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Paladin wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:12 am

Tex1961 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:38 am I do think that as instructors we sometimes forget how nervous some students can get. I've had so many tell me they were just absolutely shaking and sweating during the test. I try my best in the pre qual briefing to tell them to calm down and relax. They get 3 chances and to slow down.

Funny enough I was at the DPS facility last week for the First Responder Course. We had to pre qualify first thing and I was still nervous even though I was very confident in my abilities... They are now using the word THREAT as the command to fire. Takes a little bit of thought to translate that command into pulling the trigger when you are used to the word FIRE....

This is an important thought. Agree completely that you don't want nervous students... 20+ years ago when I was first qualifying for my CHL, one of my fellow students was so nervous that he put a round in the ground on the first command to fire.

The DPS has a way of making you very nervous. During my instructor qualification, one candidate messed up and was booted from the range... another one fired too soon and got a talking too. For my part, I was extremely confident, but there was SOO MUCH tension and buildup to the first shot that I went at my "full speed" and shot my silhouette as it was still turning. Good 5 point hit, but slightly off to the side. I don't know if DPS makes shooters nervous on purpose... if so they are very good at doing that.

I'd say Army targets "pop-up" and are way more realistic than turning targets

My training system is designed to very intentionally reduce the nervousness of students. I have found that is the best way to learn. Add stress only when needed.

I agree with @Mike S. As well as he, I try to give the students a small demonstration in the class before we head to the range. As well as doing a mock finger gun test run as I time them. This gives them a sense of how long they actually need. I give everyone the range commands which are 1. Load Magazines with X rounds. 2. Load and make ready. 3. Shooters ready (pause) FIRE. Standby for me is used if shooters need to go into a low or compressed ready due to a delay because of some type of issue.

I do think that as instructors we sometimes forget how nervous some students can get. I've had so many tell me they were just absolutely shaking and sweating during the test. I try my best in the pre qual briefing to tell them to calm down and relax. They get 3 chances and to slow down.

Funny enough I was at the DPS facility last week for the First Responder Course. We had to pre qualify first thing and I was still nervous even though I was very confident in my abilities... They are now using the word THREAT as the command to fire. Takes a little bit of thought to translate that command into pulling the trigger when you are used to the word FIRE....