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Skill Set: Fighting Stance
By Tiger McKee
To fight effectively with firearms you must have stability - to shoot accurately - the ability to move - creating distance or moving to cover - and flexibility, because you never know what will happen. This is why we need to examine our fighting stance. Look at most people when they are training with firearms and they are usually just standing there firing their weapon, in a shooting stance and not a fighting stance. Although shooting may be a component of the fight sequence, there is a world of difference between shooting and fighting, and we must train and practice accordingly.
My fighting stance is the same whether I'm fighting with empty hands, an edged weapon, impact/striking instrument, handgun, or rifle. (The only variable for me is with shotguns, and they require a much more aggressive stance to manage the recoil involved.) I start with the feet shoulder width apart, with my left foot pointing towards the target, and my right foot slightly behind the left; the toes of my right foot usually end up on line with the heel of my left foot, and pointing slightly outward, say at about a twenty-degree angle. I bend the knees, but not a full crouch, and shift about sixty percent of my weight to the left foot, bending forward at the waist so the shoulders are about even with the front of the left foot. In addition to this I normally lift the heel of my right foot about a half-inch off the ground, which transitions the weight on that leg to the toes and ball of the foot.
This aggressive stance creates a balanced position, providing the stability to fight effectively with any weapon, or none. From this stance, especially with the heel of the right foot slightly off the ground, you are ready to move, dynamically if necessary, in any direction. Since the direction of movement is dictated by the confrontation, and initially I may be in a reactive state, the ability to move quickly and efficiently is mandatory. The aggressive nature of the stance reduces the possibility of losing balance if you get shoved, or take a hit, and allows my body mass to assist me in recovering from the recoil of a firearm, which permits quicker follow up shots.
In a fight you may not be able to obtain a perfect fighting stance, just remember you need balance and the ability to move. And if you are forced to compromise in stance you'll need to compensate in another area. For example when moving and firing, the sights will be moving around as weight is shifted between the legs, so you'll really need a good smooth press on the trigger to score a hit.
This is the stance and principles that work for me. As with any aspect of fighting your task is to discover what works for you, using your weapons, and under combative conditions. Then fine-tune your skills with plenty of practice. And remember in a fight, it ain't gotta be pretty, it just has to work.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama, author of The Book of Two Guns, a staff member of several firearms/tactical publications, and an adjunct instructor for the F.B.I. (256) 582-4777 www.shootrite.org