Five Truths of Gun Defense: What Martial Artists Often Get Wrong in Their Training
- Lawrence N. Nadeau
- Sep 3
- 5 min read
Learn How to Deal With Them Now in the Dojo — or Use Your Techniques at Your Own Risk on the Street!
I’d arrived early to meet a friend for dinner, but his class was still in session, so I watched from the viewing area. The students were practicing handgun defense under the tutelage of a senior student — which probably explained why it appeared so casual.
I’m sure you’ve seen classes like that one, with mundane repetitions, comfortable surroundings and friendly pairings. You may even have participated in one. But observing that session wound up altering my outlook on gun defense. Why? Because that’s when I realized that the subject is misunderstood by many who lack an in-depth understanding of firearms and ammunition.
To the students of ill-informed instructors, a “handgun” is nothing but a plastic or plywood replica of a firearm. As such, it elicits no urgency in training, no appreciation of consequence and no reality. If they knew a bit more about guns and bullets, they wouldn’t be so casual in their training.
After arriving at this epiphany, I changed the way I teach to better prepare students for this most serious of self-defense situations. Here, I present the five truths of gun defense so Black Belt readers who aren’t familiar with firearms can fine-tune — and possibly rethink — their skills before they attempt them on the street.
