I want to thank you, guys, for another excellent training you gave us.
A few words for those who are still thinking whether they need to take one
FoF training itself: It is the best training you could ever take if you really think that you ever may have to use your firearm to protect yourselves and your family. I am pretty sure that the first FoF training, I received from John in 2013, completely shaped the whole my training schedule for the next four years. I still remember that shocking understanding that neither range, nor IDPA experience, nor hand-on-hand experience (and I had plenty of as I grew in the country where firearms is something pretty hard to meet on the street), all of these simply will not work in a gunfight. However, while this first training left me in “I am completely dumb and helpless†mood, the last one confirmed that the good amount of proper training would slightly improve the situation.
Comparing different options of the FoF I would say that:
1) Simunition vs BB gun – I tried both, and, unless you are real SWAT'o'SEAL team, it won’t make a lot of difference from point of view of the lessons to be learned. And it is way cheaper and less painful to use BB gun though.
2) Big group vs small group – both options work very well. In a small group you get way more painful reinforcement for your new knowledge, while in a big group you have a lot of material to observe and think about.
3) Law and tactic part is equally if not more important than fun part of FoF training, simply because the decision of whether and what to do is the key.
FoF with Trace Armory Group: I think that John found just the perfect balance between the harsh material he teach and softness of us, civilians he has to teach. Usually, if you go to other place, you will either have to accept harsh style of education or suffer from watering the material to the kindergarten level. With John you’ll get the right amount of things, without feeling yourself in a bootcamp of a conscription army (if you know what I mean).
I also think that John perfectly understands and even more perfectly handles extremely important job of educating women and involving women into shooting and self-defense community. If you still thinking that you need somebody to train your girlfriend, daughter or wife – think no more. You know whom to call. I don’t know how much fun he has from teaching women, but does this job per-fect-ly.
And last but not least, pricewise Trace Armory Group courses are moderately priced, and this not because they provide cheap training. This is because the money is not only the thing why they are doing this. How do I know? Try to take training from them and you will see it yourselves from their attitude.
p.s. A secret of those guys who don’t want to be shot multiple times in FoF scenario – simply stop attacking/advancing toward your opponent as you got the first shot. If you continue to attack – it is simply impossible to your opponent to stop shooting (at least if he/she has a little bit of self-defense-shooting mentality). At least, this is what I am always doing when I think that I have got enough BB-balls into my body for the moment, and this helps.
p.p.s. If you wear prescription glasses and the contact lens aren’t the option for you – take steps to find a good mask beforehead and have it ready for the course. An absolute majority of masks do not work with prescription glasses, so you would really need to have your own. However, the body parts that really need to be protected are eyes and ears only (unless your face is a part of job), so good safety glasses (just take one that have soft pads that cover eyes all around) and good earmuffs would work. This is just my opinion, of course. You are putting your body parts into dangerous contact with BB-balls on your own discretion and risk. ;-)
p.p.p.s. Always, always wear gloves and better it would be gloves with a good knuckle protection. Knuckles is pretty often are hit (especially if you are trained to use isosceles) and are very, very painful to be hit during FoF.