Building Your Bridge

What’s the biggest mistake I see concealed carry holders making right now? That’s a pretty easy question to answer because I see it so often. I’d say 99 percent of concealed carry holders currently make this one crucial mistake.

They're not building their bridge.

Many responsible gun owners get their concealed carry license, buy the newest whiz-bang gear and possibly even take some training courses. I see nothing wrong with any of those. I love the fact that folks are seeking training! That’s very responsible, but the large majority of concealed carry holders have never been in a fist fight, as in a real fist fight. Not a pushing match or a shouting match, which ends in both parties backing down and bro hugging it out. They’ve never been punched in the mouth.

I’ve been in those situations and understand what real violence looks like. I’d say the vast majority of folks underestimate the violence involved. Listen, you need a bridge to get to a more lethal force. Simply owning and possessing a gun doesn’t mean you’re covered. The gun is merely a tool. Our body is the weapon.

People spend time and money to get training, but they won’t spend time or money to get training on a mat. I’m not saying you need to be Karate Kid and go crane kick off the bow of a canoe, but you need to know what violence is

actually like. Some set of skills are needed to break away from that violence in order to transition to a more lethal force option.

So, where do you go from here? Invest and commit to an hour a week to strike, grapple or wrestle your way to better performance. You don’t have to be a black belt, but you do need to start building your bridge. ~ Greg

Greg Lapin – Owner, Instructor VATA Training Center - Greg spent eight years as a Louisiana law enforcement officer with the majority of his time in Special Investigation and Narcotics units. He went on to work for Triple Canopy conducting high threat protection for the Department of State in conflict zones. Greg was then recruited for a Department of Defense program in which he also worked in conflict zones while deployed. He has conducted various missions for both government and non-government clients around the globe. Greg has been instructing for several years for certain government clients and is also an avid USPSA competitive shooter.

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