GSL Defense Training’s new Critical Threat Management force on force class is off to a great start.
We did some simple exercises on the importance of moving off the “X”, to tactics to give you time and options in dealing with an attacker armed with an edged weapon or a blunt force instrument. From there, it was Tueller drill exercises and then the scenarios.
Oh, the scenarios.
“HELP! My baby’s not breathing. Help me!” At the Force on Force class today at GSL Defense’s Critical Threat Management class, students learned some great information on how to identify and manage threats. What would you do? Are you a sheepdog? Would you help and take the person inside the Walmart store for help or walk away? (If it was your wife or daughter, would you want someone to help her or walk away?)
Or would you freeze up and push the baby and mom away while reaching for your gun? Nobody took control and directed the distraught mom back into the store to get help.
Stress makes people do strange things.
Here’s what happens when you stress your students. They tend to default to bad things if they haven’t practiced. This student puts his support hand behind the slide. Why? After it was over, he said he thought his shirt was hung up on the gun. He wasn’t thinking clearly in the fog of the moment. Nice work Tammi Dash as the “aggressor” lunatic trying to burn the demons out of the teen girl Ashlyn.
Domestics have a nasty tendency to turn on a dime.
Was our student (right) able to draw in time to beat the angry husband?
No. Too close. Much too close.
The big butcher knife means he needs one less step to ruin your day.
Another students attempts to intervene.
Below, bad guys often travel in pairs and convenience stores can be dangerous places. Here, our student does a fine job holding onto his Cheetos as he engages the bad guy pursuing the teen girl clerk out the front. Unfortunately for him, BG#1 obscures BG #2 who is more than eager to shoot our Cheetos-loving good guy.
It all happened very fast. Here’s a full-auto sequence:
Our good guy was tunnel-visioned in that he didn’t see BG#2 until he felt incoming rounds. And he still held onto those chitos.
Sucks to leave your CCW piece under the front seat because you thought you weren’t going to need it. It’s not going to end well against a guy who has got his gun out intent on doing you harm.
After our “It’s a lovely day for a hike in the woods” scenario, I don’t think any of our students will ever go for a walk in the woods without a gun.
It can get dicey when there’s two bad guys. Especially when the can move into flanking positions.
Krav Maga instructor Bill Martin was fantastic.
Bill Martin was there to teach some fundamentals of empty-handed defense.
Looks like some fun learning. Post more pictures!
How badly do those airsoft pellets hurt? Do they leave marks or do they just sting some?
Dress like it’s fall. Long sleeve shirt with a liner some gloves and and your good GSL has the mask ,they still sting and can leave some nasty welts !
I was one of the aggressors on the 15th and probably got hit 25 or 30 times and have marks from 6 of them.
We have free band aids ! Small amount of pain for what your trying to learn to avoid! Pain goes away quickly.
I think this class opened a lot of eyes yesterday to just how fast something can go bad and how dangerous a small guy with a hammer can be! (Close your GARAGE DOOR)!
Yes, those nasty little bugger pellets hurt ( I have a nice bruise on my neck from one). But, it’s also a bit of pain penalty for making mistakes. GSL Defense Training provides masks, ear plugs, and plenty of babywipes and bandaids ( and cookies). We also had an EMT on hand for this weekend and future weekends. If you are thinking of taking this class (which I highly suggest), bring long sleeves, a hoodie, or some type of heavier garment. Several of the GSL DT crew worked really hard on setting this up and it was fantastic. The role players were priceless in their efforts and wounds.
Next class is Sept 12/13, plenty of room left in this class. First come first serve!
I have trained with them twice in the last ten years…
Once more, gsl is at the forefront of bringing good stuff to gun owners.
If the others i have been to were even half as good, but it is a long trip for me. Looks like I will be back.
I was a student in this class. To protect my reputation, I won’t say which picture I was in :). It was a lot of fun and I know my skill level improved greatly over the weekend.
Yep, I got shot a lot of times and brought home a couple of pellet bruises, but they’ll heal in a week or so and were a good incentive to do better. Wearing more than a tee shirt would have saved a little pain, but the weather was hot and sunny… really hot. If your pain tolerance is low, just wear more clothing.
The GSL Defense Training crew was excellent. The classroom time was appropriate but not excessive. The role playing and facilities were outstanding. Live fire range time reinforced the skills we picked up using the airsoft. While live fire range time was limited since it was a one weekend class, I still blew through over 150 rounds of ammo and didn’t feel rushed. Those were two very full days of training.
This curriculum was geared to civilians protecting themselves and their loved ones. This is a much more appropriate approach than I’ve seen anywhere else, and from what I’ve seen, this is by far the best force on force training available to the public. It would be a great course for someone new to shooting who just got their CCW as well as those of us who have been shooting recreationally for years.
I predict that in a few years, GSLDT will be known as the go-to place for advanced civilian force on force training.
Since they only have one more class scheduled for this year, I strongly encourage all my CCW friends to get signed up while there are still openings.
Looks good. I wish there was one out my way.
There’s no way to sugar coat this so here goes: about 50% of those in the pictures are way WAY out of shape. I don’t want to preach, but self defense should be, in my opinion, a lifestyle that includes not only skill training (which it’s great you are doing) but also keeping yourself battle ready.
I say this respectfully as I don’t know your individual life stories, but you should strive to be as strong as you can be.
Welcome to America, sir.
My wonderful bride got me to sign up at the health club to help motivate her to work out.
I hate to admit it when she’s right, but second only to marrying her, joining that club and getting in shape (an ongoing process as I’m still not “in shape”) was probably the best decision I’ve ever made.
Yes, fitness and strength are important. So is knowledge.
Get both and you’ll be better than 98% of the bad guys you might encounter.
Yes. You make an important point. I’m one of those overweight 50% and I’m not offended. Life happens while you aren’t watching. After 40 years of sitting an office 50 or so hours a week, traveling for work, raising a few kids, and mostly ignoring your own personal conditioning… it catches up to you. Add some other health problems to that, and it compounds. It goes on much faster than it comes off so you younger guns need to keep tabs on your personal conditioning as you age. “If I only knew then what I know now” comes to mind.
Personally I’ve been dropping weight for a year or so now. The weight is coming off very slowly but “eat less, move more” does actually work.
That said, this kind of training is even more important for us with some physical challenges than it was back when I was a fit young buck. Appearances can be deceiving though, and as I gained that weight, I like to think that I also gained a bit of knowledge, wisdom, and skill.
As to not being in the neighborhood, I don’t live next door either. I rented a motel room in Bloomington for this class. With their discounted motel room rate (and free breakfast at the motel, free lunch at class) the class was still a bargain!
FWIW I found that, for me, it was important to focus on increasing my strength and not focus on dropping pounds. Once I started chasing higher weights and reps the softness faded away.
I thought GSL did a GREAT job, with all aspects of the class. I enjoyed the scenarios, especially the critique after the fact. Very, very helpful on what to do or think about the next time. Also, very enlightening on the law part by Steve Davis, really makes you think about what to do in any case. Thank you guys & gals for a really great weekend. Will do it again.
That class looks to be a sure cure for my dyspeptic nature.
Impressive. And JM and Jan’s comments further reinforce what the pictures show.
I might have to get my banker to write a check or two and sign up. You can’t beat good training and once again, the GSL guys (and gals) are at the tip of the spear when it comes to providing great training that doesn’t cost your firstborn child.
As a GSL training alum, I’ll say I’ve never trained with anyone or any group that does a better job of making training enjoyable. They blend humor with seriousness, and their patience and knowledge have no limits and at the same time they aren’t all full of themselves.
I’ve even took a class under Col. Cooper long ago… and GSL was better, funner, and sure as hell a lot closer to home.
All were good as I’m no spring chicken anymore.
It’s interesting to see and learn from others’ mistakes.
Kudos for bringing this class to us locals.
Count me in for next year. I’ve been informed that I can’t make that September date.
Good stuff and good job!
(Hope the Krav guy is still helping out. That looks like fun.)