What's My "Background"

As I sit here typing this, I have just thrown a load of laundry in to wash and am in the process of packing for a weekend trip to South Carolina to train with John Lovell of the Warrior Poet Society.  Its getting more difficult for me to get to training courses.  These days I spend much more time teaching than training.  Still, I don't like for a year to go by without me getting into some kind of training course and sometimes it is easier to do that if I just plan a trip.

As an Instructor, I am blessed to work as a part of a team of pretty impressive guys.  Often I am asked by students, "so what is your background"?   That's a fair question.  Obviously, I am not close to being the guys I work with.  I often joke that I am a 50-something year old grandmother who found herself thrown in with a bunch of Special Operations Military Guys and SWAT cops wondering how exactly that happened.  And yes, that can be pretty intimidating, however, I do believe I bring certain gifts to the organization that they do not.  I have my place, and they have their's and together we make a pretty good team. 

I have no Military or Law Enforcement background.  I am not a super Ninja Tactical dude.  I am not a lot of things.  I do have a background in teaching and leadership.  I've spend the past 30 years or more working in that capacity.  I've lead mission teams for a number of years.  As far as education, I have studied as a graphic designer and my major at Miami University was in Psychology.

For the past 6 years I have led the North Cincinnati Chapter of TWAW Shooting Chapters.  I was one of those leaders who have been there pretty much since the beginning of that organization.  I've served as the State Leader for that organization and was selected as the Regional Trainer, overseeing the training of the Instructors in Kentucky and Ohio.  I had to reluctantly step down from that position because I simply don't have the time to do everything I would like to do.  A lot of us are like that - we like to do everything and then realize we have limited amount of time.

Those who know me well know that I'm a firm believer in training.  I don't train because its my job.  I train for the same reason many others train - to be as ready as I possibly can be if I am ever faced with having to defend myself or my family from a violent attack. Yes, I've done some Instructor Training to be able to be the best Instructor I possibly can be, but the majority of my training is for my own personal benefit.   I've made it a priority to train with the best I can find and afford, even if it means loading up the truck and heading across country on my own. It has paid off!  I have been very blessed to learn from some truly amazing and talented people.   Among the folks I've leaned from and classes taken are:

• OPOTA Private Security 
• NRA Basic Pistol Instructor
• NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home Instructor
• NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor
• NRA Defensive Pistol
• NRA Chief Range Safety Officer
• TWAW Certified Instructor (which focuses on the different learning styles of men and women)
• UTM (Ultimate Training Munitions) Instructor 
• Gabby Franco - Olympic shooter and competition shooter who appeared on Top Shot.
• Massad Ayoob 
• Defensive Knife with Greg Ellifritz
• Contextual Handgun: The Armed Parent/Guardian with Melody Lauer and John Johnston
• Unthinkable: Understanding the Criminal Mindset with William Aprill 

• Defensive Pistol classes (I've forgotten how many) with Rick Wright, an OPOTA Instructor and Retired Law Enforcement Officer
• FASTER - a training program for armed school staff at the Tactical Defense Institute 
• Gunsite Academy
• Battleline Tactical - Kris "Tanto" Paronto and Dave "Boon" Benton were two of the CIA security contractors who was part of the CIA annex security team during the 2012 terrorist attack on the US Ambassador to Libya and the CIA Compound in Behghazi.   
• OTOA Combat Pistol with Russ Lyons

• And of course, multiple courses with 88 Tactical of OH with Phil Chaney, a retired Marine CWO3 and Special Operations Instructor in the Marine Corps and SWAT Instructor..  

As you can see, I don't have that much of a "background", but I do work hard to be prepared to defend myself and those I love.  I hope you are doing the same.  

My Favorite Class to Teach - and Why

Sometimes people ask what my favorite class to teach is.  That is an easy question to answer - the Intro to Handgun class!   Yes, its true that some people see an instructor who teaches an introductory class as somehow not quite as good as an instructor who teaches intermediate or advanced courses, and yes, some instructors have no patience for the new shooter, but I LOVE it. 

I don't love it because I think I'm in any way better than another instructor, (I am not) but there are some reasons that do make me look forward to every single Intro class I teach.  

1.  New shooters know they don't know anything.  As a result, they listen.  And they learn!  Its hard to teach someone who thinks they already know it all.  I never encounter that kind of attitude in an introductory class.

2.  Usually the introductory class is the students first experience to formal training, and very often their first experience ever even holding a gun, much less shooting one.  What an opportunity!  As their instructor I get to lay the foundation for future training.  Whether they choose to continue shooting or not, may depend in large part on me.  That's a big responsibility, but its also a fantastic opportunity, and one that I welcome.  

A target of one of the students in
Intro to Handgun

3.  Maybe the biggest reason I love teaching new shooters is that I get to see a transformation occur right in front of me.  It is not uncommon for someone to approach their first shots with a good case of nerves.  I have had new shooters cry.  I have' had them flinch every single time a shot is fired.  I even had one proclaim that they were going to throw up.  (they didn't)  But then they fire their first shot ....and its usually right in the X in the center ring of the target.  I will tell them to put the gun down.  Once they have I tell them to look and see where they hit.  And then it happens....  They start to believe that they CAN do this!  As they continue to fire their confidence grows.  Nerves are replaced with big grins and a sense of relief.  There is just nothing like it.

Yes, its fun to teach a more advanced class where I can push people a bit more, and yes, its rewarding to see those shooters grow their skills too, but those new shooters are for me, as good as it gets.  

Vetting An Instructor

It seems I'm hearing more stories about bad experiences in training, or about people making poor choices based on their training.  

The wrong instructor can get you hurt, in deep legal trouble, or worse.  Whatever kind of self-defense training you do, it is important to vet out the instructor. 

Just the other day I was sitting in a bank talking to a bank manager who had recently put up a "no gun" sign.  He did so because a CCW holder had made a very poor choice in his bank and had endangered the lives of numerous individuals.  To this day that CCW holder believes he acted wisely.  Its important to note that this bank manager is NOT an anti-gun person.  He too has a CCW permit and shoots regularly. 

Sometimes its not the anti-gun people who are our enemy.  Sometimes our own ignorant actions make it harder to defend our stand.  DON'T BE THAT PERSON!

A good way to make sure you don't become that person is to vet your instructor.

Did you know that its very, very easy for someone to become an instructor?   Its a few days and a few hundred dollars and you too can hang out a shingle and start "training" people. Think about that.  Your life and the life of your loved ones may be hanging on the training of one of those folks. 

How can you tell?

Do some research!

• Ask them about not only their credentials, but their experience.

• Did they work under a more seasoned, experienced instructor, or did they just strike out on their own after getting their credentials?  

• Have they done further training themselves, and do they continue to do training themselves?  Ask!
  
  
• Ask other instructors who you trust.  In many cases other instructors know who is good and who isn't. 
  
  
• Don't trust ONLY reviews.  Basing your information only off of that instructor's reviews can mislead you because most people who take a class have no idea what is good and what is bad and tend to believe all training is good.  Trust only the opinions of people who actually  know something about their discipline and who are not looking to make money off of that class.  

This not only goes for firearms training, but for any self-defense training. If you believe that your life is worth defending, then its also worth a bit of time to check out an instructor. 

Teaching Women

Its no secret that I love teaching women.  And its something I am always seeking to learn more about and improve at. 

At the TWAW National Leadership Conference this year we had the blessing of having Vicki Farnam as one of the presenters.  Vicki is the wife of John Farnam, who is a well-known instructor and who in 1996 was selected to receive the "Tactical Advocate of the Year" award from the National Tactical Association.   Vicki has years of experience in teaching and has developed a program to help male instructors be more effective in instructing women.

This may come as a shock to you, but men and women are different.  We are totally equal, but we are different.  We (generally speaking) communicate differently.  Ask any couple who has been married for a while, we definitely communicate differently.  We process information differently.  There are even biological bases for the way our brains process information. 

To illustrate this at our Conference, Vicki asked 3 men who were present to come up on the stage and make a circle with the chairs.  They did.  Then she thanked them and told them to put them back where they belonged.  We all laughed, but this was much more than just a stunt to get laughs.  She made her point crystal clear when she said, "now if I had asked women to come up on the stage and make a circle with the chairs it would have gone very differently.  They would have asked questions.   They would have wanted to know how many chairs?  How far apart do you want the chairs?  Do you want the seats facing in or out?  Where on the stage do you want the chairs? 

And we laughed again because we all knew it was SOOOO true. 

Women, generally, like details. 

This is just ONE way in which men and women approach a task differently. 

Now can you imagine how that might relate to teaching someone to shoot? 

Vicki had made the point too that women like to completely understand and "master" one task before they move on to the next.   I had to laugh because I remember at one of our classes a woman became frustrated with one of the male instructors and said, "JUST TEACH ME ONE THING". 

It does all of us as Instructors well to consider these differences.  I do believe men can teach women. I have learned from some of the best male instructors out there, , but not every man is willing to adjust his approach to do so well.  We have all encountered students who we could not teach because they believed they already knew everything.  Instructors can be much the same.  Even great instructors can learn how to be better.  In fact, a great instructor WILL make an effort to learn how to be better.  If our goal is truly to impart a skill, we will be open to leaning new ways of doing that better.

I am grateful for Vicki, and for her influence on the TWAW founder Carrie Lightfoot who developed a course for instructing women.  Carrie now teaches the TWAW Instructor Certification Course at the prestigious Gunsite Academy in Arizona. 

You can check out Vicki's book and website at Defensive Training International

Gunsite Academy

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending a Gunsite 150 class at one of their offsite campuses in Indiana.   For some time now it has been a wish of mine to be able to train at the prestigious Gunsite Academy, located in Arizona.   I had sort of moved it to my list of fantasy wishes because I really didn’t see any way I would ever be able to do that. 

 It can be a little pricey to attend Gunsite.  A basic 5-day Pistol 250 class is $1700 plus travel expenses and hotel for a week.  That can make it difficult for many to attend.    However, they do offer offsite classes, which are every bit as good as what you find at the ranch in Arizona and are taught by the same instructors that teach at the ranch.  One of those offsite classes is just 2.5 hours away from my home and cost a bit less (although not a lot less).  As an added bonus, the location is about 20 minutes away from where my son, daughter-in-law and grandkids live, making it easy to combine a training opportunity with a short visit with family.

For anyone who might be unfamiliar with Gunsite, it began as the American Pistol Institute, founded by Col. Jeff Cooper.  Col. Cooper created the Modern Technique of the Pistol.   They are known for their focus on the Combat Triad which consist of Mindset, Marksmanship, and Gun Handling.  Col. Cooper is also known for creating the Color Code of readiness.

I often joke that Col Cooper has achieved god-like status in the industry because of the respect almost everyone has for him and for what Gunsite does. 

 

Day One

I was really looking forward to getting away and getting on a range where no one knew me and I could just  be an "anonymous" student.  Sometimes when I do a training people know that I'm an instructor and that increases the pressure to do well.  It was nice to have a chance to go train where no one knew who I was or what my background was. I really wanted to look like a newbie.  And in fact, it had been a while since I had gotten to shoot so for all I knew, I was a newbie. 

I got off on bad footing by getting zero sleep the night before leaving.  At 5am I packed up and headed to Indiana for a great weekend of training.  I made the mistake of not drinking anything before I left so I wouldn’t have to stop for the bathroom.  Not my brightest idea. That would come back to bite me in a big way later and for the rest of the weekend. 

After an almost 3 hour, dark, foggy, construction ridden drive,  I pulled into the Lebanon Police Range and saw the familiar Gunsite sign just a little before 8am.  I had arrived and could not wait for my Gunsite experience. 

After signing in and getting our swag, the Instructors Introduced themselves and we got started.  I was immediately impressed with the number of women in the class.  I didn’t take a count but it seemed like close to half of the class were female shooters.   Another thing that impressed me were that there were 3 dads there who had brought their daughters to train at Gunsite.  Very often a dad (or husband) will attempt to teach their daughters (or wife) how to shoot and that almost never goes well.  It was great to see these dads bringing their daughters, shooting alongside them and encouraging them to train and be able to defend themselves. 

Some time was spent in the classroom covering Col. Cooper’s Modern Technique of the Pistol and the Combat Triad of Mindset, Marksmanship, and Gun Handling.   Then it was out to the range for some basic shooting drills. 

The range itself was nice.  Completely grass covered which made it a softer surface to shoot from and perhaps a bit cooler than cement or gravel.  The loading tables were under a shaded patio.  That said, it was HOT.  I mean really HOT.  As in gates of Hades kind of HOT.  I had hoped that a mid-September class would be a bit cooler but no such luck.  That sun was blazing and unforgiving.

The drills began with just basic single-shots to the target in the high center-mass area from the low ready position from 3, 5, and 7-yard lines.  Not too difficult.  Going into the weekend I was not sure how I would do since it had been a while since I had spent any real time behind the gun.  Its easy as an Instructor to get so busy teaching and training others that it can be difficult to do any shooting for yourself other than to demo something for a student.   Controlled pairs were also introduced at all distances. Basically the first day was getting everyone up to speed with the fundamentals. 

They harped on the “little things” like stance, grip, and especially the trigger press.  There is good reason for that.  Its those little things that make all the difference.   The first day tactical reloads were also introduced and let me just say that many instructors ignore or place little value on the tactical reload. Not Gunsite.  It’s a big deal to them and they harp on it constantly.  Gunsite runs a “hot” range and you are expected to “manage your ammo” as necessary, preferably without being reminded.  

There was also a chance for some friendly competition shooting with a “shoot off” on steel targets.   The class ended at 5pm after a long day that had been spent mostly in the blazing Indiana sun.  It was a great day but the heat had caught up with me and I was sick. 

Day 2

The instructors graciously started class at 9am rather than 8am on the second day.  I was grateful for a chance to try to catch up on some much needed rest.  I was however, still sick.   

Not to worry about time lost in that first hours though because day two was a LONG day and Gunsite does not waste a minute.  We began in the classroom covering Mindset and Mental Conditioning.  Mindset is one of my favorite topics so I ate that stuff right up.   One of the coolest things for me personally was being able to see the video of Col. Cooper teaching the mental conditioning piece and the four color codes that he created on video.  Its one thing to read it or hear it from another Instructor, its quiet another to hear it from the man himself. 

Very quickly that morning we were on the range where we did a cold shoot and Hammers were introduced.  Hammers are two rounds fired, one immediately following the first.  Speed Reloads and Malfunction clearing were introduced as was holster presentation.  Again, the Instructor harped on those ‘little things” and again there was a chance for a brief friendly competition.   

Range time wrapped up just after 5pm for a two-hour dinner break and then we were back at 7:10 for the evening shoot.  We gathered on the patio and  went over the essentials for low-light shooting as we waited for sundown.  Once the sun began to set, it was to the range to learn how to use a flashlight to identify a threat.  The “FBI” method and the “Harries” method were both taught and we practiced shooting both.  Most of the students had never had the opportunity to do low-light shooting.  I am blessed to be a part of an organization and at a range that does this on a regular basis.  The day ended around 10pm. 

Day 3

At 8am we met back at the range for the final day.  Again it was a full day of shooting.  The Failure Drill , a School drill, and Use of Cover were introduced.  We shot all of these from the 3, 5, and 7 yard distances.  We also covered “pivots” and turns, and multiple target engagement. 

And no Gunsite course is probably ever complete without ending with the “El Presidente” drill developed by Col. Cooper and which integrates many of the defensive shooting skills into one drill.  Usually they time and score this drill but because this was the 150 class and students had not had as much opportunity to shoot as many rounds as is done in the 250 course, the drill was not timed or scored. 

The Takeaway

This was perhaps the best class I’ve ever taken.  The Instructors were extremely professional.  Yes, it was a “basic” class and I can’t say that I learned anything new Mostly, it was stuff I teach to my students as well.  

My personal challenge was pushing through the three days while sick.  Did I think about quitting?  Oh yes!  Often.  Frequently.  Constantly.  But I was not about to give up and give in.  That is part of that mindset piece too - pushing yourself physically and mentally to do what you feel you can't, and finding out that you can.   I was also relieved to find that I can still shoot.  Well.  

Why would I spend the time and money to go take a “basic” class?  Well, because you really can’t hammer on the basics enough.  I tell my students that all the time and remind them that no one is ever so good that they can not benefit from revisiting the basics.  If you want to be a good shooter, or a better shooter, its all about the basics.  The “cool guy” stuff is cool and makes you feel awesome, but you can not do the cool guy stuff until you have mastered those basics.  So that is one reason, and besides … its Gunsite

Choosing An Instructor

When you make the decision to start getting some firearms training, deciding where to go and what Instructor to work with can be confusing.  How do you know who is good and who isn't?    Sometimes new students make the assumption that anyone who does firearms classes is a good instructor.  That could not be further from the truth!  Horror stories about firearms Instructors are all too common.  

I know that as a student, my training budget is limited. I am not in a position to spend money just to learn that I don't want to go there anymore.  My training dollars have to count so I am looking for the highest quality of training I can find. 

So how do you know?  How do you pick?  Word of mouth is one way but there are some things that I consider key qualities that students should keep in mind when choosing an Instructor. 

Bear in mind, perfection doesn't exist in this world so its going to be tough to find a perfect Instructor.

Not everyone who has instructor credentials is truly qualified to teach.  

Obviously, credentials do matter.  They do reflect that individuals commitment to learning their trade.  But think about it, most firearms instructor training programs are 3 - 5 days.  That's it.  Then those folks are able to set up and teach classes on their own, even if they have never taught on a range before.   Just as a responsible gun owner recognizes their need for training beyond the basic CCW class, a good instructor recognizes their need for further training and experience in teaching before hanging out a shingle and setting up business.  

Not everyone who is a good shooter, can teach.

Just because someone can shoot well, does not mean they are a skilled teacher.  I have been in the training classes of someone who was a well-known shooter who was not skilled at communicating with students.  The class was expensive and not a good experience for many of the students.  One student was in tears early in the day.  In my opinion, there is no need for that kind of intensity in a beginner level course.  Learning to operate under stress is important, but not when basic skills are being set down.  Knowing how to communicate with people of all backgrounds and all experience levels is a skill as important as being able to perform on a range.

I have also encountered very skilled shooters who were qualified to be Instructors but who were terrified to stand in front of people and talk.  An Instructor who is afraid of public speaking will be more concerned about himself/herself than on what the students are getting.  Experienced teachers will be more relaxed and comfortable in front of a class and have learned that if they say something wrong the world will not come crashing down in flames.  That level of comfort will actually eliminate most of the mistakes they fear.    I was fortunate in that LONG before I ever thought about working as an Instructor in the firearms industry, I had put in 30 years of teaching in my church.  It gave me the ability to stand in front of a room full of people and speak without the fear that usually accompanies public speaking.

Ideally, your Instructor should be both a good teacher and a good shooter. If you find that combination, you've got a keeper. 

Just because someone has served in the Military or as a Police Officer, doesn't mean they are a good firearms instructor.

Many new shooters want to train with Military or Police trainers because they believe them to be the better qualified.  I have all the respect in the world for our Military and Police and I work alongside some of the best almost daily, but too often students assume that because of their service, they are qualified to teach.  We either overlook or are unaware of the fact that many who served in the Military did not shoot a handgun during their service.  And many if not most police officers do not have the level of training the public thinks they do.  Police departments often do not have the fund available to send officers to training.   

Overlooked too is the notion that dealing with civilians is very different than dealing with those who serve.  Good Instructors with a Military or Police background know that they have to change things up a bit, change their tone, and approach things differently than they would at work.   Some can do that.  Some can not. 

Some of the very best classes I've taken were taught by those who served in the Military or as Police Officers.  And some of the worst classes I've taken were taught by those who served in the Military or as Police Officers.  

So what the heck do I look for?

Look for a training organization that uses an Apprentice program for their Instructors.  

Those Apprentices usually have to work alongside an experienced Instructor for a period of time before they earn the status of Instructor and are permitted to teach classes.  

When I began teaching my own classes my NRA Training Counselor was present on the range to oberserve and assist for all of my classes.  When I began working for 88 Tactical of Ohio, I spent the first year as an Apprentice even though I had a few years of experience under my belt as an Instructor.  It was time well spent and I would not trade it for anything. 

If you can't find such an organization, look for an Instructor who has worked under the observation of a more seasoned Instructor.  Good Instructors know that not everything can be taught in a week-long class.  It takes years of experience to become good at teaching. 

Look for Instructors who continue to train to improve their own skills

It is common for Instructors to have difficulty finding time for their own training,  They get so busy teaching that it can be a challenge to find time to continue to hone their own skills.  I know its a challenge for me.  A good Instructor will make the time to get in a class as a student and continue to learn.  No one has all the answers.  No one has all the knowledge.  And no one has reached a point where training is not beneficial.  Their students will benefit from their commitment to continued training.  

Look for an Instructor whoes training philosophy makes sense to you.

Its ok to interview a potential Instructor.  Ask them what their training philosophy is.  It can differ from one place to the other.  It doesn't mean that one is right and the other is wrong, but it should make sense to you.  Know why they are asking you to perform a task a certain way.  If you understand the "why", you are more likely to embrace what they are teaching.

Also consider why you are training?  Is your goal to become a better recreational shooter?  Or are you training to be able to prevail in a deadly force encounter?  The training can be different for each.    Many people enjoy shooting as a hobby and just want to be able to shoot more proficiently.  They get a kick out of putting holes on top of other holes on paper.  There is nothing wrong with that.  It is fun.  But if you're goal is to be prepared for a potential life threatening encounter with a determined criminal, you probably need to focus more on gun handling skills and tactics. 

One thing I have appreciated about 88 Tactical is that their training is behaviorally based.  Their approach is not just a range theory but is based on the study of human behavior in combat/defenseive situations.  To me, it just makes sense to train the way I may respond if ever facing a deadly force encounter.  

Look for Instructors who are encouraging. 

As an Instructor, the easiest thing in the world to do is to point out what a student is doing incorrectly, and that is part of teaching.  However, I believe that most people benefit more from positive encouragement for the things they are doing correctly.   

As an Instructor the last thing I want is for one of my students to leave the experience feeling defeated.  If they walk out with that in their mind, it can have devastating consequences.  That may be the day they have to use their gun in self-defense.  I don't want that poor mindset to put them at risk.  I also want my students to continue to learn and grow.  If they leave feeling lilke a failure, I have just given them a hurdle they are going to have to overcome in order to get back on the range.  If that happens, the student hasn't failed, the Instructor has failed.  

One of the things I appreciated most about training with Melody Lauer and John Johnston in the Contextual Handgun: The Armed Parent/Guardian course, was that at the end of the 2-day course, they took the time to give each and every student positive feedback.  Every single student left feeling on a positive note regardless of how they performed in the class. 

Does that mean that we gloss over mistakes and give people a false sense of proficiency?  Not at all.  Students need both correction and encouragement.  An Instructor does not do the student a favor if they do not make necessary corrections. 

I did a poll of students some years ago asking what they looked for in an Instructor.  How the Instructor talked to the students was the number one quality they were looking for.  Whether or not that is a good thing, it is what it is. 

Look for an Instructor who knows how to make learning fun!  

It may seem like the least important of qualifications for an instructor, but if students are having fun,  they are learning - and they are more likely to return and the more they return, the more they learn. 

One thing that made training with "Tanto" and "Boon" at Battleline Tactical a great experience was their relaxed, easy approach to training.  They were humble.  If anyone had earned the right to say, "This is how its done", it would be those guys, and yet they said from the beginning that they wanted to learn from us too.  That took pressure off of the students and made learning easier.  Tanto in particular was hilarious.  The two balanced each other out.  Boon was more reserved and communicated with professionalism, and Tanto kept things light and easy and never missed an opportunity to laugh and encourage the students. Both of them took training very seriously but neither of them took themselves too seriously.  

And that brings me to a final point.    If at all possible, avoid Instructors who are arrogant.  Why does this matter?  I can only speak for myself but it is my believe that an Instructor who is full of himself or herself will be making decisions with themselves in mind rather than what is best for their students.  Training should be for the benefit of the student, not for the Instructor to feel good about himself/herself. 

Its Different, Teaching Women

I love teaching women.  I teach men too and like that as well, but there is something about being with a group of women that is just, well ... different in such a refreshing way. 

Some of my observations are:

• Women are generally more conscientious.  They want to perform the skill correctly.  They are less interested in being fast and furious with a gun and more interested in learning the skill. 
  
• Women talk.  Oh do they talk!  Sometimes as an instructor, this can be frustrating and annoying.  However, that is how women process information!  They are learning when they are talking (assuming it is talk related to what's going on). A good instructor will recognize this and be more patient.  Instructing is not always about what the instructor is saying - its how the student is processing the information.
  
• Women love feedback!  I have found that women really respond to feedback, and not just positive feedback.  They thrive on the positive feedback but they need honesty and welcome it.  They do not like to feel like someone is placating them or tolerating them.  Women have a keen sense of that and will respond to the instructor accordingly. 
  
• And of course, there is the all-female environment that allows women to discuss things that they would never discuss and ask questions they would never ask if men were present.  Our anatomy is different and that can present some issues that men just know nothing about.  

These are just some of the things that make teaching women a delight!  It is also beyond rewarding to see women who value themselves and love their family enough to get out of their comfort zone and do what they need to do to be able to protect what they love.  Women are fierce in protecting what they love and it is awesome to see that they love themselves enough to defend themselves. 

Do It Again

Do you ever hesitate to take a training class because you've already done one similar to it?  There is GREAT value in repeating classes.  I have found that among the benefits of repeating training are:

• Repetition is mandatory for mastering a skill.  It is impossible to "own" a skill in a day-long class.  Even in a multi-day class, you learn the skill and get some practice, but really mastering it takes repeating it over and over, ideally with an instructor present to ensure you are performing it correctly and not creating bad habits.
• No two classes are the same.  Every instructor is different.  And every class is different.  Each instructor brings their own personality and manner of communicating to a class.  Sometimes one instructor may communicate the same idea in a different way that "clicks" with a student.  Even taking the same class with the same instructor can vary from time to time depending on the other students in the class.  

So yes, push yourself to take the class is out of your comfort zone, but never, ever be reluctant to repeat any class again, and again, and again.  Its how you learn.  

Training with "Tanto" and "Boon"

In August of 2017 I had the privilege of traveling to Nebraska and doing a 2-day Defensive Pistol course with Kris "Tanto" Paronto and Dave "Boon" Benton.  You may recognize them from the book and movie 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. 

They are both fantastic instructors.  Boon is so very patient and professional in his approach and Kris is the lighthearted of the two.  At one point we were shooting and Kris came up to me and started a little dance around me saying, "I'm right here ...  no pressure ... no pressure at all ... I'm right here watching every move you make... no pressure".  I think he could sense that I felt a lot of stress.  I was a new Apprentice with 88 Tactical and at the 88 Tactical HQ with 88 Tactical Senior Instructors looking on and the last thing in the world I wanted to do was look stupid and embarrassed the man who chose me to be on his team. I somehow think Kris got that and did what he could to lighten things up. 

Kris was also so encouraging. Not just to me, but to each student he would always take time to point out what they were doing correctly and compliment them when they did well.  So many instructors do not do that and yet, it only took a second for him to say something encouraging. 

An example of that is when the first day we were on the range getting warmed up so they could evaluate us and see where everyone was at in their skills.  I was on Kris's side of the range and noticed he would give a lot of attention to other shooters but never said a word to me, until he came up, put his hand on my shoulder and said, "I just want you to know I'm not ignoring you.  You are just doing well and I don't see anything to correct." 

Again on the second day we were doing a drill that was timed.  I am a slow shooter. I joke about my claim to fame is being  the slowest shooter in the world.  But he was encouraging, telling me that i had no wasted movement and was more efficient and faster than I thought I was. 

I didn't get to work with Boon as much so I didn't get to work with him on the range, but in t he classroom he amazed me with his professionalism.  For such a impressive warrior, he is soft spoken and very sweet.   

I think the thing that impressed me the most was the complete humility they displayed. Of all people they have earned the right to say "this is the way its done", but they instead show "a" way to do it and don't mess with people if what they are doing is working for them. They are even open to hearing students and made the statement, 'We want to learn from you too". Amazing! I can't say enough good things about these men who are true American heroes. 

If you get a chance to train with them, do so!  Their schedule can be found at BattlelineTactical. 

MAG-40 Review

In September I had the pleasure of taking the MAG-40 class with Massad Ayoob.   Massad Ayoob doesn't need much by way of introduction to those in the self-defense, law enforcement, and firearms community.  He is widely regarded as one of the very best firearms instructors in the country and with good reason.  He is also one of eleven people in the world to have earned the Five Gun Master ranking in IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association).  His books continue to be best sellers and he is considered to be an authority of matters of the legal use of deadly force.  He is often called as an expert witness in many of the high profile court cases in the country. 

The MAG-40 class is divided between classroom time which focuses primarily on the rules of armed engagement, and the range time which teaches you the Stress Fire techniques of shooting.  There is a written exam at the end of the class and a 60 round qualification course that combines police and FBI qualification courses.  Students are required to pass the written exam and score at least a 225 out of a possible 300 on the shooting qualification. Everyone in our class did so easily. 

The class is, in a word, INTENSE.  It is also exhausting.  It is also, hands down, the best class I have ever taken.  We put in four, 10-hour days with working lunches and shot more than 500 rounds.  You will take a lot of notes.  I came away with 50 pages of typewritten notes from the class.  Mas asks his students to compare notes, fill in any gaps, print them out. sign and date them, and mail them to yourself via certified mail.  Those notes will be evidence in court of your training if you should ever end up in court for a self-defense shooting.  That in and of itself, is worth the cost of the class.  In fact, I strongly recommend that every gun owner take at least the MAG-20 class, which is the classroom portion.  What you learn there may very well save yourself in court.  If you can take the MAG-40, do so!  You will learn skills in the MAG-40 class that you won't learn anywhere else and you will learn them from the man himself.  You will not regret it. 

Mas describes himself as arrogant yet I did not find him to be so.  He was very down to earth, very personable, very approachable, and seemed to genuinely enjoy his time with his students.  He is a professional in every sense.  When he arrived for our class he had just come from appearing in court as an expert witness for a woman who had shot an outlaw biker in self-defense.  He arrived having had 3 hours of sleep and fighting bronchitis.and yet he still delivered an excellent class.  If we had not known he was working under those conditions, we would not have known. 

The thing I appreciate about Mas is that he doesn't demand you do things his way.  He simply gives you very good solid reasons for doing what he suggests that will make you want to do them.  That, by the way, is he mark of an excellent teacher.  I have trained with other well-known instructors who were very demanding and had students in tears.  You will not encounter that in one of Mas's classes. 

I'm not going to give away too much here because this is a 40 hour, in-depth course that can't be adequately detailed in a blog post ( remember I had 50 pages of typewritten notes ).  You really just need to take the course.  My purpose is to take away some of the anxiety someone may have about taking a course like this one.

In the classroom, the focus is on the judicious use of deadly force.  It goes much deeper than any other course that I am aware of.  Some of the material he covers he has never released in a book, article, or on the Internet because it would be a blueprint for the bad guys.  The Massad Ayoob group if screens each student to ensure that everyone in the class is a law-abiding person who will use the material for self-defense only. 

On the range he teaches the StressFire technique,which is based on what the body does naturally when confronted with a threat.  The core elements of Stress Fire are:

1. A Power Stance
1. Feet at least shoulder width apart (or wider) and dominate leg behind.
2. A High Hand Grip
1. Your hand as high up on the backstrap as possible
   
3. A "crush" Grip
1. Gripping the gun as tightly as possible, even to the point where you tremor.  Thumbs curled down.  This eliminates "milking" the pistol, helps with the loss of fine motor skills that occurs in a deadly force encounter,  and makes it harder for someone to disarm you.
4. Focus on the Front Sight
1. Focusing, not merely looking at, the front sight
   
5. A Smooth Roll of the Trigger
1. Smoothly pressing the trigger

Some of these techniques may be very different than what students learn in other classes by other elite training schools, but as I said, he gives you good solid reasons for doing it this way.  It may take practice to incorporate the StessFire techniques into your shooting as with anything new it may requires unlearning some things and relearning others.  It will likely take practice.  My advice would be to try them, and during the qualification do what you normally do that works for you, then on your own time begin to try the new techniques.  

Another take away from the class for me personally was the need to carry a back up gun.  I've always thought that was a bit over the top and maybe even bordering on paranoia.  I now see it differently.  As always, Mas explains the "why" behind it and, it just makes sense.  In a deadly force encounter, it is possible that your gun will go down.  Yes, even a GLOCK can go down.  I am a proud GLOCK owner and love them for their simplicity and reliability but I have seen them fail.  As frustrating as that is on the range or in a classroom, it would be infinitely more terrifying in a deadly force encounter. During our class, at least two guns went down, both were high quality handguns.  If it can happen on the range, it can happen in a real life scenario.  As Mas said over and over, "its not about the odds, its about the stakes".  

What are the requirements for taking this class?  You will need a solid knowledge of firearms safety.  You will need to be a CCW holder.  You will need a firearm, and its a good idea to have a second gun with you as well.   You will need 500 rounds of ammunition - take more.  You will  need a holster and at least 3 magazines - four is better in case under stress you drop a mag or have a malfunction during the qualification.