Training Preparation Guidance?

[Guest Len]

Looks like I'll be doing my first-ever "serious" training sometime in the upcoming months. I've got some time beforehand and am wondering if there is anything I should be doing BEFORE the training that will allow me to maximize the benefits of the experience.

I already plan on making sure my firearm is in excellent working order, am familiar with the manual of arms, have the requireed equipment, etc. Anything else? Skills I should practice? Exercises I should perform? Materials I should read?

Any thoughts would be appreciated, especially from those who have "been there, done that." Many thanks.

-Len

[Punisher84]

What kind of training are you taking? Will it be very physical?

[Guest Shay VanVlymen]

Don't try to teach yourself anything before taking a class. That's the instructor's job when you get there. You may end up reinforcing bad habits that you'll have to unlearn.

As SSSTactical is alluding to, it never hurts to get in a little better shape before a class. You'll probably be standing for hours on the range and moving around a bit too.

My best advice is to go with an open mind.

[Guest Len]

Thanks guys.

I should have been more specific. I'll be taking a Fighting Pistol class from Tactical Response, so there will definitely be movement, etc.

My hunch was not to reinforce my current (possibly bad) habits, so I will say thanks Shay for the confirmation.

-Len

[Guest Ramtough47]

Len if i may offer one bit of advice.You will shoot quite a bit in this class pack you ammo loosely.Do not keep it in the box,go ahead and dump it in a container of your choosing.This way you can just grab a handful of ammo and place in your pants pocket so that any time tthere is a lull in the shooting you can reload a magazine.You will find is saves you a lot of time in just reloading period.

[James Yeager]

Get More from Your Training

By: James Yeager

I would like to pass along some information that might make you tuition at your next class go further. This is directed toward firearms and tactical training but will most likely apply to other areas of Instruction as well. The motivation for this article is watching students go through the same evolution as I did and wishing they didn’t have to climb the same costly, time consuming, frustrating, ladder.

I remember my very first training class. It was very exciting and a little scary. Who were the other pistoleros? Would they laugh at me? Would they be safe? There were many things going through my mind as the class began.

I asked myself several times “Am I good enough to even take this course?” I know now that many first time students think that same thing prior to signing up. Many have even confided in me they had to work the courage up to even ask about taking the class. I have also found the opposite to be true in some cases. I have seen many people who think that professional training has nothing to offer them.

My first class, like many other students, held the highest amount of information I would ever take from one lesson. Why? Because shooting isn't too complex and after you get the fundamentals (sight alignment, sight picture, trigger control, and follow-though) and technique (Weaver, Isosceles, etc) there isn't a lot left. No matter how "high speed" a class is advertised as it is still applying all of those basic things you learned at the first class.

I have been instructing for a while now and I still take multiple classes each year to keep up with the current "high speed" techniques (I also enjoy training), which as I said, aren't that new or that high speed. Being an Instructor has made me a better student. I have learned from the other side what makes a class flow more smoothly. I am going to give you my opinions on what will make you learn more in a training environment and get the most for your money.

The Golden Rule is to have an OPEN MIND. Go to every class with the opinion you know nothing. Push all of your previous training to the side and do the class EXACTLY like the Instructor tells you. Even if the Instructor tells you to do something that is alien or never worked for you in the past. I was taught the isosceles stance four times before I realized it is the best for me. I now look back at all of the money I wasted on training before I learned this concept. If you can’t honestly receive instruction with an open mind save your money and stay home.

Another problem changing techniques in a class is the fact that your groups might open up as you perfect the new method. This is a natural thing but 99.9% of us won't do it because we don't want to look bad in front of the other Ninjas. So we keep on pluggin' away with our inferior methods. If you change the way you shoot you will most likely have a short period of feeling awkward about the new technique. Classes are not competitions. Stay with it a while before you give up on it. It just might pay off.

Nobody wants to take a basic level class. Everyone wants an "advanced" class. I hate to be the one who breaks it to you but they are all pretty much the same. No REALLY BIG difference in a basic and advanced class. Sure advanced classes are different but not too much. Take basic classes. They contain a lot of very good information. I have taken about 7 or 8 basic classes and I learned a lot from every single one of them. I have found that less than 1% of shooters don’t have a firm grasp on shooting fundamentals. Don't turn your nose up at lower level classes.

If you think you know more than the Instructor keep your mouth shut. It is his class and if you want to teach start your own school. I did. What you shouldn't do is interrupt and correct him, it is disruptive to the entire class. If you have a valid point to make wait for a break in the lecture, he will want to hear it. Don't tutor other students. If you want to teach....

After you take a class you must practice the things you learned. Getting new skills at a class and practicing is kind of like buying a new car and making payments. After you make enough payments the car is yours. If you go to the range and "make payments" the new skills will be yours too. Skip a few payments and they get reposed.

I have taken MANY classes with guys who take training all of the time. At the beginning of every class they have to be shown the basics of how to shoot and they slow the class down. Take time between classes and ingrain those new techniques. IDPA and IPSC are great places to build skill and confidence.

No matter how good your favorite school may be you have to train at different places. If your school tells you to never do "this" go find a school that says to always do it. If you favorite school teaches Weaver go find an Isosceles program. Go to as many different types of learning environments as possible. Go to schools run by ex-military, police, champion shooters and learn something from all the different outlooks to be well rounded.

Most schools sell more pistol classes than all others combined. Learn to use those long guns, hands, knives and other tools too. Many people will train handgun and nothing else. You always have your hands, you don’t always have your other weapons. You will find your tactical toolbox to be empty those times when you have no alternative but to fight your way to safety bare handed.

Show up for class on time and be prepared to stay. I have been to schools that you "trained" 5 hours out of the 8 and yet others where you where begging for a break. Besides your standard range gear take water (Camelbak is best), a snack, bug repellant, sunscreen, and weather appropriate clothing if training outside. Pack any needed medications in your bag. It is perfectly acceptable to call the school ahead of time and get advice on the needed gear for the class. Many times this can save you from buying too much gear or the wrong gear.

Get plenty of sleep, don’t get drunk the night before class, and come to learn with an open mind and you will get the most for your training dollar!

[Guest drewi]

I might be able to help you out. This is coming from a students point of view.

A few have touched on an open mind. They're right and know a lot more than I do so I'll shut up about that.

Like Ramtough said you need to loose pack your ammo. Also you need to make sure you have a fair amount of magazines. All this stuff does is help speed up the class so everyone can learn more. I'm not going to put a number of magazines on it because I don't want you to go and buy twenty magazines to take this class. All I'm saying is the more mags you have the less you have to load and the more you'll learn.

More gear stuff. Have plenty of water on hand no matter what time of year you take the class. I like to have a gallon per day. Don't get dehydrated. Have Gatorade or some sports drink too to keep your electrolytes up. Bring food to the range if you don't like BBQ for lunch. I don't know why I said that because I don't know many people that don't like BBQ.

I recommend staying at the Team Room. You never know who's going to be there or what you'll learn. A lot of good conversation goes on that will add value to the class and you can discuss the day's lessons with other students. Plus it's just fun to hang out with like-minded and good people.

There's more but I'm tired of typing and it doesn't matter anyway because you'll be fine, learn a lot, and have a good time doing it.

[shaftbass]

Buy a speedloader for your magazines. You can get small ones that fit over the magazine and would slip into a pocket easily. For shooting over 1000 rounds, this would be really nice to have.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

Looks like James really broke it down for you Len! He helped me and Im not even taking a class!

[Guest Tommy Ferguson Jr.]

Take a first aid kit with band-aids, athletic tape and painkiller of your choice.