At the end of most years, I try to post a year in review (2020, 2021, 2023). This year saw me attend a LOT of training, even thought I missed two of the classes I intended to take. Let’s take a look at what I accomplished in 2024, from training and personal development standpoints. Here is my 2024 year in review!
A Well-Rounded Training Resume
The spirit of this blog is to celebrate being good at wide range of skills rather than being excellent at a single skill. This is exemplified in my About The Name page, where I talk about the origins of “swift, silent, deadly,” and being a Jack of all Trades. I’ve also mentioned it in articles like my article called “Embrace The Coyote” from a few years ago. Today I’m going to cover similar ground, but through the lens of developing a well-rounded training resume.
Concealed Carriers: 5 Ways You Should Be Like the Police!
Two weeks ago I listed ways in which concealed carriers should avoid emulating law enforcement. Not everything cops do is bad, however. Law enforcement as a whole does some things that are worthy of emulation by concealed carriers. There are some ways you should strive to be like the police, despite the things I said a couple weeks ago. Here are a few ways to try to be like the police.
Concealed Carriers: Don’t Be Like the Police!
Law enforcement agencies have some characteristics that are worthy of emulation by civilian concealed carriers. Shooting police qualifications is not a bad thing, as I have repeatedly said on this site. Using the ammunition used by prominent law enforcement agencies probably isn’t a bad thing, either. But there are some things done by law enforcement that you should actively strive to avoid emulating. Don’t be like the police if it harms your readiness.
Lessons Learned at The Worst Firearms Training Class I’ve Ever Attended
It finally happened: I attended a bad firearms training class. I don’t have the deepest training resume, but I have trained with quite a few national-level trainers. Though I once wrote a couple scathing reviews of a local concealed carry class, most of my class AARs are glowing; I love training and it’s not hard to make me happy. Here is what happened at the worst firearms training class I have ever attended.
Ending the Class: Issuing Student Certificates
I attend a lot of training. The learning is its own reward, but there’s more. As someone who spent a decade as a full-time instructor, I enjoy seeing how other instructors do things. I have written before about opening a class with instructor introductions (and a bunch of other observations). Though I haven’t taught professionally in a while, I can offer the view from the other side of the podium, as a student. Today I’m going to talk about something that I think is important: closing the class with student certificates.
AAR: Gospel of the Gauge with Sym-Tac Consulting Shotgun Skills
Last weekend I had the opportunity to take Sym-Tac Consulting Shotgun Skills (2-day). I have been an acolyte of the gauge for quite some time. I attended a class with Tim and Ashton a couple years ago, but this was my first time getting the good news directly from Rob and Matt Haught. Short-story: this is a shotgun class par excellence. If you want to improve your capabilities with the shotgun, train with Sym-Tac. Read on for the details!
AAR: Pistol-Training.com On Demand Performance w Simon Golob
This past weekend I had the privilege of attending Pistol-Training.com On Demand Performance. Taught by Simon Golob (aka SLG), this class was geared toward giving the shooter the ability to train for a cold shot, or to perform on-demand.
Opening the Class: Instructor Introductions
I have written previously that an instructor should be able to give an introduction in no more than 90 seconds. This was in response to some (too) long instructor introductions that went into way too much detail. I have recently come to realize the opposite is true – it is possible to give way too little detail. This article is a guide to effective instructor introductions that give students everything they need and nothing they don’t.
Before the Class: Student Gear Lists
I attend a lot of training and get to see a lot of student gear lists. I have some thoughts on these lists for all the instructors out there. The ideas here apply regardless of what you are teaching, from a close-quarters gunfighting course to a photography seminar to a sushi-rolling class. Short story: keep your student gear lists updated, simple, and clear.