by Chris Cerino
Getting the time, money and equipment necessary to attend a training session can be tough. For some of us it comes but once a year, or even less. So when I leave training I want to have something tangible to take with me, something more than just having had fun and sending a bunch of rounds down range.
It’s probably fair to say that every trainer out there has a gimmick. Quite often the gimmick is a “flavor of the day” idea that must have “Snake Oil.” Examples of this are point shooting, target focus shooting or anything with the letters “CQB” (close quarters battle) in front of it. Successful trainers make a great living by using gorilla marketing to cause arguments and turmoil pitting one technique over another. Heck! It works by getting people to want to come see if it will work for them. Most of these topics turn up every so many years like they are new again.
There are, however, trainers who try to teach a lesson. One such class covered how to be a better competitive shooter by limiting unnecessary movements, thereby making you faster. Having nothing to do with hitting your target, we focused on getting from point A to point B efficiently. Before coming to a class like that, you better know how to run your gun. In other classes I learned how to fight with a gun around a car or other cover. Long range classes taught me how to document my shots and learn from the atmospheric conditions—wind, humidity, elevation and so forth.
Over time I’ve learned how to run long guns and handguns; one-handed, two-handed and weak-handed. Courses have taught me how to clear malfunctions every way, including using the environment as an aid. I’ve learned to shoot from unconventional positions and as an injured combatant; from cover, around cover and under cover. Instructors have presented me with a variety of cool drills that are fun and challenging, but I’ve never had an instructor really show me how to shoot better.
Many instructors have talked about the idea of focusing on the front sight, or the need to press the trigger straight and to the rear without disturbing the sight picture. None ever told me how to make all these things happen, although they knew those fundamentals were important. There have been plenty who’ve talked about draw stroke, how to grip the gun or how to reload. Students need to know why the draw stroke, high thumbs forward grip or reload mechanics are important.
Many instructors are emphatic about safety. They can run really neat drills and maintain a safe range, but do they teach you anything? The usual phrases are shouted while shooting drills. Phrases like, “Try bringing that strong foot back a little!” or “Front sight, front sight, front sight!” and “Watch jerking that trigger!” What you seldom heard was why you needed to move your strong foot back. How about that the front sight doesn’t mean diddly-squat without a direct relation to the rear sight, or that jerking the trigger is a mental thing that can’t be remedied until it’s identified by the shooter?
My gimmick for years has been teaching people to teach themselves. Getting them to understand why they shoot well, or why they shoot poorly. What it takes to hit but, most importantly, why they miss. No matter how cool a drill is or how many rounds you shoot in training, you should always get a tip to make you shoot better. Learn something to help you hit the target consistently and, when you’re not hitting, how to get hits again.
Having the opportunity to work and compete in the shooting industry has given me access to some of the greatest shooting minds available and you can bet that I take advantage of it every chance I get. It’s likely that I have asked many of the questions you yourself have pondered. Thoughts on use of the sights, high thumbs forward grip, the importance of stance, point shooting, hard sight focus, soft focus shooting. Anything! I’ve asked.
What I’ve found is that successful shooters, 99% of the time, are focusing on the same things. They are using the same grip, same sight focus and employing the basics, mastered. They aren’t concerned with the “flavor of the day” techniques or trainers. They all know how to line up sights, make a sight picture and keep from affecting both with a good grip and proper trigger management.
To be sure, not every great shooter out there knows why they shoot well. This begs one question: If you don’t know why you are a good shot, how do you get me do be a good shot? A great shooter does not make a great trainer. Running a safe range and some fun, high round count drills is more practice than training. Make sense?
So next time you spend your hard-earned dollars on training, make sure you get what you paid for. Don’t be enamored with cool drills and high round counts. Ask the tough questions, most of which start with “Why.” Then ask the hard questions that start with “How.” See if your trainer trains you how to be a more successful shooter and operator. Keep in mind that even if you learn how not to do something, you’ve learned something. It’s up to you to make it about training and not just another practice session.
Remember. It’s all about the fundamentals!
Chris Cerino firearms instructor, competitor and TV personality who’s been training law enforcement officers and military for more than 18 years. Literally immersed in pistol training for years, his skills are founded in life experience. Chris is the director of training for Chris Cerino Training Group LLC, teaching in a “do as I do” fashion. You can contact him by email at: chris@cerinotraininggroup.com, or phone: 330/608-6415.
