Why I Train-A Confession

Just taking the CCWP class was fun for me. Went with a friend, met some people, spent down time with instructor, learned a lot--all in all--required fun. Even just going to my favorite gunshop or even gunshows and talking with the guys and gals behind the countesr is a good time and a learning experience. I think any time you are involved in something that you are passionate about, by definition, you enjoy. In some sense, this "gunstuff" falls into the "hobby" category, albeit a very serious category, but it is no different than camera, stamp, etal type collectors and aficionados, but obviously with a very serious and dangerous and base reason.

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Originally Posted by rick21

There has to be different word than fun. Sweating, bleeding, hurting, and looking for the guy that stole all the oxygen in the training area isn't fun. At least not my definition of fun. I feel good when I'm training, I feel like I'm doing something that will make me a better person. I always finish my workouts or practice sessions thinking I could have done it better, it's what makes go back the next day. I always have sense of satisfaction that I trained, but I never have a sense of satisfaction that what I did was enough. That dissatisfaction will never let it be fun.

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I took the liberty of looking up the word:

Noun: Enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure: "anyone who turns up can join in the fun".
Adjective: Amusing, entertaining, or enjoyable: "it was a fun evening".
Verb: Joke or tease: "no need to get sore—I was only funning"; "they are just funning you".

I suppose in that strict definition, weapon training (should) not qualify.

As I prefaced in my first response, perhaps martial arts is not a good comparison for some; though I believe it is.

Maybe a "sense of accomplishment" fits better than "fun"

Let's say I enjoy training for the reasons that have been listed:

It is fun

I learn the areas in which I need to become more proficient

I do get to meet great people from all over and all walks of life

A disadvantage to living in the sticks, It is a long ways to go to do anything...Seems like all the training classes are around the big towns..

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Originally Posted by Ksgunner

A disadvantage to living in the sticks, It is a long ways to go to do anything...Seems like all the training classes are around the big towns..

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If there is a suitable area and enough like-minded people within traveling distance, hosting a class is always a possibility.

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Originally Posted by dbglock

Have you ever been to a Front Sight Institute course, i.e. Iggy Pizza's company? I somehow got on their email list and haven't cancelled because that guy's a trip. He keeps me entertained with his unbridled narcissism. But my point was about the cost ... his classes seem overwhelmingly expensive.

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My wife and I have been to Front Sight twice and are eager to go back. The instructors are outstanding. The 4-day defensive handgun course takes you from the basics (use of deadly force, sight picture, grip, trigger press, etc.) to tactical and emergency reloads, clearing different types of malfunctions, presenting from the holster (drawing) and shooting within time limits that get shorter as you progress, tactics for clearing doors and rooms, double taps and head shots, going through a shoot house with some shoot/don't shoot situations and using what you have learned about clearing rooms and reloading under stress. A very fun exercise is a one-on-one competition where you have to shoot a hostage taker (steel targets that move when hit), without hitting the hostage, and then shoot a life-size steel target at medium range and one at long range. These targets fall when hit. If you shoot at high skill level, you can move on to more advanced handgun courses. They also have rifle, shotgun, edged weapon, hand-to-hand combat courses and more. The advertising is over the top, but the training is excellent. Keep your eyes open and you can probably end up with a life membership for less than $400 (what many ranges charge for one weekend course) and after that, all courses cost you nothing. They have an ammo dealer on site that seems quite reasonable to me or you can bring your own ammunition.

I've also trained with Gabe Suarez (Suarez International). They provide a very large variety of tactical courses that seem to average around $400 each. The ones I have attended have been superb. So far I have attended two courses and am planning for another one next month. His courses will teach things like shooting while moving, shooting from the ground, force-on-force using Air-Soft pistols (those pellets hurt, so you know when you do it right and when you screw up). In addition to tactical shooting, Suarez offers courses like Trauma Medicine, Defensive Knife, close range gunfighting, rifle, hand-to-hand, and many other realistic tactical courses. The approach of Suarez and FS are very different, but I learn a lot from both of them. I am a former police officer and SWAT team member and even with that experience, both of these organizations teach me things I didn't know and provide the opportunity to actually practice them to build some "muscle memory".

I'm sure there are other excellent courses out there and I hope to attend more of them - so many courses, so little time (and money). I hope relating my experience with FS and Suarez is helpful.

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Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

In the last 3 years I have attended 5 Gun Fighting Schools and 1 Reunion class. I shoot B Class Limited IPSC and thought I was pretty good. After getting into these classes I feel and shoot even better. Turning 65 tomorrow I am usually the oldest in the class, but all I have trained with share knowledge of how they shoot, what they have done, and drills to stay current. I will be in Memphis in March for the Polite Society training and match with more than 13 instructors teaching including Mas Ayoob who I have admired for years and await the chance to meet him and learn from him. Training never stops and I also have fun doing the classes. There is nothing better than a 360 degree range that is hot all the time.

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See you there!

I enjoy training with good instructors. They strive to create a safe and sensible training regimen. Without fail, I've met some great people at these classes. It's great to associate with like minded people and discuss SD issues frankly w/o having folks look at you like you're some kind of psychopath.

But one class I took "Aim Fast. Hit Fast" with Todd Louis Green was not what I consider "fun." The class was great. Todd was great. I simply didn't perform well and the experience dinged my ego. But I learned much and am glad I attended. It still serves as a motivator. My first trip to Thunder Ranch, when it was still located in TX, was in October of '04. (Damn! Where does the time go?) Parts of that weren't fun 'cause it was HOT!!! Damn HOT! But the instruction was fantastic. And fellow class members were fun to get to know.

Gotta have some kind of fun or one won't do it.