Serendipity, that’s what it’s called. A recent poll on Facebook asked about the biggest hurdle people face in getting defensive shooting training. I expected the number one reason to be ammunition supplies, but that barely rated for most people. Time? That was a bigger one, but it paled in comparison to the number one obstacle: money.

Not surprising, given the cost of training these days. Ammo is expensive, equipment is expensive, travel and lodging is expensive, and that’s before factoring in the cost of the class itself. I don’t blame people for having to make tough financial choices in their lives, but there are ways to get the things you need.

This is where that serendipity thing comes into play. Shortly after that poll started there was a post over at the Limatunes Range Diary titled “Can You Afford More Training?” In it, the author makes the case for both the need to train and the methods by which it can be made affordable. With one caveat, she’s got some really good ideas. If money stands between you and some good training, you should read her article.

The caveat? She suggests that you “Ask if it’s possible for you to take only one or two days of a multiple day class.” My only quibble is that, if an instructor tells you “yes”, you should proceed very carefully. If the class is such that a person can excise up to 50% of the time and still get solid (and safe) value from the training, that’s a clue the class might be padded – filled with stuff that takes up time but isn’t really important.

In a well structured class every element is vital to the learning experience; they should mesh together into a seamless whole, each portion building on and supporting the others. If you can take out large portions of the curriculum and still have the course stand on its own, I’d consider that to be a sign that the class is less a cohesive whole than a collection of unrelated skills. (This is in contrast to a class which is designed from the ground to be a shorter version of another course.)

At the risk of contradicting Melody, I’d suggest that you instead ask if the instructor has a shorter version of the class in question; many do, and that class is almost always going to be a smarter choice than simply skipping out on one or more days of a longer course.

-=[ Grant ]=-