How do you define training? I see a lot of stuff out there, but not a lot of training.

If you consider just shooting some drills training then you might need to rethink why you’re spending cash on these types of classes.

What are the goals of the class? The terminal objectives and then enabling objectives? If you don’t know what these are then that’s the first problem.

If you look at any industry there are always different levels of instructional skill. A task might not be too complicated, but is your instructor truly instructing you or are you just along for the ride?

As an example, there are several ways to improve fitness. You can change your diet, exercise more, stop destructive habits and make a lifestyle change. Which of these will impact your fitness? They are all important, but what will be your focus.

The point is you need to have some sort of measurable goal and steps to take in order to reach that goal. In my experience many students come to a class and expect to make big gains when the class is over. I’m not saying they are not going to improve, that’s a no brainer, but the real question is how will those improvements in class translate to long-term sustainability. If the program is designed correctly, they should be able to return and see either their progress or their decline. Some might encourage you to move on to the next level, maybe, but they should be able to repeat that class and witness marked improvements.

You won’t know where to go if you don’t know where you are. This is where I see the value of well structured training programs. They should provide you with an in-depth assessment of your overall skill. You should walk away with; “OK, I’m good at that so sustain and I suck at this so improve.” Once you have established this baseline, now you have a reference point to gauge progress. The next biggest mistake I see is folks who get comfortable with their last performance. You may have killed it in your last range drill, but what matters is what you can do now, at this moment, on demand.

The two hallmarks of any great program, whether improving your fitness or shooting or whatever, is honesty and discipline. You have to be honest with yourself and in your assessments. It can sometimes hurt the ego when you realize maybe you are not as good as you think you are, but that same honesty is what is going to make the difference as you scratch and claw for every gain you make. Discipline is what keeps you focused and is not to be confused with motivation. Motivation will at some point wane, but discipline is rock steady all the time. Be disciplined in your training, if you find yourself having a bad day it’s your discipline that will keep you committed.

So, put out. It’s not going to be easy to make changes or improvements, but it is always worth the effort.