Much has been said and written about fine motor skills and the loss of the same in combat. The most common thing repeated being, all fine motor skills are gone and you will only be able to use gross motor skills.
While not very scientific, based on my experiences, I have made some observations:
1. The first time in combat, this experience seems to be more exaggerated, similar to a “buck fever”. I’ve seen Expert Rifleman shoot a lot and hit little because they got overly excited.
2. If a fine motor skill has been practiced to the point that it becomes a subconscious action, you will still be able to perform this task proficiently in combat (or under stress). Your training takes over, and before you have a chance to think, you will realize that you are doing the things.
3. Mental rehearsals are important. This act creates a plan in your brain, giving you a course of action to complete should you find yourself in that situation. Dramatically shortening your reaction time.
4. Controlling your calm is important. The calmer you stay, the more like you will be at completing a task no matter the environment. If you become panicked, clear thoughts are almost impossible to come by.
There is merit to fine motor skills being lost under high stress, try any technique you are not comfortable with in a high stress environment, and you will validate that you can’t perform those fine skills. But you are simply attempting a task you aren’t proficient at in a much more difficult set of circumstances and expecting mastery at it? That’s lunacy. What about the skills you have mastered through consistent repetitions? You don’t raise to the occasion, you fall to your training.
Most organizations don’t have the time, money, or concern to reach mastery across the board. Frankly, many students don’t have the self motivation to reach mastery unless explicitly required of them. Making the answer: limited practice of gross motor skills as better than the use of unperfected fine motor skills with likely dismal results.
You can’t say this quiet part out loud though. Organizations would have to spend more time training. Students would have to practice to a higher standard, which is hard and expensive. Be honest with yourself and your level of training, and you will know which route to go.
-Joe
Link to Bruce Lee meme: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/37/cc/4937ccdfcfab1c1d1bbb202d36ad1b6d.jpg
Outpost 95 
