Ya know, if you have a problem with the term muscle memory, don't blame me. I didn't invent the term.
However, I know you know perfectly well what I am referring to when I use the term "muscle memory". It's a been used a long time and is an excepted term.
Enjoy.
Mutt:Originally Posted by Mutt
Sure I have problems with the term because most of the people using it do so because they have no clue what is going on with a shooter. It has become the 'your breathing is wrong' excuse for poor performance.
That is why I am interested in how people define the term.
You relayed the saying that it takes 7000 repetitions of X to induce this muscle memory so I asked why 7K? Maybe you know or maybe you heard something that actually makes sense.
LR55
LR,
I can see where you are coming from. I'm just so used to hearing and using the term in the same context and probably automatically assume everyone knows the term for what I know it for. But, I guess that isn't always the case. I can see where a term like that gets thrown out and passed along enough time to muddle and confuse the meaning and intent. I bet it gets thrown around rather loosely over on ARFCOM (I don't go there anymore).
When I was in law enforcement, they hammered us hard with muscle memory. Where it came into play the most was when drawing from a holster, aiming and shooting accurately. The same was true for shotgun and rifle. First teach the correct weapon ready carry position (low ready), then practice the shoulder, aim, sweep the safety, front sight press, cycle, reload (or mag change) etc. With pistol, it was always ..... Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. We would practice the same motions over and over. Snap, draw, clear, point, stance, front sight, press (the trigger), reload, repeat. They wanted us to be able to draw and get on target without much thought. Bascially reacting to circumstances. I also taught for some time. In most of the curiculum, it taught about muscle memory and that's where the 7000 repetitions came from. I can't remember all the curiculum, put alot still sticks with me. I'm pretty sure almost all the information actaully came from FBI statistics, since most training curiculum are based on current FBI training, stats and case study. All of which crosses over to much of the firearms training I've either participated in, taught or attended. So, when I teach someone how to shoot (in civilian life), I usually teach them the basics first and explain to them why it is so important to be able to repeat the act over and over. That way, once they do develope better marksmanship it's easier to reproduce results, since the basic principles are already automatic.
Why 7000??? ...... No idea, that's just what they taught. Not sure who came up with it. But, if you know anyone that's ever taught at FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center ..... they teach the FBI, DOD, Secret Service etc. academy) they mave have a better idea. I bet if you emailed or mailed them about any info they may have on muscle memory, they may help you out.
I'm not saying anyone here is wrong. Some of the posts are a little beyond basics though.
ETA: Here's a decent article ............ http://www.actiontarget.com/tactical...tors-shooters/
Here's another one ............. http://www.policeone.com/columnists/...muscle-memory/
This is a pretty good example ..... http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...4224871136293#
Last edited by Mutt; 12-08-2011 at 03:19 AM.
Gentleman, one of the reasons that we invited LR1955 to serve as the Marksmanship Moderator was because of his vast experience training and coaching military and civilian shooters.
Although he is retired from the Army, he is anything BUT a conventional "the Army way is the ONLY way" thinker. He has evaluated what has worked to teach and coach, and some of his ideas may not fit what has come to be thought of as the "conventional" teaching and coaching method.
He is very open to ACTUAL performance enhancing techniques, and his posts here are often of the "evaluate your sacred cow and see if it REALLY is the best way" nature. His purpose is to make YOU evaluate what you do and decide if it might be done better in a different way.
Although he is somewhat brusque in his writing at times, his intent is to make you think through your points, and defend them with sound argument, so that the results you talk about can be repeated by others.
When he questions you, it is not because he thinks you don't know what you are talking about, but because he wants you to clarify what your thought process is so that less experienced shooters can duplicate what you do if at all possible, IF IT WORKS!
Having spent many hours with LR1955, and having watched several hundred new shooters learn from him and his staff, I appreciate his ability to get people who have never shot at any significant distance to accomplish things they never thought possible.
Is his way the ONLY way? Of course not! But he will make you evaluate what works and why, and that is his purpose.
Please continue to contribute, since many have minimal experience at this kind of shooting, and every idea might have some merit. Re-examine what your "sacred cows" are, and see if there isn't something you can do to improve your shooting, or help with a newbie!
"The root cause is not that islam has a fundamentally flawed ideology with violence and degradation for all those overcome by its ravenous doctrine or the intended spread of its evil dominance in ever increasing areas but that there is a spiritual battle that is being waged between good and evil."
Von Gruff
Muscle memory, as I understand it, is related to repetition of movement. The Term "muscle memory" is a misnomer. No muscles have memory. The brain in conjunction with the rest of the body learn repetitive motions so that they come more easily. Kinda a Darwinian thing. Typing is an ideal example of "muscle memory." Takes time and a lot of initial effort and repitition. Yes, neurons are attached to the mucsles that move the body, but it is the strengthening of the motions via repetition that helps the police or military or citizen that make us quicker, more accurate, etc.
What I leaned in school, and what has helped me in many things I do. Like they say, How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.
One more thing. State of mind and awareness are also a form or "muscle memory" with no muscles. When you are trained to be "situationally aware" it has nothing to do with muscles. You learn patterns of your surroundings, sounds, sight, etc that Spec ops are masters of. Police are the same way on the street. Small indicators let them know where the bad guy is and what he is doing. Just wanted to throw that in.
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