One of the worst areas of training in the world of martial arts and self defense, is that involving the use and defense against firearms. It has been my experience that most of the self defense techniques being taught are unrealistic, dangerous, and lack any sense of big-picture strategy which could put the defender in even more danger. If you want to develop a sense of mastery in using firearms for self defense, you must make sure that you are training in the four critical skill areas you may need in the real world.

Let me ask you a question. Actually, I’m going to ask a series of questions. And, while I’m talking about firearms training in this article, I would suggest that you take these questions to heart in any and all areas of your self defense training. My questions are simple, but extremely important to your skill development and mastery. If you’re ever attacked…

1) How will you be attacked?
2) Where will you be?
3) Will you be armed or unarmed?
4) If you are armed, what if you can’t get your weapon out before he has his on you?

Do you see a pattern here?

You won’t know the answers to these questions until you’re face-to-face with your aggressor. But, since you know that any of these things is a possibility that you may have to handle, you must make sure that your training covers each of them.

Keeping that in mind, we can see that there are four general areas of training that should be a part of a solid and effective gun training curriculum. They are:

1) Weapon familiarization. This area includes proper grip, quick and efficient reloading (under fire!), instinct shooting (without sights), and more. In addition, knowing how to operate more than just your own favorite weapon is essential. You may find yourself with your attacker’s weapon during the course of an attack and need to know whether or not the safety is engaged or not, how to check to see if the weapon is loaded, and more.

2) Shooting skills. This is where most people focus when training. But, if you are not training to shoot – and hit your target consistently – under the effects of stress, then you are not training for defensive combat! Can you maintain a four inch shot group at a range of 21 feet or less? Can you effectively neutralize the 3 types of recoil? These questions, and others, are important factors to whether you’ll be effective with your shooting skills, or you’ll be doing what I affectionately refer to as “spraying and praying!”

3) Firearm retention. Are you prepared for the possibility of the opponent attempting to take your weapon away from you? How about an accomplice grabbing your weapon when you are trying to control, who you thought was your only threat? I routinely have students in my own courses who are ***** shots – even those who have trained with top, international, special forces and police groups – who have “never” considered this area of skill development!

4) Weapon disarms. This is the flip-side if retention. But, you need to avoid the idea of limiting this training to situations where he is armed and you are not. Remember – merely carrying a firearm does not make you safe or invulnerable to incoming fire! What if he pulls a gun on you before you can go for yours? How do you draw your weapon in the middle of your defensive action, instead of before it begins?

Self defense is all about strategies, tactics, and techniques – not just techniques. Whether we’re talking about defensive use of firearms, other weapons, or unarmed self defense – the way you think about the problem will determine in large part, how you will prepare yourself for it.

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