All too often, instructors and enthusiasts alike use the phrase “It’s a training issue” as justification for troublesome equipment or poor techniques. Of course, we here at pistol-training.com are the last ones to excuse lack of training, but a dose of reality is needed.
When someone accidentally discharges a Glock while disassembling it, “It’s a training issue.” If someone can’t shoot a Traditional Double Action pistol as fast and accurately as a striker-fired or single-action gun, “It’s a training issue.
But is that all there is to it?
Perhaps someone, somewhere, has unlimited access to the most advanced range facilities, infinite supplies of ammo, and no demands on his time except to practice shooting. If he has all of that plus free daily instruction from world-class teachers, then training should never be an issue.
For the rest of us, things don’t work out that way. Whether you’re an individual hobbyist or armed professional, you probably don’t have all the time and money you want for training. Resources are limited. Training needs to be well planned and efficient to make the most of those limited resources.
Obviously, for many people, these training issues are worth the cost. People and agencies see enough benefit in carrying Glocks or TDA pistols that they’re willing to accept these extra training needs. But that doesn’t mean there is no cost involved. Training time spent overcoming unnecessary obstacles is not efficient use of resources.
So the next time you find yourself justifying a more difficult or less safe way of doing something on the alter of the training issue, think carefully about whether you’re spending your training hours and dollars in the most efficient way. And the next time someone else makes a mistake or fails to perform to your expected level of proficiency, remember that he might not have had access to the resources necessary to overcome all of those training issues.
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG