2017 Training Newsletters
Sorted by Date
The Training MIndset - 1/4/17
The training mindset is something that everyone in the defensive world should work to cultivate. Unfortunately, few people really do.
You Are the first responder - 1/11/17
Once again our fellow citizens were targeted in a violent mass murder attack, this time in the baggage claim of the Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida.
Three critical parts of the training pyramid - 2/1/17
Training is something that I not only talk about a lot, but I live it every day, and it's a lot more nuanced than I often verbalize. So in this training newsletter, let me try to give you an overview of three parts of training that need your attention, the training of physical, mental, and emotional/spiritual aspects of defense.
The Core Philosophy of DMT - 2/2/17
One of the core principles of DMT is the motto: "no ego," and I'd challenge you to consider adapting this philosophy to your own life.
The Core philosophy of DMT - Part 2 - 2/8/17
I grew up in the western education system, but I also grew up in the eastern training mindset through multiple decades of martial arts practice. The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, was once asked where the next great martial art would come from. His answer was simple and direct: The United States, because they always have to know why.
the core philosophy of dmt - part 3 - 2/15/17
There are lots of defensive systems that lay down a good neural pathway, but there are very few that do a good job at building the second half of the neural pathway, the automatic response of the brain, through that neural pathway from stimulus.
surviving a “friendly” conversation - 2/22/17
Some people are surprised that people are still hit with these kinds of "drugged" attacks, but it is actually an extremely common and simple method of taking advantage of another person. So here's a couple of tips to help you avoid the Mickey.
Summer Concealed Carry - 3/8/17
After some of the warmth this week, I'm really thinking about summer concealed carry. Last week we talked about some of the gear you can use to help with your carry, and so this week, we'll talk about where you can carry your handgun.
Tools of the Trade - 3/15/17
When I carry "On Body," this is what's in my pockets or on my hip.
bad things can happen in the dark - 3/22/17
Crimes like robbery, assault, rape, and murder are happening in U.S. cities every night and yet the vast majority of self-defense training is happening in daylight conditions.
the eyes have it - 3/23/17
We as Defenders need to understand the dark and have strategies to either use it to our advantage, or take away the advantage of the darkness for our Threat.
own the darkness - 3/29/17
We can utilize the light of our environment to gain a tactical advantage over a threat.
real life example of home defense - 4/5/17
A homeowner in Oklahoma was awakened to the sounds of the glass on his front door being shattered. Startled, he grabbed his home defense tool and confronted the threat, which turned out to be three men, all in black and masked.
4 simple ways to harden your home - 4/19/17
What if instead of relying on the security system to get police response, we instead made our homes simply harder to break into?
Travel concerns? don’t forget your ladder - 4/26/17
Do what top level protection and security professionals have been doing for years and bring your LADDER.
Only hits count - 5/10/17
Point that firearm downrange and pull the trigger, it'll get close... but close isn't good enough for defense. In the defender's world, only EFFECTIVE hits count.
most range time is less than useless - 5/17/17
If you haven't spent any time with DMT in a range session, you might not realize that range time for most people is utterly useless.
manchester - tactical debrief - 5/24/17
There aren't necessarily consistent features between homicide bombers. There are often different bomb-making techniques, and gender, age, or ethnicity may vary. Instead, defenders must look for extraneous signs to ID the homicide bomber, while attempting to make the smartest positioning decisions possible.
complete integrated defense - 5/31/17
True and total defense is like a castle's defensive fortifications - integrated and complete. Let me explain.
the battlefield is everywhere - 6/7/17
Three terrorists in London rented a truck, got themselves some knives, and proceeded to kill 7 and injure more than 40 on a bridge and market.
permit to carry and traffic stops - 6/14/17
Considering recent events here in the Twin Cities, I think it's critical that we review something we cover in our DMT Permit to Carry course.
new shooter guide - 6/24/17
As a Public Service Announcement, here's are some guidelines that you can share with new defensive shooters.
choosing the right handgun - 7/5/17
When most people pick out a handgun for carry they look for three things: Does it "feel good" in my hand? What is the "stopping power" of the round? Is it a cool brand? If you know anything about DMT, you probably realize that we don't really operate that way.
keeping your humanity in the warrior pursuit - 7/12/17
It is hard to be a sheepdog in a world of sheep. The sheep do not understand why the sheepdog would think about those dark places. Why would they want to have those fangs, knowing that fangs can bite and cause harm?
the five defensive responses - 7/20/17
While there are innumerable techniques within each category, all defensive and offensive techniques basically fall within five essential responses.
the two most common shooting errors - 7/26/17
People often assume that an issue like accuracy can be fixed by just checking "the internet." If the shots are off in a consistent way, it's got to be equipment failure so it should be quick and easy to get back in alignment. Well, I'm about to burst your bubble - it's probably not your gear, it's you.
a good knife? - 8/2/17
Choosing the right knife is combination of factors, such as use, size, and carry method.
stay or go? - 8/9/17
Those of us who are the primary security for our families have probably all had the thought: "If something goes down, what do I do with the family?"
civil unrest and terror continues - Barcelona terror attack - tactical debrief - 8/23/17
DMT stays out of politics I'll offer no commentary on the who or why of these events, but as a teacher of defensive tactics, I will offer some perspective and advice for navigating our increasingly dangerous urban areas.
be prepared - 8/30/17
Watching what's going on in Texas makes me think about my own disaster preparations.
defensive firearms for the aging defender - 9/6/17
Concerns about firearms and aging are very common, however there is a lot for aging Citizen Defenders to work on and practice.
the platinum ten - 9/27/17
On Friday September 15th, London commuters dodged a bullet. Well … actually a bomb.
the plan of action - mandalay bay shooting - tactical debrief - 10/6/17
The more news that comes out about the October 1st's massacre in Las Vegas, the worse it gets.
the grip - 10/25/17
If there's one thing that makes our training different from other systems, it's that we spent years just thinking about how to explain the basic function of the handgun and how your body physiologically relates to this tool.
the trauma of a bullet wound - 10/26/17
Wounds from firearms can have incredibly varying effects. A solid hit to the skull should probably lead to death in all cases, but for some reason, some survive and others don't. Firearm hits to the body can be just as unpredictable. So let's talk a little bit about how firearm injuries affect victims.
bad training session - 11/30/17
After my first draw I knew that something wasn't right. My first shot on target was 2.3 seconds, more than a second SLOWER than my average first shot on target.
grip makes a difference - 12/12/17
I've been told on several occasions by new students that the DMT method of gripping a handgun is, well ... unique. I agree, but the grip makes a pretty significant difference.