Visualization

And it is a technique that can be quite valuable to the defensive shooter, as well. I'm talking about visualization.

In the past we have talked about "what if" games, which is taking the time to imagine those likely criminal attacks that a person might have to deal with and deciding how best to deal with them. This is also a form of visualization. It helps a person "see" the moves he must make to successfully deal with the threat.

Now, for goodness sakes, please don't confuse visualization with day dreaming. You know, those are the little mind dramas where you take care of all the bad guys and save all the pretty girls. You'll know it is day dreaming because pretty girls are nearly always involved in such flights of fantasy.

Visual awareness has been shown to improve mental awareness and confidence. It is the process of creating a mental image or intention of what you want the outcome of an event to be. Scientific research has shown that physical and psychological reactions can be improved through visualization. Visualization can lock the necessary moves into your mind.

So we might use visualization in deciding how we will deal with a particular defensive scenario. It can help us remember to look for danger, identify threats and take advantage of cover. And it can also help us develop the confidence that we need to successfully overcome a threat.

And visualization can also help us with the various chores related to gun handling and marksmanship. In our spare time, we visualize the steps to make a smooth speed load. We visualize seeing that front sight before we launch each shot. And our awareness and confidence level continues to increase.

Now, please don't misunderstand. Visualization does not take the place of live-fire practice. Nor does it even take the place of dry practice. But there are times in our lives when neither is possible at the moment, yet we do have time for thinking. If it works to help our top athletes win in their games, it just might be the very thing to help you win in the serious business of personal defense.