Practical Training

[ExSniper]

Great comments! Mental preparation and mental toughness come first. As Leighton pointed out, sometimes age and physical limitations determine much about how we will fight. Even with that said, there are relevant H2H techniques or less lethal weapon techniques that might be worth consideration.

For an armed civilian, getting into a fight is a mistake. Once you have entered into mutual combat you had better win or someone is taking your weapon away from you and things can get really bad. You can't start fighting someone, realize he is kicking your a** and draw your pistol to shoot him. That would not, ordinarily be justifiable self defense. So as a minimum you need to learn some defensive and evasive/escape techniques.

All of the instructors mentioned here are outstanding. I have not had a chance to take their classes but I am using Seeklander's book right now, I have books & DVDs from many of the top instructors, which I think for many of us is a good but not great alternative. Hands-on training is better but not always possible. I am just coming around to the possibility of competition as training, as my early experiences with competitive shooting were all ruined by "gamers" who had no idea what staying alive in a shooting war or gunfight entails.

Troy, just watching part of the training sessions you guys were having with Royce Gracie was impressive! He definitely knows his stuff and seemed to be sharing that knowledge well.

Keep the comments coming. Tell us what you are doing to prepare yourself whther you are civilian/LEO/military. The level of knowledge and experience on this forum is what sets it apart.

 

[Airic]

For those who have crazy schedules or live in areas that dont have good access to training:

Gracie University

something to consider

 

[TroyF]

Good to know I'm not the only one in this little boat.

I'm going to edit my post so as not to mislead anyone. Nevermind... can't edit that post anymore.

It is important. It's important to know that just because you may strap on your gun in the morning, that doesn't make you invincible.

Your last line brings up a great point. I hear cops say it all the time. I'll pose a question to them and generally the response I get is "I'll just shoot". Hold on there Hondo... that isn't always an option. And if FOF has shown me anything, it's that what you say you will do and what you actually do are often two different things.

I think there is a fine line between Firearms/H2H. And that line is small. A good H2H program will incorporate firearms as well as mindset and MUC.

 

[nikatkimber]

A good H2H program will incorporate firearms as well as mindset and MUC.

This kind of program I would definitely be up for. I know USSA offers courses similar, and plan on taking one when time and money allow.

 

[TroyF]

oops, I forgot to add under H2H.....Mike Brown and his crew of nasty CQT bastards. I rode back from tulsa with one of my guys who took CQT over a weekend. Scared the hell outta my officer. He realized several things; mainly he hadn't been prepared for the realities of what a fight actually is.
Couldn't edit that post. Sorry.

 

[KurtM]

" as my early experiences with competitive shooting were all ruined by "gamers" who had no idea what staying alive in a shooting war or gunfight entails." Ex Sniper

If you let others dictate what you personally get out of a match, you will never like match shooting. Shoot for your own reasons. Some shoot just to win, some shoot just to have a fun day with friends, some shoot to feel better about their poor skills compaired to others, I shoot just so I am sober one out of 7 days.

I agree fully with a good H2H program, and it reminds us of why our carry gun needs a good holster! A great place to start all of this is a small book by Col. Cooper called principles of self defense...has nothingto do with shooting but it has everything to do with what is being discussed here.

 

[ExSniper]

"If you let others dictate what you personally get out of a match, you will never like match shooting. Shoot for your own reasons. Some shoot just to win, some shoot just to have a fun day with friends, some shoot to feel better about their poor skills compaired to others, I shoot just so I am sober one out of 7 days.

I agree fully with a good H2H program, and it reminds us of why our carry gun needs a good holster! A great place to start all of this is a small book by Col. Cooper called principles of self defense...has nothingto do with shooting but it has everything to do with what is being discussed here."

I did not let them dictate what I was getting out of the match but they made it difficult to impossible for anyone else to even participate. Made you not want to be around them, ever. Like I said, I have changed and heading towards some of the local matches soon.
Col. Cooper's book is excellent, as are many others by Fairbairn-Sykes, Applegate, Jordan, some of the old Mike Enchanis books, and lots of others. All of these are excellent and get back to my original post about "nothing new." Some of the new trainers do an excellent job of packaging and disseminating info but the info is not that much different than some taught by the old masters.

 

[KurtM]

I was lucky enough to train with Echanis back when he lived in Idaho, post Nam pre Nicaraugua...obviously. Every time I went to his place it was a real learning experience, at the time he was into Dan iniosanto and Rang-do and Wa-do. I was just a kid and he and a guy named Mike Kelley used to beat the hell out of me. I met Col. Rex Applegate once at a seminar in Vegas in the Mid 90s and at that time he was still going strong. As for Cooper I worked for him for a couple of years before "Gray GunSite" (89-92). As for match shooting, well there are a coule of areas of the country I just won't shoot in due to exactly what you say, Colorado Front Range for one, but it always seemed to be the "pistol" crowd, 3-gunners seem much better, but then again I am a "Gamer" according to all the local Tactical crowd so who knows?

 

[michaelclm]

One element that I feel is important to mindset/awareness (and I believe it has been mentioned previously) is avoidance.
Does anyone know if TPD does a gang recognition (grafitti, tattoos, etc.) course? Something like this could go a long way in recognizing that you are, in fact, in the wrong neighborhood.

I plan on taking one of Southnarc's seminars on unknown contacts some time this year, as well.

I participated in an offensive/defensive driving course a very long time ago on active duty. It's been about 16 years since I attempted either a J-turn or a bootleg, though. A driving course would be very useful.

I hope to be able to get into one of the ECQC and Edged Weapons classes at USSA this year but also want to find some regular H2H courses to attend. If someone knows of a good Krav Magra instructor in Tulsa I would really like to get that person's contact info.

Great thread, guys: Keep it coming.

 

[stewartglock]

One of the posters on this thread runs a martial arts school. I know he's a KM Instructor. I need a new training partner. Anyone down?

All this talk has got me interested in learning some Krav Maga. Any resources in or around OKC?

 

[TroyF]

All this talk has got me interested in learning some Krav Maga. Any resources in or around OKC?

Exactly. Since this thread started it got me into the same line of thought. I am a KM Instructor, but have spent the last 5 or so years mainly teaching, and neglecting myself. So I've had some conversations with a fellow KM Instructor who runs a school down in Norman. He is also a member here and I believe is looking into sponsorship on this forum. Since he isn't a sponsor at this time, I'm hesitant to post up his name or his business' name. PM me and I will forward his info to you. It would be great if some of us on here could hook up and train down there.

 

[jtischauser]

Exactly. Since this thread started it got me into the same line of thought. I am a KM Instructor, but have spent the last 5 or so years mainly teaching, and neglecting myself. So I've had some conversations with a fellow KM Instructor who runs a school down in Norman. He is also a member here and I believe is looking into sponsorship on this forum. Since he isn't a sponsor at this time, I'm hesitant to post up his name or his business' name. PM me and I will forward his info to you. It would be great if some of us on here could hook up and train down there.

Post away! Then have him become a spsonsor.

 

[TroyF]

Ok. Since I got the thumbs up from Jesse here goes:

SteveS (Steve Swinford) runs a Premier Martial Arts school down in Norman off of Robinson. I contacted Steve to see if it were viable to start a dedicated KM class down there in his training facility. He's game.

Steve was my FTO when I started at Moore PD. We worked midnight shifts together after that. We use to hook up when things were slow and work technique in dark alleys, no mats, no pads, etc. We learned quite a bit during those savage training sessions. He left our PD to start his own MA school, and in doing so I replaced him on our SWAT Team.

Website is pmanorman.com If interested you can contact him at [email protected].