NURO

Security professional and tactical trainer Salomon describes the neuroscience behind firearms practice and offers a training system designed around it.

The author clearly intends this work for readers who carry firearms professionally and notes that any proper approach to tactical arms training must consider how the brain absorbs information and applies it in hazardous situations. In short, this means exploring the neuroplasticity of the brain and the ways in which repetitive tasks can build “neural architecture,” resulting in efficiency that allows for effective responses in times of necessity. Unfortunately, the author argues, most training systems “fail catastrophically” on this crucial issue and therefore don’t allow firearms users to develop long-term mastery. The distinction between training and learning is at the heart of the author’s theories: “Training…is an external function defined by activity. Learning, on the other hand, is an internal function defined by the manifestation of permanent physical changes to the brain.” Salomon aims to solve this problem with his company’s product, the NURO Shooting System, designed to “allow integration of decision-making in response to dynamic stimuli” for people at various skill levels. It does so, the author asserts, by using lasers, along with various types of lenses, to project dots and simple, minimalist images onto existing firearms-training environments, with the aim of activating relevant parts of trainees’ brains to recognize and process potential dangers. Over the course of the book, the author makes a compelling case that traditional training options are inadequate and that a “brain-based” training system would have definite advantages. However, readers should be forewarned that this isn’t a scientific treatise; although Salomon does cite neurocognition studies, he notes that further research is needed to support the superiority of his own system. Indeed, for the most part, this short book reads like an advertorial. However, it’s a clear and well-argued exposition within those constraints, and it’s likely to be a helpful resource for trainers dissatisfied with the status quo and searching for new pedagogical options.

A concise introduction to a brain-based training that should be illuminating for firearms instructors.