Tactical professionals are constantly performing under novel sensory environments. The unpredictable nature of the job requires strong foundational skills that can be an asset in any condition. Strength, power, and speed are all important foundational skills to prepare for the unpredictable. But because of the extreme and unpredictable conditions tactical athletes perform under, training to… Continue reading Novel Sensory Environments
Tag: situational awareness
The Vestibular System and Maintaining Position
One exercise I like to incorporate in training is movement with eyes closed. This is a more advanced way to load up the vestibular system and decrease reliance on the visual system for ownership of movement. Alternating lunges with eyes closed are a great example of a simple, but not necessarily easy way to train… Continue reading The Vestibular System and Maintaining Position
Training with Specificity – Breacher
There are three primary sensorimotor capabilities required of Breachers. These skills can, and should, be trained. I built out a 3 days per week for 4 weeks Breacher Up training program to do just that. It is a supplemental program that integrates into your current strength and conditioning routine. Here is Week 1 Day 1;… Continue reading Training with Specificity – Breacher
Sensorimotor Skills
Blasts have been used in war for centuries. In fact, there is evidence of gunpowder bombs that date back to the Tang dynasty (circa 618-907 AD). [1] Though warfare and weapons have evolved since the Tang dynasty, blasts have remained a consistent variable of war. Sensorimotor skills are also a consistent variable of war, the… Continue reading Sensorimotor Skills
Training for Nighttime Air Assault Landings
Air assaults commonly occur during nighttime. While this offers a strategic advantage from an operational standpoint, it is well documented that night jumps, or landings with vision reduced, increases risk for musculoskeletal injury. [1-3] When vision is limited, or completely removed, an individual must increase reliance on their somatosensory and vestibular inputs for knowing where… Continue reading Training for Nighttime Air Assault Landings
Target Training: Breacher
I’ve been building out a 12-week program on Teambuildr that develops situational awareness capabilities specific to the demands Breachers face. No matter the position, situational awareness, target focus and acquisition, and ownership of movement can all be broken down to loading the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems. We can just load in different ways. Here… Continue reading Target Training: Breacher
Speed and Accuracy
Capability Development: speed and accuracy of divided focus eye movements without losing control of your footwork. Key Goals: Loss of speed and precision of movement is common with increased visual demands. As we are loading the demands on your visual system, we are increasing the demands on two other sensory systems that are important for… Continue reading Speed and Accuracy
Subconcussions and Sensory Reweighting
Repeated exposures to subconcussive impacts have been shown to reweight sensory processing to increase dependence on the visual system for postural control. [1-2] Increased visual dependence for postural control is significant, particularly in tactical athletes as they often must perform in highly visually demanding and no/low vision environments. This visual dependence for postural control typically… Continue reading Subconcussions and Sensory Reweighting
Keeping Target Focus with Forward/Backward Acceleration
A force with a forward or backward linear acceleration is unique as it will trigger a vergence response with the eyes. This means that the eyes are moving in opposite directions as they track a target moving closer or further from you. Placing the target on the ground in front of him, Ben then performs… Continue reading Keeping Target Focus with Forward/Backward Acceleration
Target Focus and the Vestibular System
In this video Ben is holding the camera while he walks and then transitions to a run. You’ll notice that as he walks we are able to maintain good focus of the gym, but as he transitions to a run we lose that ability to keep clear vision on the environment. But he didn’t lose… Continue reading Target Focus and the Vestibular System