Training The Sensory Systems With Specificity

Unique to tactical athletes is the level of performance the sensory systems for situational awareness must perform at. No other athlete or professional relies on their sensory systems to the extent that tactical athletes do.

There are 4 primary sensory systems for situational awareness- visual, auditory, vestibular, and somatosensory.

Each system has an important role in performance and training these systems with specificity to your goals is important.

For example, a scout or sniper would train the visual system for target following and divided focus (smooth pursuit and saccades) with targets at a distance, where a breacher would train them in close range.

The training approach should remain functional and specific.

If you want to optimize your ability to engage a target around a corner you would want to include training the vestibular system- specifically the roll plane of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR).  This would allow for the target to stay in focus with an initial head tilt and quick centralization to head neutral.

Training to isolate the specific sensory systems in accordance with the overall functional goal is like isolating specific muscle groups to optimize a functional movement.

Isolate to optimize, but then integrate with the other muscles/systems involved.

To increase your speed, precision of movement, and target accuracy when engaging a target around a corner optimize the VOR roll plane then integrate it with the demands on the other sensory systems- the footwork, auditory, and visual demands.  

The ability to perform in the most extreme and unpredictable conditions is unique to the tactical community. No one has more skin in the game when it comes to the performance of their sensory systems. Training these systems with intention creates an opportunity to elevate performance and readiness for the chaos you will face.