I don't generally post AARs since I think others are much more qualified than I am. But since I highly value the training I received at Tom Givens' Intensive Pistol Skills class recently I want to post up some of my thoughts. I like to comment a bit on the class itself, but also reflect on what I learned and how I and my equipment performed.
Intensive Pistol Skills is a class designed to help a citizen who carries a handgun for defense improve his or her skills and ability to handle an emergency that requires the use of that handgun. It is not a tactical class nor is it geared toward competitive shooting.
The class spans two full days of instruction, with the first day laying foundations for the second day in which students will be pushed a bit harder and scored on their performance.
Day 1 begins with a great safety briefing along with an overview of what is coming and why. Fundamentals such as presentation from the holster, the low ready position, use of the sights, grip, stance, and trigger press are taught and practiced. The instruction on trigger press I found very helpful.
Day 2 expands on day 1 and adds scored drills to get students to shoot faster with greater accuracy. Some drills are shot multiple times during the day with individuals scores given so students can track their progress. Later in the day several variations of the Casino Drill were performed, and the day's shooting ended with a fun 1 on 1 competition where everyone had the chance to shoot at steel against a fellow student. The day was challenging, full of great instruction, and a lot of fun.
There are a few things Tom teaches that are a bit different than you see elsewhere, especially with accomplished competitive shooters and probably even a lot of forum members. I won't go into detail about those things because I'd hate to see this turn into one of those threads. What I WILL say is that Tom has reasons for teaching those things and articulates the reasons very well. If you attend one of these classes and he teaches a technique that is not the same as what you use, I suggest that you try it Tom's way -- at least during the class.
Things I did wrong:
I bought two Glock 34s for the class a few weeks ago, mostly to gain the increased capacity over my 1911s. The guns run just fine and I like them quite a bit. But I've been shooting and carrying 1911s for years and I'm still getting used to the Glock trigger. Also, acquiring a master grip and drawing from the holster are requiring an adjustment compared to the 1911 for sure. So in retrospect the Glock didn't hold me back but a few weeks before a class might not be the best time to start shooting a different type of pistol.
For the most part my gear worked just fine, and using electronic hearing protection is great for a class setting. But with moderate to severe hearing loss I have to really focus to hear all the commands all the time. There was an instance during day 1 that turned into a "That Guy" moment for me because I didn't understand the instructions for a drill we were about to shoot. I was lost about how we needed to prep for the drill and so when it was my turn I had to ask for the instructions to be repeated. What I should have done was raised my hand immediately and asked for a repeat of the instructions, but I didn't -- thinking I could figure it out based on what the first relay was doing. Embarrassing, especially since by that point everyone pretty much assumes you are just a dumbass. But Tom repeated the instructions for me and I performed the drill fine -- and that was the only time I had trouble.
What I think I did right:
I saw students both days who listened to personal instruction, nodded their head, and then went back to doing the same thing they had been. To me this defeats the purpose of attending a training class. I made an effort to listen to Tom's instruction and apply it during the class, especially times he gave me some personal instruction/insight. There was a drill in which I made two shots high on the target, and Tom walked over and pointed out what I had done wrong (basically I had just looked over the top of the slide at the front sight instead of getting a proper sight picture) and I adjusted for it and didn't have that same problem again. Another time PF member jlw -- who was acting as an AI and who I consider an excellent instructor in his own right -- spotted something I had done wrong and I had no clue I had done it that way.
I saw my shooting improve during the class, especially over the second day. On the Casino Drill when we shot individually for timed score I fumbled my second reload and almost dropped the fresh magazine -- but was able to recover and shoot the drill within time and with no misses. To many of you reading this that will seem trivial, but I was happy with it. When we shot the course of fire using steel targets against a classmate I shot the second string in good time (for me that is) with no misses. The first time through I had missed one of the steel targets because I stupidly jerked the trigger at least twice in a row. The second time I applied what Tom had taught about trigger press and shot much better.
The reason I say these things is not to point out what I did as much as to make a point about the class. Tom designs the class so that the instruction builds on itself over the two days, and he teaches in such a way that if you listen and apply what is learned you will notice a difference between how you shoot at the end of day 2 vs. the beginning. That is where the value is IMO because it gives you a higher level of confidence in your ability to act quickly and put hits on the target when speed and accuracy matter.
Highly recommended.
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Originally Posted by Boxy
