Mentally and Physically Training to Get Off the X

Get off the X

Recently we wrapped up a Defensive Shooting Fundamentals class here Boondocks FTA™. The day was spent teaching students to use lateral movement when presenting the pistol from the holster, while reloading or while clearing malfunctions. Moving offline from the attack (especially when accompanied by the use of cover or concealment) can provide you with a huge advantage in a gunfight. Just a slight shift to the left or right can cause a miss by the bad guy and give you the extra time you need to place a round on target. After a long day on the range helping students to understand why movement is important, I got a little notification on my phone about a new video upload from John Corriea and Active Self Protection. The 16-minute video clearly shows the advantages of adding movement into your training regiment. As soon as I got this, I forwarded it to the students who had just completed the class. It was a perfect example of the benefits of the skills they practiced on the range and how the application of these skills could really save their lives. While we always try and explain “why” movement is important, it is this type of visual reinforcement that helps to drive the message home, and why it is important to physically train, but also to mentally see how the skills learned on the range can be applied in real life.