Lesson #08: Mental Preparation

When you are affected by stress you do not function as effectively as you would in a normal situation. If you prepare yourself for situations when it is necessary to use force, you will be less affected by stress, than you would be otherwise. Your chances of survival will be greater.

Shooting-situations normally appear suddenly and do not last long. You will not have time to think about how your weapon functions. In such situations you have the right to use it, and know how to hit your target.

The goal of this lesson is to provide the participants with the basic knowledge of how stress affects the body, and the importance of mental preparation.

At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Explain the three (3) basic steps of mental preparation.
2. Explain why mental preparation is so important to a Police Officer.
3. Describe five (5) effects of stress in life threatening situations.
4. Explain three (3) applicable mental aids for lowering stress.