The Instinctive Edge™

Injuries happen all the time. Sometimes, they happen just from doing day to day activities, and at other times, they happen from a more rigorous activity. Currently, I am dealing with a minor strain in my knee from going up and down stairs. So now I am working around the knee and training with this limitation. However, I am still training! One way or another, the show must go on. So I am practicing in a limited way and still doing body weight exercises, stretching, and lifts, but ones that do not require that I strain my knee any further. So, I am still working out and making some progress while my knee heals. To help that process, always remember RICE or Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation! Right now, my knee is in a compression sleeve with ice, and it is elevated. This happens after every workout. So I am training around the injury and resting it and doing my best too speed up the recovery process! Injuries suck but they don’t have to totally ruin your Martial Practice! See You On The Mats…

I am a huge proponent that once you have become proficient in the fundamentals of firearms on stationary targets that you should move into Adrenalized Shooting. So, once you are proficient in the following fundamentals of:

Stance

Grip

Sight Alingment

Sight Picture

Trigger Control

Breathing

Follow Through

Once these fundamentals have been ingrained on stationary targets, you need to begin shooting in a way that stresses the body into triggering the fight or flight response. Utilizing a timer and potentially moving targets is generally an initial step. Placing something on the line like a certification, bet, etc. can also help to increase the pressure. Personally, I prefer to utilize some form of exercises like down ups (burpees), running, weight lifting, obstacle courses, etc. Once adrenalized, you need to manage this so that you can shoot effectively. This is what most closely resembles a real combative encounter with a firearm. If you regularly do this, then you are giving yourself an advantage in a moment of extreme violence, and that is what IRT is all about!

There is a lot of truth to this…