• Treat every firearm as if it is always loaded.

• Never point a firearm at anything you are not ready and willing to destroy.

• Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.

• Know what is between and beyond your target.

The fundamental safety rules are more than just rules. They are skills. Skills which you develop during training. They need to become automatic. If you violate these rules you are likely to negligently shoot yourself or someone else in your lifetime.

The fundamental skills of defensive shooting

• Stance

• Grip

• Sights

• Trigger press

• Follow through

I aim to help you get to a high level of safety and proficiency with your firearm so when you are under extreme stress and in fear for your own or a loved ones safety, you will be able to stop the threat using an appropriate level of force.

Firearms are tools. Tools require training. Training requires a coach. I've been lucky to have some great instructors over the years. I want to help train people who are serious and want to improve their skills for the right reasons.

"An expert is someone who has practiced the basics more than everyone else"

-Japanese Proverb

There are many tools and tactics you can utilize to keep yourself and loved ones safe.

Do you know how to recognize a potentially dangerous situation in ample enough time to respond appropriately? Do you know how to locate exit areas upon entering a space? What other tools can you use besides a firearm? When and how should you use a flashlight to momentarily blind an aggressor? When is pepper spray the right move? Do you know how to de-escalate a situation and what techniques to employ? When and how to use tonality in an altercation? Do you know how to efficiently calculate hiding spots, when to run and when to stand your ground and fight?

What happens to the body when it experiences a rush of adrenaline? Some possible symptoms include:

• A momentary boost of strength

• Decreased ability to feel pain

• Heightened senses

• Faster reflexes

• Loss of fine motor skills

• Tunnel vision

• Feeling jittery or nervous

Guess what? The bad guy also gets a boost of adrenaline. The person who handles it better has a serious advantage on their side. Responding properly to an adrenaline dump requires training and physical conditioning.

"Man fights with his mind. His hands and his weapons are simply extensions of his will, and one of the fallacies of our era is the notion that equipment is the equivalent of force"

-Jeff Cooper

It may mean having a commanding presence and posture so the aggressor thinks twice about messing with you. It may mean picking up your kid and running away.

Hand to hand combat requires strength, agility, coordination, skill, and endurance. We all have a weak link. Where is yours and how do we turn it into a strength?

Shooting a gun is physical act. Doing a fine motor skill like pulling a trigger while under extreme stress does not come naturally to humans. It must be trained.

A common tactical mantra for winning a gun fight is "SHOOT, MOVE, COMMUNICATE". How should you move while in a gun fight?

Knowing how to move well is a must for self-defense. Nobody rises to an occasion. People fall to their level of training.

My biggest passions outside of work involve movement. When I am not working you can usually find me trail running, mountain biking, backpacking, rock climbing, slacklining, training in various martial arts, and I also enjoy practicing acrobats and yoga.

Over the years I've had injuries and overcome many physical challenges. I have collected a large repertoire of tools and I am passionate about passing them on to others so they can improve movement capacity and physical health as it relates to self-defense.

"Move. But don't move the way fear makes you move"

-Ido Portal