Keep Training Logs/Records

​Having a record of your training and practice in self defense can help you in many aspects. It is a low possibility that you will have to use the training, but it is cheap insurance to keep a training record or log. In this article, I am going to provide some reasons why you should keep a training log and then discuss some options for how to format your training logs. This may be a dry topic compared to talking about ballistics or being John Wick, but this is just as necessary if you are going to reach a level of proficiency to be on par with John Wick…Just saying.

LOOKS GOOD LEGALLY?
 
If you keep a training log to show an attorney or a judge, you can easily prove that you are not a citizen who recklessly carries a firearm in order to look for a conflict. This MAY play in your favor, or it MAY work against you, hence my recommendation to have your attorney take a gander at the training log first to consider it for your defense strategy. In my opinion, consulting an attorney NOW would be your best ammunition for preparing your training log(s) and their format. After all, I am not giving out legal advice, but merely giving you my thoughts on how a training log can be used.

SHOWS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
 
Just like a workout and nutrition tracker, you can look back on your training logs and see where you can improve or give yourself slack. This is important and should be treated just like a workout or fitness tracker. After all, the idea of training and practicing is to improve, which is only done by putting in the work, not resting on your laurels that you trained with some SF dude ten years ago. Unfortunately, this is not The Matrix and skills are not downloadable. In order to draw on the fine motor skills used in a critical incident, you need to wire a lot of neurons together and strengthen them to allow fine motor and visuomotor skills accessible during high adrenal situations.

FORMATS

Training logs can have any format you wish. You can preformat your training logs as I do to where I log the exact times I train and the duration. I also include exactly what I am doing and even put in some notes for myself. I use these notes later to help me plan future training to improve my skills. Here is a list of things I recommend you include in your training log:

• Time and date
• What you worked on
• How long you trained/practiced
• Notes relating to performance
• Defensive Tactics training (if any)
• Soft skills relating to your training (reading a book about de-escalation and conflict avoidance)
• Weapons and/or gear trained with (optional)
• If training for a scenario, list the scenario and the trained response or reaction

 LOOKING AHEAD

I like to use my training logs to plot out the time of day I do things and see if I can switch around the time I do certain training. In some cases, I find that I spend too much time on weapons and not enough on defensive tactics and even communications skills like de-escalation. Or perhaps I feel that I need to practice weapons retention skills periodically as well.

​Keeping a training log with performance notes can also help you develop testing parameters to better gauge the skills you are attempting to nurture and develop. I highly recommend you stay away from cookie cutter tests like the Bill Wilson or the El Presidente. If you are planning for close quarters shooting, practice the sequence of events in a reasonable manner to see how you are able to move and engage close range targets. Anyways, the point is to be sensible and a thinking man. Use a drop of sense and see where it gets you.