Training is important but the way in which we train is just as important.You can spend a lot of time and energy training the wrong things or training in the wrong way. For a long time I trained the wrong way and I see a lot of guys doing the same things I did.In particular I want to talk about training your self to be a thinker rather than training yourself to be a reactor.How often have you seen a question that goes like this: "What would you do if protesters blocked your car and one tried to pull you out?"I call this the "If-Then" approach. If "A" happens then you respond with "B".Another example: "What do you do if you're walking to your car at the far end of the parking lot at night and someone with a gun approaches you?" Real question I seen asked on a FB group the other day.Its almost as if they are trying to build a Flowchart training process. An event happens and they simply follow the flowchart and perform the correct action as listed on the chart.The problem with "If-Then" training is that if you change one simple variable it can possibly change the entire flowchart. What happens if you don't have that right mental flowchart?I call this being "reactive."There is some utility to this type of thinking when you are brand new. Its good to get different perspectives in order to broaden your horizons. Its bad to get stuck here (which many people do).Lets revisit our first example. Tactical Timmy ask the question and builds the mental flowchart. He know knows what to do if his car is stopped by protesters and someone attempts to pull him out from the drivers side. He will simply drive away. That was the popular answer and it made since to him. Now every time he imagined himself in that situation he simply processed his "If-Then" flowchart and pictured himself driving away.A week later Tactical Timmy is driving and gets stopped by protesters. They circle his car and try to pull him out. Tactical Timmy goes through his flowchart but returns an error. His flowchart says to drive away but he is too close to the car in front, has a car right on top of him to his rear and has obstructions to his left and right.Suddenly the variables have changed and he doesn't know how to react.People often train themselves to deal with problems. However, our initial understanding of the problem is often rudimentary. People will develop tactics and techniques to deal with problems (often in a flowchart "If-Then" type way) based on that over simplistic rudimentary understanding. By training yourself to be a thinker you strive to understand a problem on a deeper level than simple "If-Then" understanding. Stay with me here...A thinker would look at the problem and instead of assigning it a simple solution they would ask "why" that solution should work. A thinker would strive to understand the principal behind the solution. They would then tweak the variables and see how their actions would have to change. They fundamentally change the way in which they look at and perceive problems. A deeper understanding begins to occur. They evolve past simple If-Then thinking because they come to understand principals.This goes beyond the simple war-gaming of scenarios.People will often make assumptions of how violence will occur and then develop training habits to combat and prepare them for those scenarios they assumed would happen.How often have you read "three rounds, at three yards, in three seconds" on reddit and elsewhere?Many newer shooters will then use drills and other training methods that will prepare them to face violence that adheres to the "Rule of Threes."Eventually a new shooter, should they stick with it and strive to become a thinker, will realize that violence can be much more unpredictable. The variables will often change. Here is the problem...While they may update their mind, rarely do they seem to update their training methodologies. They fall into a rut and keep the same training habits they have always had and always used.Become a thinker and always ask yourself "why."Why are you training the way you are? What problems is your training designed to help you address and remedy? Is it helping you train for the problems you perceive?The problem is that we don't know what we don't know. So how do you know if your perceptions of violence is reality? How do you know if they way you train is the most efficient way to train for the realities of violence? You may think it is but you may simply not know what you don't know.To many new shooters train by drawing their gun, firing one shot, then performing a reload drill. They believe that to be realistic and efficient training. To many of them ONLY do that. They don't know what they don't know.The solution is to learn what you don't know. How?By being a thinker! Being a thinker will make you naturally curious and when you are curious you will walk the path that leads you to the answer. Not right away of course...Whatever you think you know about violence and training there is almost certainly another level of understanding; another level of looking at and thinking about it. You'll never know if you are the top level. You probably aren't, neither am I, and whatever "guru" you take advice from probably isn't either.If you don't understand this thats fine; you simply don't know what you don't know.When it comes to training, be a thinker, be curious. Strive to find out what it is you don't know and then go know it. Then repeat the cycle. Along the way ensure that the problem your training for, and the way you train for it, isn't now outdated by your new level of understanding.If you take nothing else away from this, understand that last part. Always strive to be a thinker, to be curious, to understand the "why" behind any drills and all training and all advice. Understand that there is more for you to know and that you just don't know what it is you don't know. Keep thinking, keep exploring, and you will come to it. And ensure that your keep your training updated to match your new understanding of the realities of violence. Most people don't.Many people fall into the trap of learning something and they think thats all there is. The solution they know now must be THE solution. Thats all they train because thats all they know and they close their mind off to higher, and better, possibilities.Be a thinker. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/32tkFo8
No comments:
Post a Comment