Class Date: March 1[SUP]st[/SUP], 2014
Lead Instructor: Shay VanVlyman
Assistant: Joe S.
Class size: 6
I took Firearm Combatives & Retention at Mindset Lab this past Saturday, March 1[SUP]st[/SUP], 2014. I’ve trained at Mindset Lab a number of times, and this class had been at the top of my priority list, but because it is offered rarely, I hadn’t been able to fit it into my schedule until now.
There were three main skills goals for the day.
1. Learn how to effectively hit people with guns
2. Learn how to keep our guns ours when they are holstered
3. Learn how to keep our guns ours when they are unholstered.
This class is unusual in that it focuses entirely on gunfights at 0-3 ft, but involves no shooting whatsoever. All of the drills are conducted with blue guns, no UTM marking rounds are used the entire day.
During the opening lecture portion of the class Shay covered basic course guidelines as well as explaining the emergency medical plan in case one of the students or instructors suffered an injury. Several of the attendees were EMTs, so we designated a primary and secondary responder, and the medical bag remained close at hand throughout the day.
Mindet Lab uses a Personal Pledge to remind the students of the big picture goals of training, and the value of their life and safety. We recited the pledge together, and then discussed several of the specific items on it. Keeping an eye on these big picture goals helps me to more accurately assess where my biggest training gaps exist, and allows me to focus my training time and money on those gap areas.
Shay pointed out that when you are carrying a gun, any fight you end up in is automatically a gunfight, because a gun is present. If you choose not to draw your gun, that doesn’t mean that someone else can’t take it from you, and losing your gun to an assailant will make your fight a whole lot harder. When it comes to fighting, Shay emphasizes the necessity of “flipping the switch” and fighting decisively, rather than gradually dialing up the level of intensity.
We reviewed the Cooper Color Codes and discussed some common factors that can contribute to a lack of Situational Awareness. Shay encouraged us to read Cooper’s Principles of Personal Defense, which I also highly recommend. It’s a short, easy read, and the principles apply to defensive actions of any kind, involving any tools.
The Attention Pie is an analogy that Shay uses to explain how to prioritize attention usage when shifting between Color Code levels. He reminded us, “If it’s not normal, don’t treat it as normal.” Task fixation, especially on phones and other mobile devices, reduces the amount of attention available to devote to a potential threat. Once a concerning person or situation catches my attention, I give that thing a bigger slice of my attention pie to ascertain whether or not it is an actual threat to my safety. When assessing potential threats, “Distance buys you time. Time buys you options.”
Shay stated that successful self-defense is the result of good decisions, and good techniques. He reminded us that we will experience fear during a life and death struggle, and that we must accept that fact and anticipate it as we train, recognizing that realistic training will expand our comfort zone, making us better able to deal with stress and fear in an actual fight.
When one of the students asked about complying with an attacker, Shay responded by saying “I preach compliance if it buys you something.” There may be cases where compliance buys you needed time, or a change in position that can improve your ability to fight, but if you’re complying and being hurt, it’s time to fight.
Especially at the 0-3ft range, the reaction gap is so small that there’s virtually no margin for error or delay. There may not be time and space enough to draw and shoot without having to engage in combatives first. Using the pistol as a striking weapon may protect your own hands from injury, while increasing the damage that your attacker suffers from a successful strike.
Shay was very careful to point out that strikes utilizing a pistol in no way count as “less-lethal.” The impact of a steel slide against a human skull will almost certainly result in serious injury, so we should consider this type of fighting to be at the same level as shooting. If the bad guy is shootable, he’s hittable with the gun, and vice versa.
There were three basic strikes that we practiced and tested.
1. Muzzle Jab- a straight motion forward, striking the muzzle against the attacker’s sternum, ribs, face or throat.
2. Slide Strike-more like a hook, this strike involves bringing the pistol out in a tight arc and slamming the top of the slide against the side of the attackers head. When we practiced this on handheld pads, we were all impressed with how much force this blow transmitted, even when executed with a lightweight Blue Gun.
3. Grip Strike-Mindset Lab teaches “up gun handling” for reloads and malfunction clearance, and if the attacker closes and you have to strike from this “up” position, a grip-first strike into the face of the attacker is the quickest stroke you can deliver.
A gun may need to be used as a combative weapon for a variety of reasons:
1. You may be out of ammo. Even if you have spare mags, you might not have time or space to utilize them.
2. A severe malfunction or parts breakage may render the gun inoperable
3. The environment may be too crowded, or your backstop may not be sufficient to risk a miss or an overpenetrating shot.
4. You might not want to draw the attention that firing a shot could bring. There could be other bad guys around who will come if they hear you fire.
Shay also pointed out that using a gun as a combative weapon may induce further malfunctions or render the gun inoperable. However, if the life-or-death problem is 2ft away, it qualifies as “Problem No. 1” and the risk of the gun not functioning in the future is a distant “Problem No. 2.” The Muzzle Strike can throw your slide out of battery, rendering the gun unable to fire. Carrying a weapon mounted light can protect the muzzle, but may damage the gun by transferring all the strike force directly into the frame. The Grip Strike can jumble the rounds in your mag, causing misfeeds, or even break or strip the baseplate off the magazine, ejecting the spring and dumping out the ammo. Clearing a broken mag out of the gun can be a challenge, but you may be able to clear it with an inertia bump, or by locking back the slide and pressing down on the feedlips from above.
The second part of the hands-on portion focused on Retention, both in and out of the holster. Shay explained the traditional doctrine for in-holster retention as, “Apply downward pressure on the gun, preventing the attacker from drawing it up out of the holster.” After trying this for a few minutes, we quickly recognized the limitations of this approach. When both parties were moving and trying to maintain control of the weapon, it was easy for my hand to slip off the gun, and once the hand was off, the gun was free. Shay’s preferred technique consisted of wrapping your arm under the attackers arm, and then locking back to your own chest by grabbing a fistful of your own clothing. This gripped the attackers entire forearm and prevented him from being able to move the gun separately from your body. Even if he was able to free the gun from the holster, he wasn’t able to create distance and put the gun in between him and you. We traded partners and tried gun grabs several times to test the effectiveness of this technique. I was amazed how much more control I achieved by locking myself onto the attacker’s arm.
Because I carry AIWB, a gun grab from the front was harder for me to defend against, but AIWB showed itself to be markedly superior in defending against a gun grab from the back.
If the gun is out of the holster and your attacker gets his hands on it, it may still be possible to shoot, but it’s likely that the gun won’t fully cycle, so one shot may be all you get. Shay demonstrated two techniques for freeing the gun from the attackers grasp. The first was a hard wrist strike, using the underside of the support hand forearm to slam down on the attackers wrist while simultaneously drawing the gun back towards Position #2. Rotating and dropping your hips while following through forcefully on the strike generated enough power to break the attackers grip. The other method involved retaining the gun close to your chest and making tight, forceful circles with the muzzle, weakening the attackers grip through constant motion until his hold on the weapon failed. This isn’t an ideal method because it can take too much time, but if used aggressively before the attacker has a chance to establish a firm and settled grip, it may be enough to keep your weapon out of his hands.
In combination with these two techniques, you can also spin left or right, throwing the attackers hands off the gun. We practiced all these techniques with a partner and in one drill I spun so aggressively that I nearly fell, and certainly would have fallen if the ground had been uneven.
Finally, after testing all the techniques at slow, medium and fast speeds, we each had a 30 second, and a 60 second fight with Joe S, the assistant instructor, who was padded up in a FIST suit. This reminded me how much I need to work on my cardio.
Because he was well padded, the strikes had minimal effect, and he was able to grapple very effectively. Pulling our shirts over our heads was one of his favorite techniques, and one of the other students continued to fight aggressively even when his glasses were knocked off and his vision was completely obstructed by his own shirt.
Sixty seconds seems like an amazingly long time when you’re fighting, and I was completely spent by the end of my second fight.
I came home with a few good bruises and whole bunch of new skills to practice. This was my favorite class at Mindset Lab to date.
Lead Instructor: Shay VanVlyman
Assistant: Joe S.
Class size: 6
I took Firearm Combatives & Retention at Mindset Lab this past Saturday, March 1[SUP]st[/SUP], 2014. I’ve trained at Mindset Lab a number of times, and this class had been at the top of my priority list, but because it is offered rarely, I hadn’t been able to fit it into my schedule until now.
There were three main skills goals for the day.
1. Learn how to effectively hit people with guns
2. Learn how to keep our guns ours when they are holstered
3. Learn how to keep our guns ours when they are unholstered.
This class is unusual in that it focuses entirely on gunfights at 0-3 ft, but involves no shooting whatsoever. All of the drills are conducted with blue guns, no UTM marking rounds are used the entire day.
During the opening lecture portion of the class Shay covered basic course guidelines as well as explaining the emergency medical plan in case one of the students or instructors suffered an injury. Several of the attendees were EMTs, so we designated a primary and secondary responder, and the medical bag remained close at hand throughout the day.
Mindet Lab uses a Personal Pledge to remind the students of the big picture goals of training, and the value of their life and safety. We recited the pledge together, and then discussed several of the specific items on it. Keeping an eye on these big picture goals helps me to more accurately assess where my biggest training gaps exist, and allows me to focus my training time and money on those gap areas.
Shay pointed out that when you are carrying a gun, any fight you end up in is automatically a gunfight, because a gun is present. If you choose not to draw your gun, that doesn’t mean that someone else can’t take it from you, and losing your gun to an assailant will make your fight a whole lot harder. When it comes to fighting, Shay emphasizes the necessity of “flipping the switch” and fighting decisively, rather than gradually dialing up the level of intensity.
We reviewed the Cooper Color Codes and discussed some common factors that can contribute to a lack of Situational Awareness. Shay encouraged us to read Cooper’s Principles of Personal Defense, which I also highly recommend. It’s a short, easy read, and the principles apply to defensive actions of any kind, involving any tools.
The Attention Pie is an analogy that Shay uses to explain how to prioritize attention usage when shifting between Color Code levels. He reminded us, “If it’s not normal, don’t treat it as normal.” Task fixation, especially on phones and other mobile devices, reduces the amount of attention available to devote to a potential threat. Once a concerning person or situation catches my attention, I give that thing a bigger slice of my attention pie to ascertain whether or not it is an actual threat to my safety. When assessing potential threats, “Distance buys you time. Time buys you options.”
Shay stated that successful self-defense is the result of good decisions, and good techniques. He reminded us that we will experience fear during a life and death struggle, and that we must accept that fact and anticipate it as we train, recognizing that realistic training will expand our comfort zone, making us better able to deal with stress and fear in an actual fight.
When one of the students asked about complying with an attacker, Shay responded by saying “I preach compliance if it buys you something.” There may be cases where compliance buys you needed time, or a change in position that can improve your ability to fight, but if you’re complying and being hurt, it’s time to fight.
Especially at the 0-3ft range, the reaction gap is so small that there’s virtually no margin for error or delay. There may not be time and space enough to draw and shoot without having to engage in combatives first. Using the pistol as a striking weapon may protect your own hands from injury, while increasing the damage that your attacker suffers from a successful strike.
Shay was very careful to point out that strikes utilizing a pistol in no way count as “less-lethal.” The impact of a steel slide against a human skull will almost certainly result in serious injury, so we should consider this type of fighting to be at the same level as shooting. If the bad guy is shootable, he’s hittable with the gun, and vice versa.
There were three basic strikes that we practiced and tested.
1. Muzzle Jab- a straight motion forward, striking the muzzle against the attacker’s sternum, ribs, face or throat.
2. Slide Strike-more like a hook, this strike involves bringing the pistol out in a tight arc and slamming the top of the slide against the side of the attackers head. When we practiced this on handheld pads, we were all impressed with how much force this blow transmitted, even when executed with a lightweight Blue Gun.
3. Grip Strike-Mindset Lab teaches “up gun handling” for reloads and malfunction clearance, and if the attacker closes and you have to strike from this “up” position, a grip-first strike into the face of the attacker is the quickest stroke you can deliver.
A gun may need to be used as a combative weapon for a variety of reasons:
1. You may be out of ammo. Even if you have spare mags, you might not have time or space to utilize them.
2. A severe malfunction or parts breakage may render the gun inoperable
3. The environment may be too crowded, or your backstop may not be sufficient to risk a miss or an overpenetrating shot.
4. You might not want to draw the attention that firing a shot could bring. There could be other bad guys around who will come if they hear you fire.
Shay also pointed out that using a gun as a combative weapon may induce further malfunctions or render the gun inoperable. However, if the life-or-death problem is 2ft away, it qualifies as “Problem No. 1” and the risk of the gun not functioning in the future is a distant “Problem No. 2.” The Muzzle Strike can throw your slide out of battery, rendering the gun unable to fire. Carrying a weapon mounted light can protect the muzzle, but may damage the gun by transferring all the strike force directly into the frame. The Grip Strike can jumble the rounds in your mag, causing misfeeds, or even break or strip the baseplate off the magazine, ejecting the spring and dumping out the ammo. Clearing a broken mag out of the gun can be a challenge, but you may be able to clear it with an inertia bump, or by locking back the slide and pressing down on the feedlips from above.
The second part of the hands-on portion focused on Retention, both in and out of the holster. Shay explained the traditional doctrine for in-holster retention as, “Apply downward pressure on the gun, preventing the attacker from drawing it up out of the holster.” After trying this for a few minutes, we quickly recognized the limitations of this approach. When both parties were moving and trying to maintain control of the weapon, it was easy for my hand to slip off the gun, and once the hand was off, the gun was free. Shay’s preferred technique consisted of wrapping your arm under the attackers arm, and then locking back to your own chest by grabbing a fistful of your own clothing. This gripped the attackers entire forearm and prevented him from being able to move the gun separately from your body. Even if he was able to free the gun from the holster, he wasn’t able to create distance and put the gun in between him and you. We traded partners and tried gun grabs several times to test the effectiveness of this technique. I was amazed how much more control I achieved by locking myself onto the attacker’s arm.
Because I carry AIWB, a gun grab from the front was harder for me to defend against, but AIWB showed itself to be markedly superior in defending against a gun grab from the back.
If the gun is out of the holster and your attacker gets his hands on it, it may still be possible to shoot, but it’s likely that the gun won’t fully cycle, so one shot may be all you get. Shay demonstrated two techniques for freeing the gun from the attackers grasp. The first was a hard wrist strike, using the underside of the support hand forearm to slam down on the attackers wrist while simultaneously drawing the gun back towards Position #2. Rotating and dropping your hips while following through forcefully on the strike generated enough power to break the attackers grip. The other method involved retaining the gun close to your chest and making tight, forceful circles with the muzzle, weakening the attackers grip through constant motion until his hold on the weapon failed. This isn’t an ideal method because it can take too much time, but if used aggressively before the attacker has a chance to establish a firm and settled grip, it may be enough to keep your weapon out of his hands.
In combination with these two techniques, you can also spin left or right, throwing the attackers hands off the gun. We practiced all these techniques with a partner and in one drill I spun so aggressively that I nearly fell, and certainly would have fallen if the ground had been uneven.
Finally, after testing all the techniques at slow, medium and fast speeds, we each had a 30 second, and a 60 second fight with Joe S, the assistant instructor, who was padded up in a FIST suit. This reminded me how much I need to work on my cardio.
Because he was well padded, the strikes had minimal effect, and he was able to grapple very effectively. Pulling our shirts over our heads was one of his favorite techniques, and one of the other students continued to fight aggressively even when his glasses were knocked off and his vision was completely obstructed by his own shirt.
Sixty seconds seems like an amazingly long time when you’re fighting, and I was completely spent by the end of my second fight.
I came home with a few good bruises and whole bunch of new skills to practice. This was my favorite class at Mindset Lab to date.
