Why You Should Attend Defensive Shooting Training If You Carry Concealed

Carrying a concealed firearm comes with immense responsibility. Whether you're new to concealed carry or a seasoned permit holder, defensive shooting training is essential. At Viking 6 Tactical, we understand that simply owning a firearm or carrying it daily isn't enough, you must be proficient in using it under stress and in real-world situations. So, why should you attend defensive shooting training if you're carrying concealed? Let's explore the key benefits.

1. Building Muscle Memory Under Stress

In high-stress situations, your ability to think clearly and act with precision can degrade rapidly. Stress affects your fine motor skills, making even simple actions like drawing from a holster or clearing a malfunction more difficult. Defensive shooting training drills these essential skills repeatedly, ensuring they become second nature. This muscle memory allows you to perform under pressure, when time and accuracy are critical.

In a defensive encounter, milliseconds matter. Training ensures that when your body goes into autopilot, it's doing the right things: from drawing your weapon quickly to efficiently reloading in the middle of a threat.

2. Mastering Safe and Efficient Drawing Techniques

If you carry concealed, how you draw your firearm is just as important as your ability to shoot. Defensive shooting training focuses on teaching you how to draw safely, quickly, and efficiently. A high draw technique, for example, uses your elbows as pivot points to minimize excess motion and keep the firearm close to your body, critical for both speed and retention.

This type of training also emphasizes how to draw in different scenarios, whether you're standing, seated, or moving. Practicing these draws under the watchful eye of a trained instructor helps eliminate bad habits and ensures that your draw is smooth and controlled, reducing the risk of mistakes in a real-life confrontation.

3. Improving Weapon Retention

Carrying a firearm concealed gives you the advantage of surprise, but it also presents the risk of someone trying to grab your weapon. Defensive shooting training emphasizes weapon retention techniques that help prevent an attacker from disarming you. By learning how to maintain control of your firearm in close-quarters combat, you reduce the chance of it being used against you.

The high hold and close body techniques taught in defensive training are critical when faced with an assailant who may try to overpower you. Retaining control of your firearm in these situations could be the difference between life and death.

4. Developing Situational Awareness

Being able to defend yourself goes beyond being able to shoot well. Situational awareness is a core principle of defensive shooting training, teaching you how to assess your environment and identify potential threats before they escalate.

A key component of this training is scanning your surroundings after engaging a threat. Looking left and right immediately after firing not only reduces tunnel vision but also helps you assess if there are additional threats or innocent bystanders in the vicinity. This mental reset ensures that you’re not fixated solely on the immediate danger, which could leave you vulnerable to other risks.

5. Enhancing Speed and Accuracy

In a defensive situation, speed is essential, but not at the expense of accuracy. Defensive shooting training focuses on both aspects by building your skills incrementally. Drills like the Bill Drill, where you fire multiple rounds quickly and accurately, help refine your ability to engage a threat efficiently.

With professional instruction, you’ll learn how to manage recoil, re-acquire your sights faster, and improve your shot placement—all under stress. The end result? You become quicker and more accurate in your defensive responses, giving you an edge when seconds count.

6. Handling Malfunctions and Reloads Efficiently

Firearms malfunctions happen and knowing how to quickly clear a jam or perform an emergency reload is critical when your life is on the line. Defensive shooting training places a strong emphasis on practicing these drills until they become second nature. You’ll learn how to use gross motor skills, those that are more reliable under stress, to get your firearm back in the fight quickly.

In defensive scenarios, you might have to reload or clear a malfunction while still engaging a threat. Training builds the confidence and efficiency you need to handle these situations without panic, ensuring that you stay in control and on the offensive.

7. Adapting to Real-World Scenarios

Real-world encounters are dynamic and unpredictable. Defensive shooting training prepares you for scenarios where you may need to shoot from unconventional positions, engage multiple attackers, or protect loved ones in close quarters. Classroom learning is invaluable, but defensive shooting drills provide hands-on experience that simulates real-world conditions.

From shooting on the move to engaging threats from behind cover, training exposes you to the complexities of defensive gun use that you simply can't replicate on your own. This practical experience makes you more adaptable, prepared, and confident in your ability to handle diverse situations.

8. Staying Legally and Morally Informed

When you attend defensive shooting training with Viking 6 Tactical, we not only focus on physical skills but also on the legal and moral aspects of carrying and using a firearm. Knowing when and how to use lethal force is vital to your defense in the courtroom and your peace of mind. We cover Florida's laws on self-defense, the "Castle Doctrine," and the legal use of force so you can carry with confidence, understanding your rights and responsibilities as a concealed carrier.

Elevate Your Preparedness

Carrying a concealed firearm is not just about self-protection, it’s about being prepared, responsible, and trained for the unexpected. Defensive shooting training equips you with the skills needed to protect yourself and others while building the confidence to respond effectively under stress.

At Viking 6 Tactical, we believe that training is the foundation of preparedness. If you're carrying concealed, it’s essential to invest in your skills and be ready for any situation. Don’t wait for an emergency to test your abilities, attend a defensive shooting course and be the protector you aspire to be.

Stay safe, stay trained, and stay prepared.

For more information on our defensive shooting classes, visit www.viking6tactical.com.