garagegym107

I’ve been sitting on this topic for the last couple of weeks.  Not really sure how to actually write about the topic without freaking my readers out.  I decided to focus on the message at hand and not allow the tools to distract from the message.

I’ve recently attended a series of classes on basic firearms safety and self-defense.  When I have broached the subject to friends or acquaintances I’ve received feedback that covers both ends of the spectrum.

This blog isn’t being written to start a firestorm about what you think is right or wrong about firearms instead it’s about the topic of self-defense.

This is being written in the hopes that someone who is on the fence can make a better judgment call about attending a course themselves. If you are considering owning a firearm, I highly recommend you take a course BEFORE you legally purchase a firearm. Notify the instructors beforehand, they will make arrangements for you to use a firearm if need be.  Then you can make a much better informed decision as to whether you even want to own one.

Am I suggesting you go out and purchase a firearm?  No, I am not.  That is a very personal decision and no one can make that decision but you.  Be responsible and educate yourself on every possible aspect from owning a firearm, getting the proper legal permits and please, get some training.

First let me start by saying I am a proactive person.  I believe in taking care of myself, for myself, by myself.  I don’t leave the responsibly of my health, my fitness, and my nutrition up to other people.  I take full responsibility for myself and my own actions. I also take responsibility for the consequences of my actions. I.E.  If I eat cake, I get fat.

Being the proactive person means I will do what I feel like I need to do to protect myself.  This is usually where someone says “are you paranoid or what?” and my answer is no, not at all.

I’m also not naïve either, bad things happen to good people and I’d rather have training and never  use it than to find myself in a situation where I really needed it but didn’t take the time to get it.

So here we are.  I spent three separate days going through approximately 4.5 hours of training.  Two of the sessions were in the classroom, one was at an outdoor range.

This was one of the best decisions I’ve made as an adult female.  I learned what predators look for when targeting a victim (yes, don’t kid yourself, they look in the day time as well as the dark), and even more importantly I learned how not to look/act like a victim. Some is common sense, some is totally not.

I listened to actual 911 recordings and played through scenarios in my mind, ironically, even in a very safe environment just listening to the sounds of the caller increased my heart rate and made me put myself in the callers shoes.

For those who live in my area, the company I chose to work with is called Self Defense Solutions and I paid for my courses and he did not ask me to write this review.  In fact I asked his permission to mention his company here.

There were only 2 people in the classes I attended and all instruction was given in a fashion that made me feel completely at ease and comfortable. In the firearms world women tend to get brushed off, this is sad but true.  This company and it’s instructors never at any point made me feel less capable, less welcome or less valued than the man in the class with me.  The instructors were thorough and attentive and made sure that I was comfortable and confident by the time my course ended.

There are non-firearms related self-defense courses and I will be taking some of those as well, sooner rather than later.

Again, to stress my point, I’d rather have training and never need it than to need it and not have it.