Are you 'left-leaning' in your DT training?

In your DT training, do your drills start “as far to the left of an attack as possible,” or do you simply practice getting out of trouble you’re already in?

That provocative question was posed during an ILEETA class by trainer Tony Blauer of Blauer Tactical Systems in Encinitas, Calif. It’s his contention that DT sessions too often start at the wrong point in an attack, while a different starting point might prevent the problem in the first place.

Take weapon retention training, for example. Commonly, Blauer says, training drills begin with your opponent’s hand already on your gun; you’re expected to execute an “intense, dynamic technique” that defeats his grab and puts you safely in control. That’s certainly a valuable skill.

But Blauer argues that “every time you start by practicing how to get out of an offender’s dangerous move that has already occurred, you’re unconsciously training your brain to let an attack happen. You’re possibly predisposing yourself to a gun grab. The pursuit solely of technique alone is probably the single greatest hindrance to properly defending yourself.”