shooting errors I see, a consistent, vice like grip with pressure applied to the proper contact points have greatly improved shooters performance. We spend a good deal of time at the 101 & 201 class covering and reinforcing this subject. During the recent drills I noticed the difficulty to quickly apply follow up shots with the smaller frame. The moment we talked about the crush grip we started see faster splits on multiple shots. The secret is squeezing both pinkies hard, like really hard.

Stay Tight & Engaged

I also noticed his shooting mount was a bit loose. We want tension through the arms into the shoulders and upper back. While there are points of diminishing returns I remind folks those diminished returns usually still have a positive outcome. Keeping the wrists, elbows and shoulders tense helps to create a solid kinetic chain. Again, coupled with a crush grip the powerful mount will help keep the sights within the shooter’s sight box. This will promote sight tracking; which will lead to rapid follow up shoots.

It is a joy to watch my own kids develop into safe and competent firearms owners. I’m blessed to be able to guide them on their own journey.

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Trigger Management https://tridentconcepts.com/2019/10/05/trigger-management-2/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2019/10/05/trigger-management-2/#respond Sat, 05 Oct 2019 16:11:13 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=9970 It doesn’t matter how many times you explain trigger management to a student. They listen to you when they are ready to hear your message. The Trigger Trinity When I’m [Read More]

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It doesn’t matter how many times you explain trigger management to a student. They listen to you when they are ready to hear your message.

The Trigger Trinity

When I’m explaining proper trigger management I break it down into three parts; trigger finger placement, trigger finger location and trigger movement. Each of these can be further subdivided, but for our purposes I’m going to be talking about trigger movement. The first two parts are important and I have talked about them in detail in previous articles (Get Your Reset On). Granted, without proper trigger placement and location the movement of the trigger is not off to a good start. Assuming all things are properly performed on the first two parts it boils down to how well you can move the trigger without disturbing the sights.

Movement Defined

When it comes down to the trigger’s movement I break it down into three stages (more three’s). The first stage is the slop, all the free travel before you meet resistance from the sear. The second stage is the slack; which is quite literally applying pressure up to the sear wall. Lastly, is the squeeze; which occurs when you press past the sear wall. Most of the time, the student is not able to feel all three of these stages individually. Instead, they think and move the trigger as one action. A big reason is they are moving the trigger too fast. There is this idea they need to break the shot “now” or pull the trigger fast to shoot fast. This impulse is both physiologically and phycological based. On the one hand, the body is reacting to the gun discharging or the anticipation of the gun discharging. The other is the mind telling the trigger finger to break the shot before the body may be ready to break the shot.

Doing It Right

While there are tons of theories on moving the trigger, here is what we know. Your gun and by proxy your sights have to stay on target during the movement of the trigger or the firing sequence in general. If the guns moves, the sights move and you produce a miss. Now, if you are moving the trigger with excessive force or applying force that moves the gun prior to the shot breaking you are going to miss. A good way to approach this is by understanding the importance of grip, mount and stance. These factors help keep the gun on target with minimal movement. That allows you to apply more attention to detail as you work the trigger. If you cannot control these steps at slow speed, you will not control them at full speed.

Surgical vs. Speed

At a certain point folks complain, they complain you are not going to be able to do that in a gunfight. Well, the reality is if you don’t learn proper technique it really won’t matter. Plus, that is a lame excuse to get out of doing the work. Instead, you need to understand there is surgical shooting and speed shooting. Very few can combine the two. In the case of surgical shooting, you will need to apply the fundamentals described to a high level of precision. Most of the time, this will either be a shot at distance or a shot versus a smaller target. Then there is speed shooting where the fundamentals have less negative consequences if not performed to a high level of precision. This is due to the size of the target being larger or the distance to target being closer. Each of these types of shooting will still require the shooter to know how to move the trigger accordingly and when one is more appropriate than the other.

You are not going to get out of learning surgical or speed shooting techniques if you want to be adaptable and resilient in a gunfight. You will have to do the work and master both.

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Muscle Recruitment https://tridentconcepts.com/2019/05/24/muscle-recruitment/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2019/05/24/muscle-recruitment/#respond Fri, 24 May 2019 16:11:18 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=9801 When I’m working with new students there is so much to cover it can be overwhelming. A subject most folks don’t spend time exploring is muscle recruitment and its importance [Read More]

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When I’m working with new students there is so much to cover it can be overwhelming. A subject most folks don’t spend time exploring is muscle recruitment and its importance on shooting.

One With The Gun

Once the bullet leaves the barrel there is nothing you can do to help. If you didn’t have your technique installed before hand it won’t help that round as it hurls downrange. Most everything we do is going to be applied prior to the round being fired. There are the traditional subjects such as sight and trigger management along with grip integrity, but how do you put it all together. How do you become one with the gun. I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing athletes. Professional to Olympic, in all shapes and sizes. The advantage they have is a higher understanding of their body. How to make it do the work in the most efficient manner possible.

Use What You Have

This was so clearly illustrated when working with some female professional athletes. Their ability to will their body, to take advantage of what God bestowed to them was down right impressive. The key was in understanding what muscle groups to activate and how to maintain tension during the requirement activity. As I explained the subject, such as shoulder recruitment it was truly impressive to watch each of them work at flexing and engaging the various muscles of the shoulder region. They understood so plainly how we were stacking joints, ligaments, tendon and muscles so they performed at peak levels together.

Midline, You Are Not an Apple

Regardless of the sport, it is hard to perform at high levels without having a strong midline. I will see some folks who have super rigid upper torsos, but their midline is jelly and you literal watch the recoil wave rippling through them. Keep the midline engaged is not that difficult, but it is also something you want to make sure does not produce negative results. The best way to express this process is by trying to move your belly button towards your spine. Don’t just tighten your abdominal region, that is a half measure. When you follow this tip, you not only tense the midline, but you help stabilize your whole body. More importantly, you are preparing it to support the other muscles optimized for shooting.

Neutral Position

Your shoulders are the next region and they play a huge role. Keeping your shoulders in a neutral position is the key. You do not want them rounded forward or overly retracted rearward. You want them in their strongest position; which is neutral. Those who suffer from bad posture will obviously benefit from paying more attention to their shoulder position. This also ties into the tight midline mentioned above. Keeping the shoulders in this position further connects the kinetic chain. Once you have your shoulders in the right position with the proper tension they will connect with your lats. While your shoulders can be developed, they will not have the same strength capacity as your larger muscle groups such as your upper back region. Once this is connected it produces an amazing platform.

Crush Grip…Again

The last step in this chain is your grip. I have discussed this in several previous blog articles so I will summarize. Applying force to the bottom of the grip is the ideal location to optimize leverage. Gripping high on the gun does not produce the results most think. To optimize leverage you will want to be further away from the fulcrum, not closer. The real challenge is engaging your pinky fingers, literally applying pressure inward on the frame. Then pressing your heels together to close it all off. The last step is to lock your wrists. Combine all of these steps together and you will have a bomb proof technique.

You don’t need overdeveloped muscular structure to manage recoil, it helps, but is not a requirement. You need to learn how to use what you got to obtain the results you want.

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Shooter Diagnostics https://tridentconcepts.com/2019/04/27/shooter-diagnostics/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2019/04/27/shooter-diagnostics/#respond Sat, 27 Apr 2019 16:11:51 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=9750 A major factor in students continuing their education is having a positive experience. Loosely translated, this means hitting the target on demand. Stick to the Program I love seeing students [Read More]

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A major factor in students continuing their education is having a positive experience. Loosely translated, this means hitting the target on demand.

Stick to the Program

I love seeing students come through classes and achieve excellence in their performance. Many times this was associated with passing the class. Passing was associated with a positive outcome and I get that, but what is more important is a positive experience. If the student has a positive experience, they are far more likely to continue their education. If they stay on the path, it is more likely they will see improvements over time. The key is consistency, something I have spoken on many times in the past. Shooting seems easy; align the sight and pull the trigger. We all know it is more complicated than that so to ensure students stick to the program having the positive experience is a major objective in our training.

The Killer Commando Complex

Through the years I have developed a system of corrective strategies for helping students improve their shooting. I have discussed this system at length in various classes and anyone how has attended our intermediate or advanced classes has gained exposure to the process. The most important piece to this puzzle is understanding the subtle forces at play. Each of these forces can have a positive or negative impact on the outcome. There is nothing quite like shooting at distance to help isolate these forces to properly evaluate and if necessary correct. I joke in classes how everyone is a killer commando at the close ranges. For the most part they cannot hit because of poor technique and reinforced with no accountability. Either through misguided direction about deadly force encounters or training with sub-optimal instructors. They lack the skill as a result, but more importantly the guidance on how to improve.

Corrective Strategies

Lacking the skill as a student is not that big a deal. A major reason we are so good at diagnostics is there is no short supply of students who need help. When students don’t have the guidance on how to improve it becomes an impediment to getting better. The corrective strategies I’ve created over the years is nothing more than an in-depth trouble shooting guide. Contrary to popular belief, shooting bully-eye targets is not the solution. It is a measurement and nothing more. Being able to identify what you are doing correctly and what you are doing incorrectly requires a bit more skill.

The Secret Sauce

The process is broken down into major and minor categories of errors. Then, each category is subdivided into simple or complex. Each subdivision is further broken down into levels 1, 2 or 3. I am not going to lie, it is challenging to work with students in this corrective strategy process. Not because of the errors themselves, but because of their inconsistency or in ability to repeat the same action or problem. I don’t care if it is a “wrong” action if they repeat it over and over it is correctable. Often they are the easiest. During the diagnostic drills we tackle the minor errors right away. These are typically all in the simple range. Examples can be better understanding of their sights and or grip.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Once we get past this stage, what I sometimes call the low lying fruit we typically focus on the major issues. A big difference between these two is the degree of error. Another problem is when a student has a complex error; which usually is the collection of more than one simple error. These are tough to solve, but the process works.  Many times we see immediate results leading to the positive outcome. This system has been developed over decades of making mistakes. People ask me why I am so good at not just identifying the errors, but correcting them. The best answer I can give is I have at one point or another made the same mistakes we see in classes. I haven’t always been a good shooter. I made up for my shortfalls in other areas while I continued to work on becoming the shooter I am today.

As I look back, I’m grateful for the experience because I can relate to the student in a way many cannot. I was in their shoes and felt their pain.

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The Left Hand https://tridentconcepts.com/2018/07/07/the-left-hand/ https://tridentconcepts.com/2018/07/07/the-left-hand/#comments Sat, 07 Jul 2018 16:11:20 +0000 https://www.tridentconcepts.com/?p=9175 Students come in all shapes and sizes and some of them even come left handed. One of my kids is a lefty so it was a great experience to work [Read More]

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Students come in all shapes and sizes and some of them even come left handed. One of my kids is a lefty so it was a great experience to work with him when he became interested in shooting.

Jack of All Trades

As an instructor there are many hats you must wear, one of them is a left handed hat. Understanding the challenges of a lefty in a right handed world is something more instructors should strive for as part of their overall instructor capability. It does pose unique challenges, but none your students don’t have to experience. As adult learners you have to recognize most learn by observing and doing. These two groups make up the majority of the student body. It stresses the importance of maintaining a minimum skill level on your left side. You don’t have to be a grand master, but you need to make it look achieveable and that takes practice.

Student Needs

When I run an Instructor Selection Course the instructor candidates will have to demonstrate a minimum standard of performance on their left side. On the flip side, if the instructor is a lefty, they will have to demonstrate the standard of performance on their right side. It proves equally challenging, but the learning curve is less steep due to most firearm controls favoring the right side. When the instructor candidate reaches the instructor development portion of the course they will have to work on shooter diagnostics. I make it even more challenging by posing as a left handed shooter. This forces the instructor candidate to recognize the likelihood of teaching to a lefty and ensuring their skills can accommodate the student’s needs.

The Bare Minimum

I recommend at a minimum you are able to demonstrate how to safely load, unload and perform a safety check from the left side. It is not as easy as telling the student to do the opposite. As mentioned earlier the controls are located in different locations. My suggestion is to slow things down. Take time to brief what you will do, then walk through the task or activity verbally explaining your steps. One point of contention for me is a pistol with right hand controls being worked from the left side. It is customary to use the trigger finger to operate some of the controls. In my opinion, your trigger finger should be isolated to performing one duty only, the movement of the trigger. It makes it challenging to accommodate this request without moving the controls. One bonus for manually running the slide is it works when holding the gun in either hand. When it comes to locking the action open, I eject the live round first. Then reposition my hand to allow my right hand index finger to operate the slide stop lever.

The Same, but Different

When it comes to shooting or performing demonstrations on the left side, again I strongly suggest you have a minimum level of performance. Slowing things down allows you to think your way through the firing sequence; which is necessary due to lack of maintenance. One sticky point is focusing on the front sight. My suggestion is to close your right eye. Force your brain to see the front sight on the left side through the left eye. It doesn’t matter what eye is dominant at this point, the closed eye is out of the picture. The trigger movement is the same regardless of what hand is holding the gun. When it comes to trigger management, what matters is your ability to place your finger correctly followed by applying pressure smoothly. The take away is the heightened sense of attention you are placing on trigger mechanics that is often taken for granted.

Shooting off your left side will make you a better shooter, but more importantly it will enhance a left handed student’s experience. As an instructor, that should be your primary goal.

 

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