Advanced Training
Defense League is our solution for an affordable advanced CCW and tactical defense training program. Often times, the only advanced classes available for those recently obtaining their CCW permits are expensive classes that span several days long. While we also offer such classes, we’ve found that most people don’t have the finances to spend thousands of dollars at once or take that much time off of work. Those who’ve taken our CCW courses know that we stress the importance of perpetual training. Handgun defense techniques are perishable skills. Should the need ever arise to use your gun in self-defense, you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, and the general public to be the safest, most responsible, and effective as you possibly can. Using the analogy we often cite in class, “As sheepdogs who have taken on the duty to help provide for your own safety and well-being, you don’t have the luxury of forewarning to know when the wolf will appear. Preparedness happens yesterday.”
How long are the classes?
With Defense League, you’re taking part in the exact same quality and variety of drill practice as you would at police academy or civilian courses lasting multiple days. In contrast however, we focus on just two to three skills at a time taught over 1 to 2-hour sessions. This helps facilitate memory retention and keeps the classes extremely affordable.
What’s the cost and how often are classes held?
Instead of spending thousands of dollars for a several day course, we aim to keep the rates between $70-$100 per class. League classes normally take place once (sometimes twice) a month, depending on the level of interest. Most range fees alone are $25, but we’ll almost always include your range fee in the price because we want to see as many people as possible receive advanced training. Although we call this a “league” or “club”, there are no membership fees. You’re welcome to attend any or all classes you find interesting and useful. Due to range and classroom rental overhead, we only ask that you preregister so we can track minimum and maximum class sizes.
Are there any prerequisites?
Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you’ve been a previous student of Hansen Firearms Training or not. There are prerequisites for some classes however. We’ll be learning highly advanced techniques that will require each league member demonstrate a level of competence through participation in previous classes for certain courses such as live fire drawing from the holster, hip shooting, move and shoot, etc. Some of the classes are also quite physical. We won’t be doing intense circuit training, but you’ll need to know your own physical limitations and ask questions beforehand if you have concerns about a certain class. Please contact us if you have questions about demonstrating levels of proficiency or if you’re concerned about the intensity level of any particular class.
Where are the classes held and what skills do we practice?
On some evenings we work out of a martial arts studio in Huntington Beach or Costa Mesa, practicing such things as weapon disarmament, arrest techniques, and room clearing. On other evenings, we use an indoor range in Orange or Stanton, an outdoor range in Corona for our live fire courses, and an indoor warehouse for Simunition scenario training. One of our primary focuses is scenario-based training. We want league members to feel that the skills we practice are directly applicable to realistic scenarios that they’re most likely to encounter. As best we can, we simulate stress and some conditions of a real encounter while maintaining a safe training environment. Take a look at some of the topics and scenarios we instruct and contact us with any questions!
- Full-speed holster draw from concealment
- Engaging multiple targets
- Shooting around and under cover (barricades and moving cover)
- Shooting on the move
- Groundwork, hand-to-hand defense (getting out from underneath an attacker)
- Close Quarters Combat (CQC) (trips, pushes, strikes, arm bars, etc. to escape or gain distance to draw)
- Subduing attackers after disarmament
- Low-light shooting and simulated stress
- 180 degree turn and shoot, prone, supine, and kneeling positions
- Tueller drill (attacks from within the 21 foot zone)
- Shooting from a seated position
- Defending a family member or protectee (drawing while shielding)
- Drawing from alternative holsters (ankle, shoulder, belly bands, etc.)
- Home invasion (clearing rooms and hallways as a team, calling out or barricading in)
- Active Shooter Scenario (spree shootings, career criminal vs. sociopath mentality, responding to threats in a crowd)
- One-handed shooting, one-handed reloading, instinctive shooting eyes closed, bracing with cover
- Defending against contact weapons (knives, clubs, bats, axes, etc.)
- Shooting from concealed in purses, bags, and backpacks
- Car jacking defense, shooting from inside a vehicle, leaving a barricaded vehicle
- Less-lethal options (tactical pens, stun guns, pepper spray)
- Citizen’s arrest (proper handcuffing technique, zip ties and other restraints, escaping handcuffs and restraints, and frisking arrested attackers)
- Force-on-Force scenario training with airsoft or simunition rounds (actor simulations of robberies, home invasions, arguments, etc.)
- Laser screen video simulation shoot or no shoot scenarios
- Shooting aftermath, incident reporting, and witness managing (police officer and attorney guest speakers for a mock trial)
- Medical trauma, stop-the-bleed, and CPR
Registration
After taking one of our CCW classes, you’ll automatically be added to our emailing list which will notify you of new laws, sheriff’s updates, and upcoming advanced courses. If you haven’t taken a class yet, email us and we can place you on the list. All advanced classes will be posted on the Courses page of this website at the same time notice goes out in the newsletter.