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All this discussion has caused me to look up the definition of "advanced":adj 1. in front, 2. old, 3. ahead or higher in progress.
I think for this discussion we can safely rely on the 3rd definition of "ADVANCED" : ahead of or higher in progress.
Now let me back up a bit here. I have a formal education in program development for outdoor recreation. So it has not been uncommon in the last 10 years to be approached to design and write programs for the physical skills I am interested in. Shooting has been just one.
One request was to design a "advanced shooting" program for a group interesting in wooing the military training dollars. Their idea, with several million dollars behind them, were things like zip lines, parachute rigging towers and complicated "jungle" lanes as shooting problems.
In other words a shooter's Disneyland of problems that will seldom, if ever, occur.
The US Olymipic training facility and coaches learned in the mid 70's (from the Eastern block countires BTW) that the very best physical and mental training for any sport was the "specificity of training". That means that you actually do exactly what your sport requires, but you only do PERFECT practice.
The key is to learn what perfect practice is. Then define it. And finally learn to repeat it.
Flip back to firearms training now. There are any number of instructors who will give you a Disneyland ride in a firearms course. Some of them are very successful commercially.
Many firearm trainiers have no idea what the goal is during firearms or "confrontational training". Is your goal the same as a Spec Op soldier, IPSC GM, civilian or a LEO? It is, only if you are one. Different levels of deployment, lifestyle or interest demand different skill sets.
Gun skills are fairly simple. You need to hit the target. That is easily measured. If you don't know what perfect practice is and can't deliver on demand perfect performance (or at least at a high degree of skill level) you need to STOP there and start anew.
Start anew with perfect practice of the most basic skill sets.
That is just a simple review of gun skills.
We (Tom, Jim and I) teach a "combatives program" for civialians. Remember the quote, " specificity of training"? We teach exactly what we have identified (which was done by our own experiences) as necessary to defend yourself on a broad spectrum in today's environment as a civilian.
The question has been posed that the skills taught might not be advanced. It is always good to question your instructor. Makes you both better. I encorage anyone to teach by forcing your students to ask questions. Stimulate the student's curiousity, make them work for the answer! To understand physical skills you must first know what the human body is capable of and how to get it to duplicate the skill in the most efficent manner.
Learning new physical skills is difficult for anyone, even the most gifted. Retraining physical skills is even more difficult if you have to unlearn the skills you have already acquired.
We get caught up in the word game of symantics too many times. If I am to show you how to build a custom 1911 over a 20 hour period is that an "advanced" pistol course? Or is it just the "right" way to build a basic pistol?
You can guess my answer.
Self defense training comes down to one thing. It is too easly forgotten or for many, student and instructor, never realised. What we do in self defense is impose our "will" on another. That may be as simple as a verbal command or as harsh as lethal force. It can be as complicated as our legal system. My point here is that without an extensive level of both, knowledge and experience, finding the specificity in "self defense" training is impossible.
Gun skills are a tiny part of self defense, but most firearms students just want the E ticket Disneyland ride. (which I am not adverse to as a student either if I am looking to be entertained but I am usually more serious wiht my own training time) If you are looking for entertainment there are plenty of training businesses out there who will oblige.
Good training is hard work and takes perfect practice. Making a student actually work is seldom economically rewarding in our culture. Paying money to be entertained is not unusual. Paying money and being asked to work, is not the norm for the majority of firearms students.
I know what it takes to win a fight. I know what is involved in losing one. I can give a class in two days that will in fact prepare you to survive and prevail in a physical altercation. BUT YOU THEN HAVE TO PRACTICE those same skills long after I am gone and incorporate them into your life style and physical abilities. I even teach that class once a year or so. The students get bruised and battered. They get minor injuries, even with a $1000 FIST suit on and in a controlled environment. It is DAMN hard work for all involved. Harder yet to win in the real world.
That is life.
No one seems to disagree that the use of "SIMUNITIONS" is advanced firearms training. That is universally agreed upon by LEO, Spec Ops and Civilains.
I have been teaching with sims of one type or another since 1985. I have worked extensively with SWAT cops, street cops, Spec Op soldiers, firearms instructors and civilians. No matter the level of student training, I have seldom seen ANYONE walk into a sims environment and be able to deal with the challenges effectively. (unless they have had long term exposure to the same problems with the appropriate answers available in real life) Sim training points out the weaknesses of training quite quickly. The vast majority of students from any background can use a refresher course in verbal commands, cover and concealment and the Nike technique.
Pretty pathetic to be teaching REALLY basic techniques, like running away, to a class where the students came to shoot each other don't ya think? My point? What is needed is a back to basics class, using red guns, and perfect practice in survival techniques to bring the students UP to a level where they can actually learn something useful from the pain enhanced, "advanced", learning experience of "SIMUNITIONS".
Advanced training? What advanced training in "self defense" IS..... is perfect practice of the basic skills needed to overcome the challenge.
Choose your programs and instructors wisely. You can either get what you need or the fantasy of a Disneyland ride, your choice.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dane Burns on 2001-11-03 00:53 ]</font>
I think for this discussion we can safely rely on the 3rd definition of "ADVANCED" : ahead of or higher in progress.
Now let me back up a bit here. I have a formal education in program development for outdoor recreation. So it has not been uncommon in the last 10 years to be approached to design and write programs for the physical skills I am interested in. Shooting has been just one.
One request was to design a "advanced shooting" program for a group interesting in wooing the military training dollars. Their idea, with several million dollars behind them, were things like zip lines, parachute rigging towers and complicated "jungle" lanes as shooting problems.
In other words a shooter's Disneyland of problems that will seldom, if ever, occur.
The US Olymipic training facility and coaches learned in the mid 70's (from the Eastern block countires BTW) that the very best physical and mental training for any sport was the "specificity of training". That means that you actually do exactly what your sport requires, but you only do PERFECT practice.
The key is to learn what perfect practice is. Then define it. And finally learn to repeat it.
Flip back to firearms training now. There are any number of instructors who will give you a Disneyland ride in a firearms course. Some of them are very successful commercially.
Many firearm trainiers have no idea what the goal is during firearms or "confrontational training". Is your goal the same as a Spec Op soldier, IPSC GM, civilian or a LEO? It is, only if you are one. Different levels of deployment, lifestyle or interest demand different skill sets.
Gun skills are fairly simple. You need to hit the target. That is easily measured. If you don't know what perfect practice is and can't deliver on demand perfect performance (or at least at a high degree of skill level) you need to STOP there and start anew.
Start anew with perfect practice of the most basic skill sets.
That is just a simple review of gun skills.
We (Tom, Jim and I) teach a "combatives program" for civialians. Remember the quote, " specificity of training"? We teach exactly what we have identified (which was done by our own experiences) as necessary to defend yourself on a broad spectrum in today's environment as a civilian.
The question has been posed that the skills taught might not be advanced. It is always good to question your instructor. Makes you both better. I encorage anyone to teach by forcing your students to ask questions. Stimulate the student's curiousity, make them work for the answer! To understand physical skills you must first know what the human body is capable of and how to get it to duplicate the skill in the most efficent manner.
Learning new physical skills is difficult for anyone, even the most gifted. Retraining physical skills is even more difficult if you have to unlearn the skills you have already acquired.
We get caught up in the word game of symantics too many times. If I am to show you how to build a custom 1911 over a 20 hour period is that an "advanced" pistol course? Or is it just the "right" way to build a basic pistol?
You can guess my answer.
Self defense training comes down to one thing. It is too easly forgotten or for many, student and instructor, never realised. What we do in self defense is impose our "will" on another. That may be as simple as a verbal command or as harsh as lethal force. It can be as complicated as our legal system. My point here is that without an extensive level of both, knowledge and experience, finding the specificity in "self defense" training is impossible.
Gun skills are a tiny part of self defense, but most firearms students just want the E ticket Disneyland ride. (which I am not adverse to as a student either if I am looking to be entertained but I am usually more serious wiht my own training time) If you are looking for entertainment there are plenty of training businesses out there who will oblige.
Good training is hard work and takes perfect practice. Making a student actually work is seldom economically rewarding in our culture. Paying money to be entertained is not unusual. Paying money and being asked to work, is not the norm for the majority of firearms students.
I know what it takes to win a fight. I know what is involved in losing one. I can give a class in two days that will in fact prepare you to survive and prevail in a physical altercation. BUT YOU THEN HAVE TO PRACTICE those same skills long after I am gone and incorporate them into your life style and physical abilities. I even teach that class once a year or so. The students get bruised and battered. They get minor injuries, even with a $1000 FIST suit on and in a controlled environment. It is DAMN hard work for all involved. Harder yet to win in the real world.
That is life.
No one seems to disagree that the use of "SIMUNITIONS" is advanced firearms training. That is universally agreed upon by LEO, Spec Ops and Civilains.
I have been teaching with sims of one type or another since 1985. I have worked extensively with SWAT cops, street cops, Spec Op soldiers, firearms instructors and civilians. No matter the level of student training, I have seldom seen ANYONE walk into a sims environment and be able to deal with the challenges effectively. (unless they have had long term exposure to the same problems with the appropriate answers available in real life) Sim training points out the weaknesses of training quite quickly. The vast majority of students from any background can use a refresher course in verbal commands, cover and concealment and the Nike technique.
Pretty pathetic to be teaching REALLY basic techniques, like running away, to a class where the students came to shoot each other don't ya think? My point? What is needed is a back to basics class, using red guns, and perfect practice in survival techniques to bring the students UP to a level where they can actually learn something useful from the pain enhanced, "advanced", learning experience of "SIMUNITIONS".
Advanced training? What advanced training in "self defense" IS..... is perfect practice of the basic skills needed to overcome the challenge.
Choose your programs and instructors wisely. You can either get what you need or the fantasy of a Disneyland ride, your choice.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dane Burns on 2001-11-03 00:53 ]</font>
).
