Sweatnbullets
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“Keep it Simple Stupid”
We have all heard this over and over again, but what does it actually mean? Many believe that it means “keep it simple or you are stupid.” The true meaning is “keep it as simple as it needs to be, but no simpler.”
In the world of the gun its true meaning has been contorted by those that teach a certain system or methodology. These instructors taught a “one size fits all” methodology that is geared to a “lowest common denominator” mindset, inside of a “square range” mentality. They taught one stance, one grip, one means of sighting the gun, one draw stroke, and one form of retention shooting.
Back in 2000, instructors were beginning to step outside of this tight little box. There began an age of enlightenment. Terms such as “integration” “continuum” “matrix” and “progression” would send all of the “old guard” guru worshipers into a frenzied state, throwing KISS rule haymakers at every new concept that they did not understand. It is this lack of understanding that is the crux of the problem…..not the newer concepts.
This new breed of instructors were taking what they knew and testing it in force on force (FOF.) To many of these instructors, the limitations of their past training became very apparent. It became very obvious that the past training had kept things much too simple. It was so simple, that it did not work against a thinking, breathing, resisting, and aggressive adversary. Remember, “keep it as simple as it needs to be, but no simpler.” If the past KISS training failed miserably inside of properly run FOF, it is very apparent that this contorted KISS ideology was the main factor in this failure.
“The More You Sweat in Training, the Less You Bleed in Combat”
Simply said, “put in the work!”
So, what is the work that we need to put in? Go out and learn the fundamentals. As soon as you have safety down, the draw stroke down, and you can keep the gun running and hitting……you need to take these basics into professionally run FOF. Here is where you find out that the fundamentals are nowhere near good enough. Here is where you find out that you need to sweat a hell of a lot more, so that you do not bleed so much. Here is where you find out that you need to be more “well rounded” and versatile. Here is where you find out that you need to be able to work at the subconscious level…..because that conscious level KISS training fell flat on it face.
The epiphany is complete. You now understand that keeping it simple in training does not equate to doing well in a confrontation. “Gun fighting is a thinking mans game.” The only way for you to keep it simple in a confrontation is by putting in the work while training. You need to work with solid natural/instinctive concepts…..ones that can be accessed by the caveman brain at the subconscious level. This breaks us away from that “one size fits all” technique based training and leads use into much more natural and fluid concepts. These fluid concepts begin to cover a much larger portion inside of the fight continuum. Even though they cover much more ground, these well rounded and versatile concepts are actually simpler to access and perform while under pressure. They are simpler due to the fact that they are more natural and instinctive. You have also put in the work in training, so that you have a certain understanding and comfort level that leads to a “just do it” state of mind.
It is this “just do it” state of mind, inside of the fight, that is the true meaning of "Keep it Simple Stupid!"
We have all heard this over and over again, but what does it actually mean? Many believe that it means “keep it simple or you are stupid.” The true meaning is “keep it as simple as it needs to be, but no simpler.”
In the world of the gun its true meaning has been contorted by those that teach a certain system or methodology. These instructors taught a “one size fits all” methodology that is geared to a “lowest common denominator” mindset, inside of a “square range” mentality. They taught one stance, one grip, one means of sighting the gun, one draw stroke, and one form of retention shooting.
Back in 2000, instructors were beginning to step outside of this tight little box. There began an age of enlightenment. Terms such as “integration” “continuum” “matrix” and “progression” would send all of the “old guard” guru worshipers into a frenzied state, throwing KISS rule haymakers at every new concept that they did not understand. It is this lack of understanding that is the crux of the problem…..not the newer concepts.
This new breed of instructors were taking what they knew and testing it in force on force (FOF.) To many of these instructors, the limitations of their past training became very apparent. It became very obvious that the past training had kept things much too simple. It was so simple, that it did not work against a thinking, breathing, resisting, and aggressive adversary. Remember, “keep it as simple as it needs to be, but no simpler.” If the past KISS training failed miserably inside of properly run FOF, it is very apparent that this contorted KISS ideology was the main factor in this failure.
“The More You Sweat in Training, the Less You Bleed in Combat”
Simply said, “put in the work!”
So, what is the work that we need to put in? Go out and learn the fundamentals. As soon as you have safety down, the draw stroke down, and you can keep the gun running and hitting……you need to take these basics into professionally run FOF. Here is where you find out that the fundamentals are nowhere near good enough. Here is where you find out that you need to sweat a hell of a lot more, so that you do not bleed so much. Here is where you find out that you need to be more “well rounded” and versatile. Here is where you find out that you need to be able to work at the subconscious level…..because that conscious level KISS training fell flat on it face.
The epiphany is complete. You now understand that keeping it simple in training does not equate to doing well in a confrontation. “Gun fighting is a thinking mans game.” The only way for you to keep it simple in a confrontation is by putting in the work while training. You need to work with solid natural/instinctive concepts…..ones that can be accessed by the caveman brain at the subconscious level. This breaks us away from that “one size fits all” technique based training and leads use into much more natural and fluid concepts. These fluid concepts begin to cover a much larger portion inside of the fight continuum. Even though they cover much more ground, these well rounded and versatile concepts are actually simpler to access and perform while under pressure. They are simpler due to the fact that they are more natural and instinctive. You have also put in the work in training, so that you have a certain understanding and comfort level that leads to a “just do it” state of mind.
It is this “just do it” state of mind, inside of the fight, that is the true meaning of "Keep it Simple Stupid!"