Practice what you Preach?

V

VeteransCCW

,
Good evening fellow 2nd Amendment patriots,

A provocative title, but not what you think:lol:

Wanted to to throw out a topic to get instructors with more experience than myself your opinions. First I have been through many gun classes and safety courses, including becoming a certified NRA Instructor. In November I head to Las Vegas to attend a 4 day defensive handgun course at Front Sight.

My question to the group is this;

In your opinion do you feel attending courses such as Front Sight lends additional credibility with your students? Mind you this is not a Front Sight only question, as there are many quality training facilities that in some form provide the type of instruction I have referred to. Aside for the personal gain, is there any credo with your students.

Thank You and I look forward to your comments
 
I have done tons of training. I don't brag to my students about it. I feel its like meeting someone and they start telling you how many degrees they have. Take what you learn and pass it on to your students. You owe them that, you are the teacher. Its not bad to let them know some of the stuff you have done in your intro to them. Last year I taught around 400 beginner shooters, I have found that people are eager to learn. I leave my ego at home they don't come for that.
 
I believe it does add credibility with the students that the instructor is still training and not only learning new skills but honing old ones. We all know those instructors who went to nothing more than one NRA Instructor class years ago and have relied on that and their years as an instructor for their reputation.
 
I am not an instructor, and I don't think of it as bragging. I want to know your credentials and get an idea of your background before I take your class. Plus, lots of training tells me you are dedicated and up to date. There is one range out here with a group of very good instructors and they do a great job, but they are geared towards military and tactics, so not what I'm interested in for now. Obviously nothing wrong with that (I'm prior Navy), I'm just interested in the more civilian self-defense training at the moment. Their classes sound fun and I plan to take one some day, just not yet.

So yeah, tell them where you come from and what you did to get there. Plus, it gives them an idea of what is required to get to where you are now. I just took a class from someone who has over 500 hours of training under her belt. Pretty nuts, but a great class.
 
VeteransCCW said:
Good evening fellow 2nd Amendment patriots,

A provocative title, but not what you think:lol:

Wanted to to throw out a topic to get instructors with more experience than myself your opinions. First I have been through many gun classes and safety courses, including becoming a certified NRA Instructor. In November I head to Las Vegas to attend a 4 day defensive handgun course at Front Sight.

My question to the group is this;

In your opinion do you feel attending courses such as Front Sight lends additional credibility with your students? Mind you this is not a Front Sight only question, as there are many quality training facilities that in some form provide the type of instruction I have referred to. Aside for the personal gain, is there any credo with your students.

Thank You and I look forward to your comments
Click to expand...
a lot has to do with what you are teaching, if the classes are only basic gun safety and basic concealed carry then a front sight class really doesn't add much, if you are getting into more in depth self defense classes then taking more than a few courses with the top schools get you some cred. anyone can put on BDUs and mirrored sun glasses and talk real cool but if you cannot back it up with real skill at some point any shortcomings will stand out and then you'll just be like any other mall ninja
 
Thanks for the feedback

Thank you for your feedback and experiences with your own students. I think it's interesting how many of us think alike, but are so different in our approach. What I didn't mention above is I have military experience, but since it was so long ago, my feeling is something more current and relevant would be of more intrigue for students.

Wishing you All a Safe Holiday
 
VeteransCCW said:
Thank you for your feedback and experiences with your own students. I think it's interesting how many of us think alike, but are so different in our approach. What I didn't mention above is I have military experience, but since it was so long ago, my feeling is something more current and relevant would be of more intrigue for students.

Wishing you All a Safe Holiday
Click to expand...

You can brag if you won the shootout an day 4.:victory:
 
All training is important. If an instructor doesn't do anything but the bare minimum, they will be a marginal instructor. Techniques change, different training facilities emphasize different skills and philosophies. If you don't experience them how would you know what is valid and what isn't? There's a million opinions on YouTube and you should make sure students understand they won't learn everything from a video. At the end of my classes, I explain all the various ways everyone can expand their skills. Most of my students have never owned a holster much less used one. I discuss IDPA, USPSA, SASS, etc. I know those aren't "real world" but it does raise the adrenalin and forces shooters out of static shooting situations. I then invite them to join me at the next local match (as a competitor or spectator) and see what it's all about.
 
I agree with pistol competitions (USPSA) as well. These types of settings will get your heart pumping and raise your stress level.

Those expensive schools are fair if you have the time and money but regular pistol matches are free and will give you plenty of trigger time.
 
I know some very competent shooters who have attended Front Sight. Some of them swear by Front Sight and some of them swear at Front Sight. I have no experience with Front Sight except for the daily emails and the robo-calls 2 or 3 times a week. Please post your critique after the course.
 
Practice what you preach follow-up

jpm84092 said:
I know some very competent shooters who have attended Front Sight. Some of them swear by Front Sight and some of them swear at Front Sight. I have no experience with Front Sight except for the daily emails and the robo-calls 2 or 3 times a week. Please post your critique after the course.
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Thanks Jpm, definitely will. My plan was to blog at the conclusion of each day. Trip is booked, Nov 8-11. Looking forward to it.
 
it helps a bit. But not as much as having them watch you toss up a pair of soda cans with the hand that "clears' your concealing garment, draw from ccw and hit both cans in the air. :-) THAT establishes who is what, quick and easy. Anyone can understand what that means in the way of speed and accuracy.
 
thru said:
it helps a bit. But not as much as having them watch you toss up a pair of soda cans with the hand that "clears' your concealing garment, draw from ccw and hit both cans in the air. :-) THAT establishes who is what, quick and easy. Anyone can understand what that means in the way of speed and accuracy.
Click to expand...

Hey,that's a pretty cool trick but do you know anyone that can actually do it.
 
I can do it, most of the time, from IWB under a t shirt, and you can learn, too, mostly using Airsoft. But there is a trick that lets you simply 'cheat", (just like you should ALWAYS do if you are attacked). :-) What you do is use a front pants pocket rig, in slacks, and start with hand on gun, in the pocket. That saves you about 1/2 second and eliminates the risk of not clearing the outer garment adequately, or snagging on the shirttail, or getting a bad grip on the gun. You can learn to do a LOT in that 1/2 second. :-)

I've shown many people that I can toss up a soda can, draw from under my shirt with the throwing hand, cycle the slide on a 1911, and still hit the can in midair. It's actually harder to throw both cans in a suitable way than it is to make the draw and get the hits. They have to go up and fall 'just so" . hitting ONE can with a ccw draw is no big deal.
 
thru said:
I can do it, most of the time, from IWB under a t shirt, and you can learn, too, mostly using Airsoft. But there is a trick that lets you simply 'cheat", (just like you should ALWAYS do if you are attacked). :-) What you do is use a front pants pocket rig, in slacks, and start with hand on gun, in the pocket. That saves you about 1/2 second and eliminates the risk of not clearing the outer garment adequately, or snagging on the shirttail, or getting a bad grip on the gun. You can learn to do a LOT in that 1/2 second. :-)

I've shown many people that I can toss up a soda can, draw from under my shirt with the throwing hand, cycle the slide on a 1911, and still hit the can in midair. It's actually harder to throw both cans in a suitable way than it is to make the draw and get the hits. They have to go up and fall 'just so" . hitting ONE can with a ccw draw is no big deal.
Click to expand...

Ok when you can do this while the can is shooting back at you let me know.
 
thru said:
I can do it, most of the time, from IWB under a t shirt, and you can learn, too, mostly using Airsoft. But there is a trick that lets you simply 'cheat", (just like you should ALWAYS do if you are attacked). :-) What you do is use a front pants pocket rig, in slacks, and start with hand on gun, in the pocket. That saves you about 1/2 second and eliminates the risk of not clearing the outer garment adequately, or snagging on the shirttail, or getting a bad grip on the gun. You can learn to do a LOT in that 1/2 second. :-)

I've shown many people that I can toss up a soda can, draw from under my shirt with the throwing hand, cycle the slide on a 1911, and still hit the can in midair. It's actually harder to throw both cans in a suitable way than it is to make the draw and get the hits. They have to go up and fall 'just so" . hitting ONE can with a ccw draw is no big deal.
Click to expand...
You need a TV show, way too much talent not to share with the world. You are way too good to be on Impossible Shot.
 
I think that going to classes does add credibility, but that is only the first step. The biggest issue I find when trying to recruit instructors to teach for us is a lack of ability to effectively teach, communicate and relate to the student that they are working with. After years of training and experience it is easy to forget how difficult it is for our students to do some of the things we are showing them. It is even worse if they have to unlearn a bad method first.

Think back to learning to ride a bike or tie you shoes. I know we learn this at an early age, but when you first try it seems impossible. Once you really learn, it is easy. After tens of thousands of repetitions it is hard to understand how anyone cannot do these things.

Know how to ride a bike and being able to teach someone to ride a bike are two very different things. It is the same with shooting.

So take the classes, but look at what teachable moments they offer, not just what material is being presented. As instructors we need to constantly look for ways to deliver our message to our students more effectively.

Rick
 
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