Lateral Movement Defense
Rob PincusRob Pincus talks about and shows how to take advantage of the delay between recognition of a threat and the ability to address that threat through lateral movements.
Here's another important video from the Personal Defense Network. What we can do immediately to start improving our chance of survival and to significantly effect that target's ability to present a lethal threat once you've recognized it is to move laterally relative to that target. To move off line. Particularly if we're startled, we respond to the target and we've gotta go to a holster, we're gonna have a lot of time to change our position before we can actually engage the target. So we wanna start working that into our training.
Shooting in a realistic environment means taking maximum advantage of that environment. Obviously from a presentation, whether you're in the ready or you're obviously gonna be more likely from a holster, there's a delay between the time you recognize a threat to the time that you can respond appropriately and efficiently to get those combat-accurate hits. One of the things we can do during that lag time between recognition and response is to move laterally relative to the target to make it harder for that other person with the firearm to hit us. If, for instance, I were to walk into my kitchen and find a home intruder with a firearm pointed at me and all I were to do were to orient towards the threat, draw and shoot. That person has all this time to shoot at me while I'm doing that.
Instead, what I wanna do is recognize the attack. Obviously the gun's pointed out at me as I recognize it. Now at this point, if I move laterally as I draw and extend, it's much harder for that person to hit me. When we draw and extend towards a target and then try to track laterally, we have that momentum. And it's much harder to get on target than it is if we were to identify and extend out.
So by pointing the gun out at you, that home intruder has already chosen to engage. The best thing and the most important thing that you can do while responding with your firearm is to do that recognition of the attack and then lateral movement as you respond, causing him to have to shift his point of aim to the left or right. We're gonna be in the ready position. I'm gonna give you your command to fire. You're gonna recognize your threat, which is gonna be the target in front of you.
You're gonna realize that what you need to do is to get multiple hits in that high center chest area to stop the threat. While we're doing that we're gonna move. So on the recognition you're going to now start side stepping. We're in close quarters, this is a new skill. We're moving to another level.
For safety's sake, we're going to alternate left and right. First time you're gonna go right, second time you're gonna go left. You're gonna move as a group. So your command to fire will be up. You'll recognize your attack, move to the right, take your shots.
We'll be here. Up! Come back into the ready position, stand by. The next command to fire. Up!
We're gonna move as we present. We should be planted a full body width off line, significantly effecting that target's ability to present a lethal threat before we engage. Weapon's loaded. Go ahead and holster. Everyone back up on the line.
Grip your firearm and go to the ready position. Muzzle depressed, high at your chest. Stand by for your command to fire. You're gonna side step to the right. Everybody hot?
Stand by. Up! Up! Check out more videos just like this one at the Personal Defense Network.
off-line right or off-line left are range restrictions, these represent the FIRST step to cover and nothing more. Too many instructors believe and teach these to be end all movements; which they are not. The old " bad guys" have no training and a simple off line movement will save you is misinformation and not something you should bet your life on,in a real gun fight you will continue to move to the nearest cover! Instructors need to recognize the drill for what it is and ensure they understand and explain to their students that it is only the first step to cover.
What I like about this is that it incorporates movement into the draw and fire practice. When being attacked it is normal to crouch and move to cover. This drill would ingrain drawing and aiming into what you would most likely be doing without thinking. I know this was not the intent of the drill but I think it's another reason to do it.
Great video, we train using airsoft (blow back semi-auto) pistols to get the mechanics down without wasting a lot of money on ammo at our martial arts gym (Israeli system) , then we'll go to someone's land and use the same mechanics with live rounds... firing while moving is not natural for anyone, so it is real important to practice these movements (fight like you train)
USEFUL! It's this sort of training that gives us an edge.
It's obvious that the instructer knows his objective, however, to stand in front of a firing line with each students gun loaded at a low ready is beyond common sense!
I teach defensive pistolcraft in Costa Rica. These videos are very helpful. Thanks, Paul Furlong, Shootright.blogspot.com
It's important to remember: Most criminal elements have zero training. They have a gun and bad intent. How many videos have we seen where the "bad boys" turn into the Keystone Cops running into each other as they run out the door? You as an armed citizen can take control of the situation by doing something they do not expect, and this is a prime example. Be a survivor, not a statistic. Start training like you will fight and you will recall that training when the fight comes to you. Great video!