AlwaysVigilant
Marksman
I had the pleasure of taking this class with Paladin Combatives this past Saturday in Belleview, MI. As many of you know Paladin Combatives is a joint venture between former Suarez International instructor, Michael Swisher (aka cedartop) and J.D. Haines. I have trained with Mike several times in the past, so I knew what to expect as far as teaching style and quality of instruction...no surprises there. What I can say is that the extrodinary level of personal training Mike has taken himself over the past year has added some different (read more expansive) thoughts on particular techniques and tactics. I think he would agree that this is a good thing, and I certainly enjoyed experiencing the change, no matter how slight it was. It's made him an even better instructor.
The weather was garbage, as per usual, and the snow was still on the range...8 inches in several places. This made for a lot of extra work, and an added challenge particularly in movement drills. It was still a safe and fun workout however.
This was certainly more than a "beginner" class. Paladin's course material managed to cover marksmanship basics in a fresh format, but added a high level of detail in certain areas, and then expanded into skills unique to fighting. Of particular note was the expansive optics section and zeros. We covered the basics of choosing distances and compensation, and a lot of work on the mechanical offsets for CQB. This was a big eye opener for me, and not something I have ever seen in the course descriptions at a basic class. Great stuff.
There were a lot of movement drills of various natures including mixing up firing positions during movement to simulate scenarios. Mike also took the time to have us try several variations of them to figure out which versions were best for our gear set up, flexibility, and body type. Having the freedom to use modified versions not only made the class more enjoyable, but really helped get a feel for where we needed to build from. Forcing yourself into something less than optimal isn't going to help you long term. I appreciated the insights and the trial and error.
There were also a lot of discussions on the why's of technique and an opportunity to give feedback and tweaking for the individual. Don't be fooled though, there was lots of shooting too!
All in all, I can honestly say this was the best bang for the buck I have ever received in firearms training. Paladin is putting out a serious product for the money. Don't be fooled by the fee, its worth way more than what you pay. I never thought I'd say this...I feel like I was stealing...it was that big of a value.
If you want to get more than your feet wet in a rifle class, especially as a novice in the fighting aspects, I highly recommend Paladin Combatives.
The weather was garbage, as per usual, and the snow was still on the range...8 inches in several places. This made for a lot of extra work, and an added challenge particularly in movement drills. It was still a safe and fun workout however.
This was certainly more than a "beginner" class. Paladin's course material managed to cover marksmanship basics in a fresh format, but added a high level of detail in certain areas, and then expanded into skills unique to fighting. Of particular note was the expansive optics section and zeros. We covered the basics of choosing distances and compensation, and a lot of work on the mechanical offsets for CQB. This was a big eye opener for me, and not something I have ever seen in the course descriptions at a basic class. Great stuff.
There were a lot of movement drills of various natures including mixing up firing positions during movement to simulate scenarios. Mike also took the time to have us try several variations of them to figure out which versions were best for our gear set up, flexibility, and body type. Having the freedom to use modified versions not only made the class more enjoyable, but really helped get a feel for where we needed to build from. Forcing yourself into something less than optimal isn't going to help you long term. I appreciated the insights and the trial and error.
There were also a lot of discussions on the why's of technique and an opportunity to give feedback and tweaking for the individual. Don't be fooled though, there was lots of shooting too!
All in all, I can honestly say this was the best bang for the buck I have ever received in firearms training. Paladin is putting out a serious product for the money. Don't be fooled by the fee, its worth way more than what you pay. I never thought I'd say this...I feel like I was stealing...it was that big of a value.
If you want to get more than your feet wet in a rifle class, especially as a novice in the fighting aspects, I highly recommend Paladin Combatives.
It was great having you in the class and I look forward to seeing you in the next one. As you work on your rifle skills and work through gear issues, don't hesitate to drop us a line.
