This weekend's training (Page 4 of 4)
|
This week I had the opportunity to do some Rucking in Alberta and British Columbia. Best time of year to be in Canada. There are a number of trails around Banff: Attached File Attached File Averaged 6.4 miles/day for the week. Top day was 8.9 miles. Toughest ruck was up Tunnel Mountain: Attached File The side from town was easier that what you see here, around 1,000 ft elevation change from town to the top: Attached File One sometimes overlooked place was Emerald Lake in BC: Attached File Emerald and Peyto Lake in Alberta were scenic short hikes. Johnson Lake had a great 2 mile loop. SIG10K rangefinder also got a workout. Daytime the furthest I could range was ~3,000 yards, and that was under ideal lighting conditions. Most of the time I was limited to around 2,000 yards. It was astounding how much line of sight in the Canadian Rockies is 2,000+ yards. Was hoping that the high altitude might augment my fitness training a bit, but reading that High Altitude training is best between 6,000 and 8,000 ft: Altitude training for elite endurance athletes High altitude training is regarded as an integral component of modern athletic preparation, especially for endurance sports such as middle and long distance running. It has rapidly achieved popularity among elite endurance athletes and their coaches. Increased hypoxic stress at altitude facilitates key physiological adaptations within the athlete, which in turn may lead to improvements in sea-level athletic performance. Effect of altitude training on the aerobic capacity of athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis Apparently for High Altitude training the best results are from this: Live: approximately 2,000–2,500 m (6,600–8,200 ft). Duration: 3–4 weeks. Training: Perform high-intensity workouts at lower elevations when possible ("Live High, Train Low") to maintain workout quality while still gaining the physiological adaptations from living at altitude. I recently found out that Rob Furlong, perhaps still Canada's most famous sniper teaches long range shooting in Alberta: Training With World Record Sniper, Rob Furlong “The snipers back then {1990s?} were basically like nuclear weapons,” says Furlong, who claims they were rarely used “for the real thing.” Canada has a tendency to send their Snipers to Texas to train (Rifles Only, Accuracy 1st), but I have to say Furlong looks to have an amazing program I wouldn't mind checking out when I have more time.  Welcome to Rob Furlong's Marksmanship Academy - Trailer |
per aspera ad astra
|
At a museum in Banff I found these from a 1942 US Army Air Force Arctic Training School: Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File I guess it's where the paracord thing came from. Makes sense for a pilot who bailed out in the wilderness and has plenty of paracord on hand. Not that I would trust paracord to snare a Moose... sounds like a fish story ETA, Grok confirms you need much stronger steel cable to successfully snare a Moose. |
per aspera ad astra
|
It's been too hot here to do very much outside without getting heat stroke. Pistol and Rifle dryfire in the air-conditioning has been good. Also hit 275lbs on deadlift. A short break on lifting didn't help my bench, still just short of 190. Feeling that next week will be the week. |
per aspera ad astra
|
Yesterday was my first formal TECC training: Tactical Emergency Casualty Care w/ Force on Force Attached File TECC is adapted from TC3 for civilian tactical environments. Most of the students took a foundational class on Saturday. I already know that stuff and jumped in for the action Sunday. This is what we were issued: Attached File Attached File We've been talking in some other threads about Force-on-Force, Ecological Approach/Constraints-Led Approach to training. Sunday's training was all about those things. We started off with airsoft Force-on-Force. The scenario was you are in a public place with your concealed pistol and personal med kit and hear gunfire. You have little information, but know you are on the clock. What you are not being told is that there is a gunshot victim down and you only have 3 minutes to reach them and stabilize them. A very skilled active shooter is on the loose. The setup is intentionally a meatgrinder. To reach the victim you have to move quickly against a aggressive barricaded threat. Some chose to move in with their sidearm holstered. I went in at a low ready. My first corner was clearing to the right, but the second was clearing to the left. I switched hands to minimize my profile and encountered the active shooter. We traded fire and he hit my leg. I went back to cover and applied a TQ to my leg and then resumed the fight. The active shooter put more fire towards me, but missed and I used suppressive fire to make him keep his head down while I maneuvered in on him. I cornered him and finished him. Then I checked the building but didn't see any victims. There was red "blood" all over the floor, but I missed it due to tunnel vision. I started moving deeper into the building, clearing as I went and found the victim down in a dark back room. He was bleeding from his leg but conscious. There was good communication where he indicated only one shooter and agreed to treatment. I had already used my TQ, so what was left in my issued kit was a SWAT TQ. I deployed that, which is an older style TQ and requires visual gauges on the TQ to know if you are tight enough. In the dark I just guessed. Simulated calling 911 and said help was on the way. Told the victim to hold pressure on his wound and set up kneeling with my pistol covering the door. Got notification that a second active shooter was in the area. Second active shooter crossed the the threshold of a door just outside the room door, pistol in hand and I shot him in the upper thoracic and face. EndEx. The goal with this training wasn't tactics, but to create significant stress while you use your medical skills and gear. I had done past medical training under time constraints or unexpectedly (ie John Murphy's class) but this was another level of stress. You have to balance moving a casualty versus treatment versus security in a "hot" or "warm" zone: Attached File Only after the first scenario were we given briefings on TECC. Then more scenarios, skills and equipment demos/practices, and briefings followed. Some of the equipment we talked through I had never seen before. We walked through lifts, carries, and drags. Some a refresher, some new. Improvising medical solutions was covered and some was new to me. There was a man vs man scenario which was particularly brutal. A student starts out at each end of the building. On GO, you have to deploy a TQ on yourself (called out arm or leg), then you can move. The goal is to reach the other end of the building and you have to get through the other student armed with an airsoft. The pressure is high as you race to deploy your TQ and get into position to win the fight. We finished the day with the original scenario, with a new floorplan. This time I knew I was up against a skilled threat and was quiet and cautious as I cleared the floor. Ended up eliminating both active shooters without getting myself hit that time. But treating the casualty in a "warm" zone was somehow even more pressure and the CAT-T TQ I deployed on the victim's leg got twisted. I tried to untwist it, but with my mask and tactical gloves dulling my senses I failed. I thought the TQ was on correctly but it wasn't. I had the victim hold pressure, but didn't find the issue until re-assessing after the second active shooter engagement. Was a fantastic learning by doing experience and medical skill pressure test. Robert indicates he does additional Force-on-Force and CQB training that I'd like to try out in the future. Before this class I thought my TQ skills were solid, but going to practice more to make deployment more bulletproof. |
per aspera ad astra
|
Some info I learned was that in Ukraine they are now carrying 7 TQs on body. One for each arm, 2 for each leg, plus an extra just in case they can't find one. And they are OVERUSING TQ's in Ukraine. Not a huge problem if you can get to higher care in 1-2 hours, but a massive problem when evacuations take 6+ hours. Knowing when to use a TQ is just as important has how to use a TQ. |
per aspera ad astra
|
TECC training last weekend was focused on medical, but the training was nicely interleaved with pistol CQB. Some AAR thoughts about Pistol CQB: -Distances were within 15-20 yards. One time I was so close I was nearly touching the active shooter with my pistol. -50% of my shots fired were point shooting. These were not "spray and pray". The were carefully aimed much the same as you point your finger at something. I would often fire in "bursts". Was a rude awakening for people getting pelted with a volley of 3 shots. -10% of my shots were a front sight focus. These were "proactive" shots. I was positioned behind cover, aimed at a doorway in those cases. Just waiting for a threat to ambush them as they appeared. -The other 40% were a combination of flash sight picture or Type 2 sight picture (target focus, sights clearly in view) -The recent Twin Falls shooting in Idaho had Austin Scott James searching for the active shooter with his pistol concealed, unchambered, in the holster. Students in class tried that. It wasn't always a complete disaster (because unlike Austin Scott James the students used cover). I chose to search with my pistol at low ready. Good visibility and allowed me to get the pistol in action quickly. The key to victory is operating inside your opponent's OODA loop. There was never a time during the training I wished to be slower getting the pistol into action. Being the first to locate, identify, and put accurate fire on target was absolutely essential to survival. -Knowing how to properly use cover is essential. Including knowing not to crowd cover. The tactical advantage is dated, but not a bad place to start to understand actual tactics. Reading a book or watching a video is a start. Practicing searching around the house is the next level. You need to get out and do CQB against live opponents to really learn this stuff. I'm not sure I ever learned anything about tactics except what NOT to do during competitions. YMMV -Knowing how to shoot with your support side is helpful -Being as stealthy as possible helps -Suppressive fire in support of fire and movement works -In the right situation kneeling can change your level and give you an advantage -Having your only weapon go down during a fight can be catastrophic. Extra ammo is great, but having a backup gun is even better. -Owning a TQ or IFAK is great but having it with you during the moment of truth is critical. If your IFAK is not on your person, having several including in your vehicle, at home, and at work is next best. |
per aspera ad astra
|
Dryfire this week. Pistol standing and sitting positions. Isosceles, Primary hand-only, Support hand-only, draw, and reloads in preparation for a competition. More to follow on that. Hit 100lbs bar curl. Dipped a bit on Push Press (135) and Deadlift (275), but perhaps next week will be better. It all felt easier, but I was a bit stiff this week so maybe that was a factor. |
per aspera ad astra
|
Shot a Steel Challenge match today. Ran two guns. M&P9 Fullsize/optic and 22 cal AR. In Steel Challenge you get 5 runs on each of 5 stages. They drop your worst (slowest) run. This one was perhaps the most interesting: SC-104 Outer Limits I paced the actual distances and the closest plate was actually 20 yards, the furthest were 40 yards. The round plates looked more like 6 inches, but I didn't measure them so maybe they were larger. Gave me some confidence that under some time stress I could draw my pistol and consistently shoot something like a headshot at 20 yards. Didn't miss any of the round plates, but tried to go a little fast for some of the rectangles one or two runs. As far as gear goes, 2 of my .22LR mags fell apart when I was loading them. Good thing I only needed the 2 I had left. One pistol round was a failure to fire, which slowed me down on one run. Otherwise all my equipment ran great. Many of the Rimfire Rifle optics competitors had homebuild looking contraptions. Like carbon fiber furniture that rolled off a 3D printer, brakes, and all manor of strangeness. Apparently the categories are Rimfire Rifle Irons or Rimfire Rifle Open. My 22 cal rifle uses an standard AR-15 lower and the upper looked real enough that the Range Officer had to confirm I wasn't trying to shoot 5.56mm. Made me proud.  These were the other stages: SC-101 Five to Go SC-103 Smoke & Hope SC-106 Pendulum SC-108 Roundabout The general scheme was 5 targets. None of the actual distances were less than 10 yards. Depending on your setup you start low ready (rifle) or holstered (pistol). Since I wasn't shooting for credit I switched between pistol low ready and pistol holstered. I though the pistol low ready was more realistic than drawing from an open carry holster with no retention. They don't allow concealment, so open carry draw was the best I could do if I wanted to practice drawing from a holster. These matches were a test of accuracy and speed, but also very much a test of how quick you could get off target after you got your shot off. The idea for the gamesman is to call your shot and if you think it's good move on as fast as you can. In the real world you don't actually know what effects your fire is going to have on the target and shooting "open loop" without watching your target for feedback is questionable. One of the limits of shooting steel is that the closest you can get is intermediate distances. Which was great for testing skills like "can I stop 5 threats at challenging distances in 5 shots in 3-to-6 seconds?" Not realistic, but should cover your bases if you ever accidental get caught out in a bad night in Kenosha. There were a few shooters with irons, but most shooters these days are running optics which make hitting small targets at 15-40 yards a lot easier/faster. One of the complaints I have about competitions is the amount of time it takes for the rounds fired. Too often they are more waiting around to shoot. This event let you take 2 guns for double the rounds fired. Probably shot over 300 rounds in about 5 hours which is about as good as it gets for competitions. As far as cost goes it was only $40 to shoot. Half the rounds fired were .22LR. So it was very affordable. Attached File Attached File Dallas Pistol Club has a number of bizarre range rules like you can't point your pistol in the air... or at the ground. They have a steel plate to point at when you are using a low ready position. Basically much of the proper gun handling you spent years or decades developing is prohibited. Workspace loading... not allowed. Workspace slidelock reload... not allowed. High ready... not allowed. Manipulating your carbine from an underarm position is essentially prohibited, in that its almost impossible to do while keeping the carbine constantly pointed at the berm. At the end of a stage after you have confirmed your chamber is empty don't dare elevate that muzzle to show the Range Safety Officer you are clear. .22 Carbines are ok, but PCCs and Service caliber rifles are prohibited. On the plus side they do a fantastic job of insuring I'll never pay a dime to be a member there. My gun club memberships don't have those aberrant rules. |
per aspera ad astra
|
American Heart Association recently updated their curriculum. This week I re-certed in First Aid/CPR/AED. Medical is a perishable skill. I like to do at least 4 medical training sessions a year. This year was a great year on medical. CERT, TECC, First Aid, CPR/AED twice, plus some wilderness medical at survival school and self practice. Next year want to recert WFA Also hit 285lbs Deadlift and 187lbs bench (estimated) |
per aspera ad astra