Don't Shoot Me: Potential Consequences of Force-on-Force Training Modulate the Human Stress Response.

ABSTRACT: Jensen, AE, Bernards, JR, Hamilton, JA, Markwald, RR, Kelly, KR, and Biggs, AT. Do not shoot me: potential consequences of force-on-force training modulate the human stress response. J Strength Cond Res 37(9): 1761-1769, 2023-Close-quarters combat (CQC) engagements trigger the "fight-or-flight" response, activating the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to perceived threats. However, it has yet to be shown if a force-on-force (FoF) CQC training environment will lead to adaptations in the physiological stress response or performance. United States Marines and Army infantry personnel participated in a 15-day CQC training program. The CQC program focused heavily on FoF training with the use of nonlethal training ammunition (NLTA). Data collections occurred on training days 1 and 15, during a simulated FoF-hostage rescue (HR) scenario and photorealistic target drill. For the FoF-HR, subjects were instructed to clear the shoot house, rescue the hostage, and only shoot hostile threat(s) with NLTA. The photorealistic target drills were similar, but replaced the role players in the FoF-HR with paper targets. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol were obtained immediately before entering and exiting the shoot house. Time to completion significantly decreased, between days 1 and 15, for both the FoF-HR and the photorealistic drills by 67.7 and 54.4%, respectively ( p < 0.05). Analyses revealed that the change in sAA, nonsignificantly, doubled from day 1 to 15 during FoF-HR ( p > 0.05), whereas the change in sAA decreased during the photorealistic drills across days ( p < 0.05). Cortisol was significantly higher during the FoF-HR in comparison to the photorealistic drills ( p < 0.05). These data suggest that potential consequences of FoF training heighten the stress response in conjunction with enhanced performance.