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. There’s really no difference between basic and advanced classes. Basic classes contain a lot of very help- ful information. I have taken about 17 or 18 basic classes and learned a lot from every single one of them. I have found that less than 1 percent of shooters have a firm grasp on shoot- ing fundamentals. Don’t turn your nose up at lower-level classes. If you think you know more than
the Instructor it is best to stay quiet. It’s his class; you’re the student. If you want to teach you can open your own school. What you shouldn’t do is in- terrupt or attempt to correct him. It is disruptive to the entire class and nobody will like it. 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, espe-
cially on the firing line. We see this commonly with husband and wife teams. Typically we have them stand a few spaces apart and the wives re- ally appreciate it! It’s kind of funny when the wife leaves a better shooter and tactician than the husband! I bet that is a long ride home! Training and practice are two dif-
ferent things. Training is what you do under the watchful eye of an in- structor. Practice is what you do after training to ingrain those skills. 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 it gets repossessed. No matter how good your favor-
ite school may be, you have to train at different places. If your school
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tells you to never do “this,” go find a school that says to always do it. If you favorite school teaches Weaver stance, go find an isosceles program and vice versa. Go to as many differ- ent types of learning environments as possible. Go to schools run by ex-military, police, champion shoot- ers and learn something from all the diverse outlooks, to be well rounded. My philosophy is, we are assembling our very own tactical puzzle. Each in- structor has at least one piece to give you and some even have numerous. You must train at various locations to get YOUR pieces assembled. (Not too many people who own a school will tell you to go somewhere else!) Show up for class on time and
be prepared to stay. I have been to schools where you trained five hours out of the eight, and others where you were begging for a break. Be- sides your standard range gear, take water (CamelBak is best), bug repel- lant, sunscreen and weather appro- priate clothing, if training outside. Bring snacks and lunch, too. Even if you have time to leave for lunch, you may just appreciate resting and hav- ing lunch under a tree instead. Pack any needed medications in your bag; it’s 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 dollars! *
James Yeager is a former SWAT of-
ficer and security contractor, who has worked in Central and South America and the Middle East. He is currently the CEO of www.tacticalresponse. com and www.tacticalresponsegear. com and has trained more than 12,000 people over the last 15 years.
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