Can I improve my reaction time?

I started competing in USPSA Carry Optics division a year ago as part of my personal practice. It’s a great way to test and develop my fundamental shooting skills. It keeps me informed about the latest trends and developments in technique and gear. As an instructor, it gives me an opportunity to evaluate my knowledge and curriculum. And it gives me a chance to experiment. 

Participating in matches not only tests my skills and performance under pressure, but it informs my teaching. Not surprising, in order to be competitive, “movement” is absolutely key to success. And, in a broader sense, “reaction time.” Which has direct defensive utility. And what competition reveals to me is that I need to improve my reaction time and my movement. This is something that I already embed in my own personal practice and a key area I focus on in training with my students.

I want to get real good at this. And I want to pass that along to my students. So the big question is, can reaction time be developed and improved? Can I learn to hit targets at a faster pace? Can I train my eyes to move more quickly when tracking targets? Can I process targets more effectively and apply the appropriate aiming scheme based on the size, distance and risk associated with the target? Am I able to execute burst movements? Can I shoot accurately while flowing through a stage? Can I remember my stage plan and get the work done? 

These are just some of the things I need to be thinking about when running a stage in a match. And I have the data to show that my reaction time needs to improve if I want to be competitive. I get to compare my results with a larger group running the same stage. So while my accuracy is on par with some of the better shooters, my times running these stages lag.

So I need to improve my reaction time.

How?

I did a little research. And based on what the research says, I can make improvements in reaction time by employing some mental and physical exercises. Here are a few:

1. Simple dry fire drills, including draw and reloads. Add target transitions to train your eyes to track targets faster. Set fixed times with timer to push speed.

2. Train short burst movements by adding sprints to workout.

3. Visually process surroundings and work to enhance how much can be remembered. 

Now I have to build the habit of including these exercises regularly into my routine and see what results I can achieve.