Snub Training (2012) – Winter Training Tip

Training Tip – I friend of mine just e-mailed me asking for some low tech training tips he can use when it is too cold to get to the range.  My recommendations were to practice the South Nark style ECQC Draw Strokes and practice “Getting off the X.” If you are home alone and have a dummy gun then you might try this too. Stand in your hallway facing an empty room. Place a piece of painters tape across the open doorway at about chest height and place your hands on the edges of the doorway above the tape. Practice drawing your dummy gun high enough to clear the tape and extending your arms beyond the painters tape. This will help you develop that inverted “L” that is the cornerstone of South Nark’s practical fighting draw stroke. For the second drill again place your hands on the edges of the doorway above the tape. Now when you draw your dummy gun add in a step to either side of the door jam getting out of the fatal funnel. Be sure to alternate stepping to the right and left after each draw stroke. Remember to practice for smooth movement rather than speed. Remember also though that while the edges of the walls are concealment only and not to be thought of cover the point here is to practice the inverted “L” draw stroke while conditioning you to “Get off the X.” When the weather warms up you can do the same exercises on the range by setting up a portable target stand a few inches in front of your toes. Be sure to set the top of the stand at about chest height and close enough to you so that you will be require you to draw your gun high enough to clear the top of the stand.  Start the drill by standing OFF SIDE to either the right or left of the ½ height target stand. To shoot get off the X and behind the ½ height stand. Then draw high enough to clear the ½ height stand. This will encourage you to 1) Get off the X, 2) Practicing the Inverted “L” draw stroke and 3) Reflexively getting behind some sort of cover and/or concealment every time you draw a weapon.