Mental conditioning is often neglected during many firearms training programs; however, proper
shooting is 80% mental and 20% physical. For years I have heard competitive shooters say, “This is
such a mind game.” If a shooter has not developed proper mental conditioning, stress courses (or competition)
only confuse the shooter and destroy their confidence.
Nearly a century ago a Russian physiologist named Pavlov studied brain functions. He found that,
by repeated association, an artificial stimulus (such as a bell) could be substituted for a natural stimulus
(food) to cause a physiological reaction (salivation). He called this conditioned reflex. Conditioned
reflex applies very much to shooting a firearm. The firing of a handgun is associated with a load noise
and a sharp recoil of the weapon. Over time a conditioned reflex (flinch) appears. This conditioned
reflex leads to compensating behavior such as trigger jerking, framing the shot, bucking the weapon,
dipping the front sight, etc. Overcoming a negative conditioned reflex is accomplished by positive
mental conditioning.
When geese hatch they immediately identify with the first living animal they see. This phenomena
has been labeled imprinting. Studies have shown that geese hatched in captivity often think that people
are their parents. Since we are not born with a firearm in our hands, we must continually practice good
techniques to imprint into our brain proper shooting techniques. Once proper shooting techniques have
been imprinted and negative conditioned reflexes have been erased, then a shooter can move to highspeed
low-drag stress courses.
shooting is 80% mental and 20% physical. For years I have heard competitive shooters say, “This is
such a mind game.” If a shooter has not developed proper mental conditioning, stress courses (or competition)
only confuse the shooter and destroy their confidence.
Nearly a century ago a Russian physiologist named Pavlov studied brain functions. He found that,
by repeated association, an artificial stimulus (such as a bell) could be substituted for a natural stimulus
(food) to cause a physiological reaction (salivation). He called this conditioned reflex. Conditioned
reflex applies very much to shooting a firearm. The firing of a handgun is associated with a load noise
and a sharp recoil of the weapon. Over time a conditioned reflex (flinch) appears. This conditioned
reflex leads to compensating behavior such as trigger jerking, framing the shot, bucking the weapon,
dipping the front sight, etc. Overcoming a negative conditioned reflex is accomplished by positive
mental conditioning.
When geese hatch they immediately identify with the first living animal they see. This phenomena
has been labeled imprinting. Studies have shown that geese hatched in captivity often think that people
are their parents. Since we are not born with a firearm in our hands, we must continually practice good
techniques to imprint into our brain proper shooting techniques. Once proper shooting techniques have
been imprinted and negative conditioned reflexes have been erased, then a shooter can move to highspeed
low-drag stress courses.