How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?
Preparing for that worst-case contingency requires regular practice.
Im often queried on exactly what we should be practicing.
Good equipment is only part of the solution to a violent attack. You also have to have the practiced skills with that equipment to overcome an assault.
We can probably find the answer by looking at the historic patterns of attack.
If you are having a really bad day, there could be more than one assailant.
Bad things do in fact happen to good people.
Practice is a key component to building proficiency with any firearm. Do you know what to practice?
An element I like to incorporate into my training is what if.
What if I put this bad guy down and he gets back up and continues to fight?
What if Im injured before I can stop the fight?
Using a dummy pistol like this orange polymer one ensures absolute safety. You can use an unloaded firearm if appropriate safety rules are adhered to.
Some might consider training to fight through an injury a waste of time, but I strongly disagree.
Their mindset and training got them through despite what some might categorize as an unwinnable scenario.
Two of these situations involved multiple assailants.
In a violent encounter, you may be injured or knocked down. Practice today to become proficient at drawing your pistol while on the ground.
Grounded
Serious students of personal defense incorporate shooting support hand only into their training regimen.
Yet another possibility that warrants consideration is firing from the ground.
First, consider exactly where your handgun is at this point in time.
If you are knocked down, you will likely be at a disadvantage in responding to a deadly attack. Get training to have a plan on how to respond to this situation.
Is it in the holster, in hand, or has it fallen to the ground?
Am I on my back, belly or on my side?
Assuming deadly force is required, where is my assailant and what kind of weapon does he have?
Shooting from your side while on the ground is one possible way to maximize cover and return fire in some situations. Quality training and practice give you more options in a bad scenario.
Take a grounded position where the pistol is in close proximity to the shooting hand.
Most shooters have no problem at all shooting from the ground while laying on their side or belly.
As long as the shooter understands the concept of muzzle discipline, there should not be any issues.
Caveats
As indicated earlier, these techniques will not possible on a traditional public range.
I certainly get that but that doesnt mean you shouldnt get familiar with them.
Your practice regimen should focus on the things that are most likely rather than less likely to occur.
But bear in mind that improvisation under extreme stress is not one of our strong points.
