Precision Response Training - CQTF-101 AAR

[OnTheFly]

Overview:
As always, Thomas makes sure the class is as safe as possible.  If you read the description of the class, you will see that it requires you to bring a suitable CCW with a barrel block.  You actually use your CCW to practice drills with the other students acting as the BG.  This requires you to point your gun at them and pull the trigger which is a VERY odd feeling to say the least.  As I learned, it was highly beneficial to practice the techniques necessary to defend yourself and to expose your weaknesses/bad habits using your own SD firearm.  It also helps you to evaluate your choice of gun, holster, and concealment garment.

Thomas is a great instructor.  He makes it clear what you are supposed to do and why you are doing it.  We all walked away with great information to implement, practice, and dwell on.  I would recommend his class to anyone, and in fact I have done just that. 

Physical Considerations:
If you are going to take this class, plan on coming out of it with some bruises, sore muscles, and very likely some pellet gun marks.  Thomas did his best to reign in our enthusiasm so that we would not get hurt or hurt someone else, but in my defense, Chris Zeeb is a solid man and I feared for my life.   At least I am pretty sure he was concerned about our safety. It is possible he just wanted us to stop putting black marks on his walls, breaking drywall, and shoving door handles through the walls. 

I'm not sure which part of the weekend got to me.  During Friday morning and early afternoon, I hammer drilled 108 holes in our community pool, and then attended the evening portion of the class.  Then I attended the all day Saturday portion of the class which started with shooting a few hundred rounds (200-300?) at the range and ended with me being stupid and getting shot by Chris Zeeb armed with a pellet gun.  After only getting four hours of sleep because I could NOT stop thinking about the drills we learned in class, I got up Sunday and shot the Man vs. Man match at ENGC.  By the time Monday came around I was aching pretty good, but I'm sure that anyone who just attended the class would end up with some pretty good aches and pains.

Range Time
I would recommend that you take the summer version of the class if possible.  The summer version includes range time. It is always great to back up what you have learned in the class with some live fire, but in the case of some of the close quarter techniques, it is useful to know what to expect when your gun is being fired in different positions.  You need to know what it is like to get a good blast of spent gas in the face while other times you are getting a chest scrape from the slide when the gun is in the wrong position.  It really drives home the information Thomas is trying to pass on.  Of special interest is the demonstration of how your firearm could function (or not function) given certain conditions.

Who Needs The Class
The introduction portion of the class that Thomas presented really helped explain why such a class is essential to anyone who wants to defend themselves and/or loved ones against an attacker.  With very realistic scenarios, you find that it may not be as easy to defend yourself as Hollywood would have you think.  You need some basic techniques to help keep you from getting dead.  It is "Close Quarters" because BGs don't usually stand 30 yards away and say "I'm gonna come over there and rob/rape/kill/pummel you!".  If you do not have a serious plan on how to deal with an attacker who is within 25 feet, you need this class.  You may be thinking "25 feet?! How is that close quarters?".  Take the class and you will get your answer.

Thanks again Thomas.  I am more than pleased with the product I received in exchange for the money paid.

Fly

[Lorimor]

Great write up!  It was nice meeting you and working with you!

[OnTheFly]

Nice meeting you too! Meeting a lot of like minded people is one of the fun aspects of taking classes and shooting in matches.  I also want to say that I am short and stout, but sometimes I get a little too physical.  I hope I didn't contribute too much to the aches and pains you were feeling the next day.  I'm very confident I didn't leave any more marks on you than Chris Zeeb did.   

Fly

[Lorimor]

Nah, I don't think you did any real damage.  (Although I can't say the same for Thomas' door. )

[JTH]

Nah, I don't think you did any real damage.  (Although I can't say the same for Thomas' door. )

I can certainly see why most instructors hold this sort of thing outside.  It is so the students DON'T BREAK MY BUILDING.   

[sigh]

Apparently, the last evolution of the class should be patching all the dents, and painting over all the black marks on the walls. 

[dcjulie]

There is damage in my building?!?!?!  I wasn't informed of this!     Good thing we have plans to remodel in the (hopefully) near future!  Maybe I'll start taking donations from Thomas' classes for the remodel fund!

[Lorimor]

When SuperArdi goes to work, bodies fly. 

[Chris Z]

This was the first class I've had the opportunity to take over at PRT, and I would highly recommend it. Going into this class I was totally drained and was not sure how I was going to make it through the weekend.

Thomas did a great job keeping focus and keeping things straight forward. It was a very physical class...... That being said, its not like he had us doing situps and running laps, but just the work on drills that we did was pretty physical. Drink lots of water, and a steady diet of ibuprofen starting before the class was helpful.

Apparently my large size intimidated a couple classmates  :-) - So everytime we were told to keep things at a low level of practice (1 on a scale of 5), our drills quickly went up to the 6 or 8 level! For the record Julie, I had no part of the black marks on the wall.

I am not a elaborate writer or reviewer.... But here is the bottom line. Take this class, and I would recommend taking it again and again, as I likely will take it again. You cannot just go learn this stuff and not practice it. PRT put together a great class, with great scenarios, and taught simple, effective techniques.

[JTH]

There is damage in my building?!?!?!  I wasn't informed of this!     Good thing we have plans to remodel in the (hopefully) near future!  Maybe I'll start taking donations from Thomas' classes for the remodel fund!

Don't kill me. 

It could be that there are a couple of black marks on the wall.  Ahem.  One or two.  (Maybe three.)  And perhaps a doorknob dented the drywall a little.  But only a little.  Once.  Maybe twice.

But that's all!

I told them "Level 2.  Got it?  2!"

.....and level 5 happened. 

"STOP!  Stopstopstopstopstop!

....level _2_, guys."

------"Okay."

"All right, let's try it again"----------------

.....over 9000*!

[sigh]


*(Apologies to those who don't get the 9000 reference.)