Goals:
We have so many classes available that teach us HOW to shoot. I’ve been increasingly hungry for classes that teach us WHEN or even WHY to shoot. This class satisfies that hunger by making us think with a loaded gun in our hand.
Requirements:
The normal range gear and attire are required. Round count was SUPER LOW, with me only burning 160 rounds. I think they told us 300, and your mileage is going to vary depending on how many shots you take/miss/make.
The skill requirements were low as well. On the Friday before the class started, several students took the rare opportunity to get private coaching from Neil & Christopher. This paid big dividends in their performance and confidence throughout the class. I wish more instructors would make themselves so available.
Acclaim:
There hasn’t been much talk about this class. It’s still in its development stages, but it’s very well along. At no point did I feel that the instructors were “winging it,” nor was there any time they didn’t have a plan for what happened next or how it would happen.
I didn’t hear much, and I think it’s because the ASP training community is still relatively small and unique compared to Rangemaster, Massad Ayoob Group, or other training communities.
If anything, the ASP crew attracts a lot of beginners, and for good reason. There is very little pressure to perform at high levels. Your performance be analyzed and coached but you are never judged. This is something that other training communities can learn a lot from.
Difficulty:
The class was very taxing but not physically. At the end of the day, it felt like I played a chess tournament. My brain was cooked. My decision-making processes were not depleted but I could feel the cognitive load. While there were games and drills in the class to make it more fun, there were a lot of strategies to develop and decisions to make.
Efficacy:
This class left me with a lot to think about on the drive home. It’s one of those where you cut off the music and drive home in silent thought. Not that I failed or anything, but my performance was not perfect. I could’ve seen more, learned more, and done more. I learned a lot, and it was a super fun class! I just know I left some meat on the bone.
You will be forced to make decisions based on your observational and performance skills. You’ll be tempted to write checks that your shooting ability can’t cash. You’ll be forced to place the fate of your team in the hands of others, and you’ll either celebrate their victories or share the responsibility of defeat.
But you will grow. You absolutely will.
You’ll learn your limits, both in proficiency and in your mental & emotional fitness. You’ll learn where you’ve done well, and where you should improve.
Instructors, expect to learn how well you can push beginners to make better decisions. This can happen MUCH SOONER in their development that I ever imagined. One student was afraid to draw the gun during the private lesson on Friday, and on Sunday we all chanted “MVP! MVP! MVP!”
We even had world-class competitive shooters on the line along with law enforcement & military veterans. We actually had four Marines in class, and none of us ever felt bored.
I believe this class should be required for anyone that carries a gun. Period. There are things you need to know about yourself, and it’s best to learn those before you’re forced to make life-altering decisions.
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