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Dry Fire Training Cards 21 Day Challenge Questions
I want to give you instant access to a valuable PDF with 3 drills you can do with or without a pistol that will give you tighter, faster groups the next time you go to the range.
You’ll learn how to fix low-left groups, shoot better with both eyes open (even with cross-eye dominance) and make your sights come into immediate, automatic alignment with the target each time you draw.
60 Comments
Ron Dunbar
September 15, 2017I received a notification saying that you responded to my question Ox.
However i cannot find it anywhere. Any help would be appreciated
Ox
September 15, 2017Ron, I remember replying to you, but can’t remember the topic or where it was and searching a few of the most likely places didn’t reveal anything. I apologize, but do you remember what your question was?
Jim Ponczek
February 27, 2017How would you rate this as a tool for teaching a new shooter?
I’ve purchased a SIRT pistol and an looking to teach a few new shooters the ropes as well as putting the edge back on my skills.
Any suggestions in that vein? When should I have them make the jump to live ammo?
Ox
February 28, 2017Hey Jim,
It’s a great program for teaching a new shooter…as long as it’s combined with live, in-person safety instruction.
When you switch to live ammo depends on the shooter. They need to demonstrate that they can be safe with dry fire before you let them shoot live fire.
One thing that you can do that’s very effective is to go over lessons at home with the SIRT in small chunks over a period of several days. Then, when you switch to live fire, have them treat the SIRT like a real gun and go through the motions. When you/they are comfortable, switch to live fire. If any bad habits or sloppiness creep in, switch back and forth between the SIRT to correct the issue and live fire to validate/verify the change.
Wayne Rispalje
January 20, 2017I am not ready to start the 21 day test as of yet. I have purchased the 235.00 package and I have to re-arrange some things before getting started. I will let you know or is it even possible to start later when I am ready?
Ox
January 21, 2017I replied back by email yesterday, but yes! You have lifetime access and can start whenever, go at the speed you want, and re-take the course as many times as you want.
Greg
November 26, 2016I just finished the Day 21, Light the Way, 15 minute “Dive in the dark” session. Looking back over the last 21 days, I’m convinced the I have learned better techniques and improved more than I have during a number of years in the past, including through a number of “advanced” courses I have been sent to or attended on my own. I’m hooked on the reference cards and carry them with me (use them when I’ve got a few minutes of unoccupied time). Thanks,
Greg
Ox
November 28, 2016Thank you, Greg!
Kenny
November 8, 2016while doing the eyes closed drill I am consistently low, any suggestions?
Ox
November 9, 2016That’s very common and nothing to worry about. Here’s what I’d suggest…
1. Do 3 half-speed drawstrokes and presentation with your eyes open.
2. Do 1 half-speed drawstrokes and presentation with your eyes shut. If you’re not lined up to an acceptable level of precision, stay emotionally inert, adjust the alignment to where you wanted it to be, and repeat steps 1 & 2, up to 5 times in a row, but don’t beat the drill to death…it may take a few days for the neural pathways and cybernetic loop to rewire.
In the 60s (I believe), NASA had astronauts wear goggles that flipped the world upside down. Within 21-30 days, all of the astronauts began seeing the world “correctly” through these goggles…it just took time for the wiring in the brain to adjust. This is much simpler and won’t take that long.
Another drill you can do is split your drawstroke and presentation into 4 “chunks”. How you do it doesn’t matter, and doesn’t need to be consistent from time to time.
The first time you do the drill, keep your eyes open for the first 3 chunks of the drill and close your eyes for the 4th. So you might keep your eyes open while obtaining your grip, drawing, getting your support hand grip, and acquiring your gun/sights in your peripheral vision. The only time you will have your eyes shut are for the last part of the extension.
When you are consistently getting your sights lined up to the level of precision that you want, then simply start closing your eyes sooner in the process. Please let me know your results and which works better for you!
Pat Capobianco
November 8, 2016I’m using a red dot on my Glock 19 how can incorporate this exercise using my setup?
Ox
November 9, 2016Hey Pat, I can’t tell which specific drill you’re referring to…could you let me know?
Harold
November 1, 2016Just started with the 21 day challenge. While I’m not new to firearms and Awesome training (USMC/ former LE) These drills are awesome.
Had a suggestion to add and you may already cover this. Since we’re rarely shooting on flat stable ground how about adding a Bosu ball flipped so the hard side is up or some other balance technique (I use two 2×4’s for my lifting workout for stability training) to some of the drills? Thoughts? This would most like be an advanced technique requiring strong grip and retention when one inevitably loses balance.
Ox
November 1, 2016Thanks Harold! The ball is a great idea if you’ve got one. We go into a lot more balance/vestibular drills in http://dryfirefit.com
Dick
October 18, 2016Dry Fire:
What do you recommend for a SIRT training pistol preferrable of a weight approximating a Glock 40 or 45 caliber full size pistol.
Thanks,
Dick
Ox
October 18, 2016So, there’s a couple of answers to your question…
The SIRT with the steel slide will be closest in size and weight to your Glock 22 (40 caliber). I have one of these, but I mainly use and recommend the polymer framed SIRT (http://dryfirepistol.com) It’s $100-$200 less expensive and I’ve found that the practice that I do on the polymer frame version carries over to all sizes of real-steel Glocks that I shoot.
The .45 is a different animal and I can’t tell you positively what to do. The grip is bigger than the 9/.40. Some people find that practice on the SIRT carries over and others say it is enough different to cause an issue. I wish I could give you a definitive answer on the Glock 21, but I’ve got too small of a pool of anecdotal feedback to do so. Let me know if you figure out a solution.
Ray Leisner
September 17, 2016Ox,
This is a very good, coherent approach. I’ve hit a medical speed bump, and will very likely not complete this program in exactly 21 days. None the less, kindly continue sending the remainder of the material in the current ‘bite sized’ plan. I read each one, and am saving the material in daily increments.
My sense so far is that once I get a sustainable my cyclic training. It will find its own pace of repetition for sustainment of skills and diagnostic tool for finding specific problem areas where I need to really buckle down.
Thanks for the good stuff thus far.
Ray
Tommy
September 13, 2016Hello, on my second day and love it so far! My question is I don’t really have a dominant eye & when shooting with both eyes open my eyes (right hand shooter)seem to loose sight picture and focus! I have always had this problem when shooting with red dot or irons! Any thoughts?
Eric Zelnick
July 31, 2016Ox….these drills are great, but utilizing the SIRT this way exacerbates, rather than helps one of my major issues….namely my tendency to “look” where I hit instead of following through after the trigger squeeze. I think that getting a target or targets that register where the hits were made for later review would help me to overcome this.
Ox
August 1, 2016Hey Eric,
There are a couple of approaches to this issue…and it’s the same issue that people have when the lighting allows them to see their holes on a target.
First, you can put black electrical tape over the laser and just use the SIRT as a resetting trigger. One of the things that I’ve done is put a resetting trigger (non-firing) into one of my Glocks for practicing when this is an issue…that may or may not make sense for you.
Second, whether you’re shooting at paper with bullets or something in your house with a laser, it’s important to discipline yourself to keep your focus on the front sight until you follow through, regardless of what’s going on downrange.
There are a couple of options for registering shot placement that might be a good fit for you. One is a target from LaserLyte bullseye target or the LASR software for your computer. BOTH will let you focus on the front sight and still have a record of how you shot.
Alternatively, you could set up a camera phone and record your string of fire…then you can see whether you’re shooting “lines” or “dots” with the SIRT.
Let me know if that helps or not.
Steve adams
May 16, 2016Are you saying when shooting off hand to use my non dominate eye to aim drill 13
Ox
May 27, 2016Your call. From a purely tactical perspective, you should do whatever you need to to expose as little of your head as possible when leaning around a barrier.
Here’s how it plays out for me…
In practice, when I lean left, I use my left hand and left eye.
When sims are coming at me, I still use my right hand and right eye…I have a little more of my body exposed, but I’m faster and more accurate.
In addition, you’re going to need to figure out how your eyes behave under stress. Despite years of training to use my left eye with my left hand and being able to switch dominance at will in training, when the lights go down and the stress goes up (and it doesn’t have to be much stress) my eye dominance shifts HARD to my right eye and my left eye is just along for the ride.
When I say the stress level doesn’t need to be very high for this shift to happen, I REALLY mean it doesn’t need to be high. It happens for me in as low stress of a situation as low-light competition.
Daron
May 12, 2016Thanks Ox, that is a good point right now I’ve been training CAR for targets up close and contact range then I kind of fall back into a traditional Weaver stance/ grip for longer range shots. I got the cards yesterday so I look forward to practicing with those now and I’ll probably put less focus on CAR for the time being. Thanks again.- Daron
Daron
May 10, 2016Hi Ox, I was wondering what your thought on the Center axis relock (CAR) system, I got an e-book intro about it a while back and like how it trains you to use both eyes and hands and it seems great for tight areas like cars or around corners as well as weapon retention. Anyway I wonder if some of these drill can be adapted or integrated with that system as well, I look forward to getting the cards. Thank you- Daron
Ox
May 12, 2016That’s a tough one to answer…here’s my take on it.
The last thing that MOST shooters need is a completely different technique to learn. Training/practice time would be better spent mastering the fundamentals to the point of unconscious competence. If you begin by training both a standard grip and CAR, your brain won’t consistently default to one or another in stressful situations…it’ll have to decide on the fly which technique to use.
Once you’ve mastered fundamental shooting techniques, if you find that the CAR technique would regularly serve you better, THEN start incorporating it into your shooting.
The CAR technique is nothing new…a lot of shooters, myself included, have “accidentally” found ourselves shooting using that technique when clearing corners or shooting out of a driver’s side window. It’s not something I practice regularly, but I do find myself using it occasionally (once every month or two) to make a shot or a particular movement easier.
Jeff
May 7, 2016Hello,
I just read through day 1 and have a couple questions.
When acquiring your sight should both eyes be open or one closed (I’ve seen arguments for both online)?
Also what about eye dominance, I am right handed and left eye dominant. I’ve read A lot of opinion to swap hands, swap eyes, and some that say to ignore it it doesn’t really effect your shooting because your body naturally adjusts to it.
Thanks,
Jeff
Ox
May 12, 2016The absolute best material on eye dominance in regards to shooting comes from Matt Seibert at Insight: http://dryfiretrainingcards.com/speed-shooting-eye-dominance/
Few people truly understand eye dominance…and few people have a true master dominant eye. The majority of people are affected by one of 170+ factors that determine which (if any) image from the eyes that the brain suppresses. < What I just said is not intended to confuse, but I fully understand that it's confusing and a little overwhelming...it's the result of trying to condense a book worth of info into 2 sentences. All of the advice that you mentioned are both correct and incorrect...it all depends on the individual shooter and which of the factors affect them. If you're willing to shoot yourself on video and send it in, I can tell you a few drills to do that will let me assess and help you. In the meantime, EVENTUALLY you want to have both eyes open, but you may need to partially occlude (partially shut or use scotch tape) your non-dominant eye to train the brain to suppress the image from that eye. Several VERY high speed shooters who I shoot with shoot pistols right handed and are left eye dominant. They turn their head so that their nose blocks their right eye from seeing the sights. Almost all of them have told me that if they could go back and start over, they'd switch over to shooting left handed. Eye dominance affects your shooting TREMENDOUSLY. Vision is 80+% of shooting and a huge percentage of shooting problems are related to vision. The idea that your body naturally adjusts to it is partially true, but not healthy or ideal. You will get better performance, faster, if you take positive control of how you use your eyes for shooting.
Dave
May 3, 2016Do recommend a SIRT for dry fire practice? Does the trigger feel enough like a real Glock? Is there a resetting trigger you recommend. In your experience is the laser trainer better than the simple resetting trigger?
Thanks.
Dave
Ox
May 4, 2016Hey Dave,
I 110% recommend a SIRT for dry fire practice. Here’s a discount: dryfirepistol.com
1. Does the trigger feel enough like a real Glock? I’ve got several Glocks…all but one with factory triggers. They range from having a couple thousand rounds to somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000. All of the triggers are different. There is no single “Glock trigger”. It depends on the generation of the gun, how many rounds you’ve run through it, and even how clean/gritty it is. The SIRT BEHAVES like a Glock trigger and everything that you practice on the SIRT will transfer over to the Glock…regardless of who’s Glock it is.
2. I’m going to do a review of the Southwest Shooting resetting trigger. It’s the only one that I recommend, because it stands up to long term hard use. I have one and use it, but I use the SIRT more. Why? Because the SIRT can sit out on top of a cabinet 24/7 without being secured. This takes away a few big obstacles to practicing and gives you 100% confidence that you won’t have a negligent discharge when training with the SIRT.
Jason
April 22, 2016I practice this drill today. Tomorrow you send me another drill to practice. Do I ever repeat drills from the past? Do I add a new drill to a previous drills making today’s practice longer than yesterday’s? I am eager to learn and want to do so as quickly as possible.
John
April 20, 2016I wouldn’t advocate speeding up on the first day of practice, especially after only 5-15 minutes of practice.
Neural pathways take time and repetition to establish good muscle memory. IMHO speeding up at this point will only serve to ingrain bad habits.
Mackey Morgan
April 19, 2016I have just begun–I’m on day 2. To date, the only practice I have done drawing from concealment has always been with a OWB Kydex holster. But that is NOT how I carry. So I decided I want to practice these drills from my EDC IWB holster at 5 o’clock. But…I am finding that I cannot really “drive down on the gun” to establish a good grip. And it’s very slow, in comparison, because of that. There is just no gap at all between me and my gun for my firing side thumb. And I don’t really see a way to change that. And I got a pretty good scratch, tonight, from my thumbnail! Suggestions?
Ox
April 20, 2016I have that same problem with several holsters and have scratched myself several times…it’s worse in the early spring if I wintered well and put on some weight.
The best solution that I’ve found is the holsters from Crossbreed, the Comptac Minotaur, and Aliengear type holsters that have material between the gun and your body.
Steve Murphy
April 19, 2016Ox,
The day three exercise is very helpful! I wear bifocals and it can be a challenge switching between near (sights) and far (target). Up to now, I practiced with uncorrected shooting glasses as I can get a very clear sight picture and accept a fuzzier target. Forcing my eyes to adapt really fatigues them, but will be worth it.
Any others thoughts on this type of problem?
Murph
Ricky Isreal
April 12, 2016I used to do this drill. But being disabled and in a wheelchair makes it impossible for me to keep any pistol trained and ready before, and between shots.
Linda
April 9, 2016Please disregard my previous question. I did not see the first day email which addresses it perfectly. Thank you.
Linda
April 9, 2016I’ve looked into getting a blue gun for practice, but only found out that they are for law inforcement, or people at gun shows with the need to demonstrate how a holster fits a certain gun.
Is there a place that civilians just wanting to safely practice these drills can get a blue gun?
Also, I live in a home in a neighborhood with a house on all four sides of me. (As I’m sure a majority of gun owners do. Or apartments, even worse.) I have not been dry fire practicing at all because there is no “safe direction” to point my gun. A blatant disregard of safety rules. So what’s a person to do? Just really, really make sure your gun is absolutely safe and press on?
Ox
April 14, 2016GREAT question on “safe directions”. I would use an inert training platform OR a barrel insert/replacement from Bladetech or Mako.
Ivan Kelley
April 4, 2016Good Day,
In your explanation of synchronizing the inner ear and eyes for Day 7, your text says:
“…when you open your eyes and you’re consistently aimed to the exact same spot but it’s to the left of your target, tap on the bone ½”-1” in front of your ear canal, between your ear canal and your eye and right above your jaw muscle on the right side of your face. Repeat the drill. You can also shut your eyes and snap your finger by your right ear, but I prefer tapping the bone. If you’re off to the left, simply tap the bone on the left side of your face.”
Which is it? Do you tap the bone on the opposite or same side as your aim being off?
Thanks,
Doc
Ox
April 14, 2016Very good question. I messed up on the lesson and I apologize…for the vast majority of people, you tap/snap on the side that’s in the direction you want to move your natural point of aim. Some people, for a reason I haven’t been able to figure out yet, are opposite. Also, I’ve found that some people who are extra sensitive/susceptible to snapping/tapping have low vitamin b levels. Once the B levels are normal, their visual/vestibular system stay synchronized and tapping/snapping has little to no effect.
RICK BAPPERT
March 29, 2016HEY OX I HAVE ONLY MY RIGHT EYE AND I SWITCH TO MY LEFT HAND SOMETIMES WITH LIVE FIRE BUT I ALWAYS HAVE A LASER WHEN I TRY THESE LIVE FIRE DRILLS SHOULD I TRY TO GET MY RIGHT EYE IN LINE WITH MY LEFT EYE OR CONTINUE TO USE THE LASER NOT SURE ABOUT LOADING MY ANIMAL MEMORY WITH 2 DIFFERENT THING WHAT DO YOU THINK. THANKS RICK
Ox
March 30, 2016Hey Rick,
Regardless of whether you’re shooting right handed or left handed, you’re going to want to line up the gun under your eye whenever possible. Why? 2 reasons…first, you’ll naturally aim it better that way and get on target faster and second, you’ll be in better shape if the laser fails.
Dave Thompson
March 23, 2016Great drill. Amazing how the mind’s eye works.
Dave Thompson
March 18, 2016Another good lesson. I prefer to call it dry practice. Looking forward to the next session
Andy
March 8, 2016Slide stop vs racking the slide. What should lefties do? Thanks ap
Ox
March 9, 2016Here’s the best technique that I’ve seen…it’s called “the chop” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn69aTBg5Uo
Matt Duer
February 20, 2016Real rookie here when it comes to pistol shooting, learning the two phases has already made me feel giddy
David Sanderson
February 5, 2016You are doing good keep the tips coming . They are very helpful.
THANKS David
Chris
February 3, 2016Just started day one, I am having fun with this, also noticing bad habits I have developed. Looking forward to Carbine Dry fire cards when they come out. Anyway thanks for getting me excited to train again.
Todd Widick
January 29, 2016Ox, Great stuff, can’t wait to get my cards
Thank you
Robert Lind
January 29, 2016Please keep me posted on the AR course. In the mean time I will integrate when I can. Thank you
Todd Carlson
January 28, 2016This is great stuff. I am on day two and am starting to see where I am having problems.
The question I have is I didn’t receive day 5 and I did get day 6 and that was it. Will I receive an email every day until day 21?
Thanks,
Todd Carlson
Steve Roberts
January 25, 2016Do you have any recommendations for those with progressive lenses that help with front sight picture acquisition?
I recently had to have my prescription adjusted, because I was having to use the extreme bottom of my lenses to focus on the front sight. Now I still use the bottom of the glasses lenses, but now the best front sight focus is about 5 mm from the bottom of the lenses. Thus I have to raise my head slightly to obtain precise focus.
I do have single vision, aspherical shooting glasses that I use at the range, but I obviously do not wear these day to day in every day situations.
Maybe I just need to be patient and keep working with the Aim with your eyes closed, training.
Thanks.
Ox
January 28, 2016I’ll get some specific recommendations for you from my shooting vision expert, Matt Seibert (www.1holegroup.com). In the meantime, you’re on the right track 🙂 As you practice making precise sighted shots, you’re developing the neural pathways to bring your sights into alignment between your eye and your target. Eventually, all your eye will be doing is verifying sight alignment and you can still make precise, aimed shots without having a clear, crisp, front sight picture.
Robert Lind
January 25, 2016I am 16 days in to your 21 day program and can see the progress already. I use the AR platform a great deal, probably as much as the pistol. I have been thinking about finishing the 21 days with the pistol and then starting again with the carbine. You know we don’t have the time to become this proficient at the range. What are your thoughts? If you do not recommend using the carbine, can you recommend a course specific to the AR/M4 platform? Thank you.
Ox
January 28, 2016We’re working on an AR course and deck right now 🙂 In the meantime, there’s a lot of value in adapting any pistol drills that you can.
Loreen
January 3, 2016Hi Ox,
Do you have online video to go with the cards
Ox
January 6, 2016I don’t have videos at this time. I’d love to…it’s just a matter of time. It would be relatively straight forward to shoot a video and post it, but editing it so that it’s actually watchable is a challenge.
Martin Bennett
December 22, 2015Hello,
This is great information, however, do you have a reference guide that explains all of the terminology?
Best,
Martin
Ox
January 6, 2016The downloadable companion guide has most of the terminology…but if you have specific questions, please let me know.
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