To learn more about I.C.E. Training, click this link: http://icetraining.us/.

To learn more about the Springfield Armory “Defend Your Legacy” campaign, click this link: https://www.defendyourlegacy.com/.

Recently, I had an opportunity to attend the introduction event for the new Springfield Armory Saint in Las Vegas, and the company went to great lengths to set up a lot of interesting training and shooting opportunities for us with its new 5.56 AR. One of the exercises at the event was an abbreviated hands-on training seminar with Rob Pincus of I.C.E. Training.

Rob Pincus’ reality-based training programs put students in simulations that test their decision-making skills under duress.

Founded by Pincus, I.C.E. (which stands for “integrity, consistency and efficiency”) Training offers self-defense coaching focused on reality-based training. In particular, we were given a course on armed home defense tactics, while using Saint rifles set up with Force on Force training munitions.

Prior to going live inside the customizable shoothouse, Pincus instructed the group on the basics of his particular brand of training. He explained that while traditional range training can be very effective, it can also instill habits that are more geared toward winning a match than surviving a gunfight. He said that the stresses induced by force-on-force training can be better suited (and also effectively complement range training) at giving you the skills you need to survive a life-and-death encounter.

He broke down the basics of his training into the following five-step guide:

• Evade
• Barricade
• Arm
• Communicate
• Respond

Pincus went to great pains to drive home the point that these steps are merely guidelines, and that the fluid nature of a conflict may force you to jump ahead to one that is needed in your situation. He also pointed out that his training drives home the point that the real question is not “can” you shoot, but rather “should” you shoot.

To support this, he gave the group several hypothetical cases where we were asked what we would do. It became clear that Pincus’ approach was to ensure that you do everything reasonably possible to avoid a conflict if possible and survive, and engage a threat directly when other avenues had been exhausted. But, he also gave examples of when responding quickly would be a feasible approach (and said that your situation could easily dictate that response). The key was that he wanted to make sure that you applied a plan to what you were doing, and followed it in the most logical way.

Pincus ran the students through a simulation where they used a Springfield Saint with Force-on-Force training munitions loaded.

To drive this home, and also the effects that stress can have on your decision making, Pincus ran all the attendees through the shoothouse in a situation where we had a threat banging on the door and we had to decide how to respond. On my first run, I did not follow my plan: I evaded by moving to the bedroom where my rifle was, but I left the door open (not barricaded), and then I switched off the safety of the rifle before I had a direct line of sight on the threat. I did communicate (“called” the police) and was ready to respond, but did not do all the steps I should have in that particular situation.

In the after-action review, Pincus asked me what I did and what I thought I should have done differently. I told him that I knew what I should have done (i.e., barricade the door, keep on “safe” until I saw a direct threat per his teaching, etc.), I just did not do these things when faced with the stress of the situation. And this was the “stress” of something I knew was fake. What if it had been real? He explained that was the point of his training: Learn it here in the shoothouse instead of in my home facing an actual threat. My next time through a second course, I followed step-by-step what I should have done. Needless to say, I can see the benefits of Pincus’ approach to training. It was an eye-opening experience for me.

To learn more about I.C.E. Training, click this link: http://icetraining.us/.

To learn more about the Springfield Armory “Defend Your Legacy” campaign, click this link: https://www.defendyourlegacy.com/.