We all know that shooting is not just about pulling the trigger and popping off rounds; it’s about mastering the art of control, timing, rhythm and accuracy. Cadence drills are the secret sauce behind consistent and controlled shooting especially in cases where speed and accuracy matter most. They can give you a tactical edge to increase your overall proficiency but particularly when firing shots in succession.  

Timing And Rhythm In Cadence Drills

Cadence drills aren't just drills; they're like the heartbeats of a warrior. They demand that your shots dance to a rhythm that you decide and that rhythm doesn’t compromise speed for accuracy, or the other way around. You’ve gotta find that sweet spot that would leave your threat with regret that they even thought of messing with you. 

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Cadence Drills Are Not Just For Pistols

This isn't a one-size-fits-all show. Cadence drills level up your skill set, no matter the weapon you wield. From pistols to rifles, these drills can make you a more versatile marksman, capable of dominating any field of battle.  

Benefits of Shooting Cadence Drills

Conquering Recoil: Cadence drills help you tame recoil between shots, so you keep your eyes on the prize.  

Smooth Target Transitions: In a real-life situation, threats can come from multiple directions. These drills train your mind and muscles to smoothly and swiftly move from one target to another.  

Sight Picture and Sight Alignment: If the sights are aligned, the shot connects. Cadence drills train the shooter to keep their shots on target.  

Pressure Training: In self-defense, people don’t rise to the occasion, they fall to their baseline. You must build rock-solid skills and instinctive reactions and one way to do this is cadence skills building. Cadence drills can be made to recreate stress that better prepares you for real-world situations.  

Conserve Your Ammo: Precision is more efficient. These drills train you to conserve ammo, so you won’t be caught empty-handed.  

Training Progression: As you progress you can increase your speed, but accuracy and control must stay on point. Speed drills are just faster cadence drills. If you missed that blog, check it out here.  

About The Video

Be sure to check out the ISP video above with our dedicated instructor, Dan Spagone, and ISP student, Mike Ferris demonstrating a cadence drill. Notice that at ISP, we place emphasis on self-assessment for continuous improvement. We're here to help you up your game! 

Here’s the drill:  

We've got THREE TARGETS 

Two shots to the center target 

Two shots to the left target 

Two shots back at the center. 

Two shots to the right target. 

Finish strong with two shots to the center target. 

Conclusion

Cadence drills come with many benefits. Remember, training is more than just firing shots. It’s about mastering your timing, rhythm and precision. Train until the movements become a part of you so if you’re ever in a real situation and the pressure is on, you can rely on your training.  

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About The Author

 Hank Hayes is a Combat Arts Hall of Famer and inventor of the No Lie Blade. He is the founder and CEO of both Intuitive Self Protection and NLB Tactical and creator of the ISP/NLB viscous fighting system. Since 1998, he has trained well over 30,000 Military and Law Enforcement personnel via Government contract mainly at the elite special teams level and continues to train both civilians and MIL/LE how to come home safe.