Weapons Training
I specialize in training individuals and small groups in force-on-force, weapons based self-defense. This training focuses on the types of encounters that are likely to happen during a home invasion or at random places in the public. There are also live-fire courses offered occasionally, but my focus is decision making and weapons handling under pressure, which requires work with simulated ammunition and protective gear.
All training is designed from my perspectives and experiences in both direct criminal violence as well as my extensive training background. Participants in force-on-force courses are asked to play ALL roles involved: good guy defender, armed bystander, unarmed bystander, antagonist, accomplice and bad guy.
I want the student to learn about and consider all of the problems that must be solved in each role of an attack. This allows them to have a clearer understanding of an engagement and how to shift the initiative to their own favor if a real engagement ever occurs for them. (If you are looking for a catered “good guy” experience where you show up and role players do everything for you, this is not your program.) It also offers the opportunity to problem solve in less than ideal conditions.
As I’ve written about extensively in Violence of Mind and Beyond OODA, the better you understand every participant’s perspective, the better equipped you are you are to take control and manipulate the situation in your favor. That belief is reflected in all of my training.
Any live fire training that is offered will always be based upon handling and operating a weapon in CQB and chaotic situations. My experience and training philosophy go beyond standard carry training to focus on embedding specific habits and procedures for handling a weapon effectively for defense while also practicing and advanced level of safety.
It’s easy to control your muzzle during a breezy day on a range with one direction of fire. It’s a whole other set of problems to do it while dealing with innocents, people you want to protect and not hurt, and active threats all moving around unpredictably and rapidly. Learning about advanced muzzle control, conditional handling procedures, getting on-line or in front of protectees and innocents…these are the real skills needed for weapon effectiveness and safety.
We will also cover the complications of public engagements, such as the introduction of law enforcement to an active scene, or the presence of another unknown “good guy” concealed carrier or off-duty/undercover officer. Sadly, these complications have resulted in the deaths of law-abiding defenders many times in real situations, so they must be trained for if we truly want to be prepared for all facets of an engagement.
A note about training
I did not come to this training industry to be famous. Teaching in self-defense and violence education is something I thoroughly enjoy, but it is not my only “job” and I am certainly not one-dimensional about it. I believe firmly that we should focus first on the life we are training to protect; it is more important than the training we do to protect it. I am also very selective about who I work with and who I teach. I have worked to put myself in a position where I don’t have to do classes for my main source of income, therefore I don’t have to accept anything below my standards just to make my paycheck, this includes hosting facilities and students both. I enjoy working with average people, newer gun owners, young families, patrol officers and anyone who just wants to be better prepared for a deadly encounter with a violent person or group. If you are looking for tactical cool-factor training, hit up a class by your favorite retired operator. If you want a first-hand perspective on dealing with high-level criminally violent attackers, I can help you.