In shooting, there is a technique called indexing, where the trigger finger is positioned alongside the firearm’s frame. This technique replicates the natural pointing motion of the hand, allowing the shooter to align the firearm with the target quickly and intuitively.
Our brain has the natural ability to integrate sensory information and accurately perceive the position and orientation of our body parts in space. The fancy word for this ability is proprioception but we’ll just call it, sensory integration. Sensory integration relies on feedback from our body’s sensory receptors which continuously provide information about the position, movement, and tension of our limbs, enabling our brain to fine-tune motor commands and achieve precise pointing. As we initiate the pointing movement, our visual system provides ongoing feedback on the relative position of our pointing finger and the object. This feedback allows the brain to make continuous adjustments, maintaining accuracy.
Indexing the firearm allows us to leverage our brains natural ability by mimicking the hand’s natural pointing motion and utilizing sensory cues associated with pointing, making it easier to establish a consistent and intuitive alignment between the firearm and the target. The other major benefit of indexing is trigger discipline and safety. Trigger discipline refers to the practice of keeping your finger off the trigger of a firearm until you are ready to shoot. It involves maintaining control and awareness of your finger position, ensuring that it is indexed alongside the frame of the firearm rather than on the trigger itself. By practicing trigger discipline, you minimize the risk of negligent firing of the firearm. Indexing the trigger finger alongside the frame means that your finger is not hanging out on the trigger, which in turn means that the gun can’t fire until you deliberately decide to place your finger on the trigger and apply pressure. Fundamental to firearm safety is only shooting what needs to be shot and indexing the trigger finger makes sure of that.
If you want to give these techniques a try, book a session and come join us on the range!