Counter Ambush Concepts: Physics & Physiology

Physics and Physiology are objective. The human body is built a certain way and does certain things. The way a gun operates, and the way bullets are engineered to perform, are relatively easy things to breakdown and understand. This Session explains why understand physics and physiology is important to your preparation for self-defense.

There are several reasons that “multiple shots to the high center chest” is the default advice given to defensive shooting students in regard to responding to a typical threat with a handgun. This Session introduces the definition of the Defensive (or “Combat”) Accuracy and why understanding the concept is important. The physiology of the High Center Chest is discussed, as is why looking at it as a general area on the human body (as opposed to set of specific organs or smaller divisions) is vital to development efficient shooting skills.

Building on the previous class session, Session 3 addresses those times when the standard high center chest response is not an option and taking the option of shooting at a threat’s head becomes the better choice. The concept of Defensive Accuracy is applied to this target area and the specifics of the physiology are covered in this session.

The majority of defensive shooting situations result in the threat being stopped psychologically, not physically. While we cannot count on (and do not train for) the threat changing his mind before we are forced to stop them physically, we must understand the role that psychological stops play. This Session explains why understanding that most stops are psychological is so important, especially to putting anecdotes or statistics from prior events into perspective and considering how they should influence your gear and training decisions.

The choice you make about which type of ammunition to load into your defensive firearm is vital. The wrong ammunition could render your gun useless. Poor ammunition choices mean it will be less likely that you stop your threat. By understanding the ammunition options, you will be empowered to make the best choice and determine whether or not that choice will work reliably in your firearm. This Session covers bullet design, reliability and how you should go about testing the ammunition you choose for reliability with your chosen firearm.

This Session covers the conceptual requirements of a defensive firearm and why they are what they are. In the absence of well-defined requirements, you could end up making a poor choice when you are choosing the tool that you are going to count on to protect you and those you care about. Furthermore, if you establish flawed parameters, you may end up with a gun that is perfect for target shooting, competition or hunting but not optimized for personal defense.

This Session covers the types of firearms that are not best choices for defensive use, but may be your only option. For those with shooting experience or receiving advice from others who have experience with these types of guns, especially in the recreational shooting or military environments, it is important to understand why these guns are not optimal and what their deficiencies are.

In this Session, the fundamentals of defensive shooting are covered, with an emphasis on why specific positions and techniques are recommended. Defensive Shooting is a physical activity with a lot of moving parts. Guns are complex machines that need a stable platform behind them to operate reliably and to be controlled efficiently. With a thorough understanding of these concepts, your defensive shooting skill development can proceed as rapidly as possible.

There are natural instinctive reactions that occur when people are startled. This Session introduces the foundational concept that these reactions are likely to occur if you are suddenly attacked while in your home, workplace or going about activities in a public space. Accepting that reality is the first step in developing a training program that integrates these reactions into your learned responses, and makes you more efficient in your defense, even during an ambush.

Fighting is an athletic endeavor. This is true regardless of whether you are going to respond forcefully or by trying to escape the threat entirely. It makes sense that one of the most common natural reactions to being ambushed is for a person to lower their center of gravity, which prepares the body for action. This Session goes over the physiology of this reaction and how it affects our training.

The human sensory system is very good at focusing our attention on potential or actual threats, especially when they present themselves suddenly or with intensity. This Session goes over the physical aspects of focusing on sudden stimuli and how it should affect your training and preparation.

When your sensory system detects a potential threat, one of the important natural reactions is the placement of your hands and arms between your eye line and the threat. This Session discusses both the physical aspects of this almost-instant reaction and how it affects the way you should train.

If people have something in their hands when they are startled, they tend to grasp tighter and generally isolate the position of their hands relative to their bodies. This natural reaction has implications in regard to potential accidents with firearms as well as training for extreme close quarters situations.

There are distinct changes in the way your eyes collect, and your brain processes, information when you are startled. In the past, this phenomenon has been portrayed as a negative, “tunnel vision.” This Session talks about the physiology that helps you to be able to collect vital information more efficiently while you are defending yourself or others.

It is well documented that people’s recollections of traumatic events include distortions in the perception of time. Physical changes in the way the brain operates when under extreme and sudden stress account for these discrepancies. This Session explains why these distortions happen, important nuances to how they differ in regard to the observation of threats and performance of learned skills.

The reduction of blood flow to your extremities when you are in a fight mode is an overall survival positive in the natural world, but it has obvious effects on your ability to do things like control your defensive pistol or other tools. This final Session will help you understand what is happening in context and make better decisions about the type of gear you should choose and performance expectations you should have.