Course Descriptions

Firearms Training Associates, LLC offers instruction for beginning novice shooters and continues all the way through advanced competitive skills. In addition to being NRA certified instructors, we are staff instructors for Massad Ayoob's famous "Lethal Force Institute".

With most of the Lethal Force Institute's full array of classes available through Firearms Training Associates, LLC, Massad Ayoob provides the highly advanced local training for our students. Massad Ayoob is Director of the "Lethal Force Institute" in Concord, New Hampshire, and is an international leader in self-defense firearms training for both law enforcement and civilians.

 

Kubotan/Persuader $75

Become certified in the use of the most street proven and universally legal self-defense tool. The KUBOTAN resembles a 6 inch plastic cylinder with a key ring on one end.
The heart of the Kubotan Technique is freeing yourself from an attacker by causing them pain.

In this 4 hour class you will learn to escape from choke-holds and grabs including a headlock and bear-hug .  You will learn how to execute come-alongs, takedowns, wristlocks, thumblocks, armlocks, and shoulder-locks.  Techniques progress in force and intensity from just deterring your attacker, to stopping the attack and holding them  with control. You will also learn stunning and debilitating reinforced fist strikes and key slashes which may be necessary to match the force of a vicious attack .

Student skill level and strength are not a factor in this training.  These techniques use leverage and all pass the "Bambi versus Godzilla" test.

Students will be provided with a Kubotan for class training use. Several different variations of the Kubotan will be displayed as options to carry. One of our recommendations is the Mini-Mag flashlight, typically priced at under $10, designed to function as the Kubotan, and can be carried anywhere with no questions asked…

Basic Self Defense and Introduction to Kubotan $50

This 4 hour class includes some of the techniques from the full Kubotan Certification class; but it begins by reviewing the importance of your mental attitude and confident behavior.  Students are taught to become more aware of their surroundings and to avoid potential confrontation.  You will gain a better understanding of the mindset of “The Predator” and how they select victims.

This class covers basic “empty-handed” self-defense and progresses to use of a Kubotan, the most street-proven and universally legal self-defense tool. You will learn how to escape from choke holds and grabs including a headlock and bear-hug.. Kubon techniques progress in force and intensity from just deterring your attacker and escaping to stunning and debilitating reinforced fist strikes and key slashes which may be necessary to match the force of a vicious attack.

Students will be provided with a Kubotan for class training use. Several different variations of the Kubotan will be displayed as options to carry. One of our recommendations is the Mini-Mag flashlight, typically priced at under $10, designed to function as the Kubotan, and can be carried anywhere with no questions asked…

Handgun Retention and Kuboton $195

This course covers LFI’s handgun retention techniques that are based on the Lindell method that has been in use since the mid 1970’s. Students learn techniques for controlling their handgun while in and out of the holster as well as handgun retrieval in a struggle. This course covers full certification with a kubaton, the most street-proven and universally legal self-defense tool. This course includes escape from headlock, full nelson, and all manner of choke holds and grabs, how to execute come-alongs and takedowns. Each technique includes follow-ups to final "controlling posture" techniques; key slashes, and reinforced fist techniques. These techniques work with Kubotan, Persuader, Dejammer, Mini-Mag flashlight, and similar protective tools that are universally legal for concealed carry. Student will be issued a Persuader baton and a training manual. This is an intensive two-day program that involves hands on training with pain compliance techniques. 16 hours. Class size limited to 16 students. This class is taught by Firearms Training Associates, LLC Instructors.

Basic Pistol Course $65

An 8-hour practical course covering the basic operation of the handgun, designed for novice handgunners of all ages. Designed for new shooters, this class addresses such topics as: Firearm Safety; Basic operation of semiauto pistols and revolvers; Learning to shoot your handgun quickly and accurately; Selection of guns, calibers, and holsters; Basics of defensive firearms use; and much more. The course is designed to make the student more responsible, acting to a "higher standard of care". No prerequisite courses required. 300 rounds of ammo required. This class is taught by FTA Instructors.

Introduction to Combat Handgun $175

This one-day Lethal Force Institute program includes safe speed draw and holstering, proper operation of double action revolver, double or single action semi-automatic pistol, combat speed reloading with both. Student learns the Weaver, Chapman and Isosceles Turret two-hand techniques, "position shooting" such as "Stressfire Kneeling", and "Stressfire Star", and how to focus on target instead of sight picture with "stress point index", among many other pointers.
Ideal for the shooter with no previous hands-on training OR for the experienced instructor seeking techniques to streamline his own training procedures. 8 hrs.

LFI-1 $800

This is the most famous Lethal Force Institute course, 40 hours of immersion training that, lawyers and cops agree, goes well beyond law school and the police academy in this critical decision-making area. Prevention, intervention and aftermath management are all thoroughly considered. The course includes: when the citizen can and cannot use a gun in self-defense, tactics for home defense, street gunfighting tactics, how to take a criminal suspect at gunpoint, selection of guns, ammunition, and holsters, psychological preparation for violent encounters, AND justifying your actions in court. Intensive combat shooting comprises 40% of the course, the remainder being lecture, video and student interaction. This course is offered to additional family members at a $50.00 discount in tuition when they attend the same course as a full paying tuition family member. All students must show proof of having passed criminal record/character background check. Acceptable credentials include concealed carry permit, FID cas, FFL, or letter from a police department confirming background. There is not a prerequisite for this class. Massad Ayoob teaches this class personally. (As an alternative to this class, students may take the two separate weekend components, Stressfire and Judicious Use of Deadly Force, for full LFI-1 certification.)

Stressfire $400

An intensive two-day Lethal Force Institute program designed to bring out the student's maximum potential for shooting a handgun under stress. This course accommodates beginning shooters as well as seasoned and competent shooters. Stressfire is the heart and soul of the LFI's shooting curriculum. Its earliest roots were in the "Officer Survival Movement" of the 1970's. At that time police firearms training was based on concepts of marksmanship that served well on the sterile laboratory of the range, but failed under the high stress environment of an actual gunfight. Officers were losing gunfights, and sometimes their lives, to criminals. Massad Ayoob, Director of LFI, interviewed hundreds of officers who had survived gunfights. Ayoob used their experiences, combined with his own extensive research to develop a combat handgun system he called Stressfire. Stressfire is arguably the best and most successful response to the firearms training crisis. Ayoob realized in a lethal threat encounter, individuals experience enormous "stress", causing fine motor skills to deteriorate as strength increases. Time seems to slow down, and the senses focus in on the threat, blocking out almost everything else. Ayoob combined his research with insights from the martial arts and eliminated techniques that are difficult to perform under stress. At the same time, Ayoob developed techniques that work well under these conditions, actually building on the enormous stress of a real life gunfights. Students learn biomechanics, stress control, and the latest techniques that actually feed off stress instead of crumbling under it. Techniques include proper grip and stance, speed reloading, one-handed and two-handed shooting techniques, non-conventional sighting techniques and shooting from positions of cover. No tactics or deadly force training is included. This course is ideal for the person already grounded in deadly force training, but who wishes to improve their self-defense handgun potential. Stressfire is the shooting portion of LFI-1 and is open to civilians as well as law enforcement personnel. A minimum of 500 rounds of factory ammunition is needed. There is not a prerequisite for this class. This class is taught by LFI Staff Instructors. (For a LFI-1completion certificate, the Judicious Use of Deadly Force course is needed.)

Judicious Use of Deadly Force $400

Massad Ayoob designed the Lethal Force Institute Introduction to Deadly Force class as an extract of the key lecture portions of his famous 40-hour LFI-1 course, considered the national standard for training law abiding armed citizens in the use of lethal force in self defense. The class goes far beyond Ayoob's famous book "In the Gravest Extreme," long accepted as the authoritative text on use of deadly force. "I can't control who reads a book," says Ayoob. "There are certain strategies that, put in print, could become a blueprint for face to face confrontations. This course is open only to those persons who have proven to us that they've passed a criminal record or character background check." Strategies include taking suspects at gunpoint, interacting with witnesses at the scene of a shooting or drawn gun incident, and interaction with responding and interrogating police officers. Other material covers tactics for dealing with armed robbers, home invaders, rapists, muggers, carjackers, and other assailants. Selection of optimum firearms, ammunition, and holsters and other accessories are covered but not emphasized. This is a software class more than a hardware class, devoted to the legal, ethical, and moral parameters of defending oneself and others with lethal force. The two points of emphasis are "street survival" and "court survival." Throughout, the thrust is on developing a mindset that allows you to cope with life-threatening stress while remaining totally defensible in a court of law. Judges and attorneys who've taken the class say that the deadly force training therein exceeds that taught in law school; police instructors who've taken this two-day, intensive weekend lecture-and-video program agree that it goes far beyond the police academy as well. This course is the lecture portion of LFI-1 and is open to civilians as well as law enforcement. (The two-day Stressfire course is required to become eligible for full LFI-I certification, subject to passing the written exam and police-type live-fire qualification.) There is not a prerequisite for this class. Massad Ayoob teaches this class personally.

Advanced Stressfire $300

Advanced Stressfire is an intensive two-day program designed to bring out an individual's maximum potential for shooting a handgun under stress and to achieve the optimum blend of speed and accuracy. This class is ideal for the officer who wishes to hone and fine-tune their techniques with emphasis on individual diagnostics. Participants will master biomechanics, stress management, and techniques that actually feed off stress instead of crumbling under it, with the focus on high speed drills. Advanced Stressfire uses street proven and reality based techniques. No tactics or deadly force training are covered. The Advanced Stressfire course is also the logical "next step" for the competitive IDPA or IPSC shooter who wants to improve their scores, times, or Classification. This course takes the competent handgunner and propels them to "the next level" of awareness. Speed drawing, tactical and slidelock reloads, proper presentation from the holster, rapid target acquisition and rapid follow-up shots are all mastered in structured drills. There is not a prerequisite for Advanced Stressfire; however, prior formal firearms training is strongly recommended. This is a very high round count course, but it is extremely structured to maximize training efficiency. A suitable pistol, strong side belt holster, four magazines, magazine pouch, eye and ear protection, a baseball cap, a concealment garment, and 2000 rounds of factory ammunition are needed for Advanced Stressfire. This class is taught by Firearms Training Associates, LLC Instructors.

Advanced Stessfire for Law Enforcement

Similar to the civilian version, but we bring the class into your range. An intensive two-day program designed to bring out an individual's maximum potential for shooting a handgun under stress and to achieve the optimum blend of speed and accuracy. This class is ideal for the officer who wishes to hone and fine-tune their techniques with emphasis on individual diagnostics. Participants will master biomechanics, stress management, and techniques that actually feed off stress instead of crumbling under it, with the focus on high speed drills. Advanced Stressfire uses street proven and reality based techniques. No tactics or deadly force training are covered.   This course takes the competent handgunner and propels them to "the next level" of awareness. Speed drawing, tactical and slidelock reloads, proper presentation from the holster, rapid target acquisition and rapid follow-up shots are all mastered in structured drills. There is not a prerequisite for Advanced Stressfire; however, prior formal firearms training is strongly recommended. This is a very high round count course, but it is extremely structured to maximize training efficiency. A suitable pistol, strong side belt holster, four magazines, magazine pouch, eye and ear protection, a baseball cap, a concealment garment, and 2000 rounds of factory ammunition are needed for Advanced Stressfire. This class is taught by Firearms Training Associates, LLC Instructors. Arrangements can be made to provide ammo for officers who wish to submit their expenses for tuition reimbursement.

Patrol Carbine $195

This 16-hour course thoroughly covers the use of the .223 or .308 semi-automatic rifle, or the pistol-caliber carbine. Select-fire assault weapons and sub-machineguns may be used; but will be set on semi-auto only. Course includes standing, kneeling, prone and cover positions, speed reloading and malfunction clearing, and advanced accuracy techniques. Wounded officer one-hand only firing and reloading techniques are taught and stressed. Tactical employment and selection of the defensive auto-loading rifle are also taught. Class size limited to 20 students. 750 rounds of ammunition will be required. This class is taught by Firearms Training Associates, LLC Instructors.

Emergency Rifle $400.00

This is the course developed by LFI for the Michigan Department of Corrections. It thoroughly covers the use of the .233 or .308 semi-automatic rifle, or the pistol-caliber carbine. Semi-autos only. Course includes standing, kneeling, prone and cover positions; one-hand only wounded officer firing and reload techniques, speed reloading and ultra-high speed firing. Malfunction clearing, advanced techniques, tactical employment and selection of the defensive autoloading rifle are also taught. 15 hours. This course is taught by Massad Ayoob with assistance of LFI staff.

LFI-2 Lethal Threat Management for Civilians $900

Picking up where LFI-I left off, this program dramatically enhances the student's combat shooting skills and "survivability" in violent encounters. This course includes return fire techniques when wounded, mastering the combat shotgun, doubling or tripling your standard of shooting skill, maintaining control of your weapon in a struggle for the gun, retrieval of partners taken hostage, building search tactics, man against man role-play using dummy weapons or paint guns, how to assist police in danger situations and much more. LFI-1 is non-negotiable prerequisite to this course. 40 hours. Class size limited to 30 students. Massad Ayoob teaches this class personally.

LFI-III Advanced Threat Management For Civilians $1000

The most advanced LFI course in Wisconsin. LFI-I and LFI-2 are required prerequisites. The 5-day course includes: "outer limits" exercises of advanced combat handgun skill, advanced combat shotgun, introduction to assault rifle and submachine gun, ambidextrous shooting skill, shooting under extreme pressure, and advanced subtleties of self protection both on the street and in the courtroom. Full certification in weapon retention and Kuboton/Persuader are included. This class is deal for the instructor or future instructor. 40 hrs. Rifles, shotguns, and submachine guns will be available upon request. Massad Ayoob teaches this class personally.

StressFire Instructor

StressFire Instructor: Five days of extremely intensive handgun and shotgun skill development and technique analysis. This instructor certification course is offered for police firearms instructors and advanced private citizens who have had previous instructional experience and desire to teach the most advanced techniques to their students. Participants will lean how to perform the many proprietary techniques and the reason behind the "StressFire" method of defensive firearms, a shooting method developed over the last 20 years by Master Instructor Massad Ayoob. These techniques have proven themselves over and over again, not only in competition but on the street in numerous gunfights that LFI students have survived. Required supplies for this course include 1500 rounds handgun ammo, 50 rounds assorted shotgun ammo, weak side holster, soft body armor, (loaner available) along with 300 rounds revolver ammo if student uses semi-auto, or vice-versa. Both pump and semi-auto shotguns needed, 12 or 20ga., (loaners available), flashlight (for night exercises one night. Pre-requisite: Student must be a certified police firearms instructor and/or LFI-II graduate, or comparable level of training.