The Drill:
Varying your shooting position is important while training for real-life situations. In this training scenario, we’re going to look at an alternative shooting position: standing to kneeling. You will also incorporate a controlled pair, which we covered in a previous Tactical Tuesday video.

The Setup:
Aside from your normal shooting gear, the only additional element you will need for this drill is a safe place to kneel. While shooting this video, we used a rubber mat to add a little bit of cushion and comfort. Pants are also a good idea (to help protect your knees). The surface to which you are going to kneel should be free of debris (spent shell casings, rocks or other sharp objects). You will be in a lowered position and shooting at an upward trajectory; therefore, you must ensure a sufficient backstop is also present.

The Skills:
In a real-life self-defense situation, it is possible that you will be taking incoming fire from your attacker. This drill highlights how to shoot from a kneeling position, which can be used when shooting from behind low cover. Additionally, if your defensive shooting occurs in a crowded area, your rounds are less likely to hit an innocent bystander since they will be traveling at an upward trajectory.

The Details:
Start out facing the target at approximately 10-15 feet. If you’re utilizing a mat to kneel on, it should be positioned directly in front of your feet. When moving from standing to kneeling, you want to have your firearm out before you start to move. Likewise, once you are done shooting, you must stand before re-holstering. It is possible to accidently pass the muzzle of your firearm over your leg if you try to draw while moving to or from the kneeling position. For this reason, you must draw your firearm before moving from the standing position. In the video, you see two different methods of kneeling: a single knee and a double knee. Try both and see which one works best for you and your individual mobility/flexibility.

Steps:

  • Face the target.
  • Draw to the low-ready position.
  • Step out with your off-leg and kneel on your strong-side knee (same side as your shooting hand).
  • Acquire a good sight picture and perform a controlled pair.
  • Scan and assess.
  • Return to a standing position (keeping your muzzle downrange).
  • Scan and assess.
  • Re-holster.

The steps for the double knee are almost identical except that you go down on to both knees instead of just your off-hand-side knee. If physically possible, try both methods and see which one works best for you.

Note:  Kneeling on both knees simultaneously can be more challenging for people with less mobility and flexibility. Go slow and take your time. Avoid dropping down with significant force.

Safety Considerations:
As always, be sure to follow the four universal safety laws. It is important that, whenever your firearm is out of the holster, the muzzle is always pointed downrange. All holster work, drawing and re-holstering should be done in the standing position. Take things nice and slow and ensure all your actions are deliberate. Double check that the surface you are kneeling on is free of debris. Kneeling on an upward facing shell casing is not a fun training experience. Since your rounds will be fired at an upward trajectory, you MUST ensure you have an adequate backstop to safely catch those rounds.

Closing Thoughts:
Alternating your shooting positions while training will help keep things interesting and serve to keep you out of the closed, range-training mindset. Run mental training exercises while performing this drill. Imagine yourself behind cover or shooting an assailant in a crowded area. These mental exercises will help condition your brain to act in the event you ever need to deploy your skills in a real-world situation.

Vary your training. Keep it fun. Keep it safe. And keep practicing.