Input on Current Project

[Jeff22]

This is an epic discussion.

[Jeff22]

And this discussion from the past connects with part of the content in the new book "Strategies and Standards for Defensive Handgun Training" by Karl Rehn and John Daub.

Section 2 in the book is titled "Minimum Competency for Defensive Pistol" and addresses the issue of trying to establish a rough minimum standard of marksmanship and gun handling skills needed to successfully use a handgun in a defensive situation. Of course, there are LOTS of incidents where somebody with no training survives or prevails in a confrontation, but it's usually better to depend on skill rather than on luck.

Section 3 in the book is titled simply "Drills" and contains a whole bunch of drills of varying degrees of difficulty that one could use to develop or measure their skill.

Of course there is more to surviving a confrontation than marksmanship, and there is more to developing marksmanship and gun handling skills than just shooting drills, but this is where you start. I've observed lots of people shooting in practice in the last 40 years, and most don't have much of a plan. They go "shooting" and they enjoy themselves but they don't really do anything structured to measure or improve their skills. (Of course this web site has an EXTENSIVE library of shooting drills of all descriptions.)

[John Hearne]

And this discussion from the past connects with part of the content in the new book "Strategies and Standards for Defensive Handgun Training" by Karl Rehn and John Daub.

It's taken awhile but it is very satisfying to see my research start to have some noticeable influence. Karl and I talk regularly and both the chart with skill levels and my one image slide are in his new book.

I also spoke with a Gunsite Instructor who has attended my eight-hour lecture several times. He told me that my presentation has changed the way he presents the mindset lecture that is part of the 250 course.

[SeriousStudent]

It's taken awhile but it is very satisfying to see my research start to have some noticeable influence. Karl and I talk regularly and both the chart with skill levels and my one image slide are in his new book.

I also spoke with a Gunsite Instructor who has attended my eight-hour lecture several times. He told me that my presentation has changed the way he presents the mindset lecture that is part of the 250 course.

I am delighted to hear that.

[JAD]

Seriously wish I could make that class.

I have. It’s outstanding; johns part is worth the asking price on its own.

[JCN]

Two years later, I am even more convinced of the need to have high levels of automaticity/hardwiring in basic gun skills to free the mind to solve the problem. The more I study this, the more I realize we have far less mental resources than we think, especially as stress drives towards the emotional side of the brain. You need to be thinking about solving the problem not running the gun.

I am also convinced that you develop positive or negative feedback loops. As one's skill improves, one's confidence increases, and one becomes more likely to stay in the rational portion of the brain.

Most recent research nugget is this. Experts and novices deliver the same skill from different parts of their brain. The experts seem to be delivering it from areas that reflect higher levels of "permanence" and I suspect, areas that are less vulnerable to the effects of stress.

I love this quote. I have a neuroscience background and this is absolutely true.

Which is why I think more is better when it comes to skill and automaticity.

[John Hearne]

I love this quote.

I'm here to serve....

[Dave Williams]

John, in reference to the Gunsite mindset lecture, has the chart changed Gunsite doctrine, or just the one instructor?

[John Hearne]

John, in reference to the Gunsite mindset lecture, has the chart changed Gunsite doctrine, or just the one instructor?

AFAIK, it was the one instructor who said my lecture changed how he presented the mindset lecture.

Now, Gunsite just did a major revision of the student handbook for 250 and I was specifically cited as a source for the revision.

[Erick Gelhaus]

... Now, Gunsite just did a major revision of the student handbook for 250 and I was specifically cited as a source for the revision.

In the revision, as a source in the revision.

John's efforts are mentioned in a couple of sections in the new handbook.