Finding time to go to the range isn’t always the easiest thing to do for everyone. We all have busy lives and even though range time is basically the male equivalent of a spa day, it’s not always easy to set aside a specific time to train. Often times when we get to the range, we like to do the same drills multiple times without trying anything new or pushing ourselves. In the past, I’ve talked about finding targets online to mix up training, but incorporating movement is a fairly big factor to gauge your current skill levels. Shooting on the move can also show a shooter what improvements they need to work on based off their hits on target.

Adding in Foot Work

When adding in foot work for regular shooting drills, it sounds like a fairly simple thing to do. In reality, adding foot work into various shooting drills will probably open your groups up or slow your time down. I still find it amazing how such a small thing like walking, can have such an impact on my shooting. The big difference when shooting stationary is the fact your brain can solely focus on putting rounds on target. As soon as you add movement into the equation, it becomes initially harder to put rounds on target since you have to concentrate on your target while moving.

Let’s be honest, it may not always be a very fun time to push your limits and attempt new things at the range. Now I’m not talking about sprinting and acting like a tier 1 operator because nothing is enjoyable about that. Instead, I’m talking about just adding a few basic walking and shooting drills at first. When things get easier for you, it’s time to move on to shooting from barriers and cover.

Moving And Shooting From Different Positions

Moving and shooting is a great way to challenge yourself at first but after a while, it’s really a great idea to start shooting from various positions. Something like a barrier is a great option to force you into different shooting positions like squatting or kneeling. It’s good to work in transitions during your shooting so you’re continually moving into new positions and forcing yourself to shoot in positions you might not otherwise try. Now keep in mind firearm safety should be priority number one still, but it’s ok to get in uncomfortable positions to make the shot.

Just this last weekend, I went out to the range with three other buddies and we practiced shooting from squatting, kneeling and prone positions using barriers. It wasn’t about being tactical but more of a competition to see who could make their shots on target while being in a different position or trying to shoot from spots we might not otherwise be used to.

Overall Thoughts

I can almost bet there’s at least one person getting ready to write in the comments how this is overly tacticool and normal people don’t do this. I hate to break it to you, but there are plenty of people who aren’t tacticool that just want to make shooting more challenging. There are plenty of shooters who simply want more than standing in front of a target and firing rounds into a paper target. It adds another dynamic to shooting and I encourage all you guys to give it a try at least.

Just remember, if it’s too much and you don’t enjoy adding another task while shooting, you can always go back to stationary shooting. If you guys would like to look at how to build a shooting barrier or seeing different drills with movement incorporated into them, let me know in the comments below. If you have any questions about drills or shooting with barriers don’t hesitate to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there!