Guest Post: How To Prepare For Serious Training
When you first set foot in the firearms world, you might get some basic training on firearm safety. If you are responsible, you need to know which way the bullets come out and know how not to shoot yourself or anyone else on the range.
If you intend to take your shooting to another level and to learn things like defensive shooting, you need a different kind of training. These classes can be intimidating for the new shooter, but are well worth the time and effort. With a little preparation these classes can be far less intimidating.
Come Prepared
When spending the money and the time for a serious shooting class (or any class for that matter) it is very important to come to the class prepared. Preparations fall into two main categories: equipment and skills.
Bring the right equipment
Any time you attend a class you need to make sure you have the right gear. If you are attending a class that will be teaching skills like drawing from a holster, it’s pretty obvious that you should have a suitable holster when you attend. Other items that are commonly needed for classes are mag pouches and enough spare magazines.
Most classes will list the requisite equipment for the class. Make sure you have this equipment prior to taking the class. Make sure you have enough quality ammunition. Bringing spare equipment when available is also a great idea. Spares can prevent downtime caused by equipment malfunction or breakage and help to make sure you don’t miss a minute of your class.
Just as important as assembling the right gear, you also need to make sure it works prior to attending a class. It would be a bad idea to show up to a shooting class with a brand new gun you have never fired, and it would be just as bad to show up without giving the rest of your gear a good shake down. Try things out and make sure they work before you bring them to a class.
Bring the right skills
When attending a shooting class, it’s good to know what skills you should have prior to attending. All classes other than introductory firearms safety classes will expect you to have safe firearm handling skills. If you haven’t taken a firearms safety class or had good friends show you the ropes, then you really should start with a basic safety class.
When it comes to most skills, especially those performed at speed, you need to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. Don’t sign up for a high-speed low drag type class that expects you to be able to draw from the holster and shoot on the move if you can’t do those things. Find a class that will teach you these skills first. There are many good local instructors around the country that teach these things for a fraction of the cost of a big name traveling trainer. Get the basics down before you try to “run.”
Just like you should make sure your gear functions, you should also make sure you are familiar with it. Practice drawing your pistol from your new holster even before going to a class that will teach this type of material – but do it dry first (without ammo). Make sure everything you carry for the class is accessible and can be worn comfortably for a whole day. And make sure you know your gun. You should know where the controls are. Anything you can learn on your own prior to the class will decrease the mental load you will bear in the class.
Bring the right Mindset
The most important thing to remember with any class you pay for is to come with the right mindset. You are wasting everyone’s time and your own money if you show up thinking you already know everything. Try to take the instructor’s suggestions and learn what they have to teach. After all, you are paying them to show you something. Having a teachable attitude will make the instructor’s job easier, and you will get more out of the class.
Getting good training from good instructors is a great way to expand your skill-set, make yourself more safe, and improve your chances of survival in a violent confrontation. All gun owners, especially those who intend to carry a gun, should seek out quality training.
If you liked this post, check out www.IndestructibleTraining.com, Nick Savery’s blog discussing integrating training across a variety of systems and platforms for the purposes of self-defense.
Images used under creative commons licence from mrwynd and Joseph A Ferris III.
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