Introduction to Aim Training - The Basics of Aimlabs

Hey aimers, in service of providing all of the information that someone new to aim training will need to get up to speed, we’re breaking down the very basics of aim training. Consider this the foundation of everything you will be doing to develop your aim.

This guide features videos made with Apex Legends coach and creator Dazs, in collaboration with the Aimlabs Academy. The sections below will feature a video hosted by Dazs, but the text is available as well if you would prefer to read through. If you come across any terms you’re unfamiliar with, be sure to check out our aim training glossary!

Flicking: The Art of Click Timing

Let’s start by covering flicking, the bread and butter of any shooter. Flicking consists of your ability to swiftly adjust your aim, while precisely timing your shot to fire when your target lines up with your crosshair. Flicking is a critical aspect of aiming in any shooter, especially in those with a lower time to kill such as Rainbow Six Siege, where the margin for error is slim and the stakes are high.

Flicking is broken down into two main categories, we call these “static flicking” and “dynamic flicking”. Static flicking is the art of shooting at stationary targets, while dynamic flicking focuses on aiming at moving targets.

The following task will put your skills to the test in a controlled environment, ensuring that you apply your newfound knowledge optimally. It focuses on the flicking subset of aiming through two phases, the first serving as an introduction to static flicking, where the targets are stationary before it transition into the second phase, which highlights dynamic flicking, where the targets will be moving.

Play the Flicking Task

Tracking: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

The second category of aiming we’ll cover is “tracking.” Similar to flicking, tracking plays a key role in most shooters. In this case, tracking ensures that your crosshair remains glued to your opponents. Tracking is especially important in games like Call of Duty or Apex Legends where the time to kill is higher and sustained accuracy can tip the scales in those prolonged engagements.

Tracking is broken down into two categories, “precise tracking,” and “reactive tracking.” Precise tracking is all about your ability to make minor, pinpoint adjustments while tracking, and reactive tracking on the other hand is the jazz of the aiming world, relying on countering the spontaneity in your opponent’s movement with quick reactions.

The following task will put your skills to the test, training your ability to keep your eyes on the prize in your favorite shooter. It focuses on the tracking subset of aiming and has two phases. The first serves as an introduction to precise tracking, in which you will focus on making minor, pinpoint adjustments. The second phase introduces you to reactive tracking, where the targets move more sporadically.

Play the Tracking Task

Switching: Transferring Between Targets

Last but not least, we will cover the third main category of aiming, “switching.” Switching is the heart of dynamic decision-making in aiming, where your focus transfers from one target to the next in a swift, seamless motion. Switching is pivotal in your command over chaotic environments, commonly seen in hero shooters such as Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals, or large scale games such as Battlefield 6. Mastering the art of switching significantly improves your odds of surviving an ambush in your game of choice.

Switching branches out into two subsets: “static switching,” and “dynamic switching.” While static switching hones your ability to rapidly shift your aim between fixed targets, dynamic switching elevates the challenge by introducing movement into the equation.

The following task is designed to challenge and refine your switching skills, putting the principles we just covered right into action. It will focus on the switching subset of aiming with two phases, the first serving as an introduction to static switching, where you will switch between stationary targets, and then dynamic switching, which will feature moving targets.

Play the Switching Task