In the movie ‘Jarhead’ the characters are seen going on a jog in full MOPP gear. Gas masks and full MOPP gear are notorious for holding in heat and hurting performance. Some would consider training or exercising in a gas mask to be the ultimate punishment or torture. It is said that you lose visibility and the ability to breathe with a gas mask on. This could be why gas mask training can be seen as a sanction or punishment. I prefer to see a gas mask as a training tool.
In combat, it is important that we practice control of both our actions and our emotions. This can be hard to do when we are confronted with real threats to our safety. Discipline is the practice of incredible self-control and being able to keep going even when you don’t want to or you feel like you can’t. Combat demands sound judgement and rational responses along with determination. You have to maintain a sound mind and control yourself in a few ways if you intend to stay in the fight and ultimately keep your chances of survival high.
Today, people are worried and seem to be gearing up to defend themselves in a SHTF scenario. The worst thing I see is people developing shooting skills with no gear on, but having their SHTF combat loadout all assembled ‘Just in case’ and not practicing with it. Trust me when I say that whatever skill you think you have will be useless when the time comes if you don’t practice with/in your combat loadout. Everything changes when you start stacking on the gear, from using your firearm(s) to mobility. Besides, practicing your skills in your combat loadout is a great way to stay in shape, so why not?
One of the more forgotten elements of fitness in my mind is agility in full fighting order (FFO) which includes body armor, ammunition, water, rations, medical gear, navigation equipment, and operational gear. This load can be easier to maneuver with if you have a setup that lowers the center of gravity. I like the British belt kit concept for this reason. It allows me to carry a generous amount of gear for 24 to 48 hours and allows me to minimize the load on my trunk and torso. This in turn helps me minimize the risk of developing irreversible injuries to my spinal column whilst fighting. But with that said, whatever layout you choose, it should allow functional and effortless access to your combat loadout without hindering manipulations. Now let’s move on to discussing agility with your fighting load.
The relationship our brain has with our bodies is truly remarkable if you delve into all the little things that we know. The part I am particularly interested in is how well our brains adapt to certain things such as shooting. If we look at the precise actions involved in shooting, they are largely absent in our daily life. In many cases, we are doing things in isolation and combination that we will probably never perform elsewhere. This is why I think it is important that we not take a nonchalant approach to training new shooters. Stacking a ton of absolutely new concepts on someone and demanding precision is not impossible. The problem lies with being able to truly learn and create patterns that our brains will be able to not only remember, but build on. In this article I want to look at the task of shooting and controlling the recoil of a pistol with a proper grip technique, which is something people spend years trying to get right. Perhaps a look at everything from a neurological standpoint may help a little.
When people are asking me to recommend guns, I often advise them to seek training after making a recommendation based on their needs. Whether it is a pistol for EDC, a rifle for home defense, there are training courses out there that can help you meet the goal of being more proficient. Let me break this down using the way we learned elementary math and how we integrated it as an analogy. I feel that this perspective provides a practical example of ways to effectively learn and retain skills.
It seems that there are two schools of though on priority of how one should try to get their hits in combat or self defense. Most of the argument seems to come from two types of shooters with different levels of experience. When it comes to combat shooting, it is important to not only be able to employ speed, but also to be able to take those fast shots and place them in an area that will have the best effect on target, such as the CNS(Central Nervous System). However, which one rules above the other and will be a more valuable tool to practice and build?
I think it is very productive to look at the history of different warrior cultures and analyse the qualities that made them so successful. This is not going to be a quick read about a trendy workout program for an unrealistic outcome. I am simply going to go over some ideas that the Roman Army had for getting their troops ready for battle. The purpose is to give the reader a few ideas about how to take historical examples and adapt them to current weaponry in order to help them train to a higher level of proficiency. Keep in mind that I am going to have to leave alot of stuff out since this is not a book, but rather a quick jot about incorporating historical examples into current training methods.
Throughout history, warriors of all types learned the hard way that physical fitness pertaining to their style of fighting was absolutely necessary. If we look at warrior training from successful militaries around the world and throughout history, there are many examples that show a pattern of focus on methods of conditioning and fitness priorities.
With the idea of protecting ourselves as private citizens gaining more popularity, there seems to be a growing trend for people that are seeking training as well. Training classes are filling up and people are investing in learning how to shoot properly. However, there are those out there who are taking their firearms training to the next level and are seeking training in team and squad tactics much like what military and law enforcement would learn. Is it beneficial for these people as civilians to dress up and practice raiding buildings, laying ambushes, and conducting patrols?
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Do It RiteAlaska-Based Youtube Vlogger, Retired Marine, Firearm and Gear Tester. Archives
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