Do you remember when you went to day camp as a kid? Or maybe your children or grandchildren are there now?
What were your favorite things to do at camp? I was a big fan of archery. I loved trying to improve my accuracy and get that bullseye. My daughter and sons were the same way.
I’m starting to get back into archery as an adult. My significant other bow hunts. While I don’t like to hunt personally, I love the challenge of shooting — whether it’s with a gun or a bow.
Today’s Tactical Tuesday is a little different.
What other weapons do you train with? How can these other weapons help you with your tactical training with a firearm?
I have a knife/tomahawk throwing range in my back yard. I like to go out and spend a few hours a week throwing. I have a metric load of throwing blades.
Archery here as well. Easy to practice in my yard. I have not archery hunted in years though. I just like to practice. Huge rivalry in my family between Longbow and Recurve… it is the 9mm vs. 45 debates!
I do like to go out and shoot Carp when the time is right (which is about now). My GF also does archery.
In no particular order:
-making my dad sleep on the side of the tent on the roots and rocks
-archery was fun
-sailfish/sunfish sailing boat?
-there may have been basket weaving
I carry a taser. Also, I remember while doing a bit of martial arts learning staff work, and sometimes still grab a roughly-proper length stick or pipe and make sure I can still do it…
Also am pretty good at shaking a tail, so a car or bike might be another tactical tool.
In the Scouts I liked to camp, cook, hike and fish.
Tomahawks and knife range in the back yard. Also a 25yd bow and cross bow range, I shoot pellet rifle and pistol also.
Any training with different types of weapons sharpen the mind and body.
Pepper spray. I think it helps overall because, like my CC weapons, pepper spray is a bad-breath weapon. I’ve tried to train myself to be constantly aware of my surroundings, keeping distance between myself and potential threats, and having my pepper spray (and AIWB CC weapon) within reach.
I also have a wrist-rocket slingshot. It has no tactical value at all, it just takes me back to my childhood … and keeps the squirrels off the blueberry bushes …
I am a big archery guy. I go home for lunch a lot and its super easy a couple times a week to spend 15 minutes and throw a couple arrows at the target.
I have a few tomahawks and throwing knives. Its just something that is fun to do.
I also have a couple blowguns, again, just for fun.
I dont know if there is a specific tactical purpose, but I think it helps with keeping the mind focused and target-minded, more so than even shooting a gun. It also helps with dexterity which can help with firearms manipulation, and improves hand-eye coordination. It is also a workout. It requires using muscles, breath control, etc.
I try to keep my body somewhat functional. It’s harder to find time for it, but weightlifting and physically training are big hobbies of mine. I’d argue and in shape body is more likely to survive a harsh beating and be more useful in a fight. Not as useful as gun of course… but useful
GREAT post. It has been said that guns are the great equalizer, and they are … to an extent. However when fit hits the shan, things seldom go textbook perfect. Fitness is a big component of preparedness. Well said.
I’m more worried about flexibility than fitness. I stay around 225 lbs. But my flexibility needs work. It’s why I do so much heated pool physical therapy. Finally get to go back after 3 months. So tomorrow will be back to my one mile swim 3 days a week and flex work in therapy pool.
It’s been days before, one of the best defensive tools available to you is a camera. And many of you are reading this on a phone that has one built in. It won’t protect you from bullets, but it could protect you from a prosecutor, or assist a prosecutor who has the bad guy.
How does it relate to shooting? Steady position, breathing, sight picture, trigger squeeze.
