Some thoughts regarding ‘force on force’ training.

June 5, 2017

John Buol Shooting 2 Comments

It’s common to see Force On Force drills that attempt to teach something which is affected by a student’s foreknowledge. For instance, a student knows that he’s in a FOF class, he’s got a loaded sim gun in his holster, and he knows that the drill is testing his reaction time or ability to do a specific task. His anticipation of the need to shoot is sky high. If the technique works, all it shows is that the student could do it when he had advance warning of the event. Would it work if he wasn’t already primed for action? The trouble is that this can’t be tested in FOF, because there will always be that anticipation. FOF drills must be carefully selected so that the skill being developed or tested isn’t negatively affected by that anticipation. They also can’t be used to justify training that benefits from anticipation, a fault I see all too often.

– Grant Cunningham

It’s common to see Combat Focus Shooting drills that attempt to teach something which is affected by a student’s foreknowledge. For instance, a student knows that he’s in a CFS class or about run a Figure 8 Drill (or Lateral Motion/Wind Sprint/Defensive Shooting Standard) and he knows that the drill is testing information processing, pattern recognition, his reaction time (but without actually being timed) or ability to do a specific task. His anticipation of the need to react to a verbal command and probably shoot is sky high. If the technique works, all it shows is that the student could do it when he had advance warning of the event. Would it work if he wasn’t already primed for action? The trouble is that this shares the same flaw as every drill – for CFS, competition, static/fixed/square range, or FOF – and can’t be tested as such because there will always be that anticipation. All drills must be carefully selected so that the skill being developed or tested isn’t negatively affected by that anticipation. They also can’t be used to justify training that benefits from anticipation, a fault I see all too often.

Here’s a better take on introducing FOF:

The Force on Force Drill

Need A Range

March 12, 2017

John Buol Shooting , , Leave a comment

Handgun Training – Practice Drills For Defensive Shooting by Grant Cunningham

Interesting book with good suggestions.
By Smiley42 on August 22, 2016
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase

The book is sound, but I’m at a loss to find a weapons range where I can practice the techniques described in the book. If such a site was available I would certainly be using the book for practice.

Firearms Training: Shooting Drills – Figure-8 Drill by Rob Pincus
Jumpymonkey2000

I don’t have a place where to practice these drills. My range doesn’t allow this. That’s the only thing that stops me.

Defensive Shooting Standards Drill
Ross

These videos all assume something that is usually very wrong. How many people have access to a place to safely set up and shoot like this? Most of us can only shoot at a range where there are prescribed lanes and no opportunity to do anything but shoot in a controlled manner on our own lane.

The types of things shown in these videos are only for the rich guys who own a big piece of land. Great for them, I’m happy for them. The rest of us are working stiffs.

Guess what? Ranges hosting practical, action, and Service Conditions competitions are places these sorts of things can be done. Given that competitive shooters routinely host events featuring movement and shooting around/through barricades, those people and places are open to this sort of thing.

Ranges catering only to the general gun owning public and failing to host such events are more likely to enforce babysitting measures that would prevent the conduct of defensive shooting drills, probably because such gun owners sometimes require babysitting measures.

“If such a site was available I would certainly be using the book for practice” is a very telling comment. If/when such a person buys into taking a class, any skills learned will soon degrade as he lacks the facility to put them into practice.

“Students won’t “own” the physical skills at the end of a one or two day class on the range. Getting the skills to the level you need them to be takes Repetition over Time.”

– Rob Pincus

Finding a range/facility/club hosting organized shooting events, attending events, and meeting like-minded participants interested in skill testing and development is more important than whatever class or other instruction someone is trying to sell. No matter how good the instructor, class, book/video/etc. may be, it’s for naught unless the skills, concepts, and ideas can be put to hands-on practice on at least a semi-regular basis. Anything beyond simple range drills will likely require a training partner and certainly requires a range set up more involved than standing still in a booth or seated at a bench and slowly plinking at a single target on a range disallowing shooting from position, drawing from a holster, and/or shooting quickly. Having these things arranged and available to you is the best predictor of skill retention and development. However, once your credit card clears and the class is over or the book/DVD/video is delivered, you’re on your own.

Another reason to support and attend organized shooting events.

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