redsaber75

On March 7, 2007 I finished Gabe Suarez's Interactive Gunfighting in Manassas, Virginia and the first thing I have to say is WOW!

The class went well beyond what you would learn in a standard firearms class. Since this was force on force, techniques either worked or they didn't.

Here is what I learned and observed.

1. Footwork is huge!
2. DON'T EVER STOP MOVING!
3. Never move straight backwards
4. Try to move along forward diagonals
5. A pushing kick really can work
* I was amazed at how effective this was at keeping the knife wielding bad guy back for time to escape.
6. There is only so much you can learn from a regular firing range.
7. Shoot the bad guy to the ground!
* Even a 12 gauge Federal tactical slug might not put the bad guy down immediately.
8. NOK trainers are awesome!
9. Good holsters are critical.
10. External safeties can cause problems
* The drills were rather chaotic and fast so there really wasn't much time to flip the safety off.
11. Point shooting really does work
* During the drills and scenarios I cannot recall consciously lining up my sights.
12. Centerline/Appendix carry really does work
* I found myself switching over to it during the second half of the first day.
*It is much faster to draw from and when moving I found myself more balanced.
13. Centerline carry can be uncomfortable sitting down
* Now I can see how that Secret Service agent left his gun on a plane (even though there is no excuse for that)
* The answer to this is to drop weight, it really is.
14. Airsoft is better than paintball/simunitions for training
15. Using the word "meme" will get you stared at in class.
16. Get the propane canister conversion kit for your airsoft pistol.
* It is a lot cheaper than green gas!
17. Gabe kicks like a mule!
* I have the boot mark on my arm to prove it!
18. My thumb is a nice shade of blue right now.
19. You will get shot in the hands a lot.
20. Your draw must be flawless.
21. Did I mention never stop moving?
22. I'll say it again. NEVER STOP MOVING!
23. Practice running forward diagonals.
24. Understand what "In Quartata" means with regards to fighting in a hallway
25. Take Tom Sotis's AMOK class
26. Lift up your cover garment as if you were going to bite it.
27. You can use bystanders to conceal your draw in a robbery situation.

Gabe is incredibly knowledgeable and an all around decent guy. He is incredibly patient and can beautifully weave "bunny trail" questions into an answer that is relevant to the course material.

All I have left to say is that when Gabe is scheduled to come to your area, save that money you were putting towards ANOTHER pistol or ANOTHER rifle and spend it on one of Gabe's courses. I really mean that.

This course WILL tear down your ego, but something MUCH stronger will grow in its place.

Go to http://www.suarezinternational.com and sign up for a class if he is coming to your area.

kylebce

Great post. It looks like a beneficial course. What caliber/platform did he use & what did most people bring for shooting. (The photo on his website looks like a .45 Glock)

__________________
G-27 .40 (Every Day Carry)
G-19 9mm
G-29 10mm
Springfield XD .45 Compact
Les Baer Thunder Ranch 5"

riverkeeper

Great post.

Footwork question--
After carrying for some years I learned positional footwork from a book or two. But after learning quick combat point shooting, multiple targets a few years ago I began to move. It then seemed the feet and legs did what was needed at the time.

Could you summarize the foot work thinking without excessively compromising his stuff?

EDIT: Buddah said something like: the key to enlightenment is to control the ego.

__________________
Old Testament....Shooting to Live 1942
http://www.gutterfighting.org/files/...ng_to_live.pdf
Newer Testament... Kill or Get Killed 1976/1987
http://www.gutterfighting.org/files/...Get_Killed.pdf

redsaber75

Suarez personally uses GLOCKs in .40 SW. He has recommended carrying the heaviest bullet for your specific weapon that you can get as a guiding principle. He recommends the best combination of caliber, capacity, and concealment that you can get.

I personally prefer the Glock 19 since you get the most shots out of it.

During the Force on Force Airsoft drills, your gun WILL run dry. It makes you reconsider carrying just a five shot snubby or a 7 round 1911.

In terms of airsoft pistols, a lot of the students had GLOCK airsofts which mirrors what a lot of people are using these days. There was a SiG and an HK along with a few 1911 airsofts thrown in. Some folks had trouble with the whole sequence of running off the line of attack, flipping the safety off and then shooting. I think that was half a training issue and half an equipment issue.

He is not a fan of Marshall and Sanow's work due to concerns about its scientific validity.

He is not dogmatic about what caliber you carry (So you will not hear stuff like "They all fall to .45 hardball!" or something like that.)



The entire course was airsoft-based, which allowed us to do things that would get us thrown off a live shooting range!

redsaber75

Getting on a workout program is critical. You will be able to run and accelerate much faster off the line of attack.

The course as the impetus for me to start working out with the facility that hosted the seminar.

http://www.teamruthless.com

I have dropped about 2 pants sizes thanks to them and I can now easily carry AIWB/Centerline.