Keeping your skills current
Are you practicing enough? Are you keeping your skills current? In the face of danger are you ready to take action to protect yourself? If you answered no to any of these questions, it is time to get out to your local range or tactical practice area and work on those skills.
Keeping yourself in shape both physically and mentally are key elements in being prepared for any situation. One way to do that is to get to your local gun club and get some bullets downrange. Nothing substitutes firing your weapon like firing your weapon. Get out and use your gun. Get comfortable drawing it, loading it, firing it and carrying it.
The old saying “Practice Makes Perfect” is not exactly correct. Practicing bad habits just serves to reinforce those bad habits. I prefer to say “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect”. If you conceal carry in your purse, show up at the range with your purse and practice drawing from your purse. If you conceal carry in your pocket everyday, yet when you show up at the range and practice with a hip holster you aren’t doing yourself any good. Practice and react in the situations that you will find yourself in.
Although I advocate getting to the range as much as possible, I further encourage you to find a tactical practice area. An area that will allow you to put a little stress on you while you are managing your firearm. The range is perfect for maintaining proficiency with your weapon, but you also need to practice in an environment that is a little more real-world, a little more stressful. Let’s face it, if you are put in a position of protecting your own life, it will be very stressful. Simulate the environment in which you will need to use your protection skills the most.
If you have access to wilderness, BLM land, or forest area get out and set up your own ‘run and gun’ course. Try running, shooting, reloading, running and gunning. Nothing simulates real world scenarios like that.
Any practice is better than no practice, but be sure to practice the skills that you are going to need. Perfect Practice Makes Perfect!
