Vision Progression

Improve vision speed to boost the accuracy and speed of transitions.

What is the Vision Progression Drill?

Vision speed and precision is a very important component of our actual shooting speed and precision. This drill works on boosting vision speed by isolating the vision component of the drill, and then slowly adding the non-eye movement parts of the drill.

It is much easier to work on improving what you visually process and how fast your eyes move when the eyes are the only thing you’re worrying about.

Using target variety further helps by ensuring your eyes aren’t memorizing a pre-planned route but actually “seeing” what is in front of you.

How to Setup

Drill Setup

  • Set up a random array of targets, 3-6 targets.
  • Every time this drill is done, the target array should vary.
  • Start position: varies based on the drill
How to Dry Fire

Drill Steps

  1. At the beep, move your eyes and head only through the target array. No gun involved in the first pass. Repetition one complete.
  2. Lift up your hands as if you were holding the firearm, but keep them empty. At the beep, move your eyes, head, and empty hands through the array. No gun involved in the second pass. Repetition two complete.
  3. Pick up your firearm to the low ready. At the beep, move your eyes, head, and gun through the array. Do not pull the trigger in this repetition. Repetition three complete.
  4. Pick a standard start position (example: holstered wrists above shoulders). At the beep, move your eyes, head, and gun through the array. Engage targets with two shots each. Repetition four complete.
  5. Pick a different standard start position. At the beep, move your eyes, head, and gun through the array, reload, and move through the array again. Engage targets with two shots each. Repetition five complete.
  6. Start over from step one with a new array of targets.
How to Mod

Drill Modifications

  • Using “Progressive Overload” is an excellent addition to this drill. Set a par time using the speed of your eyes. Run a par time three times before adding in hands/gun. The goal is for the gun to move through the array with one shot per target almost as quickly as you could move your eyes without the gun.
  • Simply moving laterally is a great addition to this drill.

Drill Tips

The key for this drill is that it is run differently every time. We’re trying to train our eyes to move quickly and precisely to each target and react based on whatever we’re seeing. We don’t want to program the same pattern, we want the eyes to react dynamically to what’s in front of us. Drill modifications are especially important for this drill.

  • Change up the target difficulty. Include hard and easy targets.
  • Include steel and paper targets.
  • Include vision barriers.
  • Add in shooting on the move.
  • Start with eyes closed before the beep.
  • One shot per target or two shots per target.

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Mason Lane provides some tips on improving vision for transitions

Mason Lane

Mason Lane is a USPSA national champion, 4 division USPSA Grandmaster, IDPA Distinguished Master, and traveling firearms instructor.

Mason Lane’s Website »

Drill Diagnostics

This is a vision focused drill. Where your eyes move is the key part of the drill. Do your eyes move around to multiple points before fixating on the point of aim? Or do the eyes go straight to the specific aiming point on the target?


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Drill Environment

More Drill Modifications

Modifications to focus on: Conceal Carry

Modifications to focus on: General Modifications

Modifications to focus on: Movement

Modifications to focus on: Push Speed

  • Broaden what is considered “acceptable accuracy” - More info »
  • Decrease the distance laterally between targets - More info »
  • Increase the distance laterally between targets - More info »
  • Move targets closer - More info »
  • Put a black dot on the main point of aim on the target - More info »

Modifications to focus on: Tighten Accuracy

Modifications to focus on: Transitions

  • Decrease the distance laterally between targets - More info »
  • Don’t pull the trigger during transitions - More info »
  • Increase the distance laterally between targets - More info »
  • Transition from outside targets of an array and work inwards - More info »

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