The Concealed Carry Trap
Recently, a concealed carry class graduated somewhere in the U.S. This class, comprised of probably 20 students was now armed with the legal right and knowledge to apply for their permit and carry a gun. The problem is that those students without any other training or experience now knew about enough to get killed on the street. That is the trap! Thinking that a carry class would prepare you for lethal combat on the street. In most cases in the carry courses, the State mandates what is taught and what length the course must be. Trainers that have an interest in teaching more are often limited by curriculum. That is why any good concealed carry instructor will offer follow on courses or recommend further training elsewhere that will truly prepare a person for the horrible possibility of real combat in their homes or on the street. I would guess that only 30% or so of carry course graduates return for a follow on class in the first year. I hope that if you are reading this, you aren’t one who will never return for a follow on class, but if you are, I warn you: You chances on the street are slim to none if you meet up with a hardened opponent! Get some follow on training!
Here are some other thought on how warriors should act and train- (if you own or carry a gun you could or have used to save yourself or others, then you are a warrior!)
• Responsibility- This is the key. I have see countless police officers and members of the military who accept and believe that the skill level they have when they leave the academy or boot camp is acceptable to save their lives. Just like the concealed carry graduate who thinks their certificate to carry will be all they will need when bad things happen. I say NO! The first thing I would challenge anyone who works in the fields of warriorship to do is take responsibility for their own survival! Give your time, and yes your money to train in your combative skill sets as much as you can. I despise the attitude of “I don’t have time to train” or “my agency does not give me enough ammunition to practice with”. If you are one of those that think that way, slap yourself silly. Please, I ask you, take responsibility for your own survival. TRAIN LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
Get a comprehensive training program for concealed carry: Your Defensive Handgun Training Program.
• Fighting Fitness- I spend a good deal of time around guys that are good with guns. One comment I hear often is “I don’t need to be in good enough shape to run, I’ll just shoot him!” This answer may be in response to a question about how often the person spends time doing cardiovascular work (running is the most common) to enhance their ability to fight. To those who say that their fitness level is something they aren’t concerned with, I doubt they have been in a real fight for their life. Fitness is everything in a fight, especially for those who work in close proximity to their opponents. A sniper may be able to stop the fight from a distance, but most other fights will eventually end up with some sort of close contact. Even if we don’t have to rely on our fitness level from a physical standpoint, I have never heard of a person in a gunfight with a normal heart rate. A high level of fitness will allow a warrior to be more effective with all of their weapon systems, because their heart rate will be lower and their body will be able to handle more stress. Most gunfights are running fights, and a warrior must be very fit to survive these circumstances. If you consider yourself to be a warrior, get yourself to the gym. Spend time developing cardiovascular fitness as well as strength and flexibility.
• Specialization- Don’t specialize! When designing your training, make sure you schedule training sessions for each/all weapon systems you have in your arsenal. Spend time training with all of your weapons to form a layered system that allows you to flow from one to the other without hesitation. Know your rules of engagement and or policy’s or laws (in whatever state you live) that allow you to utilize your different weapon systems. Train yourself in advance to flow from one tool to the next by engaging in reality-based scenarios, or at a minimum visualize proper response to different scenarios. Spend a relatively equal amount of time training with all weapons. If you have weaknesses, please take the time to fix them before they cost you your life.
• Mindset- This is the key area to work on during your training. Develop a “never quit” attitude. Don’t even think about allowing yourself to quit during a drill or repetition during a training session, even if no one is looking fight through the mistake. Visualize yourself in bad situations where you are at a disadvantage, and see yourself winning the fight, even if things are real bad. See yourself getting hit and fighting through the pain to deal death or damage to your attacker. Develop that “switch”, the one when flipped turns you into an unstoppable, thinking warrior intent on surviving by making sure your opponent does not. Accept and embrace the violence you may have to bestow upon someone before the fight happens, so you are mentally ready when it does.
In the end, your success lies in your own hands. Maybe this is a motivator, or wake up call….and if so, ACT on what you have read!
Until Then – Train Hard
Mike S.
