Author Topic: self defense training? (Read 786 times)

sureshot2040 · « **on:** February 12, 2005, 03:44:15 AM »

i carry concealed and practice some. probably no where near enough.
i guess you can never prepare enough.
i dont think there are any programs in my area that offer anything.

what videos, books or other media is there availible that offer good advice as far as hand to hand, home, personal defense and any other areas that i havent mentioned and maybe even havent thought of?
thanks
sureshot

drdougrx · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2005, 04:18:39 PM »

Hi,

Get yourself a copy of, "In the Gravest Extreme" by Massad Ayoob and read it over and over. It makes great sense. Jeff Coopers, "No Second Place Winner" is also good. Take a class as well, Gunsite, Thunder Ranch, Lethal Force Institute, wherever. It's worth the money.

Regards,

Doug

rockbilly · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2005, 08:15:47 AM »

Anyway you slice it, it's a mental thing. If you are not prepared to make the right mental discission when the time comes, then all the practice at the range is wasted. Get you hands on some of Jeff Cooper's books, especially the "Red book" and read them. This will help prepare you mentally.

You can find information Jeff's book by typing in "Jeff Cooper" and hit search.

xnmr53 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2005, 10:30:05 PM »

drdougrx

The Colonel didn't write "No Second Place Winner". That honor belongs to the late Bill Jordan, Assistand Chief Inspector, US Border Patrol.

drdougrx · « **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2005, 02:58:34 PM »

xnmr53......you are correct, my mistake.

Seems I needed to look in my book case and refresh my memory.

The name of the book is: Principles of Personal Defense; Paladin Press, Boulder, CO, 1989, ISBN 0-87364-497-2

Sorry for the mistake!

Doug

minutemen1776 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 02, 2005, 04:46:38 AM »

I'm partial to Gabe Suarez. Start with "Tactical Advantage," then move to "Tactical Pistol" and/or "Tactical Pistol Marksmanship." I haven't read the last of these, but I understand it sets out a fairly detailed training regimen for improving your pistolcraft. Any of these are available at Amazon.com, among other venues.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #6 on:** March 02, 2005, 09:12:35 AM »

I recall a case that occured near Modesto in which an 83 year old woman used a 38 special to stop an intruder. She had no special self-defense training nor did she make frequent trips to the range. In another case a young mother used her handgun to cancel the ticket of an ex-con who'd broken into her apartment. In the latest issue of American Hunter there's a story of an octenegarian gentleman who used his rifle to shorten the career of a career criminal. They had no special training either. Sometimes what really counts is just having the good sense to do what needs to be done. Training schmaining, grab the gun and get the job done when the time arrives.

minutemen1776 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2005, 12:03:58 PM »

True, you can dispatch an attacker or intruder without training. In fact, it's done quite frequently. However, good training can't hurt anything, and you should get it if you are willing and able.

If we're swapping anecdotes, I can tell you about a man in my state who offed two home invaders a few years back. He saved his wife's life, but he also died of a gunshot wound to the chest. I don't know the details of the incident, but I've wondered if better tactics or training might have saved that brave man's life. He was certainly willing to rise to the occasion (and did), but he paid the supreme price in doing so. So, again, I don't think a little training can ever hurt.

redneckd1 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2005, 10:43:51 AM »

I was fortunate enough to attend a driving and shooting course for basically 'get off the mark and live'. There is no subsitute for practice!! I mean real practice, something that simulates, as close as possible, a situation that might cost you your life.
Shoot close and shoot backing up from your target. Shot from behind a barricaide, shoot with your off-hand. Reload while doing all this.
It is a lot, but it might save your life someday, maybe its worth it.

Cheers,
R

dawei · « **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2005, 11:23:21 AM »

Quote from: drdougrx

Hi,

Get yourself a copy of, "In the Gravest Extreme" by Massad Ayoob and read it over and over. It makes great sense. Jeff Coopers, "No Second Place Winner" is also good. Take a class as well, Gunsite, Thunder Ranch, Lethal Force Institute, wherever. It's worth the money.

Regards,

Doug

"No Second Place Winner" was written by the late Bill Jordan

drdougrx · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2005, 03:26:06 PM »

Thanks Dawei,

Was corrected already a few posts earlier in this thread by xnmr53 on Feb 14. Will not make that mistake again.

Doug

JohnClif · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2005, 10:02:10 PM »

John Farnam's "The Farnam Method of Defensive Handgunning" is, in my opinion, the best book available on the proper techniques of defensive handgun usage and carry. Read it, ponder, and read it again.

Then, take a class with a good instructor. Of all the classes I've taken, Clint Smith and John Farnam are, in my opinion, the two best instructors out there. Both have "seen the elephant" and both have the rare skill of being able to teach clearly and concisely.

Then, practice what you've learned in the class. You won't leave the class being a steely-eyed dealer of death. You have to practice the techniques you've learned for a couple thousand repetitions over a period of time before they become grooved and available at a subconscious level.

After good instruction and weekly practice, the average person can become reasonably competent in a couple of months. Take another class six months down the road and continue to practice and build your skills and you will be better than 95% of the people out there within a year. The 5% above you, however, are so good that it's frightening... be thankful that most of them are the good guys.

Note that even though you'll have a good handle on handgun manipulation and shooting technique, there is more to surviving a gunfight than this. There's also the tactical mindset... what to do and when and how to do it. Clint Smith teaches about the survival ladder, four things listed in order of priority that will give you the best chance of prevailing. They are: situational awareness (knowing what is going on around you so you can avoid trouble if at all possible or get yourself out of a developing situation without requiring the use of force), tactical proficiency (knowing how to position yourself against your opponent to maximize your advantages and his disadvantages), skill with the available weapons, and choice of weapon. You really can't get this from shooting IPSC or IPDA.

You'll find that 'gunmanship' is as much a martial art as any style of karate, and while a yellow belt has a step up over people with no formal instructional background, to reach the 'black belt' level will take years of study in different areas (unarmed self-defense, weapons disarming and retention techniques, defensive and offensive tactics, etc.).

How good you become depends on how much time, effort, and money you're willing to invest... with the onus being on time and effort.

mudriver · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2005, 03:32:50 PM »

You should take some classes just because they're FUN :lol: I'm one of those kooks that is an expert in several martial arts, and well trained in knife fighting, stick fighting and gun fighting. I also used this training in real situations (mostly military). I still train in as many forms of defense as I can because it's just plain fun. I also enjoy my weapons more when I know how to use them better.

As far as the effect of training, I'll tell you that any training at all is better nothing. I've trained people in basic hand to hand for less than 8 hours and they used it to kick butt. You can just pick up a gun and shoot it at someone, but if the bad guys have any training or sense you'll be toast.

6Shooter · « **Reply #13 on:** April 20, 2005, 12:56:27 PM »

Handgun shooting is a skill that will be lost ,or for lack of a better term, 'rust'. If you don't practice your shooting skills will dull.
Also, shooting is only a part of defending yourself or others maybe 25%.
You need to get your mind right about it.
I don't really like Wyatt Earp, but he said something about defensive shooting that is true: 'when you are going to draw a gun and shoot someone with the intention of killing them, your body actions must be as fast as humanly possible while your mind is going as slow as possible and this is most difficult when the person your shooting at has the same intention'. That is a paraphase but I believe you get the idea. Anyway training is always good and fun. Get books if nothing else and practice. If you have a buddy who is on the police force ask if you can go with him on a training day. They do that around here and you can even shoot the same training course the police do after a back ground check of course.