If you do not update your training you are getting stale.

Spring is my favorite times of the year. One of the big reasons that I enjoy this time of the year is MLB Spring Training. What does this have to do with Gun Safety Academy? Have you ever wondered why men who have been playing this game for 30+ years of their life need to spend up to 6 weeks every year in Spring Training? It's because they recognize that skills need to be maintained and upgraded continually. I encourage people to attend training courses offered by many instructors. Frequently you will learn something new or gain some insight when information is given from a different point of view. All instructors bring a different mindset and experience with them for their training courses. In my pursuit of better skills and upgrading my training I spent a portion of today with Greg Block of Self_Defense Firearms Training in Huntington Beach. Greg has some great training options that you should really consider. He has a trailer that he uses to train Law Enforcement Officers all over the state. You can see more details at this link to part of Greg's website.

While this trailer is used primarily for training LEOs the training is absolutely relevant to us as civilians. In this trailer the computer will play scenarios in which you might find yourself and you are presented with the need to make shoot/no shoot decisions. In some of the scenario's the best choice may have been to hide and protect your family with cover, open fire, call 911, etc. Greg explained that, "In each scenario there are 4 or 5 different ways to proceed. One of them may be better than the others." For me the value of this training was not in trying to become a civilian version of Marshall Dillon trying to clean up the old west. It was in the opportunity to feel the stress and see how I reacted to the stress of fire. The stress of fire? Where does that come from? Did I mention the computer has the capability to track you and fire round projectiles at up to 100 MPH at you? So, what did I learn from this exercise?

• I failed to look left and right after neutralizing the first threat. The outcome was not favorable.

• Under stress you get tunnel vision and fail to notice key physical clues and threats.

• Under stress you fail to hear things that are important. 82% of trained professionals experience this.

• This is a real adrenaline rush - but not in the same way as a roller coaster. This feels REAL. There are scenarios that will leave you emotionally upset.

• You have to adapt constantly and get out of the autopilot mode.

• I will not be joining up with the IDPA or IPSC because they encourage you to run towards the danger in a haphazard manner that in real could get you killed.

I encourage you to contact Greg and discuss the trailer training. Right now I have a lot of work to do to review and analyze what I saw, how I felt and how I reacted today. And I will be back!