I was so bad when I started I never saw a muzzle flash, my eyes were always shut. I'm getting better. I used to almost jump for joy when I saw the muzzle flash that was a victory in its self for me. Dry firing with a lazer in the gun has helped me a lot. Nice video, thank you.
My first time at the range was a disaster for me, after that i start doing dry fire a lot and trying to learn everything i can from RUclips and its really help a lot, the second time i went to the range was successful...
definitely, it also allows you to cheaply train all the other aspects of shooting and you can usually find a place to actually shoot a .22 which is not always possible with certain more powerful calibres (for example my local range dosen't allow any rifles except rimfires).
I like throwing a couple snap caps in my mag when shooting, preferably have someone else load it for you, 2 or 3 of your shots out of the mag won't go boom and if you don't know which is which it really highlights the flinch especially after firing live rounds. at least this way you can see if your training is working
I've had issues with both. A lot of dry practice helps, along with drills involving snap caps and live rounds mixed. Eventually you'll catch yourself doing it, so recognizing the feeling up to that point is crucial. Immersion in a live fire environment also helps with conditioning a non-reaction.
Thanks for the tips. My high school track coach told us, "practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." When I dry fire, I try to mimic my live fire principles and it seems to be helping. I also try to not get fixated on my shortcomings, but also note my improvements. Maybe that's something to consider during meditation?
A couple days ago, I was shooting better, my groupings were tighter, and I was calmer. Today I went to the range after a stressful day from work, and I wasn’t shooting so good. I was anticipating. What you said makes sense. I’ll practice dry firing at home. Thanks for the insight and advice
Hey Chris! Just wanted to say thanks for your videos. I’ve only shot a pistol twice in my life, but I practiced your dry fire, sight alignment, and grip, before my range test and went and qualified 249/250. That was my third time shooting at that point. Incredible info!
I’m a nurse. AND I love to meditate. You literally said this in a way that my brain could totally understand and envision what I need to do to stop anticipating the bang. Went to the range yesterday with my hubby, his friend and my son. Tooooo many people were trying to teach me proper handgun techniques and none of it “clicked”. So thank you so much for your scientific explanation. I’m going to work on dry fire for at least a month before I go back!
@SLynn, as a former Navy Corpsman and trained in Life Tissue Trauma serving with U.S. Marines, I've found shooting under Combat and stress drills, is pretty much like Intubating a casualty or starting a I.V., proper frame of mind, remain calm, self talk, proper breathing control, visualize the technique, follow through and positive results :)
For any new shooter or even seasoned shooter watching this video from Chris "Snowman" Sajnog I want to tell you that this info is GOLD! I recommend to watch this video once, twice, three, four times if needed until you can fully grasp all, and I mean all the priceless info given by Chris. I would also recommend to get his book Navy SEAL Shooting. This book is worth its weight in gold. Thank you Chris and God bless you!
Menacing Moto Because your brain can discriminate and recognize that it doesnt have to associate a bang with an unloaded firearm. I say just lean forward, don't fixate on the sights, just pull the trigger. Don't think too much. Just pull the trigger without moving the gun.
I second what Unerring 01 said. It helped me to just fire without concentrating too much on aiming and just feeling and hearing the gun firing and getting used to it, without focusing too much on any single thing. Then, once I was used to it, I went back to focusing on the sight and I wasn't flinching anymore. When I concentrated on the sights too much at first, the gun firing would always startle me more.
Deschain19; A smooth trigger goes a long way. I was shooting an S&W M&P9c in June last summer, and I found that I was dropping the first shot a lot more than is reasonable. I found that I was anticipating and flinching. Small guns are hard to shoot. I tried an XDm later that month and had a much better time.
JFBalz I think it's easier to go back to .22 and just point shoot. Once you can start doing that without moving the gun, move back up and start point shooting. Don't think. Don't aim. Just point and pull the trigger without moving the gun. Once you can do that easily, incorporate lining up the sights. When you do sight in, its important to remember that over thinking it is a no-no.
Hi Chris, retired LEO/SWAT Commander here. I worked with some SeALS several years ago at one of the Georgia Police satellite Academy's. Was teaching dynamic entry using live ammo. The Seals blew away (no pun intended) every LEO there including me. After the first reel, I asked them how they trained and why. They graciously worked with me after class the remainder of the course. What I learned was invaluable. They taught me the exact same techniques that you do here and I am so glad to see the work you have done. Anyone looking to improve shooting capabilities can learn from you if they just try. You said something toward the end of this vid that sums it all up. Perfect Practice.....Keep up the outstanding works Brother and you have an old dog here that wants to learn new tricks and re-learn old ones.
Thanks, Tom. I really appreciate you saying this. There are a lot of people that search RUclips and THINK they know how SEALs train. There are a few like you (and me) who actually do and luckily most people are open-minded enough to listen.
I believe muscle fatigue in the shooting hand, especially the trigger finger, adds artifact into your shot which is why people often shoot worse the more they shoot. I agree that dry fire training is invaluable.
Hey YOU!! Yes, you...I know you want to learn my secrets to becoming a better shooter, so download my free New Rules of Marksmanship Manifesto: snip.ly/oqgyg4 Then leave me a comment below and tell me how it helped you!
I love the video. Your message is delivered with intelligence and experience. Having said that, I have to watch twice because the first time I miss a lot because I'm playing where's Waldo with everything in the background. Lol. Thank you
A mix of live and dummy rounds is what helps me. I go back to this at times just to keep tuned. start out with 5 or 6 dummy rounds and only a couple of live rounds and as you improve change the mix around to only 1 or 2 dummy rounds.
Chris, I would like to thank you for your videos. You have corrected a lot of little things I was doing wrong. All of your videos are well thought out, and full of easy to understand methodologies that anyone can understand. Damn I wished I lived near you where I could get some one on one training!!! I hope you continue to make these as I am a big believer in constantly practicing. My flinch just appeared about a year ago when I first changed to a new platform. I had an extremely hard time diagnosing it at first as it wasn't obvious. It was finally a Sr Trainer at Sig who watched me from all angles and figured it out. The way I fixed it was to get one of those electronic targets that allows you to use your actual weapon to practice with. I think I got that info from one of your videos also! And it took me about 3 weeks every day to get it fixed. Thanks , you are one of the best guys on here as far as imparting knowledge to others.
I'm taking a while off from the range and using my laserlyte for a while to work on this. I got the RO to load a mag for me with one snap cap in a random spot, and yup, nosedive flinch confirming that I had a nasty flinch. Thanks!
Hi, great video. Just a quick question.. how do I stop flinching when the person next to me shoots everytime.. even tho it happens without anticipation when I hear the loud bang.. I flinch...
I've notice the time I've been back shooting again. I actually lesson to some classical music for 30 minutes before I go shooting. Man! What a difference. Then I'll run thru my dry fire course that I setup. Then live fire
This is the best (and only) advice I've ever gotten for this problem. I think your book might be worth the money. I've made two inch groups (at least I'm consistent) about four or more inches low since I started shooing pistols again. I've started doing dry fire practice with snap caps and am getting better but it's only been a month.
I like to have a friend randomly load a dummy round or spent casing in my mags to catch any flinch I might have. Its a real good way to keep you honest at the range
When I first got my .308 (Ruger PR) I was super excited to shoot ir and spent a good 2.5 hours shooting through it. Somehow that excitement actually gave me a slight flinch. At 300 yards it keeps biting me back haha Fortunately reloading .308 cheap is easy and I have been tossing rounds down range with more and more focus on perfecting my form and grinding away that odd flinch.
I would really like You to make video on the meditation and what exactly you mean by it - since there is about bazilion ways. I know two main branches are concentration and total relaxation.
Try paying attention to your breathing. You can do it sitting at a red light. You can do it as you start squeezing the trigger. Or, take a ten day meditation course. Google it.
Concentrate on sight alignment and trigger pull, forget the boom. Zero in on the hammer drop. like dry firing, the hammer drops and then the bullet goes off. Almost instantaneous but not quit, focus. Click...boom Click...boom Think of flintlock pistol just faster
I dry fire everytime before I start firing. my problem is my 3rd shot and on. When I'm done with my 5 shots (I always shoot 5 at target ranges), I dry fire until the flinch goes away. my first 2 shots are always tight and generally on target. But every time, my 3rd shot drops, then my 4th then 5th. sometimes I'm starting to pull the trigger and I see a huge dip. I try to relax, bring it down, then bring it back up and sight in. sometimes it helps. But most of the time I still flinch. I'm looking into getting snap caps for my pistol. I hope that helps.
I developed a flinch about 3 months ago when I had a blown primer in my .223 target rifle, and got sprayed with debris from the case head. No real damage besides rebuilding the bolt, my shooting glasses, and an unexpected flinch. Luckily I have taught billiards for years and I know it takes about 5000 repetitions to get even the most simple changes in any routine to become natural. Having realized what happened right away, and with good visualization I was able to get back on track. I believe if you can find the source of the flinch, you have 1/2 the job completed. Once you know what to fix or work on, you can just get on with it with MANY visualization, and dry fire routines on the web. Good luck, have fun, Gerry
Thanks for the tips. When I started shooting my hunting rifle again before season, my first couple shots are dead center every shot after that are high and right which I know is anticipation. It’s a 7mm rem mag it does have some kick to it. After about 10 rounds I’m getting sore and I’m really anticipating! That’s when I call it a day
Great advice, and delivered well, thanks Chris!! I noticed a little flinch in my wife's shooting last night at the range, this will definitely help, and will not hurt me either! And, thank you for your service.
Dry fire is absolutely one of the methods to try. Using a MantisX (mantisx.com) sensor gives you a mark to achieve as you dry fire. Front sight focus (like you are reading fine print on it) will distract from the recoil at the range. Relax and welcome that wonderful recoil validation.
This is state-of-the-art brain science. Those SEALS really do know their stuff. Have watched all of Chris's videos but keep coming back and repeating them -- to myelinate my neural pathways.
Another way to check yourself is to put a snap cap somewhere in your magazine, so when you are firing you never know when it won't go bang and you'll see if you are flinching or not.
My solution to flinching is with a flinch drill that takes two people. The shooter and the loader. The loader will determine at random if the weapon has a round in the chamber or it does not. The shooter does not watch so he doesn't know if there's a round in the chamber or not. The shooter then picks up the weapon, aims, and fires. If he flinches, and there is no round in the chamber, his flinch is exposed. This shows him that he HAS a flinch, and now steps can be taken to correct it. When your flinch is gone, the gun won't move when the hammer drops and there's no round in the chamber. By doing this, I quickly overcame what was left of my tendency to flinch. And my accuracy went way up.
I'm a bit late to the party, but I still wanted to say what a great video. Recently, I've come into a slew of students who wind up anticipating - and it goes like clockwork: New shooter- first shot - BANG - bullseye 2nd shot - dip-BANG - off target Memory set: no expectation, applies classroom learning, focuses on the front sight post, squeezes trigger BANG (shock - memory set), and subsequent rounds are fired with that first in mind. The initial bang was utter surprise, so I take them back to that and explain it like receiving a birthday present - no initial idea or expectation and opening the present (firing) is a surprise with the pleasant reception of a bullseye. Change the shocking memory to one of surprise with the rewarding gratification of hitting the bullseye. The meditation aspect is spot-on. Allowing all else to fall away. "Mushin" - Japanese for "empty mind", is the basis for this and I actually use terms (humorously yet pointed) like "find ur Zen", etc.
I'm good when I just shoot but not always good when I shoot at a fast sequence. Recently I made a recoil simulator that I can control just how hard I want the kick to be. I also made a laser pistol it works with so I can see where my "shots" are going as I rapid fire with the recoil. Now you got me interested in seeing how I can make the recoil also tie into a bang sound that I can control the volume on. Thanks for all your tips.
Outstanding info. I have a friend I take shooting and I know she's consistently disappointed with her results. I know she needs more dry fire time, but this video keyed me into the fact that she stresses out very quickly if even a tiny thing goes wrong while shooting. This will definitely help me to help her. Thanks!!
Best explanation of neurophysiology I have heard. I've been shooting nerf guns at my wife for a lot longer than 66 days. Why doesn't all that practice help?
I have often wondering what people do different that reach the top levels of mastery or excellence in thier choosen disciplines. I have found many similarities they do including from what I have seen from Chris. The explanation of how the science of it works deepened my understanding, Thanks Chris. I look forward to learning how to shoot better as I buy your book and maybe check out your courses. I also plan of applying these learning techniques to other areas of my life, like the piano!
I create what I call alternate stress by dry firing with a slow deliberate draw as shown by travis Haley in his deliberate practice video. When I live fire the alternate stress of drawing and firing at faster and faster times with a timer forces me to concentrate and focus on my mechanics that the BANG is just an after thought and a by product and the placement of the hit on target is the actual result of my actions. Time is my alternate stress that makes all other stress factors have zero effect on my shooting. Live fire and dry fire practice is actually very relaxing for me.
One exercise I do is hold gun in one hand and simply fire off 10 rounds, not aiming but just looking at the gun and observing (gun pointed down range at all times!). While doing this, imagine the gun is dry and you’re just practicing good, technical squeezes and let it surprise you each time the trigger breaks. I think the flinch is tied to trying to hit a target, so eliminate that element from the equation
It is odd that I only flinch with a hand gun. Rifles and shot guns I have no issues with. This makes me realize that I've worked with them so much that the neuro-pathway has been established and it is not a problem. When I started shooting my Sig again this year I became disappointed at my results. Now I've been dry firing and repeating the mantra "straight back, straight back" while pulling the trigger. I've been focused on the front sight and my mantra while breathing out. This has helped immensely with my groups and POI. I still have my moments, but it is improving. Eventually I'll be just as natural with the Sig as I am with my ARs, SKS, M44 and shot guns.
Steve, I'll be willing to bet if you practicing meditation for 30 days and don't shoot during that time. Your flinch will be cured. Up for the challenge?
Great video ,i think i get it now dry firing is a must , to get really good tight group on target what you said and the way you made this presentation really sunk in thanks a lot .
Another way to say flinch is 'lack of follow through'. If you are flinching because of noise or recoil you will automatically stop flinching if you can convince yourself to follow through until the noise and recoil are over with ... My moment came one glorious evening when I was able to watch the glint off my 44 Mag bullets arcing downrange in sunset light from behind. We were shooting 100 yard sized sihlouettes from 600 yards and we were knocking them over consistently from way back there with regular S&W 629 iron sighted 6" pistols. Focusing on picking up the glint, and following it to the target totally broke my flinching problem. Ever since, I've been able to switch into the followthrough mode I ''discovered' that evening.
oh boy do i wish i saw this 2 years ago......Your "Glint" in my imagination was refracted sunlight at the Perfect time....impressive shoots btw. What im getting at here is the number of factors that added up to that glint is a large number. Angle of the round its self 1/128'" off a theoretical axis which is in and of itself hard to comprehend with the enormous round shoot platform we all struggle with. Lighting as you stated but lets involve the billions of factors that determine what your eyes perceive at any given moment. start thinking dust and let your imagination go bananas because every thing that pops into your head is correct. So how in the world do you consistatntly catch this magical sunset with your back perfectly squared up and the clouds part and all the pollen in that area hits the floor as the wind stops so no dust or even a bug will become a perception variable. are they tracer rounds??
Great video. I use a single action 9mm semi automatic for this drill. The pistol will fire without a mag inserted. There is another benefit from doing this. Racking the slide gives basic practice of immediate action drill to clear the weapon of a misfire.
Great advice, First and foremost, thank you for your service! Long-term dry fire practice is just as important if not more than live fire. I remember anticipating the shots and flinching while on the range, however, while participating in a few USPSA practice shoots, I noticed that the anticipation was practically nonexistent since the mind was focusing more on running the course, reloading, speed etc…
Will give it my best shot, and let you know how it comes out. I have a Dan Wesson 357 S/S revolver 6 inch barrel, can I dry fire it without damaging the firing pin?
Awesome Chris. Absolutely right. Dry fire practice over and over again is the key. That, and getting to the range weekly. Yes, you've got to add the gun going bang to get the neural pathway created. It might take months, but it will happen, guaranteed. I know from experience. Thanks for sharing.
Man, Im really flinchy by nature w/ a lot of things lol! Doesnt help shooting a pistol at all =( I dry fire, holster draw drills, weapon jam drills often. I can dry fire perfect, but like many state its not till I know theres a live round in the chamber that my mind reverts to its reaction to the recoil / noise etc... Whats interesting, if I do dry fire drills for a while then when I go shooting, my first few mags are perfect, my brain & body almost act like dry firing has remedied the problem. But, as I keep shooting its like my mind tires and reverts to its old way. At that moment, I do more dry firing and even w/o live rounds in the chamber my mind is still stuck in its reverted state and I have to dry fire like a good 10+ times to get my mind to even settle down and not flinch when dry firing. Then, for a little while, I fire a few mags just fine ... then I catch myself reverting again to the old habit. Then dry fire until my mind is over its reacion, then go back to live fire ..... wrinse and repeat all during the same shooting outing session =( Then the other thing is, if Im not anticipating recoil in the form of flinching down, my body actually just tenses the arms and hands right as the round goes off ... its still a flinch just far more controlled one =/ ... Flinching is engrained in me pretty badly, it sucks =( If I didnt flinch, I would be able to put all my shots in the same damn hole. That would be nice lol! Something also interesting Ive discovered, I flinch far more horribly aiming w/ just one eye. Luckily, I can shoot aiming using both eyes pretty easily.
This is a great example! #1 - We are the stories we tell ourselves. STOP telling yourself you flinch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #2 - Proof the dry fire works. You go the range and start off great. #3 - Proof you need to take more time dry firing to "overwrite" your ingrained flinch. Solution: 1 - Tell yourself you're a great shooter. 2 - Dry fire perfectly for one month. NO LIVE FIRE. 3. Meditate You're welcome.
Distance shooting on steel target. For new shooters, 35 yards on a standard steel target is fine. After a few misses, you'll see the shooter give a tell, whether it's a squint, a deep breath, shrugging the shoulders, etc. That's your happy place, because they're now focused on hitting the target rather than anxiety. Once they get a hit, you'll see the posture completely change. We've taken shooters that failed miserably, and, before the day is out, hitting a target at 50 yards. (I've had a few go for it at 100 and hit, but I like leaving them with a win, so we don't do that too often.)
Great video Chris! I didn't have a problem with this flinching until I shot my S&W 500 a few times recently. Hopefully this means that the neural pathway I opened up is not insulated yet. :-)
Thank you for the video. Great info. You mentioned doing meditation and visualization. How are these different from each other or are they the same thing? I understand visualization to be seeing yourself in your mind (from the point of a 3rd person observing you) performing all the steps perfectly. What is meditation? It that just thinking of nothing? Could you please explain further. Thanks again for all your great tips!
I don’t have a problem with the bang or anything like that it the fact that I have a damaged nerve in my dominant side of my body which is my shoulder and I’m scared it’s gonna cause more stress and make it a lot worse and I don’t know how to overcome that
thanks for a great video, watched this like a year ago, i do get tighter grouping now, in addition to dry fire practice, having dummy rounds along with live rounds in a mag helps a lot
A newbie here. I flinched like crazy and what worked for me was shooting lots and lots of rounds until the flinching stopped. Don't know how or why, it just did.
Dear Chris, I cannot comment on a number of things related to firearms (which is why I am watching your videos as I want to improve). However, around the 3:40 mark you state some things which are simply not correct, it might seem pedantic (I am a cell and molecular biologist) but myelin does not "insulate against stress". Myelin is largely speaking there to provide faster propagation of the nerve stimulus down the axon, so whatever the cause for flinching (it could be hearing damage for example, as I get it when loud high pitched noises like an ambulance's siren is very close) you may or may not be able to deal with it depending on the severity. Hearing protection should help if it is hearing damage, as it is a pain-based reaction in many cases, but myelin will have absolutely no role whatsoever in the process of "insulating against stress". Time for me to get back to watching more of your videos, there is a wealth of training information there, so you have my thanks.
Great stuff Chris. Years ago I had a rifle explode next to my dominant eye causing powder burns and my flinch has never left. Thanks for the advice ... it’s time to change how I shoot. You say dry fire, I heard in Navy Seal training they always use Live Fire? Do they start with Dry Fire? And if so how long before they move on? Do the warriors advance individually or have to keep up to the group? Blessings.
Doesn't matter one bit how much """dry fire""" non-flinch practice one does, and I speak from sad experience with this problem. The best way to get past it is to get a couple of full brass and full slug dummy rounds, mix two live rounds with two dummy rounds, load them in a mag, and (at a range) fire. You'll randomly get live/dummies, and it will highlight the process that leads to flinch, allowing the shooter to be more deliberate. Once about 50 rounds (2 at a time with 2 dummies) is gone through, a person will notice far less of a flinch. Doing this for a couple hundred rounds will likely eliminate it entirely. More exposure to gun sounds also inoculates the nervous system from flinching as time goes on.
To pick a small nit...... Lots of activities are called meditation. Many meditation techniques involve moving away from action. w/all do respect, What is your definition of meditation? The neural pathway altering techniques are a great approach. Ron
I had a horrible "flinch" or anticipation for a long time and was so frustrated by it I almost quit shooting. I've shot guns my whole life but couldn't handle the idea that i would miss the entire target because of my flinch. Buy a pellet pistol. Preferably a blowback pellet pistol. It cured me. I had dry practiced a ton and could press the trigger perfectly every time however my mind knew when the gun was "hot" and everything changed. I went immediately back to flinching. The benefit of the pellet gun is that you still experience the recoil, less of it obviously, but you can shoot it in your house or garage and you can see the resulting shot when you do it right or wrong . I learned to press the trigger past the sear, instead of coming up to it and then jerking it back as fast as possible to beat the recoil. That technique works just as well shooting rapid fire as it does slowly, either way that's the only way you can shoot with any accuracy.
Been shooting many years.My problem is when dry firing I know the gun is not loaded and I don't flinch.At range with snap caps I usually push down when trigger is pulled.I have started using one cap in every mag. at range.
I can shoot most firearms without flinching, but I flinch when I shoot my 500 magnum, and I only flinch when it's loaded not doing dry firing, I've tried that but I really want to stop flinching
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I've flinched when shooting a compound bow. No noise no real recoil to speak of but knowing something violent is going to happen is hard to overcome.
I was so bad when I started I never saw a muzzle flash, my eyes were always shut. I'm getting better. I used to almost jump for joy when I saw the muzzle flash that was a victory in its self for me. Dry firing with a lazer in the gun has helped me a lot.
Nice video, thank you.
My first time at the range was a disaster for me, after that i start doing dry fire a lot and trying to learn everything i can from RUclips and its really help a lot, the second time i went to the range was successful...
Suggestion: practice using a .22. You get the "bang" and recoil but greatly reduced which aids in re-training the brain.
J Ratter cured my flinch with a ruger rs22 years ago
also use better ears helps.
definitely, it also allows you to cheaply train all the other aspects of shooting and you can usually find a place to actually shoot a .22 which is not always possible with certain more powerful calibres (for example my local range dosen't allow any rifles except rimfires).
I like throwing a couple snap caps in my mag when shooting, preferably have someone else load it for you, 2 or 3 of your shots out of the mag won't go boom and if you don't know which is which it really highlights the flinch especially after firing live rounds. at least this way you can see if your training is working
Wow, I never thought of that. That's a GREAT idea!
I've had issues with both. A lot of dry practice helps, along with drills involving snap caps and live rounds mixed. Eventually you'll catch yourself doing it, so recognizing the feeling up to that point is crucial.
Immersion in a live fire environment also helps with conditioning a non-reaction.
Thanks for the tips. My high school track coach told us, "practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." When I dry fire, I try to mimic my live fire principles and it seems to be helping. I also try to not get fixated on my shortcomings, but also note my improvements. Maybe that's something to consider during meditation?
Agreed. Practice makes permanent
A couple days ago, I was shooting better, my groupings were tighter, and I was calmer. Today I went to the range after a stressful day from work, and I wasn’t shooting so good. I was anticipating. What you said makes sense. I’ll practice dry firing at home. Thanks for the insight and advice
Hey Chris! Just wanted to say thanks for your videos. I’ve only shot a pistol twice in my life, but I practiced your dry fire, sight alignment, and grip, before my range test and went and qualified 249/250. That was my third time shooting at that point. Incredible info!
Great...
I’m a nurse. AND I love to meditate. You literally said this in a way that my brain could totally understand and envision what I need to do to stop anticipating the bang. Went to the range yesterday with my hubby, his friend and my son. Tooooo many people were trying to teach me proper handgun techniques and none of it “clicked”. So thank you so much for your scientific explanation. I’m going to work on dry fire for at least a month before I go back!
@SLynn, as a former Navy Corpsman and trained in Life Tissue Trauma serving with U.S. Marines, I've found shooting under Combat and stress drills, is pretty much like Intubating a casualty or starting a I.V., proper frame of mind, remain calm, self talk, proper breathing control, visualize the technique, follow through and positive results :)
A "sock it to me" attitude helps a lot for me. The "kick" is really what we want/need to hit the target. Bring it on. Embrace it.
For any new shooter or even seasoned shooter watching this video from Chris "Snowman" Sajnog I want to tell you that this info is GOLD! I recommend to watch this video once, twice, three, four times if needed until you can fully grasp all, and I mean all the priceless info given by Chris. I would also recommend to get his book Navy SEAL Shooting. This book is worth its weight in gold. Thank you Chris and God bless you!
You speak with a beautiful simplicity! Thank you
Meditation on the sequence of trigger action - that’s the secret ! Thanks
I don't flinch when I dry fire ever, it only happens when I know it's in battery.
Menacing Moto Because your brain can discriminate and recognize that it doesnt have to associate a bang with an unloaded firearm. I say just lean forward, don't fixate on the sights, just pull the trigger. Don't think too much. Just pull the trigger without moving the gun.
I second what Unerring 01 said. It helped me to just fire without concentrating too much on aiming and just feeling and hearing the gun firing and getting used to it, without focusing too much on any single thing. Then, once I was used to it, I went back to focusing on the sight and I wasn't flinching anymore. When I concentrated on the sights too much at first, the gun firing would always startle me more.
Deschain19; A smooth trigger goes a long way. I was shooting an S&W M&P9c in June last summer, and I found that I was dropping the first shot a lot more than is reasonable. I found that I was anticipating and flinching. Small guns are hard to shoot. I tried an XDm later that month and had a much better time.
Menacing Moto ball & dummy drills.
JFBalz I think it's easier to go back to .22 and just point shoot. Once you can start doing that without moving the gun, move back up and start point shooting. Don't think. Don't aim. Just point and pull the trigger without moving the gun. Once you can do that easily, incorporate lining up the sights. When you do sight in, its important to remember that over thinking it is a no-no.
Hi Chris, retired LEO/SWAT Commander here. I worked with some SeALS several years ago at one of the Georgia Police satellite Academy's. Was teaching dynamic entry using live ammo. The Seals blew away (no pun intended) every LEO there including me. After the first reel, I asked them how they trained and why. They graciously worked with me after class the remainder of the course. What I learned was invaluable. They taught me the exact same techniques that you do here and I am so glad to see the work you have done. Anyone looking to improve shooting capabilities can learn from you if they just try. You said something toward the end of this vid that sums it all up. Perfect Practice.....Keep up the outstanding works Brother and you have an old dog here that wants to learn new tricks and re-learn old ones.
Thanks, Tom. I really appreciate you saying this. There are a lot of people that search RUclips and THINK they know how SEALs train. There are a few like you (and me) who actually do and luckily most people are open-minded enough to listen.
I believe muscle fatigue in the shooting hand, especially the trigger finger, adds artifact into your shot which is why people often shoot worse the more they shoot. I agree that dry fire training is invaluable.
Hey YOU!! Yes, you...I know you want to learn my secrets to becoming a better shooter, so download my free New Rules of Marksmanship Manifesto: snip.ly/oqgyg4 Then leave me a comment below and tell me how it helped you!
this absolutely works. I had a bad flinch when I started back shooting, I practice dry-firing and less than one month it was gone.
I love the video. Your message is delivered with intelligence and experience. Having said that, I have to watch twice because the first time I miss a lot because I'm playing where's Waldo with everything in the background. Lol.
Thank you
Thank you sir, this help me a lot.
i was doing great until i went to the range today, i forgot to load and pulled the trigger and caught myself flinching. the whole day was ruined
A mix of live and dummy rounds is what helps me. I go back to this at times just to keep tuned. start out with 5 or 6 dummy rounds and only a couple of live rounds and as you improve change the mix around to only 1 or 2 dummy rounds.
Chris, I would like to thank you for your videos. You have corrected a lot of little things I was doing wrong. All of your videos are well thought out, and full of easy to understand methodologies that anyone can understand. Damn I wished I lived near you where I could get some one on one training!!!
I hope you continue to make these as I am a big believer in constantly practicing. My flinch just appeared about a year ago when I first changed to a new platform. I had an extremely hard time diagnosing it at first as it wasn't obvious. It was finally a Sr Trainer at Sig who watched me from all angles and figured it out. The way I fixed it was to get one of those electronic targets that allows you to use your actual weapon to practice with. I think I got that info from one of your videos also! And it took me about 3 weeks every day to get it fixed. Thanks , you are one of the best guys on here as far as imparting knowledge to others.
I'm taking a while off from the range and using my laserlyte for a while to work on this. I got the RO to load a mag for me with one snap cap in a random spot, and yup, nosedive flinch confirming that I had a nasty flinch. Thanks!
Hi, great video. Just a quick question.. how do I stop flinching when the person next to me shoots everytime.. even tho it happens without anticipation when I hear the loud bang.. I flinch...
I've notice the time I've been back shooting again. I actually lesson to some classical music for 30 minutes before I go shooting. Man! What a difference. Then I'll run thru my dry fire course that I setup. Then live fire
Load empty brass at random spots in your mag when at the range. You'll see how bad you're flinching and get used to clearing malfunctions.
This is the best (and only) advice I've ever gotten for this problem. I think your book might be worth the money. I've made two inch groups (at least I'm consistent) about four or more inches low since I started shooing pistols again. I've started doing dry fire practice with snap caps and am getting better but it's only been a month.
I like to have a friend randomly load a dummy round or spent casing in my mags to catch any flinch I might have. Its a real good way to keep you honest at the range
Hi Chris, I tried your advice. It helped me a lot. Thank you!
When I first got my .308 (Ruger PR) I was super excited to shoot ir and spent a good 2.5 hours shooting through it. Somehow that excitement actually gave me a slight flinch. At 300 yards it keeps biting me back haha
Fortunately reloading .308 cheap is easy and I have been tossing rounds down range with more and more focus on perfecting my form and grinding away that odd flinch.
I would really like You to make video on the meditation and what exactly you mean by it - since there is about bazilion ways. I know two main branches are concentration and total relaxation.
Try paying attention to your breathing. You can do it sitting at a red light. You can do it as you start squeezing the trigger.
Or, take a ten day meditation course. Google it.
Concentrate on sight alignment and trigger pull, forget the boom. Zero in on the hammer drop. like dry firing, the hammer drops and then the bullet goes off. Almost instantaneous but not quit, focus.
Click...boom
Click...boom
Think of flintlock pistol just faster
I use the Eckankar technique of meditation/contemplation.
Interesting, I have not heard of that one yet. I'll check it out. Thanks!
The idea of mylenation/insulation is extraordinarily speculative in these kinds of contexts.
I dry fire everytime before I start firing. my problem is my 3rd shot and on. When I'm done with my 5 shots (I always shoot 5 at target ranges), I dry fire until the flinch goes away. my first 2 shots are always tight and generally on target. But every time, my 3rd shot drops, then my 4th then 5th.
sometimes I'm starting to pull the trigger and I see a huge dip. I try to relax, bring it down, then bring it back up and sight in. sometimes it helps. But most of the time I still flinch.
I'm looking into getting snap caps for my pistol. I hope that helps.
I developed a flinch about 3 months ago when I had a blown primer in my .223 target rifle, and got sprayed with debris from the case head. No real damage besides rebuilding the bolt, my shooting glasses, and an unexpected flinch.
Luckily I have taught billiards for years and I know it takes about 5000 repetitions to get even the most simple changes in any routine to become natural. Having realized what happened right away, and with good visualization I was able to get back on track. I believe if you can find the source of the flinch, you have 1/2 the job completed. Once you know what to fix or work on, you can just get on with it with MANY visualization, and dry fire routines on the web. Good luck,
have fun, Gerry
Thanks for the tips. When I started shooting my hunting rifle again before season, my first couple shots are dead center every shot after that are high and right which I know is anticipation. It’s a 7mm rem mag it does have some kick to it. After about 10 rounds I’m getting sore and I’m really anticipating! That’s when I call it a day
Great advice, and delivered well, thanks Chris!! I noticed a little flinch in my wife's shooting last night at the range, this will definitely help, and will not hurt me either! And, thank you for your service.
Dry fire is absolutely one of the methods to try. Using a MantisX (mantisx.com) sensor gives you a mark to achieve as you dry fire. Front sight focus (like you are reading fine print on it) will distract from the recoil at the range. Relax and welcome that wonderful recoil validation.
Some good ideas, Chris. Will spend more time on dry firing. Many thanks.
This is state-of-the-art brain science. Those SEALS really do know their stuff. Have watched all of Chris's videos but keep coming back and repeating them -- to myelinate my neural pathways.
It’s pseudoscientific garage
Could you give an example of the type of meditation that you are talking about to aid the neural pathways?
Hi Erik, try watching this video and let me know if this helps you! ruclips.net/video/eE1VoWfAWFM/видео.html
Another way to check yourself is to put a snap cap somewhere in your magazine, so when you are firing you never know when it won't go bang and you'll see if you are flinching or not.
My solution to flinching is with a flinch drill that takes two people. The shooter and the loader. The loader will determine at random if the weapon has a round in the chamber or it does not. The shooter does not watch so he doesn't know if there's a round in the chamber or not. The shooter then picks up the weapon, aims, and fires. If he flinches, and there is no round in the chamber, his flinch is exposed. This shows him that he HAS a flinch, and now steps can be taken to correct it. When your flinch is gone, the gun won't move when the hammer drops and there's no round in the chamber. By doing this, I quickly overcame what was left of my tendency to flinch. And my accuracy went way up.
I'm a bit late to the party, but I still wanted to say what a great video.
Recently, I've come into a slew of students who wind up anticipating - and it goes like clockwork:
New shooter-
first shot - BANG - bullseye
2nd shot - dip-BANG - off target
Memory set:
no expectation,
applies classroom learning,
focuses on the front sight post,
squeezes trigger
BANG (shock - memory set), and subsequent rounds are fired with that first in mind.
The initial bang was utter surprise, so I take them back to that and explain it like receiving a birthday present - no initial idea or expectation and opening the present (firing) is a surprise with the pleasant reception of a bullseye.
Change the shocking memory to one of surprise with the rewarding gratification of hitting the bullseye.
The meditation aspect is spot-on. Allowing all else to fall away. "Mushin" - Japanese for "empty mind", is the basis for this and I actually use terms (humorously yet pointed) like "find ur Zen", etc.
AND, I'm a new sub. Looking forward to perusing your vids and whatever is to come.
Great points Gerald. Your students are lucky!
I'm good when I just shoot but not always good when I shoot at a fast sequence. Recently I made a recoil simulator that I can control just how hard I want the kick to be. I also made a laser pistol it works with so I can see where my "shots" are going as I rapid fire with the recoil. Now you got me interested in seeing how I can make the recoil also tie into a bang sound that I can control the volume on.
Thanks for all your tips.
Outstanding info. I have a friend I take shooting and I know she's consistently disappointed with her results. I know she needs more dry fire time, but this video keyed me into the fact that she stresses out very quickly if even a tiny thing goes wrong while shooting. This will definitely help me to help her. Thanks!!
Best explanation of neurophysiology I have heard. I've been shooting nerf guns at my wife for a lot longer than 66 days. Why doesn't all that practice help?
I have often wondering what people do different that reach the top levels of mastery or excellence in thier choosen disciplines. I have found many similarities they do including from what I have seen from Chris. The explanation of how the science of it works deepened my understanding, Thanks Chris. I look forward to learning how to shoot better as I buy your book and maybe check out your courses. I also plan of applying these learning techniques to other areas of my life, like the piano!
I create what I call alternate stress by dry firing with a slow deliberate draw as shown by travis Haley in his deliberate practice video. When I live fire the alternate stress of drawing and firing at faster and faster times with a timer forces me to concentrate and focus on my mechanics that the BANG is just an after thought and a by product and the placement of the hit on target is the actual result of my actions. Time is my alternate stress that makes all other stress factors have zero effect on my shooting. Live fire and dry fire practice is actually very relaxing for me.
One exercise I do is hold gun in one hand and simply fire off 10 rounds, not aiming but just looking at the gun and observing (gun pointed down range at all times!). While doing this, imagine the gun is dry and you’re just practicing good, technical squeezes and let it surprise you each time the trigger breaks. I think the flinch is tied to trying to hit a target, so eliminate that element from the equation
Very good. Believing images of victory. Your take is right on. Takes practice, perfect practice, repetition which builds the correct neuro pathway.
It is odd that I only flinch with a hand gun. Rifles and shot guns I have no issues with. This makes me realize that I've worked with them so much that the neuro-pathway has been established and it is not a problem. When I started shooting my Sig again this year I became disappointed at my results. Now I've been dry firing and repeating the mantra "straight back, straight back" while pulling the trigger. I've been focused on the front sight and my mantra while breathing out. This has helped immensely with my groups and POI. I still have my moments, but it is improving. Eventually I'll be just as natural with the Sig as I am with my ARs, SKS, M44 and shot guns.
Steve, I'll be willing to bet if you practicing meditation for 30 days and don't shoot during that time. Your flinch will be cured.
Up for the challenge?
Great video ,i think i get it now dry firing is a must , to get really good tight group on target what you said and the way you made this presentation really sunk in thanks a lot .
Another way to say flinch is 'lack of follow through'. If you are flinching because of noise or recoil you will automatically stop flinching if you can convince yourself to follow through until the noise and recoil are over with ... My moment came one glorious evening when I was able to watch the glint off my 44 Mag bullets arcing downrange in sunset light from behind. We were shooting 100 yard sized sihlouettes from 600 yards and we were knocking them over consistently from way back there with regular S&W 629 iron sighted 6" pistols. Focusing on picking up the glint, and following it to the target totally broke my flinching problem. Ever since, I've been able to switch into the followthrough mode I ''discovered' that evening.
oh boy do i wish i saw this 2 years ago......Your "Glint" in my imagination was refracted sunlight at the Perfect time....impressive shoots btw. What im getting at here is the number of factors that added up to that glint is a large number. Angle of the round its self 1/128'" off a theoretical axis which is in and of itself hard to comprehend with the enormous round shoot platform we all struggle with. Lighting as you stated but lets involve the billions of factors that determine what your eyes perceive at any given moment. start thinking dust and let your imagination go bananas because every thing that pops into your head is correct. So how in the world do you consistatntly catch this magical sunset with your back perfectly squared up and the clouds part and all the pollen in that area hits the floor as the wind stops so no dust or even a bug will become a perception variable. are they tracer rounds??
Great video. I use a single action 9mm semi automatic for this drill. The pistol will fire without a mag inserted. There is another benefit from doing this. Racking the slide gives basic practice of immediate action drill to clear the weapon of a misfire.
Great advice,
First and foremost, thank you for your service!
Long-term dry fire practice is just as important if not more than live fire. I remember anticipating the shots and flinching while on the range, however, while participating in a few USPSA practice shoots, I noticed that the anticipation was practically nonexistent since the mind was focusing more on running the course, reloading, speed etc…
Will give it my best shot, and let you know how it comes out. I have a Dan Wesson 357 S/S revolver 6 inch barrel, can I dry fire it without damaging the firing pin?
Awesome Chris. Absolutely right. Dry fire practice over and over again is the key. That, and getting to the range weekly. Yes, you've got to add the gun going bang to get the neural pathway created. It might take months, but it will happen, guaranteed. I know from experience. Thanks for sharing.
Man, Im really flinchy by nature w/ a lot of things lol! Doesnt help shooting a pistol at all =(
I dry fire, holster draw drills, weapon jam drills often. I can dry fire perfect, but like many state its not till I know theres a live round in the chamber that my mind reverts to its reaction to the recoil / noise etc...
Whats interesting, if I do dry fire drills for a while then when I go shooting, my first few mags are perfect, my brain & body almost act like dry firing has remedied the problem. But, as I keep shooting its like my mind tires and reverts to its old way. At that moment, I do more dry firing and even w/o live rounds in the chamber my mind is still stuck in its reverted state and I have to dry fire like a good 10+ times to get my mind to even settle down and not flinch when dry firing. Then, for a little while, I fire a few mags just fine ... then I catch myself reverting again to the old habit. Then dry fire until my mind is over its reacion, then go back to live fire ..... wrinse and repeat all during the same shooting outing session =(
Then the other thing is, if Im not anticipating recoil in the form of flinching down, my body actually just tenses the arms and hands right as the round goes off ... its still a flinch just far more controlled one =/ ...
Flinching is engrained in me pretty badly, it sucks =(
If I didnt flinch, I would be able to put all my shots in the same damn hole. That would be nice lol!
Something also interesting Ive discovered, I flinch far more horribly aiming w/ just one eye. Luckily, I can shoot aiming using both eyes pretty easily.
This is a great example!
#1 - We are the stories we tell ourselves. STOP telling yourself you flinch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#2 - Proof the dry fire works. You go the range and start off great.
#3 - Proof you need to take more time dry firing to "overwrite" your ingrained flinch.
Solution:
1 - Tell yourself you're a great shooter.
2 - Dry fire perfectly for one month. NO LIVE FIRE.
3. Meditate
You're welcome.
This dude is spot on!
thats my problem i flinch and hit low and to the left..i get a couple straight on but im not as consistent as id like to be
Distance shooting on steel target. For new shooters, 35 yards on a standard steel target is fine. After a few misses, you'll see the shooter give a tell, whether it's a squint, a deep breath, shrugging the shoulders, etc. That's your happy place, because they're now focused on hitting the target rather than anxiety. Once they get a hit, you'll see the posture completely change. We've taken shooters that failed miserably, and, before the day is out, hitting a target at 50 yards. (I've had a few go for it at 100 and hit, but I like leaving them with a win, so we don't do that too often.)
Thanks very much for making these videos! I appreciate the effort and the great information.
Great video Chris! I didn't have a problem with this flinching until I shot my S&W 500 a few times recently. Hopefully this means that the neural pathway I opened up is not insulated yet. :-)
I'm pretty sure EVERYONE flinches when using the beast haha
The earlier you correct it the better!
@@curtisboynton true but that flinch will carry back to other firearms where it might not have existed
Great videos Chris!! Thanks bro!! 👍
Wow that's deep.. never thought about it like that. Good advice
hey My Friend. you are simply Amazing. thank you very much. i will make you proud some day.
all Salutes to my Seal Friend.
I am looking for not to flinch with the eyes. I want that reflex GONE like others i often shoot with.
Great advice thank you !
Love how you add the neurology into your vids. Also Chris, what was your class number?
Right on. Went through 1st and 2nd with 291. Love your work, and thanks for your service Chris.
Thank you for the video. Great info. You mentioned doing meditation and visualization. How are these different from each other or are they the same thing? I understand visualization to be seeing yourself in your mind (from the point of a 3rd person observing you) performing all the steps perfectly. What is meditation? It that just thinking of nothing? Could you please explain further. Thanks again for all your great tips!
This is definitely me with handguns. Thanks for the info.
There's another intro exactly like this for a different channel but I can't remember which one
Yep, agree 100%. Exactly what I tell my officers.
The other ITS tactical logos are on them speakers. 1 small on left and 1 little bigger on the right.
Thx for sharing!
I subbed
I don’t have a problem with the bang or anything like that it the fact that I have a damaged nerve in my dominant side of my body which is my shoulder and I’m scared it’s gonna cause more stress and make it a lot worse and I don’t know how to overcome that
totally agree with you, Chris! Flinching happens coz our brain is unconsiously tense and nerveous. The only way to calm it down is MEDITATION!
thanks for a great video, watched this like a year ago, i do get tighter grouping now, in addition to dry fire practice, having dummy rounds along with live rounds in a mag helps a lot
A newbie here. I flinched like crazy and what worked for me was shooting lots and lots of rounds until the flinching stopped. Don't know how or why, it just did.
Thanks Chris.
Dear Chris, I cannot comment on a number of things related to firearms (which is why I am watching your videos as I want to improve). However, around the 3:40 mark you state some things which are simply not correct, it might seem pedantic (I am a cell and molecular biologist) but myelin does not "insulate against stress". Myelin is largely speaking there to provide faster propagation of the nerve stimulus down the axon, so whatever the cause for flinching (it could be hearing damage for example, as I get it when loud high pitched noises like an ambulance's siren is very close) you may or may not be able to deal with it depending on the severity. Hearing protection should help if it is hearing damage, as it is a pain-based reaction in many cases, but myelin will have absolutely no role whatsoever in the process of "insulating against stress".
Time for me to get back to watching more of your videos, there is a wealth of training information there, so you have my thanks.
Can happen with rifle and shot gun, noise, noise,noise but can be cure, earplugs plus earmuffs .
Great stuff Chris. Years ago I had a rifle explode next to my dominant eye causing powder burns and my flinch has never left. Thanks for the advice ... it’s time to change how I shoot.
You say dry fire, I heard in Navy Seal training they always use Live Fire?
Do they start with Dry Fire? And if so how long before they move on?
Do the warriors advance individually or have to keep up to the group?
Blessings.
Doesn't matter one bit how much """dry fire""" non-flinch practice one does, and I speak from sad experience with this problem. The best way to get past it is to get a couple of full brass and full slug dummy rounds, mix two live rounds with two dummy rounds, load them in a mag, and (at a range) fire. You'll randomly get live/dummies, and it will highlight the process that leads to flinch, allowing the shooter to be more deliberate. Once about 50 rounds (2 at a time with 2 dummies) is gone through, a person will notice far less of a flinch. Doing this for a couple hundred rounds will likely eliminate it entirely. More exposure to gun sounds also inoculates the nervous system from flinching as time goes on.
What’s the secret to a relaxed trigger finger press on the trigger and not jerking trigger. This is an area where I’m trying to build consistency.
thanks love the t-shirt
I enjoy your vids, and love your GIjOE lunch box too...
Lv th science/physics xplaind in ur instrctns. U clearly hv an undrstng of *rewiring the brain
To pick a small nit...... Lots of activities are called meditation. Many meditation techniques involve moving away from action. w/all do respect, What is your definition of meditation? The neural pathway altering techniques are a great approach.
Ron
Where can I get that shirt
🕉️🙏 I see you planting the seeds of light haha. Consciousness. The more spiritual side of life. Thank you
My problem is that my shots are dead center for the first several rounds and then I start shooting high and to the left. Reload, same exact thing.
I had a horrible "flinch" or anticipation for a long time and was so frustrated by it I almost quit shooting. I've shot guns my whole life but couldn't handle the idea that i would miss the entire target because of my flinch. Buy a pellet pistol. Preferably a blowback pellet pistol. It cured me. I had dry practiced a ton and could press the trigger perfectly every time however my mind knew when the gun was "hot" and everything changed. I went immediately back to flinching. The benefit of the pellet gun is that you still experience the recoil, less of it obviously, but you can shoot it in your house or garage and you can see the resulting shot when you do it right or wrong . I learned to press the trigger past the sear, instead of coming up to it and then jerking it back as fast as possible to beat the recoil. That technique works just as well shooting rapid fire as it does slowly, either way that's the only way you can shoot with any accuracy.
When i shoot, I blink (both eyes close). How do i stop that.
Hold your eyes open with tape
Been shooting many years.My problem is when dry firing I know the gun is not loaded and I don't flinch.At range with snap caps I usually push down when trigger is pulled.I have started using one cap in every mag. at range.
Very little advice given here. The main point I got was "You can do it, it is SUPER EASY." Thanks loads.
I can shoot most firearms without flinching, but I flinch when I shoot my 500 magnum, and I only flinch when it's loaded not doing dry firing, I've tried that but I really want to stop flinching