Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

Thinking about this whole VT thing, I wonder how/if some of my fellow gun nuts here try to incorporate some realism into their training/practice. I must confess most of the time I just plink at a stationary target. I do use moving targets at the local indoor range, but its expensive to go there very often. Every once in a long while I'll go to a buddy's farm where we can shoot on the move and we sometimes even try to get ourselves a bit out of breath and tired first. To say the accuracy drops, would be quite the understatement. It becomes balatantly obvious every time I do it that I need much more practice, if I really want to be prepared for a real life event. I've never really done any training under stress. Does anyone else try to practice realisticly? Have any good ideas?

A good friend of mine is going to start teaching advanced handgun and rifle courses, which will incorporate realistic training scenarios. I'm definitely going to sign up for that.

Re: Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

If you're serious about being able to defend yourself in a firefight you need to do force on force training, there isn't any shooting course you can run that will teach you the same skills. It's kind of prerequisitve Vs meat and potatos.

Re: Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

When I was ten or so I used to roll down a 100 foot high wooded hill shooting at targets with my Daisy 25 pump. Shooting while moveing at a stationary target can be informative. When I practice with my bow I shoot kneeling sitting leaning standing through stations on a 150 degree body arc from the ground and elevated.

Run a couple of blocks and then see what your groups look like, very humbleing.

Re: Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

Fidel Castro Training for the next Revolution

:smokin: some of us older guys might sit this thread out...

Re: Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

Good question...but no matter what, practice is key.

About 1986 or so, I was "selected" along with two other Sworn Staff to attend a firearms training course in NorCal. There were about 12 people total in attendance. The class was taught by a Police Firearms Guru of sorts. The guy had both impeccable and intimidating credentials. Before the class, I had the utmost "confidence" in my abilities with both the 9mm and the Remington Wingmaster 870.

The class started with a basic safety course and expanded to various trouble-shooting tips. After a few simple shooting exercises, we moved on to the part I think will benefit you.

Figure a treed area about 150 feet long. In front of you is a 90 degree arc (about 40 feet wide) of 5 targets at different "depths" of the course. The targets have a barrel below, beside, or above the 12" by 12" targets that are numbered one through five.

The instructor walks behind you with his clipboard. You draw your weapon and begin to walk the course. The Instructor barks "FOUR" (or "TWO" whatever) and you are to shoot the target corresponding to the numbered barrel. You are timed for your ability to obtain your site picture, accuracy and number of rounds expended to hit the target.

Sounds simple, huh? Guess again. Very difficult. Yes, I've shot barrels, yes I've taken 2 or 3 rounds to hit the target.

No matter who you are, the first or second time on this course will make you look moronic and very inept. A very humbling exercise is an understatement. Then the numbers are rearranged and the target locations altered. Loads of fun, NOT.

After we all did the course and before we broke for lunch, the Instructor explained, "When I barked the number of target, that wasn't a "number". That was a gunshot fired from a position of concealment by a badguy. Most of you were shot, and return-fired ineffectively." Very sobering thought.

Believe it or not, we all got "better" after lunch. The true purpose of the course was to IDENTIFY possible places of concealment IN ADVANCE of walking or jogging the course. Don't assume that target number three will follow number two or precede number four. Don't assume that the target for number four is to the left of the barrel...as it may now be above the barrel (is the badguy crouching, prone, standing?).

I am LONG out of training for such a course, however hopefully you and your buddy (on the farm) can put together such a course.

PS...if you don't go "first", don't laugh at the guy. You'll probably do just as poorly as he (or she) does your first few times.

Best of luck.

Re: Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

you play chess with fidel castro?

Re: Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

this is a regular part of IDPA and USPSA matches. you have to shoot and fire from cover, dart over to other cover, do it again, and sometimes required to shoot while moving. if you go too slow they penalize you.

Re: Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

I work in the Retention Center for a cellphone company. I've got the "Stressful Environment" thing licked. :wink:

Re: Anyone ever train for stressful environments?
 

Train? Stress? I teach voc-ed in a community college. I'd be safer working the midnight shift at the 7-11. You never know who might walk in that door.
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