Maintaining Target Focus Against an External Force: Weapon Recoil

Maintaining target focus against an external force is an important skill and greatly impacts performance. For example, maintaining target focus when experiencing a weapon’s recoil. You don’t want to risk losing target focus with every recoil force. Here’s what happens: This typically happens in less than 15ms and can have a significant impact on accuracy… Continue reading Maintaining Target Focus Against an External Force: Weapon Recoil

Customize Chaos – 10 Visual Chaos Variables

There are 10 variables I look at to customize visual chaos training.  I put these together for you to be able to look at the variables and identify which you want to add, remove, and adjust to train with specificity. You can get the PDF download of this list HERE. 1. Target size – large… Continue reading Customize Chaos – 10 Visual Chaos Variables

Peripheral Target Centralization

You want two things to happen when centralizing on a peripheral target: Because the faster you can turn your head and keep that target in focus, the faster you can accurately engage it. Rapid centralization of a peripheral target requires your vestibular system. To maintain that peripheral target focus as you move your head, your… Continue reading Peripheral Target Centralization

Training Speed and Precision with Divided Focus

A foundational capability for you as a tactical athlete is the ability to execute with a divided focus. I strip training this into two parts, where I isolate and then integrate. Isolating the eye movements of a divided focus while stationary is the first step. I train speed of the eyes moving target to target… Continue reading Training Speed and Precision with Divided Focus

Identify the Consistent Variables

When preparing for the unpredictable, we must identify the consistent variables. But there will always be unforeseeables. Because of this, we focus on what skills will translate across scenarios. We build the strongest foundation from which to execute. In the gym you optimize foundational movements – push, pull, squat, lunge, hinge, and carry. You put… Continue reading Identify the Consistent Variables

Training to Your Ceiling of Potential

I look at performance being made up of two components; There are a lot of variables that affect our ceilings of potential. Some things are within our control, others not. My ceiling of potential for a max deadlift as a 5’6” 130lb female is different than that of a 6’5” 280lb male. I can potentially… Continue reading Training to Your Ceiling of Potential

Advanced Situational Awareness Skill: Memory Guided Target Acquisition

The ability to accurately target acquire when the target is no longer visible is a highly advanced skill. To do this an individual utilizes their memory guided target acquisition system. An example of this would be when in darkness and a brief flash of light occurs. The individual would be able to continue to scan… Continue reading Advanced Situational Awareness Skill: Memory Guided Target Acquisition

How I Train Target Following

Target following utilizes your smooth pursuit eye movements. To successfully target follow, information from your visual system must be processed by your brain. Special operators who are exposed to repeated low level blasts showed decreased accuracy and speed with target following and divided focus. [1] This shows the susceptibility of this important situational awareness capability… Continue reading How I Train Target Following

Own Your Movement

You want to own your movement. By that I mean, no matter the conditions, you are consistent with control over your movement. Most people train with their attention on their movement, usually staring directly at their feet, then wonder why that control doesn’t translate under the real-life conditions they execute in. But they’ve trained visual… Continue reading Own Your Movement

Which Sensory System Are You Relying on?

When performing on a stable surface and well-lit environment, your visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems are all sending information to your central nervous system (CNS) that is similar. But you aren’t always performing in perfect conditions. When you ruck through mud or sand, the information regarding the position of your ankles (somatosensory information) is going… Continue reading Which Sensory System Are You Relying on?