A two-day, 20-hour immersion course in rules of engagement for armed law-abiding private citizens, emphasizing legal issues, tactical issues, and aftermath management. Topics will include interacting with suspects, witnesses, responding police officers…threat recognition and mind-set…management of social and psychological aftermath after having had to use lethal force in defense of self or others…and preparing beforehand for legal repercussions and minimizing exposure to them. Situations in the home, at the place of business, or “on the street” will all be covered.

Prerequisite: none.

Taught in person by Massad Ayoob

This one week 40+ hour course of instruction is offered by the Massad Ayoob Group in conjunction with The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc. to teach and certify self-defense firearms instructors in the complicated and nuanced discipline of teaching the legalities of use of deadly force in self-defense. Teaching how to shoot is the easy part. Much tougher is teaching people when and when not to use force, including deadly force, in self defense. In addition to learning what to teach and how to present it, students will also learn how to take their expertise to court, to both serve as a material witness for their students, and perhaps an expert witness in other self-defense court cases.

(Starting Point Class) - Intro to Handguns is the start to our handgun curriculum and is the required pre-req for Handgun Fundamentals and Concealed Carry 101. These other Level 1 classes require students to have their own handgun and are paired with an Intro on the same weekend to allow students the opportunity to create their own 2 day class. Our other entry point into our handgun curriculum is Defensive Handgun which is required for all of our higher level handgun classes. (See Full List)

Continuing where our Level 1: Intro to Handguns class left off, this class focuses on marksmanship fundamentals and manipulations of defensive handguns. We will be working from the bench so a holster is not required. This class is for those students who want a refresher or to get more familiar with basic manipulations and fundamentals before continuing their training. We will be on the range for the majority of class focusing on safety, handgun manipulations, accuracy, and other skills that will prepare students for future classes.

Topics of instruction include: Firearms safety, types of handguns, loading and unloading, reloads, eye dominance, stance, grip, sight alignment, trigger control, follow through, presentation from ready positions. Lunch lecture will be on holster and gear selection for carry or training.

Extreme Close Quarter Concepts (ECQC) course is the flagship Shivworks Course and takes place over 2.5 days with a total of 24 training hours. Instruction is given on functional handgun skills from zero to five feet, a unique problem requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Provided is a template for what we feel are the best practices between verbal and physical skills to avoid, stabilize, and resolve a life-threatening situation within the context of the criminal assault paradigm while armed.

(Starting Point Class) - Intro to Handguns is the start to our handgun curriculum and is the required pre-req for Handgun Fundamentals and Concealed Carry 101. These other Level 1 classes require students to have their own handgun and are paired with an Intro on the same weekend to allow students the opportunity to create their own 2 day class. Our other entry point into our handgun curriculum is Defensive Handgun which is required for all of our higher level handgun classes. (See Full List)

Concealed Carry 101 was born out of the need to quickly and efficiently get students "up and running" with self-defense and concealed carry handgun skills. We frequently pair this class on a weekend with our Level 1: Intro to Handguns class, which is the mandatory pre-requisite for this class, to give students an opportunity to train for an entire weekend. 

(Starting Point Class) - Defensive Handgun is the required pre-req for Level 3 Tac Handgun, Level 3 Active Shooter, and the Handgun Special Interest Seminars. (See Full List)

This 2-day class is designed to allow the hunter, soldier, law enforcement officer or armed citizen to work with their scoped centerfire rifle in simulated field positions. It fills the gap between Level One Rifle and Precision Rifle, and complements the Tactical Rifle curriculum. Shooting from a bench or prone is great for shooting little groups, but in the field, a bench is usually absent and grass or brush typically negate the prone shot.