Training

Why is it Important? What's out There? What to Avoid.

I’ve been a training junky since I turned 18, in terms of firearms and tactical “stuff.” If we add in martial arts, my training journey started when I was 9 years old, and I went to my first Shotokan class at the local YMCA. The topic of training is incredibly vast, and it would be impossible for me to cover every aspect of it. I will say that I have been a student of violence since I was 9, I have been a professional gun-toter for 35 years, and I have been an instructor in the field for almost 30 years. One thing I don’t see ever changing is my status as an eternal student.

As a martial artist, I have dabbled in Shotokan Karate, Aikido, Isshin-Ryu Karate, Pikiti Tersia Kali, Pentjak Silat, boxing, bjj, Judo, and Shorei Kempo. Along the way, I’ve picked up a couple brown belts, two black belts, and a lot of concussions and broken bones. I trained six days a week until I hit my 40s, when I stopped healing in a timely manner. Now, I roll several times a week, and throw hands a couple times a week.

I’m a current Defensive Tactics instructor, with a handful of certifications from various entities in the LE world. I’m also an OC and baton instructor. My current assignment, for the last 5 years or so, has been as a fulltime firearms instructor for a large Midwestern local PD, where I lead the Low Light, and Vehicle Tactics Programs.

I’ll post my training C.V. down below, for anyone interested.

I am kind of an equal-opportunity training-junkie, which has given me a pretty eclectic knowledge base to draw from. I have met the best instructors on the planet, and am lucky to call some of them “friend.” While they are kind enough to let me hang out with them, I am not in the same category as them, when it comes to ability or knowledge. However, to quote Chuck Pressburg, I have “seen what right looks like” a lot of times. On the flipside, I have also seen some absolutely terrible instructors. I’ve also “seen what wrong looks like.”

Through those experiences, I have discovered that learning should always occur, to paraphrase Pat Rogers. One should never be content with where they are. Very few skills are not perishable.

I often read from people that they believe there is no reason to pay for a class, because all the info is on the internet. I agree, the info is there. But do you know how to use it? Are you capable of self-diagnosis, and do you even know what to look for? Can you induce even the miniscule amount of stress that comes from performing in front of strangers? Do you have access to the range that allows you to do the stuff in the videos? Do you have the targets and timers? Will doing it by yourself allow you the opportunities to network with like-minded individuals (a lot of my group members are people we initially met at classes)? Doing it by yourself, do you get the full explanation of the “why” or recommendations for alternate methods if the ones shown don’t work for you?

Yes, classes are expensive. Tuition, ammo, specialty equipment, travel, hotels, meals, time off and time away from family…all add up. Believe me, I know! Once you have the knowledge, it is yours, as long as you use it. I’m gonna quote Chuck again, and tell you a secret. Classes aren’t where you get better. Classes are where you learn to make yourself better. Remember that. I’m gonna come back to it.

So…with all the options that are out there, how do you pick a good class? It’s hard - there are a few factors to determine before you ask that question.

First, what is YOUR skill level? I will occasionally go to “beginner” classes, because brilliance in the basics is true mastery. Sometimes taking a step back helps you work out minor issues that are holding you back. However, the inverse is not exactly true. While you should absolutely take classes that challenge you, going to a class that is way above your level will only lead to frustration. If you just bought your first gun, don’t go to Rogers Shooting School, as an example.

Next, what skillset are you wanting to work on? If your goal is to hit GM in USPSA, going to a VCQB class is not going to help you. There are instructors out there that are generalists, and there are instructors that are highly specialized. A great example of this would be Kita Busse, who is a world class trainer in moving efficiently. That’s pretty esoteric stuff.

Finally, how far are you willing to travel? Depending on where you live, to get anything beyond a class with a NRA Instructor, you may need to travel some distance. Thankfully, this isn’t so common anymore, unless you are trying to make a “pilgrimage” to one of the big name facilities. Back in the day, there were a literal handful of guys who traveled, and they stopped at very specific spots. Now, you have guys like Steve Fisher and Scott Jedlinski who are spending 270+ days a year on the road, going everywhere.

Since I mentioned NRA Instructors, I’m going to jump off-topic real quick. The Civilian NRA Instructor certs mean nothing. Seriously. Most of the big names have those certs, because for some reason, they make instructor insurance easier to get. The certs bring nothing else to the table. Someone who bought their first gun on Monday can be a NRA Instructor by Wednesday, without demonstrating any real skill at all. A good general rule - if someone advertises, and their first (and usually, last) words sound something like, “I’m a NRA Basic Pistol Instructor,” RUN. I have the certs. I don’t mention them to anyone unless I have to.

Ok, back at it. You know what level you are at, you know what you want to work on, and you know how far you are willing to travel. How do you find an instructor? Lightfighter, Primary and Secondary, and Pistol Forums are a phenomenal resource. AR15.com and M4-Carbine forums have a high signal to noise ratio - there is good info there, but you have to sort through some chaff to find it, sometimes. Also, checking the course offerings at Alliance Police Range in Alliance, OH, or Meadhall Range in Mcloud, OK are a good way to find good trainers. Even if you don’t go there, they consistently host great instructors so you can find some names there.

You’ve found a couple names of people that seem to offer what you want. You’re read AARs on the above-listed forums. You’ve even found a class they are giving within your personal travel radius. Now what?

First, keep digging. What is their background, and does it match what they are teaching? I am a HUGE proponent of competition, and competition-type training…for certain purposes. Nobody is better at getting fast, first round hits than a good competition shooter. That’s because they are incredibly efficient. Efficient in footwork, efficient in weapon manipulation, efficient in sight management, amd efficient at seeing. If I want to get faster, I go see a competition shooter. If I want to learn tactics for a gunfight - proper use of cover, legalities of deadly force, post-conflict actions, etc…I do NOT go to a competition-centric trainer. Or a guy that has never played in the realm of true violence.

Next, shoot the instructor an email/DM/text. Ask questions before you go. Verify they offer what you are looking for. Ask any equipmemt questions.

Finally, go! Have fun. Be a sponge. Take COPIOUS notes. I diagram (and take pics of) every course of fire. I write down quotes, note my times on drills, and track roundcounts. Ask the instructor and other students before snapping pics or taking video, but see if it is acceptable. At the end, ask the instructor if he/she has any recommendations on what you should work on. Ask who they recommend as trainers. Yeah, we love getting your money, but we want you to get better. We want you to get as much, varied training as possible.

Remember where I said classes are where you learn how to make yourself better? All of that stuff in the last paragraph is how you do that. All those metrics you gathered, all the critiques and quotes you wrote down, the recommendations from the instructor? Those are for you to take home and USE to improve. Go back after a couple days, and dig through your notes. Add things you remembered in the interim. Come back to them often, and incorporate those things into your personal training regimen.

We are in the Golden Age of Training. GWOT and social media have helped drive an explosion of highly-qualified trainers that can teach you anything you want to know. Don’t neglect any of the pieces of the pie. Get legal training. Get less-lethal training. Get emptyhand training. Get medical training. Sometimes you can find classes that give you a little bit of everything. Craig Douglas’ ECQC, and John Murphy ‘s Street Encounter Skills and Tactics are two excellent all-around classes I recommend to anyone who carries a gun.

Training isn’t just about classes. You should be practicing OFTEN. Whether that is at the gym, or on the mat/in the ring, at your regular range, or during dryfire. Maintain your own notes. Times, scores, reps…all of those things are measurable. You should be striving to improve, even if it is only by a fraction, every time you train.

Be deadly.

My training C.V. :

I hold the following instructor ratings:

1. Two different State POST Firearms Instructor certs in handgun, shotgun, and rifle

2. FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center)

   A. Firearms Instructor Training Program

   B. Advanced Pistol Training Program Instructor

   C. Advanced Instruction in Marksmanship

   D. NLTA (Non-Lethal Training Ammunition) Instructor

   E. Basic Tac Med Instructor

   F. Active Shooter Threat Instructor

   G. Use of Force Instructor

3. NRA (Civilian Certs):

   A. Basic Pistol Instructor

   B. Shotgun Instructor

   C. PPITH (Personal Protection In the Home) Instructor

   D. PPOTH (Personal Protection Outside the Home) Instructor

   E. Home Firearm Safety Course Instructor

4. NRA Law Enforcement Activities Division:

   A.Handgun/Shotgun Instructor

   B. Tactical Shotgun Instructor

   C. Tactical Shooting Instructor

   D. Precision Rifle Instructor

   E. Patrol Rifle Instructor

5. Sage Dynamics Red Dot Instructor

6. Centrifuge Training VCQB Instructor

7. Centrifuge Training Low Light Instructor

8. Rangemaster (Tom Givens):

   A. Instructor Development Course

   B. Advanced Instructor

   C. Master Instructor

   D. Shotgun Instructor

9. FBI Police Firearms Instructor

10. Pat McNamara TAPS Instructor

11. Massad Ayoob Group Deadly Force Instructor

12. GPS Defense Sniper Instructor

13. Tactical Anatomy Instructor

14. Singleton International M4 and MP5 Instructor

15. ASP Baton Instructor

16. Tony Blauer SPEAR Instructor

17. PPCT Instructor

18. State POST Defensive Tactics Instructor (Standup and Ground)

19. Fox OC Instructor

In the US Marine Corps, I was an Instructor of Infantry Tactics, and a Primary Marksmanship Instructor, and taught:

1. Patrolling

2. Land Navigation

3. Defensive Perimeters

4. Call for Fire

5. Booby traps

6. Foreign Weapons Familiarization

As a student, I have attended classes with (in no particular order):

1. Carlos Hathcock (RIP)

2. Pat Rogers (RIP) - multiple classes

3. Gunsite

4. Thunder Ranch

5. Frontsite

6. Steve “Yeti” Fisher - multiple classes

7. Steve Tarani - multiple classes

8. Louis Awerbuck (RIP)

9. Rob and Matt Haught

10. Performance 360

11. Frank Proctor

12. Pat Mcnamara - multiple classes

13. Tim Herron

14. Kyle Defoor

15. Tom Givens - multiple classes

16. Massad Ayoob

17. John Farnham

18. John Hearne

19. Aaron Cowan

20. Will Petty - multiple classes

21. Chuck Pressburg - multiple classes

22. Buck Doyle

23. Craig Douglas

24. Cecil Burch

25. Cliff Byerly

26. John Murphy

27. Dark Angel Medical

28. Keary Miller

29. Lone Star Medics

30. Rifles Only

31. Accuracy 1st

32. Storm Mountain Training Center - multiple classes

33. GPS Defense - multiple classes

34. DARC - multiple classes

35. Mid South

36. Max Velocity Tactical

37. Rogers Shooting School

38. Max Michel

39. Tactical Tracking Operations School - David Scott-Donelan

40. Freddy Osuna

41. Phil Singleton

42. John “Shrek” McPhee - multiple classes

43. Forge Tactical - multiple classes

44. A couple dozen local/regional classes

45. Almost 2000 hours of department training

46. Glock Training Division (multiple classes)

47. Sig Sauer Academy (multiple classes)

48. Smith & Wesson Academy (multiple classes)

The above list is not all-inclusive.

On the competition side, I hit A Class in USPSA, Master in IDPA, and Expert in PPC, back when I competed 10+ years ago.