Feasibility of a Non-Anticipatory, Random-Action Target System to Improve Shooting Performance: A Brief Field Trial
Firearm shooting performance training rightfully focuses on shooting accuracy; however, additional foci should include decision processing speed and reaction time associated with decision making to avoid reaction-only based shooting responses. While advancements in realistic training environments at...
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Sports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/12/11/305 |
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| author | Matthew Lee Smith Ali Boolani |
| author_facet | Matthew Lee Smith Ali Boolani |
| author_sort | Matthew Lee Smith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Firearm shooting performance training rightfully focuses on shooting accuracy; however, additional foci should include decision processing speed and reaction time associated with decision making to avoid reaction-only based shooting responses. While advancements in realistic training environments attempt to mimic “real-world” situations, many remain largely anticipatory or subject to a speed–accuracy trade-off (SAT). The purpose of this brief field trial was to demonstrate the feasibility of a random-action target system (RATS) on participants’ shooting performance (i.e., accuracy, omission, and commission rates) among a convenience sample of six retired police officers and competitive shooters (age range: 45–58 years, mean age = 52.5 ± 5.89). Observational data were gathered from a single-day, three-round trial to test shooting accuracy and shooting errors when shooters were unable to anticipate target appearance location and target exposure speed. In Trial 1, the target exposure time was 0.5 s, which increased to 0.7 s in Trial 2, and decreased back to 0.5 s in Trial 3. Shooting accuracy generally increased, while omission and commission generally decreased, when shooters were presented with targets exposed for longer durations. From Trial 1 to Trial 3 (both trials with 0.5 s target exposures), shooters showed higher median accuracy rates, lower median omission rates, and lower median commission rates. Findings suggest that a non-anticipatory, RATS holds promise for improving shooting performance and offset SAT among shooters with firearm experience. However, additional trials are needed with the RATS to replicate these findings among a larger and more diverse set of participants, who train with the RATS consistently, over longer durations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1fd38879ee8447bdbbe35953d4af0a12 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2075-4663 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sports |
| spelling | doaj-art-1fd38879ee8447bdbbe35953d4af0a122025-08-20T02:27:39ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632024-11-01121130510.3390/sports12110305Feasibility of a Non-Anticipatory, Random-Action Target System to Improve Shooting Performance: A Brief Field TrialMatthew Lee Smith0Ali Boolani1School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77808, USAHuman Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USAFirearm shooting performance training rightfully focuses on shooting accuracy; however, additional foci should include decision processing speed and reaction time associated with decision making to avoid reaction-only based shooting responses. While advancements in realistic training environments attempt to mimic “real-world” situations, many remain largely anticipatory or subject to a speed–accuracy trade-off (SAT). The purpose of this brief field trial was to demonstrate the feasibility of a random-action target system (RATS) on participants’ shooting performance (i.e., accuracy, omission, and commission rates) among a convenience sample of six retired police officers and competitive shooters (age range: 45–58 years, mean age = 52.5 ± 5.89). Observational data were gathered from a single-day, three-round trial to test shooting accuracy and shooting errors when shooters were unable to anticipate target appearance location and target exposure speed. In Trial 1, the target exposure time was 0.5 s, which increased to 0.7 s in Trial 2, and decreased back to 0.5 s in Trial 3. Shooting accuracy generally increased, while omission and commission generally decreased, when shooters were presented with targets exposed for longer durations. From Trial 1 to Trial 3 (both trials with 0.5 s target exposures), shooters showed higher median accuracy rates, lower median omission rates, and lower median commission rates. Findings suggest that a non-anticipatory, RATS holds promise for improving shooting performance and offset SAT among shooters with firearm experience. However, additional trials are needed with the RATS to replicate these findings among a larger and more diverse set of participants, who train with the RATS consistently, over longer durations.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/12/11/305firearm trainingshooting performanceshooting accuracyrandom-action target system |
| spellingShingle | Matthew Lee Smith Ali Boolani Feasibility of a Non-Anticipatory, Random-Action Target System to Improve Shooting Performance: A Brief Field Trial Sports firearm training shooting performance shooting accuracy random-action target system |
| title | Feasibility of a Non-Anticipatory, Random-Action Target System to Improve Shooting Performance: A Brief Field Trial |
| title_full | Feasibility of a Non-Anticipatory, Random-Action Target System to Improve Shooting Performance: A Brief Field Trial |
| title_fullStr | Feasibility of a Non-Anticipatory, Random-Action Target System to Improve Shooting Performance: A Brief Field Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feasibility of a Non-Anticipatory, Random-Action Target System to Improve Shooting Performance: A Brief Field Trial |
| title_short | Feasibility of a Non-Anticipatory, Random-Action Target System to Improve Shooting Performance: A Brief Field Trial |
| title_sort | feasibility of a non anticipatory random action target system to improve shooting performance a brief field trial |
| topic | firearm training shooting performance shooting accuracy random-action target system |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/12/11/305 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT matthewleesmith feasibilityofanonanticipatoryrandomactiontargetsystemtoimproveshootingperformanceabrieffieldtrial AT aliboolani feasibilityofanonanticipatoryrandomactiontargetsystemtoimproveshootingperformanceabrieffieldtrial |