Unlocking Skill: What Fitts and Posner Teach Us About Firearms Training

When you’re learning to shoot, whether for self-defense, sport, or professional use, the journey from shaky beginner to confident shooter follows a predictable path. Psychologists Paul Fitts and Michael Posner broke this path down into three stages of motor learning, and once you understand them, your training — and how you coach others — can get a whole lot smarter.

Let’s break it down in plain terms, then look at how it plays out on the range.

Stage 1: The Cognitive Stage – “What Do I Do Again?”

In this first stage, everything feels clunky. You’re thinking hard about every move:

• “Is my grip right?”

• “Wait, was it front sight focus or rear?”

• “How do I clear a malfunction again?”

Mistakes are common. Movements are slow and full of tension. It’s like learning to ride a bike — you overthink everything, and your brain is working overtime.

In Firearms Training: This is where a new shooter learns basic safety, stance, grip, aiming, trigger control, and follow-through. They need lots of clear instruction, repetition, and feedback. They also benefit from simplified drills and low-stress environments.

Pro Tip for Trainers: Keep it simple. One skill at a time. Use analogies and visuals. Expect errors, and correct them gently.

Stage 2: The Associative Stage – “I’m Starting to Get It”

In this middle phase, things begin to click. Movements get smoother. The shooter can self-correct some mistakes. They don’t need to think through every step — they’re starting to feel their way through the process.

They may still mess up under pressure or when fatigued, but their skills are more consistent and reliable.

In Firearms Training: This is where we layer complexity. Speed and accuracy drills. Drawing from a holster. Transitions between targets. Clearing malfunctions on the fly. Reps still matter, but now the shooter is refining and adapting.

Pro Tip for Trainers: Start adding context — timers, movement, cognitive stress. Help shooters refine their technique and make adjustments on the fly. Encourage deliberate practice (focused improvement, not just reps).

Stage 3: The Autonomous Stage – “I Just Do It”

At this stage, the shooter performs without conscious thought. Movements are automatic, efficient, and reliable. They’re not thinking about their grip — they’re assessing threats, choosing tactics, and executing.

This is where elite performance lives. But it takes time, intentional practice, and smart coaching to get here.

In Firearms Training: Shooters here are running complex drills, thinking tactically, and adapting to real-time variables. This is also where bad habits get hard to break, so proper foundation matters.

Pro Tip for Trainers: Push performance boundaries. Introduce chaos. Challenge decision-making. And most importantly, keep skills sharp through periodic return to fundamentals.

Why It Matters

Understanding these stages helps you:

• Be more patient with yourself (or your students).

• Train smarter, not just harder.

• Use the right tools and feedback at the right time.

Firearms training isn’t just about how many rounds you shoot. It’s about building a skill, and like all skills, it follows a pattern. Fitts and Posner gave us the roadmap—now it’s up to us to follow it.

Final Thought:Whether you're just starting or you're helping others train, ask yourself: What stage am I (or my student) in? Then train accordingly.