In a new article titled Where to Start, pistol-training.com contributor TCinVA offers some tips on how, when, and where to choose your first formal training experience. That first class is a genuine tipping point for most folks, and finding the right instructor or school to match your needs is just the tip of the iceberg.
A big tip of the hat to TCinVA for putting this together. Enjoy the article!
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
Great article.
I don’t know how but I was lucky enough to enroll myself in a 2 day Tom Given’s class 3 months after I started shooting handguns; it got me started on the right path.
Well-written article TCinVA!
Now we need an article on how to set up a quality training plan…maybe we can compare notes during a break this Saturday.
Cheers,
Pk
Great breakdown for newbies who have the correct attitude towards the responsability of CC but dont know how to get to the top of the hill, a great way to get top notch instructors from other states to come down to you area and do some training is to gather up 8+ guys who have the same ideas as you and get it setup with a local range so you dont have to wait for a class to become available.
Terrific article!
Right on point, IMHO.
This is a great article but IMHO the “where should I start” question should be asked about an overall plan for self-defense and not just CCW. Your gun is just one small variable in the personal defense equation. How is your health and physical conditioning? How are you at dealing with less-than-lethal situations? Do you yourself have a less-than-lethal option (i.e. pepper spray)? What about going quickly from verbal de-escalation to non-lethal to hands-on to gun? Not all problems require an immediate gun solution.
Also – and coming from a guy with limited gun training but 20 years of unarmed training – but it seems to me that most of the training offered today is geared towards solving shooting problems and not necessarily fighting problems. Since bad guys rarely rob/rape/beat victims from 21 feet away while standing perfectly still and announcing their intentions ahead of time, it’s probably a good idea to learn how to deploy a gun against a live, resisting opponent who gets to initiate the fight in his timing. That kind of training requires a lot of time and effort though and is usually avoided.
great write up TC
This is a good article to get things started.
Eric R is correct, however, and there are many more things to consider when it comes to personal defense and obtaining a CCW. TCinVA accurately identifies the need for situational awareness and understanding the fallout of events after a shooting, but one thing he overlooked is the need for less-lethal and empty-hand skills. Now, to be fair, TCinVA was answering a question about where to start for shooting instruction rather than a comprehensive discussion on total self-defense.
I raise this issue because in my experience as a USMC vet, martial arts student and instructor, IDPA match director, and fun-loving shooter I see too many “shooters” that view their favorite carry gun as a magic talisman that has solved their self-defense needs. My stated “qualifications” listed above give me NO claim to expertise, rather, it is a set of experiences that have given me a basis for ongoing study and learning; I’m always seeking new knowledge. I’m one guy with one opinion, that’s all. Having said that, my main point is along the lines of the old proverb about the only tool in the toolbox being a hammer…..you get the point.
Serious self-defense begins and ends between the ears. The gun, like t he knife, hand, foot, sword, power drill, wife’s vibrator is just a tool. Knowing how and WHEN to use said tool is the key.
As a student of several instructors (Givens/Hackathorn/Vickers/SD Harrington) I firmly believe that shooting skills must always be practiced, but it is equally important to “train” for all of the events that lead up to, and immediately after, a self-defense event. Not all encounters require the use of the firearm. Can you fend off a physical attack that surprises you? Can you then draw and engage in a dynamic and fluid situation? Do you know how to avoid said confrontation? Do you know what to say and do after a physical confrontation? Do you know how you should interact with LE once they respond? Are you prepared for the legal defense that WILL be required, be it criminal or civil? Do you have your attorney’s home/cell number on your person? Can you render immediate first aid to the injured, be they friend or foe?
I know, it’s a TON to think about and can make the less committed want to leave the firearm at home. Either way, know the facts and know yourself. Seek out NUMEROUS training sources, not just the shooting schools. Check you ego at the door and you will learn a ton, plus, it’s all FUN!
I hope this helped and I wish everyone a safe journey.
W
First off, not all vampires are effeminate wearwolves however are, and no I am not a Todd Groupie. Although a, TG-TG does have a neat ring to it….
Seriously though, great article, not only in the subject matter, but also the writing. I wish I could write that good.
While I appreciate the comments and good advice regarding a broader set of skills, it takes the article out of context. TC wasn’t writing an opus on being prepared for whatever the world can throw at you. For instance, he didn’t recommend a low-fat diet, either.
If someone walks up to me and asks what kind of alarm system he should get, I don’t lecture him on the importance of learning how to shoot.
But to the extent that TC’s article may seem narrow in scope, the blame for that lies on me. I specifically asked him to write about this topic.
PK — I would welcome your input on developing a training plan step by step…as you’re far more qualified on that sort of thing than I’ll ever be.
Rob — The last cool vampire was grandpa from the Munsters. As for the writing, I’m lucky to type out a coherent sentence. True story: I had a history professor who told me in one breath that I had the most beautiful writing she had ever seen in all her years teaching…and in the very next told me that I missed the entire point of the assignment and was hard to understand. I thought my brain was going to catch on fire trying to reconcile her statements.
To the rest —
I absolutely agree that there is more to self defense than learning how to shoot a handgun really well. Skill with a pistol is always good, but it’s not a substitute for basic self defense skills or for having a good plan to deal with the authorities after you’ve put two jacketed hollowpoint into a bad guy’s cranium. Elbowing the homicide detective in the ribs and saying “Dude, do you see how awesome those hits are? My split times were PHENOMENAL!!” is probably not the best strategy.
The snag is that I’m not an expert in self defense in general or in laws governing the use of force. I thought I should mention that there is more to CCW than weapons skill but I’ll leave the specifics to those better qualified to give instruction in those matters.
I am pretty good at being in training courses and the number 1 question I get generally involves people trying to figure out where to start in firearms training, so that’s what I was hoping to get at with the article.
“Serious self-defense begins and ends between the ears. The gun, like the knife, hand, foot, sword, power drill, wife’s vibrator is just a tool. Knowing HOW and WHEN to use said tool is the key.” – Quoted from ‘W’
In a non opinionated, truthful, beyond belief knowledge; this statement should be taken to heart by everyone. And Practiced. Period.
Keep up the good work Todd