5 days ago
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Posted On: July 21st 2026, 02:38 am
One of the performance validation drills we use in our workshops is the El Presidente, often called El Prez.
Developed by Jeff Cooper in the 1970s, reportedly while training a presidential security detail, the El Prez was designed as a performance validation drill rather than a tactical exercise. Decades later, it remains one of the most recognised pistol standards because it measures the integration of multiple fundamental skills under time pressure—not just speed.
The El Prez evaluates:
* Turn and draw efficiency
* Grip index from the holster
* Visual processing and target acquisition
* Recoil control and management
* Target transitions
* Reload proficiency
* Accuracy
* Consistency and accountability under time pressure
Like any good validation drill, it provides objective feedback—not opinions. It identifies strengths, exposes limitations, and establishes a measurable baseline that can be tracked over time.
As a general performance guide (while maintaining acceptable accuracy):
* <12 seconds — Developing
* 8–10 seconds — Competent
* 6–8 seconds — Proficient
* 4–6 seconds — Advanced
* Sub-4 seconds — Elite-level performance
On our workshops, drills like the El Prez aren’t about chasing arbitrary times or feeding the ego. They’re about validating performance, measuring progress, and building capability through objective standards.
Train with purpose. Validate performance. Measure progress.
Developed by Jeff Cooper in the 1970s, reportedly while training a presidential security detail, the El Prez was designed as a performance validation drill rather than a tactical exercise. Decades later, it remains one of the most recognised pistol standards because it measures the integration of multiple fundamental skills under time pressure—not just speed.
The El Prez evaluates:
* Turn and draw efficiency
* Grip index from the holster
* Visual processing and target acquisition
* Recoil control and management
* Target transitions
* Reload proficiency
* Accuracy
* Consistency and accountability under time pressure
Like any good validation drill, it provides objective feedback—not opinions. It identifies strengths, exposes limitations, and establishes a measurable baseline that can be tracked over time.
As a general performance guide (while maintaining acceptable accuracy):
* <12 seconds — Developing
* 8–10 seconds — Competent
* 6–8 seconds — Proficient
* 4–6 seconds — Advanced
* Sub-4 seconds — Elite-level performance
On our workshops, drills like the El Prez aren’t about chasing arbitrary times or feeding the ego. They’re about validating performance, measuring progress, and building capability through objective standards.
Train with purpose. Validate performance. Measure progress.
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